GIS software (Geographic Information System) is a digital platform used to capture, store, check, manipulate, analyze, and display data related to positions on Earth’s surface. GIS software is used by local government and urban planners to create zoning boundaries, track city assets, manage property lines, design public transit, and create public safety and emergency response plans. By linking geographic locations with descriptive information (like mapping a specific address to its property tax rate, water main age, or soil type), GIS software lets users see patterns, relationships, and trends that are impossible to identify in a standard spreadsheet.

The core power of GIS software lies in its ability to stack different types of data on top of one another based on shared geographic coordinates. A typical GIS map layers information like a digital club sandwich with base layers, vector layers, and raster layers. Modern GIS software goes far beyond simple map-making to provide deep analytical computing:

• Spatial Analysis: Calculates proximity, overlays, and buffers (e.g., “Show every building located within a 500-foot buffer of a landslide hazard zone”).
• Network Analyst Tools: Finds the fastest spatial routes for emergency vehicles or models the downstream flow of pollutants through a water pipeline network.
• Geocoding: Converts flat alphanumeric data (like a list of physical addresses or latitude coordinates) into visible points on a map.
• 3D Visualizations: Models real-world terrain, building shadows, line-of-sight analysis for new construction, and urban skyline changes.

MaintStar’s GIS includes all of the important analytical computing features mentioned above and crucial for local government operations. These functionalities are built directly into the modules in both our Public Works Suite for asset management and our Community Development Suite for land and parcel management for a seamless platform experience. MaintStar’s GIS option is priced very competitively, doesn’t require additional ESRI GIS licenses, and is sold as an enterprise software license, supporting agency growth and evolution and providing predictable budgeting.