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Access Mapping & Routing - prerequisites and setup guidance

This article describes the prerequisites required before Access Evo Mapping & Routing can be enabled, covering background mapping, catchment layers, routing data. It also covers configuration for use in Evo Transport and Synergy Client > Admissions.

Written by Dan Wilkins

Prerequisites

  • Your organisation is onboarded in Evo

  • Your organisation has Evo Mapping and Routing provisioned

  • Relevant user(s) in org have access to the Evo M&R 'app'

Background mapping

Get your OS Maps API key from internal GIS colleagues

Info - the 'OS Maps API' must be added to an API project in the OS Data Hub

This is required to enable background map visibility

Catchment (Boundary) Layers

You need to have your boundary layers (e.g. catchment areas) ready for upload.

Formats supported include:

  • .TAB (MapInfo TAB file)

  • .SHP (ESRI Shape file)

  • .ZIP (containing either above)

Each boundary layer requires these feature attributes as a minimum for field mapping:

  • Catchment Name

    • This is for display purposes in Evo M&R only

  • External Data column

    • This is the value as returned to client applications (e.g. Synergy) to identify the catchment area. It's usually the DfE code of the school(s).

Routing

  • Evo Mapping and Routing supports two ways of accepting routing layers:

OS Data Download

You need to provide the relevant Order numbers from the OS Data Hub

Your GIS colleagues make the order and provide the order numbers for Roads and Path data sets.

You should order:

  • OS Highways Roads AOI or RAMI AOI data for your area plus an applicable buffer

  • OS Highways Paths AOI data for your area plus an applicable buffer

Note - we don't yet support NGD data

IMPORTANT - The 'OS Downloads API' must be added to the same API project in the OS Data Hub as used for mapping above – this is required by Evo when using the 'Get OS Data' option for road/path imports.

Bespoke roads/path layer upload

You can upload your own, bespoke, pre-merged road and footpath layer that contains the roads/paths you want to be used for routing purposes.

Formats supported for upload:

  • .TAB (MapInfo TAB file)

  • .SHP (ESRI Shape file)

  • .ZIP (containing either above)

As a minimum, the layer needs to contain these feature attributes which are required for field mapping:

  • ExternalID (required)

    • this must be a unique, non-blank value for every feature in the network, covering roads AND paths

  • Road Name (required)

  • Road Number (required)

  • Avoid Pattern (optional)

    • Note - When Evo uses the Routeware OS Highways Converter tool to merge Road and Path datasets, this field is calculated by the data. We recommend reviewing documentation OS Highways > RouteWare converter for guidance on possible values

  • Z-level From (optional)

    • This should be the 'startGradeSeparation' field if sourced from OS Highways data

  • Z-Level To (optional)

    • This should be the 'endGradeSeparation' field if sourced from OS Highways data

Enabling Mapping & Routing in Evo Transport

Enabling in Legacy Admissions

  • Ensure Synergy Mapping and Synergy Routing are licensed

  • Ensure Mapping Service Type param is set to Access Mapping

  • Ensure Routing Service Type is set to Access Routing

    • Note – as of 14Aug2026 there's a bug in Synergy Client where it's using this param to enable catchments to work

  • Add the following to System Manager > Options > Common > GIS > Access Mapping & Routing

  • API Base URL

  • API Key

    • Generate this from Routing & Mapping > API keys

    • Make sure the API key is set to use the sliding expiry date

    • Use a different key per calling application (e.g. Transport or Admissions), just in case one affects the other

  • Routing Layer

    • Note – this will be removed in a future release, as presently SynergyClient is using this instead of the correct system parameters that define the routing layers by name

    • For now, it needs to be the GUID of a routing layer that has been prepared in Evo M&R

      • This can be seen in M&R > Layer Manager

      • Select layer, select 'View Details', and copy the last GUID from the 'storage location' value

  • Catchment Description import

    • Once catchment layers have been imported to Evo Mapping and Routing, use the System Manager > Access Mapping and Routing Layers screen to 'import' catchment area descriptions from the relevant boundary layer(s) in Evo.

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