On the Map tab in certain applications, you can view, create, and edit GIS features on the map. A GIS feature is an entity, such as a transformer, distribution pole, road, or work order boundary on a map. Geographical information systems use points, lines, and polygons to represent features. On a map, GIS features are organized in layers. Each layer contains one type of feature. For example, a layer titled "Roads" would have line features, a layer titled "Parcels" would have polygon features, and so on.
You can turn layers on and off by selecting the check box next to each layer in the Map Contents section in the left pane of the Map tab. Your GIS administrator configures the properties of the layers. Properties include the symbology that is used to represent the features, and at what scale the layer is visible. If you want to make features within a layer selectable on the map, select the check box for that layer in the Layer Selection task.
Depending on your implementation, the data about the features can be stored in the same database as your application records or in a separate database.