---
title: "Voyager"
slug: "voyager-voyager"
updated: 2026-04-07T21:20:59Z
published: 2026-04-07T21:20:59Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/voyager-voyager"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Voyager

**Voyager**is a Slate reporting tool for geospatial mapping.

[Embedded content](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/CQY2jpFtTKs?rel=0&showinfo=0)

> [!WARNING]
> 📝 Note
> 
> The preceding video, which provides a step by step guide to Voyager, was created before the move to to configurable joins. The information presented is correct, but in modern databases you must choose [configurable joins and a query base](/v1/docs/getting-started-with-configurable-joins) instead of a population.

## Reports in Voyager

Reports in Voyager let you superimpose layers that represent data from records, events, organizations, [American Community Survey (ACS)](https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.html) data, and more onto a map of the United States.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Voyager.png)

## Creating a new Voyage

To create a new Voyage:

1. Go to **Queries / Reports.**
2. Select **Voyager**.
3. Select **New Voyage**.
4. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name:**Enter a descriptive name for the report. This name will also display when associating a voyage with a trip.
  - **User:**Select the user to be associated with the report. Displays the Slate user associated with adding the interaction.
  - **Folder:**Keep reports organized in folders. Select *Other*to create folder.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/New voyage.png)
5. Select **Save**.

## Layers

There are two ways to visualize data, called **layers**, in Voyager:

### Markers

**Markers**are weighted numerical representations of geographic clusters of data. They can represent applicants, prospects, high schools, events, or other geographically significant quantities.

Show or hide marker types by selecting them from the *Markers*list.

Marker data that appears in the current map view is also listed in a corresponding **data tab**below the map.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Markers.png)

Select a marker to view its data as a list of records, downloadable as a spreadsheet.

> [!NOTE]
> 💡 If you’re mapping records from the *Organizations*dataset as a marker layer, you can select **New Event**to create an event associated with the selected organization.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Select a marker to view as query result list.png)

### Overlays

**Overlays**let you visualize quantitative data as a gradation of colors, as with a heatmap. For example, you might use an overlay to show you where the strongest SAT scores are, or where a large number of first generation students live.

Data like this is readily available from the **American Community Survey (ACS)**, which Slate includes through the 2022 survey year.

Select an overlay from the *Overlays*list to apply it to your map.

> [!NOTE]
> 💡 You can view markers and an overlay simultaneously.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Overlays.png)

## Creating a new layer

To create a new layer:

1. Select **Edit Layers**.
2. Select **New Layer**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name**: Appears on the voyage in the legend and the data tab.
  - **Type**: Select the layer type, either marker or overlay.
  - **Color (marker only)**: Set the color of the marker cluster. Also appears in the legend and the corresponding data tab.
  - **Default Visibility (marker only)**: Any active marker layers can be toggled on and off when viewing the voyage map. When Default Visibility is set to *On*, the markers for this layer will automatically be toggled on when the voyage is opened for all users. If the setting is set to *Off*, the markers will not be displayed automatically, but the layer does appear as an option to turn on if the user wishes to do so.
  - **Order (marker only)**: Enter a number to determine the order in which this marker’s data tab and legend appear.
  - **Type:**Defaults to*****Configurable Joins*.
  - **Category:**Select the query base category for the report.
    - **Overlays only:**To access ACS data, select *System.*
  - **Base:**Select the query base for the report.
    - **Overlays only:**To access ACS data, select *World - US Zip Code.*

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/New layer.png)
4. Select **Save**.

Your new layer requires additional configuration before it appears on the map.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/New layer requiring location configuration.png)

📖 [All Voyager layer settings](/v1/docs/voyager-layer-settings)

## Configuring a layer query

The layer needs query results, including a location export, to populate the map.

To add a query to a layer, select **Edit Query.**A new query appears with a base specified by the layer configuration.

#### Exports

Add the data that you want to appear in your marker or overlay.

For markers, exports appear as a column in the table on the query’s data tab.

> [!WARNING]
> 📝 Unlike markers, overlay exports must be **numerically quantifiable within a range:** so, no exports for name, CEEB code, and so on.

#### Postal code export

Voyager layer queries require a **postal code**data point. Some exports that satisfy this requirement include:

- mailing address
- permanent address
- active address
- school #1 address

**📖 Further reading:**Access address exports with [joins](/v1/docs/joins).

#### Accessing American Community Survey data

There are dozens of **American Community Survey (ACS)**data points available in Slate.

Some of these are on a percentile, while others provide a raw numeric value. Keep this in mind when choosing data points: the percentage of the population with household income greater than $200,000 per year provides a different representation than the median household income.

The numeric nature of this data lends itself most logically to the *overlay*type.

> [!WARNING]
> 📝 To access this data, the overlay layer must be built on the [*World - US Zip Code system base*](/v1/docs/voyager-voyager#creating-a-new-voyage).

To add an export for data from ACS in an overlay:

1. Select **Subquery Export.**
2. **Configure the following:**
  - **Name:**Enter a name for the data as it will appear in the *Overlay*list.
  - Type: Dependent subquery
  - Output: Rank
3. Select **Join.**
4. Select **World - US Zip Data by Data Point.**
5. **Select Continue.**
6. From the **Data Point**list, select the data point to be represented by this subquery export.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Select data point from World - US Zip Data by Data Point join list.png)
7. Select **Save.**
8. Select **Export.**
9. Select **Value.**
10. Select **Save.**
11. **Select Save**to save the subquery export.

Repeat for as many ACS data points as you want made available in the report.

#### Column width

Column widths are equal by default.

To specify a column’s width, select an export and enter one of the following formats in the **Name** field:

- `Export Name:XXpx`, where `XX` is the column’s width in pixels
- `Export Name:XX%`, where `XX` is the percent of the total width of the table

In both cases, `Export Name` appears as the column label.

#### Filters and sorts

Filters and sort keys are unnecessary in most circumstances for overlay queries.

## Setting the layer’s location export

Voyager needs to associate each record returned by the query with a location on the map. We do this by designating one export from the query as the **location export**.

To set the layer’s location export:

1. Select **Edit Layers** from the breadcrumb navigation.
2. Select **Edit Layer.**
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Location Export:**Select the geographic export you added to the query.
  - **Location Type:**Select the applicable type, either *Geocode*or *US Zip Code*.
  - **Pre-selected Value (overlays only):**Optionally select an overlay value to appear by default.
4. Select **Save.**

With your layer configured, add as many other layers as is required.

Then, use the breadcrumb navigation to return to the Voyager map and admire your new report.