# Context Map

A Context Map is an interactive visualization that fans out from a single element across configurable levels of related data. Each level is color-coded, and the map loads its contents live from ServiceNow — so what you see is always the current state of your records.

Use a Context Map when you want to visualize:

* Everything that touches a business capability (applications, services, owners)
* A data flow expanded by hops
* Related records around a single source element, categorized by level

## Creating a Context Map

1. Add the **Context Map** visualization to your board from the shapes library.
2. Drop a **committed** element from the [Data Hub](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/data-hub.md) onto the Context Map shape — this sets the source element the map fans out from.
3. The **Configure Levels** dialog opens automatically.

<figure><img src="/files/wSSGsUqH1NsessCQBY3p" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Configuring Levels

For each level in the dialog:

* **Table / Element** — pick the related table or specific element to include at this level.
* **Color** — pick a color for this level (the last level has no color picker; it uses its source color).

You can add and remove levels to control how deep the map fans out. **Level 1** is closest to the source; each subsequent level extends outward through related records.

Click **Load** to fetch the related records and populate the map.

## What You See After Loading

The Context Map renders as a radial or layered layout with the source element at the center and each level extending outward, color-coded per your configuration. You can:

* Select individual nodes to inspect them in the [Data Panel](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/data-inspector.md)
* Traverse relationships by hovering
* Add more levels by re-opening **Configure Levels** (pencil icon on the visualization's toolbar)

## Editing & Resetting

The Context Map toolbar includes:

* **Edit** (pencil icon) — re-opens the Configure Levels dialog
* **Reset** — clears the current configuration so you can start over

Both buttons are **hidden when the visualization is locked** or when the board is opened in read-only / presenter mode.

## Notifications

You'll see in-app toasts as the map loads:

* *"Loading Context Map"* (in progress)
* *"Context Map loaded successfully"*
* *"Error loading Context Map"* (with error details)

See [Notifications](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/notifications.md) for how these toasts behave.

## Limits & Gotchas

* **Only committed elements can be dropped on a Context Map.** Dropping an uncommitted element produces an error — commit the element first via the [Commit](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/commit.md) workflow.
* **You cannot drop multiple elements.** The error *"It is impossible to add multiple elements"* appears if you try — a Context Map has exactly one source.
* **Parent tables are not supported as a drop target** for a level. Drop individual tables instead.
* **The map loads asynchronously.** Expect a brief loading state for large related sets.
* **Configure Levels is modal.** You cannot edit the canvas while the dialog is open.

## Related

* [Data Hub](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/data-hub.md) — source of the committed element you drop onto the map
* [Hierarchy Map](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/visualizations/hierarchy-map.md) — a related visualization for parent/child trees
* [Commit](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/commit.md) — required before an element can be dropped on the Context Map


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