Modification Layers and Filtering

‍Modification Layers and Filtering

This guide explains what modification layers are, how they work, and how to create one with a selector and modifier. Use it alongside the video and slides as a step-by-step reference.

1. Why Modification Layers?

In Lesson 1, you uploaded your base data — your employee list and room list — as object layers. That data is your source of truth, and you want to keep it intact.

But what if you need to model a change? For example, a team is planning to move from Berlin to Munich in 2030, and you want to see how that affects your space needs. You do not want to edit the original object layer and risk losing your current data.

The solution is a modification layer. A modification layer:

• Sits on top of your object layer
• Selects specific objects using a filter
• Changes one of their properties to a new value
• Leaves all other objects and the original data completely untouched

Your object layer and your modification layer exist separately in the system. The modification layer does not change the object layer — it only overrides it in the composite view when they are stacked together.

2. How a Modification Layer Works

Every modification layer is made up of two parts:

The Selector

The selector is a filter that defines which objects the modification layer will affect. You build it by setting one or more conditions based on property values.

For example: object type is consumer AND cities is Berlin. This would select all employees currently located in Berlin.

Only objects that match all the filter conditions will be modified. Everything else is left unchanged.

The Modifier

The modifier defines what change to make to the selected objects. You choose which property to change and what value to change it to.

For example: change Cities to Munich. All employees selected by the filter will have their Cities property set to Munich in the modification layer.

The Value (Weight)

Each modification entry also has a value field, which works as a weight between 0 and 1:

• 1 — the full change applies. The object is 100% assigned to the new value.
• 0.5 — a partial split. For example, an employee who spends 50% of their time in Berlin and 50% in Munich would have two entries: one for Berlin with a value of 0.5 and one for Munich with a value of 0.5.

Note: For a straightforward move where objects fully switch from one value to another, set the value to 1.

The Start Date

You can optionally set a start date for the modification. This tells spaciv when the change takes effect.

If your project includes a forecast, the modification will only apply from that date onwards. If you leave the date empty, the change applies immediately across the entire timeline.

3. Creating a Modification Layer

Here is how to build the Move 2030 modification layer from this lesson step by step.

Part A: Create the layer

1. In the sidebar, navigate to Modification Layers under your account.
2. Click Add New.
3. Name the layer — for example, Move 2030.
4. Select the property you want to modify. In this case, select Cities. This is the modifier — the property that will be changed.
5. Click Confirm. The modification layer is created.

Part B: Create an entry

1. Search for your new modification layer and click View Entries to open it.
2. Click Add New Entry.
3. The entry form has two sections: a filter box at the top (the selector) and a value section at the bottom (the modifier).

Part C: Set the selector (filter)

1. In the filter box, you will see a default condition: Object Type is Consumer. This selects all employees. Keep it.
2. Add a second condition: Cities is Berlin. This narrows the selection to only employees currently in Berlin.

Note: You can add as many filter conditions as you need. All conditions must be true for an object to be selected. The more specific your filter, the more targeted the modification.

Part D: Set the modifier (new value)

1. In the value section at the bottom, confirm the property is set to Cities.
2. Set the new value to Munich.
3. Set the value (weight) to 1 for a full move.
4. Set the start date to 1 January 2030.
5. Save the entry.

Your modification layer is now set up. It will select all employees with object type consumer and cities set to Berlin, and change their Cities property to Munich from 2030 onwards.

4. What the Modification Layer Does — Summary

• Selector — object type is consumer AND cities is Berlin
• Modifier — change Cities to Munich
• Value — 1 (full move, no split)
• Start date — 1 January 2030

The original employee list is unchanged. The modification layer stores the change separately and applies it only when the two layers are combined in a layer stack.

5. Quick Reference — Key Concepts

• Modification layer — a logic layer that selects specific objects and changes one of their properties, without altering the original object layer
• Selector — a filter that defines which objects the modification affects, based on one or more property conditions
• Modifier — the property to change and the new value to assign to selected objects
• Value / weight — a number between 0 and 1 that controls the proportion of the change applied
• Start date — optional. Defines when the modification takes effect in a forecast timeline