What is a Map?

In Magic Map, a map is a compliance document. It links your training and assessment materials to the elements and performance criteria of one or more TGA units of competency, creating the evidence trail that demonstrates your RTO's training program meets national standards.

Think of a map as your compliance argument made visible: for each TGA criterion, your map shows exactly which learning resource, assessment task, practical observation addresses it, and in a format your auditor can read.

What's Covered in This Article

• Maps vs Units: the key distinction why these are two separate objects and what that means in practice
• What a map contains: the anatomy of a map and how rows work
• Map modes: Basic, Group, and Cluster: when each applies
• From creation to export: The end-to-end map workflow

Maps vs Units: The Key Distinction

The most important concept in Magic Map is the distinction between the data you map against and the document you create.

• The Unit (TGA data): A TGA unit of competency is fetched live from Training.gov.au by Magic Map. You do not create or edit it. It contains the elements of competency and performance criteria that define what a learner must demonstrate. The unit is the standard.
• The Map (your compliance document): A document you create inside Magic Map. It uses a TGA unit's criteria as its framework and contains your evidence: the specific learning resources and assessment tasks, the demo/ practical observation you have developed to meet those criteria. The map is your response to the standard.

Adding a TGA unit to a map does not copy or modify the unit, it creates a live reference link. When TGA updates a unit, Magic Map reflects the change, and you can use the Migration Tool (Solo and Team plans) to update your map accordingly.

Why this matters: If you have mapped 20 different programs against the same TGA unit, you do not need to update 20 copies of the unit data which data is live and centralised. You only update your maps when your training materials change.

What a Map Contains

A map is built from rows. Each row represents one piece of evidence: a learning resource, an assessment task, or another training material linked to one or more TGA elements and performance criteria. A typical row contains:

• The content item: the name or description of your learning material or assessment task (e.g. "Workplace Hazard Identification Workbook", "Written Assessment Task 2")
• The TGA criteria links: the specific elements and performance criteria this content item addresses
• Optional notes: additional context, version information, or compliance notes

A complete map covers every element and performance criterion in the unit, each criterion has at least one content row mapped against it.

Map Modes

Every map is built in one of three modes. The mode determines how content rows are structured within the map and what your exported document looks like. Your plan determines which modes are available.

Basic Mode

Available on: All plans, including Free.

In Basic mode, all content rows sit in a single list mapped against one unit's elements and performance criteria. The structure is flat and straightforward, every row is at the same level, ordered as you add them.

Best for:

• Single-unit compliance mapping where the unit structure is clear and the content list is manageable
• First-time Magic Map users who want to start mapping immediately without configuring groups or clusters
• Units with a focused scope where a flat list is sufficient for an auditor to follow

Group Mode

Available on: Solo and Team plans.

In Group mode, one TGA unit is loaded per map, and its elements and performance criteria are organised into named sections you define — for example, "Workplace Safety" or "Emergency Procedures" — so the exported compliance document is structured into clear, navigable sections rather than a flat list. Smart Grouping (Michi AI) can automatically propose these sections based on the criteria content.

Best for:

Complex units with many performance criteria that need clear structure in the exported compliance document.

Cluster Mode

Available on: Solo and Team plans.

In Cluster mode, two or more TGA units are added to the same map. A single piece of content or evidence can be mapped against criteria across multiple units at once, reflecting how units are often delivered or assessed together in real-world practice.

Best for:

Units that are delivered or assessed together in an integrated program, where evidence naturally spans multiple units at once.

From Creation to Export: The Map Workflow

The following sequence shows the end-to-end lifecycle of a map.

1. Create the map. Click Create New > Blank map, Select template, or Import map (Smart Import with Michi AI). Name the map and select your TGA unit(s).
2. Magic Map loads the unit. Elements of competency and performance criteria are retrieved live from Training.gov.au and displayed as the framework for your mapping.
3. Choose your mode. Select Basic, Group, or Cluster depending on your plan and the structure of your training program. You can switch between any mode your plan supports, even after the map has been created.
4. Add content rows. For each TGA element and performance criterion, add the learning resources and assessment tasks that address it. If using Smart Import, Michi AI populates a draft set of rows from your uploaded files for you to review.
5. Organise (Group mode only). If you are in Group mode, organise your content rows into named sections, manually or using Smart Grouping. This shapes the structure of your exported evidence document.
6. Review coverage. Confirm that every element and performance criterion in the unit has at least one content row mapped against it. Criteria with no coverage are gaps in your compliance evidence.
7. Save to a Folder. Save the completed map to a Folder to keep your workspace library organised. for example, by qualification, by RTO client, or by intake year.
8. Export. Export as PDF (all plans), Excel, or Word (Solo and Team plans) to produce the audit-ready compliance evidence document. If branding is configured (Solo and Team plans), your organisation's logo and colours appear on the export automatically.

A map is your compliance argument, not your source data. The TGA unit is the standard, Magic Map keeps it live and current. Your map is the evidence what you have created, how it covers each criterion, and why it is sufficient. Keep those two things clearly separated in your thinking, and building maps in Magic Map will always make sense.

Related Articles:

• Core Concepts
• What is a Unit?
• Map Modes Explained
• Creating Your First Map
• Smart Import: Step-by-Step
• Smart Grouping: Step-by-Step
• Exporting a Map
• Organising Maps with Folders