Point Code Variants: A Small Change That Makes a Big Difference

If you’ve ever managed a job with lots of repeating point codes, you know the struggle: things can get messy fast. That’s why we’re excited about Point Code Variants—a new feature in TPC that keeps your point code tables clean while giving you more flexibility in the field and in the office.

What Are Point Code Variants?

Point Code Variants let you reuse a base code like BLDG or SW as many times as you need, without cluttering your code list. Just tack on a number and TPC knows what you mean. For example:

• BLDG_1, BLDG_2, BLDG_3 … all still tie back to the core BLDG code.
• SW1 and SW2 both share the SW code.

Simple, right?

How It Works

You can add a number, _number, or -number to any point code, and TPC automatically treats it as a variant. No extra setup, no messy code lists.

So instead of managing dozens of similar codes, you’re really just working with one clean master code.

What You Can Do With Variants

Here’s where things get fun. When you sort points into traverses using Point Codes, you decide how the variants behave:

• Create a traverse for each variant – Great if you want BLDG_1 and BLDG_2 separated.
• Put all variants into a single traverse – Perfect for jobs where they all belong together.
• Insert GAP points between variants in that single traverse – Keeps your data grouped but visually separated.

Why You’ll Love It

Point Code Variants are one of those “quality of life” upgrades. They save you time, keep your tables clean, and give you options on how to handle your data without extra steps.

Bottom line: You focus on your survey, and TPC takes care of the little details.

Closing the Loop (Literally)

Another handy upgrade we’ve added is the Point Code Close command.

Now, when TPC sees a “close” instruction in a point description or attribute, it automatically creates a closed traverse (or closed variant). No extra editing, no jumping through hoops—it just works.

Built for Emlid Users Too

Here’s where it gets even better. Emlid recently added a CLS control code in the CSV files it exports. That means when you’re out in the field with Emlid Flow, you can simply tell it to close the code you’re using.

Then, when you bring that job into TPC, all those closed figures show up right where they should be as soon as you sort points into traverses with Point Codes.

It’s one of those small but powerful upgrades—saving you clicks in the office by letting you set things up properly in the field.

Why It Matters

With Point Code Variants and the new Close Traverse command, your data moves more smoothly from the field to the office and into your final deliverables. You can:

• Keep codes clean and flexible.
• Automatically close figures while you collect data.
• Spend less time fixing and more time finishing.

Bottom line?
These updates take some of the “busy work” out of your workflow so you can spend more time surveying and less time cleaning up codes and figures afterward.

View all new features in TPC 2025: What’s New