---
title: "What are Points of Interest (POIs)"
slug: "points-of-interest-1"
description: "Explore how Points of Interest (POIs) enhance indoor navigation and outdoor planning, marking key locations for safety and management in smart buildings."
updated: 2026-08-18T14:38:03Z
published: 2026-08-18T14:38:03Z
canonical: "knowledge.navvis.com/points-of-interest-1"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.navvis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What are Points of Interest (POIs)

# ![A fire extinguisher is mounted on the wall in an indoor office setting.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-07-30 at 10.35.52.png)What are Points of Interest (POIs)?

Points of Interest (POIs) are specific locations in a site's 3D coordinate system, enriched with information such as category, position, name, and description. A POI adds descriptive metadata to spatial data, improving how you categorise and interact with a site in NavVis IVION.

POIs are used in many ways:

- **Indoors:** mark doors, sensors, or equipment for navigation, facility management, and smart-building systems.
- **Outdoors:** mark landmarks, infrastructure, or terrain features for mapping, surveying, planning, and environmental monitoring.

For example, you might use POIs to mark:

- Power outlets, for facility asset mapping.
- Fire extinguishers, emergency exit signs, and smoke detectors, for safety and maintenance.
- Hazards, construction zones, or restricted areas.
- Landmarks such as statues, towers, bridges, and monuments.

## How are POIs structured?

Every POI belongs to a category (which sits within a group) and has a location. You can also give it a name, description, icon, significance, and custom attributes. Names and descriptions can be set in one or more languages, and a description can contain anything from plain text to an embedded iframe, useful for linking POIs to applications built on the NavVis IVION platform.

### POI groups and categories

Groups and categories organise the POIs in a site:

- Each POI belongs to one category.
- Each category belongs to one group.

When a site is created, default categories (such as **Stairs** or **Parking**) and groups (such as **Access** or **Transport**) are added. Anyone can create POIs, but only a site administrator can add, edit, or delete categories and groups.

![Illustration showing the relationship between groups, categories, and points of interest (POI).](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/poi-structure.png)

### Viewing and managing POIs

In a site, open the **POIs** panel from the toolbar to show or hide POIs by group and category. Site administrators can also add groups and categories, import or export POIs, and [edit categories](https://knowledge.navvis.com/docs/creating-editing-and-deleting-a-poi-type) and [groups](https://knowledge.navvis.com/docs/creating-editing-and-deleting-a-poi-type-group).

![List of Points of Interest (POIs) with categories and options for field notes.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-07-30 at 10.39.25.png)

---

### FAQ

#### How do I show or hide POIs?

Open the **POIs** panel from the toolbar and toggle POIs on or off by group and category.

#### Who can add or edit POI groups and categories?

Only a site administrator can add, edit, or delete POI groups and categories. Any user can create POIs.

#### What role do POIs play in indoor navigation?

They identify key locations such as doors, sensors, and equipment, making buildings easier to navigate and manage.

#### How do outdoor POIs contribute to urban planning?

They represent landmarks and infrastructure, aiding mapping, surveying, and environmental monitoring.

#### Can custom data be integrated into POIs?

Yes. You can add custom attributes and embed content to connect POIs with applications built on the NavVis IVION platform.

#### What happens when a new site is created?

Default POI groups and categories are created automatically, such as Stairs and Parking under groups like Access and Transport.