Mergin Maps Community edition is an open-source solution made in Europe that enables efficient spatial data collection on mobile devices. Its integration with QGIS allows for easy synchronization between mobile and desktop GIS, making it easy to implement even complex field data collection workflows, especially if you are already familiar with QGIS.

We have successfully implemented Mergin Maps for various organizations and projects across France and Switzerland, each with distinct requirements and challenges. Our role spans the entire implementation process, from consulting on data needs and designing data models to configuring workflows and deploying the Mergin Maps server in a cloud infrastructure. The self-hosted approach gives us full control over data security, performance, and customization. Mergin Maps plays an important role in our mission to support public administrations in adopting open-source solutions. The synergy between Mergin Maps and other FOSS tools like QGIS and PostgreSQL helps demonstrate the power of open-source software, making it easier for public organizations to transition away from proprietary systems.

While we are not the core developers of Mergin Maps, we were able to make some improvements to this promising project. In this talk, we will share our hands-on experience, the benefits we’ve observed, and the lessons learned from using Mergin Maps in real-world field data collection scenarios.

Abstract:
In this presentation, we introduce GeoShop – an open-source, e-commerce-like application that we use in projects to facilitate the ordering of geospatial data from GIS systems. Using real-world examples, we will demonstrate how this Django-based application can be used to handle both free of fee and chargeable data orders from various geospatial data infrastructures. Additionally, we present Extract, another open-source solution designed to orchestrate data extractions from data providers. Extract is necessary to the correct working of GeoShop.

Description:
GeoShop is an e-commerce-like application that enables the ordering of geospatial data from a GIS system. In the present context, it is used with various WebGIS services. However, GeoShop can also be integrated with other applications that do not necessarily include a map viewer.
GeoShop allows the offering and sale of diverse geospatial data packages in various formats, such as vector data, 2D and 3D datasets, plans, maps, and aerial images – all just a few clicks away and available within minutes. Open data products can be provided free of charge. Furthermore, data can be supplied according to different pricing models.

While GeoShop manages the ordering process, the actual data extraction is handled by Extract, an open-source Java-based solution. Extract listens to the orders placed on GeoShop and executes data extractions using GDAL scripts or other custom extraction processes. The extracted data is then uploaded back to GeoShop, ready for download by the user.
This architecture enables multiple data providers to connect to the same GeoShop instance while maintaining full control over their data and extraction processes. Each provider can manage their own extraction scripts and infrastructure, ensuring flexibility and security. The ordering process of geospatial data is automated, therefore minimizing the need for manual data handling, except in highly specific cases.

During the development phase, significant resources were invested in optimizing performance and user experience, thanks to the initiative of the Geoinformatics Service of the Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. They donated the code as an open-source project to Camptocamp SA for further development.