This information here is what is known at this time. Subject to change.
This article covers Update Requests submitted by Wazers and appears in the Waze Map Editor as a colored balloon with a smiley face. Balloons without a smiley face are automated Problem reports by the Waze system and are covered under Map problems.
Overview
An Update Request (UR) is what the Waze client app calls a "Map Issue." When a Wazer submits a map issue for wrong driving instructions, or a disallowed turn, etc., the icon with the small smiley face is added to the editing map in the Update Requests layer. Due to the Waze terms of service and privacy policy, the username of the Wazer is not displayed. Because there is no 2-way communication system built into the Update Requests system, there is no way to efficiently communicate with the Wazer. When an Update Request is marked "Solved" or "Not Identified," an email is sent to the Wazer's registered email address showing the username (not email) of the editor who closed the issue. The only current method available is once the Wazer receives the email with the map editor's username, they could, if they know how to use the Waze forums, send a PM to that editor.
In the Waze Map Editor, Update Requests contain information about the route the user drove as well as the route Waze had given them. This makes diagnosing the report much easier in many cases, especially for Incorrect Junction and Wrong Driving Directions reports.
When you first click on an Update Request pin, the map display add a window of information at the top of the screen. If you press the show button, the screen will recenter and zoom into that Update Request.
This initial view tries to get you to a spot where you can see the most information. However, it is likely that you may need to zoom in or out and pan around to see all of the requested route and drive information.
Note that while this Update Request window is visible, other Update Request and Map Problem icons will appear as faint images until the Close button is pressed.
Interface Elements
The color of the Update Request pin, just like Map Problems, are indicative of something. In the case of Update Requests, it is the age of the update request. An exclamation point in the icon shows that the update request is open. A check mark indicates that the update request has been closed.
A yellow update request has been open for 0-5 days.
An orange update request has been open for 6-14 days.
A red update request has been open for 15 days or longer.
The Update Request changes to this icon when you mark an Update Request as "Not Identified" because you cannot locate a reason for the request or the request is unclear.
This is a Solved Update Request.
When you click on an Update Request pin, the top portion of the map display area is taken over by the information for the update request.
The top bar of the Update Request states that this is a User Reported Problem.
Meta Info
To the left you will see the type of report, a description if the wazer entered any text information to explain the issue, and the date of the report. The screenshot shows the wazer's username, but this information is not currently shown in the Map Editor.
The top right of the display will include this hyperlink that will recenter and zoom the display into the area covering the Update Request. The display can also be manually zoomed and panned to the area.
Drive and Route
On the right will be zero, one, or two checkboxes, depending on the data Waze was able to capture from the app. Each one enables you to show the Route which Waze requested the user take, the users actual drive, or both. Note that due to privacy concerns, the route driven will only be about 0.1 miles in length. This may make it difficult to truly understand where the user actually ended up driving if there are a number of intersections past the end of the route indicator.
Report As
At the bottom of the Update Request area is where you can take an action on the update request. You can leave it open, or mark it as Solved or Not Identified. This action, once you Save it, marks the Update Request as closed in the system, and neither you nor anyone else will be able to change the status again.
If you are able to identify a reason for the reported issue, fix the problem and save your changes. Then mark the update request as Solved. For various reasons, such as lack of detail provided by the Wazer, or conflicting route vs. drive trace information, you may not be able to identify the source of the reported problem. In these cases, you should mark the Update Request as Not Identified.
Once you make once of these selections, you need to click the Save button to save your changes. As soon as you click Save, any Update Requests and map edits you updated since the last save will be saved, and an email is sent to the Wazer who submitted the update request.
Close
Far to the right of the Update Request information area is a Close button. This button doesn't actually mark the Update Request as closed but simply dismisses the interface for reviewing the update request. It also hides the route information displaying on the map. This button is useful for clearing up the map display area while you work on solving the Update Request. Click on the Update Request again to bring up the details so you can mark the Update Request as Solved or Not Identified.
Driven and Requested Routes
The route that the user received from Waze will be shown in purple, just like in the app. The route that the user actually drove is in bright green.
If you cannot see the direction arrows or direction of the route, you may need to zoom in. Once zoomed in, the lines will show the direction of travel. Additionally, at each junction on the requested route (purple), a turn marker will be shown.
One of the following turn instructions is placed at each junction on the purple request route line:
- Continue straight/forward (client doesn't give this instruction by design)
- Turn right
- Turn left
- Exit/Keep right
- Exit/Keep left
- Roundabout numbered exit turn
- Roundabout left turn
- Roundabout right turn
- Roundabout straight through
- Roundabout "u-turn" (exit the way you came in)- Blank Arrow - junction error (see below)
Diagnosis
Route Diagnosis
Using the information provided by any divergence of the requested route and user drive, you can look for turns which may need to be allowed at intersections.
If you are able to determine a fix for the user's report, you may click the Solved action on the Report As section and then click Save.
There will be times when the user description for the problem is provided, but does not seem to relate to the portion of their route you see on the map. This typically happens when the driver initially looks at their overall route and they see a problem at the end of the navigation turn list or on the map. They mark the problem there at the beginning of their trip, but don't realize an editor only sees about a mile of their route and nothing else about their trip. There is nothing you can do in these cases if they did not provide enough information to identify the problem area without the map route visual so mark these as "Not Identified". The original reporter of the problem may then reply directly to you or come to the forums to better explain what they saw.
Turns Diagnosis
Orientation
When reviewing the route, it is easy to be confused by the turn direction arrows displayed at junctions. Remember that these will display the turn for the direction being traveled. Because the Waze Map Editor uses north-up orientation, for a route going south, these turn arrows will appear to be backwards. You need to put yourself in the orientation of the driver.
Continue arrow
Remember that the "continue" arrow is merely informational. At this time, the routing server does not give the client any information about what to say for these. In the future, this feature may be enabled for specific circumstances.
Blank arrow
There are circumstances which will cause Waze Map Editor to show a blank turn arrow tile at a junction.
The blank instruction means the routing server failed to provide an instruction in this node. The client treats this as a non-audible continue straight instruction, which usually means the instruction the user hears and refers to is the next instruction after the blank one.
The reasons for this are:
- There is something invalid with the junction
- It could have a short circular segment
- Very distorted in some way
- There is a bug in the routing server when handling this node.
If the reason is #1, it should be quite obvious and fixable in the editor. If not, it may be #2, in which case you will need to open a support ticket.
Communication
Two-way communication with the end user is not possible at this time within the Waze Map Editor Interface, but the Wazer who submitted the Map Issue will be notified via email when their Update Request is closed in the Waze Map Editor.
It is likely that you will find the drive and route data to be very helpful in resolving Update Requests without needing to request additional information from the Wazer who submitted the Map Issue.
If you find you cannot solve the Update Request without clarification from the Wazer, the best option is to send a PM via the Waze forums, using the username you see in the Editor.... (username not available currently) Keep in mind that there is no option to mark an Update Request with Missing Data or Pending Response as there was in the older Cartouche editor, so another map editor may work on and close out the Update Request.