Mapping a block

Platform: Mobile (Archer Setup app)

Mapping a block is usually the first real job you do with Archer on a new site. You walk or drive the boundary of the block while the app records your GPS track, then Archer builds a polygon from those points. Accuracy matters here — this boundary is what every future operation will be based on — so RTK GPS is strongly recommended.

📷 Screenshot: Map view of a completed block boundary overlaid on satellite imagery.

Before you start

The vineyard the block belongs to needs to exist. If it doesn't, create it in the portal first and sync your device.
You should be signed in to the Archer mobile app and have the correct management group selected.
Ideally, you have an RTK GPS receiver paired and showing a "Fixed" solution. Device GPS works but will be less accurate.
You're physically at the block, ready to walk or drive its perimeter.

Checking GPS status

Before you start mapping, check that GPS is healthy:

Open the Field tab (home screen).
Look at the GPS indicator — you want to see RTK Fixed (or the best solution your receiver supports).
If you're on device GPS only, the accuracy should still be sensible (a few metres at most) before you begin.

📷 Screenshot: Field tab with GPS indicator showing RTK Fixed.

Steps

Open the Mapping tab.

📷 Screenshot: Bottom navigation with Mapping tab highlighted.
Pick the vineyard you're working on, then tap New block.
Give the block a name. Use whatever naming convention you use internally (for example, "Block 4 — Shiraz").
Tap Start capture when you're ready to begin recording the boundary.
Walk or drive the perimeter of the block. The app records GPS points as you go and draws the polygon live on the map.

📷 Screenshot: Live boundary capture in progress, with partial polygon drawn on satellite imagery.
When you return to your starting point, tap Finish. Archer closes the polygon and calculates the block's area.
Review the boundary. If you're happy, tap Save. If not, you can tap Redraw to start again.

📷 Screenshot: Completed boundary with area shown at the bottom of the screen.

Filling in block details

After saving the boundary, you're prompted to complete the block's details:

Variety — the grape variety planted in the block.
Other attributes — trellising, row spacing, and any other fields your organisation uses.

You can come back and edit these later — see Editing block details.

Block status

When you first save a block, it's in draft status. Draft blocks aren't used for operational work until they're released — usually from the portal, after review. See Block versioning for details.

Tips and gotchas

Go slow around corners. RTK is accurate but it still samples GPS at a fixed rate — if you're sprinting, you'll get a coarser polygon at the corners.
Walk just inside the vine row, not on the headland. The boundary you draw should match where the vines actually end. Headland offsets can be adjusted later.
If you lose RTK fix mid-capture, stop and wait for it to come back before continuing. A brief drop to float will introduce a jog in the boundary.
Don't worry about the exact start point. The app closes the polygon automatically when you finish.
Captured a boundary wrong? You can discard and redraw, or save as draft and fix it later in the portal.