# Creating a map

Click **New file** on the dashboard (`^ N`) and choose **Map**.

<Figure src="/assets/maps-new-file.png" alt="The New file dialog, offering a Canvas or a Map" width="640px" border />

## Starting an empty map

A new map opens **Eraser AI** next to the **Start your map** cards. Describe the map you want, or pick a card:

* **A model** – adds it to the map and fills in the prompt to map it.
* **Add a data source** – when your team has no models yet. See [Data sources](/data-sources).
* **See examples** – on the Free plan.
* **Start from scratch** – a few questions, below.

## Start from scratch

Eraser AI asks a few questions, starting with **What do you want to map?** Then it asks what to build it from: pasted text, an uploaded file, your team's models, a new data source, or a description.

When it knows enough, Eraser AI plans the map. **Skip** passes on a question, and **Quit** (`Esc`) leaves your answers in the Eraser AI prompt box.

<Figure src="/assets/maps-start-question.png" alt="The first start question, What do you want to map?, with six kinds of map to choose from" width="640px" border />

## The plan

Eraser AI proposes the map as a plan, with a card for each view. Change it with **Edit plan** or in the chat, then click **Build all**. A plan you haven't built waits above the prompt box, and a built card opens its view.

<Figure src="/assets/maps-plan.png" alt="Eraser AI's plan for a map: a card for each of three views, with Edit plan and Build all" width="640px" border />

## AI credits

Eraser AI uses one [AI credit](/plans) for each view a request draws or changes, and one for a request that changes only the map. Plans and questions are free. It won't start without credits, and it stops building when they run out.

## Undoing an AI change

Before each request that changes the map, Eraser AI saves a version labeled **Before Eraser AI**. Restore it from [version history](/version-history).