Quick Start Guide
Get up and running with ProPaving in just a few minutes. This guide walks you through creating your first project and making your first measurement.
Create Your First Project
Projects are where you store all measurements for a specific location. Each project has its own address, notes, and set of measurements.
To Create a Project:
- From the Dashboard or Projects page, click the "New Project" button
- Enter a descriptive project name (e.g., "ABC Company Parking Lot")
- Optionally add the project address - this helps with navigation
- Add any notes about the project
- Click "Create Project"
Tip: If you enter an address, the map will automatically center on that location when you open the project.
Navigate to Your Location
Once your project opens, you'll see a satellite map. You need to navigate to the parking lot or paved area you want to measure.
Address Search
The fastest way to navigate:
- Click the search field in the toolbar
- Type an address, city, or landmark
- Select from the suggestions
- Map centers on that location
Use Your Location
If you're on-site:
- Click the crosshair icon ("Locate Me")
- Allow browser location access
- Map centers on your position
Manual Navigation
- Pan: Click and drag the map
- Zoom: Use scroll wheel, or pinch on trackpad/touch
- Double-click: Zoom in on a specific point
Draw Your First Measurement
Now you're ready to measure. Let's draw an area measurement around a parking lot.
Drawing an Area:
- Select the Area Tool: Click the square icon in the toolbar, or press P on your keyboard
- Place Your First Point: Click on a corner of the parking lot to start
- Continue Around the Perimeter: Click to add more points, tracing the edge of the paved area
- Close the Shape: Either:
- Click on the first point to close the polygon
- Press Enter to finish
- Click the "Finish" button in the toolbar
Success! Your measurement is now saved. You'll see the area (in square feet) and perimeter displayed in the Measurements Panel on the right.
Tips for Accurate Measurements:
- Zoom in for more precise point placement
- Place points at corners and along curves
- More points = more accurate outline
- You can always edit measurements later
Review Your Work
After creating measurements, you can review and manage them in the Measurements Panel.
In the Measurements Panel you can:
- See all measurements with their calculated values
- Click a measurement to highlight it on the map
- Rename measurements by clicking the name
- Change colors to distinguish different areas
- View totals at the bottom of the panel
Auto-Save: ProPaving automatically saves your work every few seconds. Look for the "Saving..." indicator to confirm changes are being saved.