What is the difference between a “burial-plot map”, a “web-map”, and a “GIS survey”?
A burial-plot map is the precise, static master layout of every grave and available space, produced from a one-time GPR/GPS survey. A web-map is the online, clickable version of that map that staff and families can access online to search from any device. A GIS survey is the underlying field data-collection process that feeds both products.
Think of the three deliverables as steps in one streamlined cemetery-mapping workflow.
1) During the GIS survey, Sentry Mapping technicians walk every row with survey-grade GPS and ground-penetrating radar equipment. The instruments record x-y coordinates, depth readings, and attributes—marked and unmarked grave locations, utilities, pathways, trees—creating a rich spatial database. This is the foundation of professional cemetery GIS mapping and integrates seamlessly with municipal or county GIS systems.
2) We produce the burial-plot map from the GIS survey data. This is the authoritative, to-scale master plan you can print, frame, or keep on the grounds. Every lot line, section number, and interment is plotted in its exact position, so you instantly see which plots are occupied, reserved, or available for sale.
3) We then publish the same data as an interactive web-map so your staff, grounds crew, and even visitors can zoom, search a name, or tap a grave for details on a phone or tablet. The web-map lives in the cloud, receives free updates when new burials are added, and links directly to Chronicle’s cemetery management software for digital record-keeping.
Together, the GIS survey, burial-plot map, and web-map turn outdated paper charts into a living, searchable, digital cemetery mapping system that eliminates double-sold plots, speeds grave locating, and preserves your cemetery’s heritage for generations.