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Connect a GIS View to QGIS

This workflow explains how to connect a GIS View to QGIS and work with live spatial data from the application.

Once connected, QGIS behaves as a read-only client that reflects the current state of your data — no exports, no syncing, and no duplicate datasets.

Before You Start​

To connect to QGIS, you must already have:

  • A GIS View created
  • At least one GIS Layer added to that view
  • Permission to access GIS outputs

If you haven’t completed those steps yet, start here:

Mental Model​

Think of QGIS as a window into your data, not a copy of it.

Application Data ↓ GIS Layer (query + joins + geometry) ↓ GIS View (grouping + permissions) ↓ OGC URL ↓ QGIS (read-only)

Refreshing a layer in QGIS simply re-queries the source — nothing is stored locally unless you explicitly export it.

Step-by-Step: Connecting a View to QGIS​

1️⃣ Open the GIS Views Page​

Navigate to the GIS Views page in the application.

Select the view you want to connect to QGIS.

2️⃣ Locate External GIS URLs​

With a view selected, the External GIS URLs panel appears.

You will see:

  • An OGC API landing URL
  • A collections URL
  • Individual layer item URLs

These URLs are generated automatically and reflect the view’s current configuration.

3️⃣ Copy the OGC API Landing URL​

Copy the OGC API landing URL.

This is the recommended entry point for QGIS.

Tip
You usually only need the landing URL — QGIS will discover layers automatically.

4️⃣ Open QGIS​

Launch QGIS Desktop.

This workflow assumes QGIS is already installed and configured.

5️⃣ Add an OGC API Connection​

In QGIS:

  1. Open the Browser Panel
  2. Right-click WFS / OGC API – Features
  3. Select New Connection

QGIS Data Source Manager – WFS / OGC API Features

This opens the Modify WFS Connection dialog.

6️⃣ Configure the Connection​

In the Modify WFS Connection window:

  • Name: Enter a recognizable name (for example, LM Dynamic Solutions)
  • URL: Paste the OGC API landing URL from the GIS Views page
  • Authentication: Leave set to No Authentication
  • Version: Select OGC API – Features

All other options can be left at their default values.

Modify WFS Connection – OGC API configuration

Click OK to save the connection.

QGIS will query the endpoint and discover available collections (layers).

7️⃣ Load Layers into the Map​

Once connected:

  • Expand the new OGC API connection in the Browser Panel
  • Browse the available layers
  • Drag one or more layers onto the map canvas

Each layer corresponds to a GIS Layer defined in the selected GIS View.

Working with the Data in QGIS​

Read-Only by Design​

All layers are read-only.

This is intentional.

  • Editing is disabled
  • Deleting features is not allowed
  • Attribute changes are blocked

To modify data:

  1. Make changes inside the application
  2. Refresh the layer in QGIS

Refreshing Data​

To refresh data in QGIS:

  • Right-click the layer
  • Select Refresh

This re-runs the underlying query and reflects the latest data.

Styling & Analysis​

You may safely:

  • Apply symbology
  • Label features
  • Run spatial analysis
  • Create layouts and exports

Styling changes exist only in QGIS and do not affect the application.

Performance Best Practices​

For best results:

  • Load only the layers you need
  • Avoid styling very large datasets at once
  • Use view-level filtering when possible
  • Prefer multiple focused views over one massive view

If performance is slow, consider:

  • Reducing selected columns
  • Narrowing geometry scope
  • Creating a GIS-specific view

Common Issues & Fixes​

No Layers Appear​

  • Confirm the view has at least one layer
  • Verify permissions
  • Refresh the connection

Geometry Does Not Display​

  • Check which geometry column the layer uses
  • Ensure geometry is valid in the source data
  • Confirm the correct layer was added

Attributes Missing​

  • Verify the layer’s selected columns
  • Confirm joins are configured correctly
  • Refresh the layer

Security Notes​

  • URLs respect the view’s share scope
  • Data is scoped to your organization
  • No write access is ever granted

Treat GIS URLs as controlled access points, not public exports.

What Happens If the View Changes?​

If the GIS View or its layers are updated:

  • URLs remain valid
  • Available layers may change
  • QGIS will reflect updates on refresh

This makes GIS Views safe to evolve over time.

What’s Next?​

At this point, you have completed the full GIS workflow:

  1. Created a GIS View
  2. Built one or more GIS Layers
  3. Connected the view to QGIS

You can now:

  • Share live GIS data
  • Produce engineering exhibits
  • Perform spatial analysis
  • Export final deliverables

For reference:

Summary​

Connecting a GIS View to QGIS provides live, structured, read-only access to your application data.

It eliminates exports, reduces duplication, and ensures everyone works from the same source of truth.

Think of QGIS as a viewer and analyst, not a data editor.