Adding Additional Locations to Your eDirectory Site

Introduction

Properly configuring locations is essential for an eDirectory website, as it enables users to easily browse and filter listings based on geographic preferences. Whether your directory targets a specific region or spans multiple countries, accurate location setup ensures a user-friendly experience. This guide details the methods for adding and managing locations within your eDirectory system.

Default Locations

During eDirectory installation, you can pre-load these default locations:

United States (States and Cities)
Canada (Provinces and Cities)
United Kingdom (Counties and Towns)
Australia (States and Cities)
Brazil (States and Cities)

Adding Default Locations

This method applies if your eDirectory site is on a shared server and your database lacks existing locations.

Navigate to Location Settings:
- Go to Site Manager → Settings → Language & Geography.
Select Locations:
- At the bottom of the page, choose the desired locations to import via checkboxes.

Note: This option is unavailable if your database already contains locations. Use alternative methods described below in that case.

Verifying Existing Location Data

To confirm if location data is already in your eDirectory database:

Navigate to Settings > Language & Geography > Location Data.
Uploaded locations will be displayed here if successfully imported.

Important Notes:

Uploaded locations appear in hierarchical order when users add listings, classifieds, or events.
Example: Adding a listing via Content > Listings > Add Listing will show the location hierarchy for selection.

Adding Additional Locations (Alternative Methods)

If you require locations beyond the defaults, eDirectory offers three additional methods:

Adding Locations Manually:
- Access Location Settings:
  - Go to Site Manager → Settings → Language & Geography → Location Data.

Add Locations:

Manually add locations (Country, State, City, or Neighborhood) based on your site's hierarchy.

Adding Locations by Importing Data (CSV/XLS):

Download the Import Template:

Go to Content → Import → Listings and download the CSV template.

Populate the Template File:

Fill the template with location data, aligning with your site's location settings (Settings → Language & Geography).

Ensure fields match enabled location levels (e.g., Country, State, City).

Note: For location settings configuration, refer to the "How to Configure Location Settings" article.

Important note: As it is not possible to import only locations, it is necessary to add the listing title information and import listings along with the locations. If you don’t intend to import actual listings, include dummy listing titles to enable the import process.

Start the Import Process:

Import the completed file (refer to the "How do I import listings?" article).

Remove Dummy Listings:

Go to Content → Import, locate the import, and select "Undo Import" to delete dummy listings while retaining locations.

Adding Locations via Customization:

This is a paid customization option.
Provide your Project Manager with a CSV/XLS file containing location data.
Your Project Manager will provide a quote for a script to import the data.
Completion time depends on the file's organization and accuracy.
Request a quote via the custom development form.

Conclusion

Proper location setup is vital for a user-friendly eDirectory website. Whether using default locations, manual entry, data imports, or custom solutions, each method caters to different needs. Planning your location structure ensures effective navigation and filtering. If you encounter issues or have specific requirements, our support team is ready to assist.