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If you want to try to use Excel files in ArcGIS, you might want to check out this blog article I wrote about a year ago. It will give you some tips. http://www.appliedspatialintel.com/?p=31 Tripp Corbin, MCP, CFM, GISP | Chief Executive Officer <http://www.egisassociates.com/> eGIS Associates, Inc. [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> | www.egisassociates.com 678-710-9710 ext 21 | 866-304-3864 Fax Esri Certified Trainer | Esri Certified Desktop Associate | Esri Certified Enterprise System Design Associate From: Northeast Arc Users Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Schaffer, Anthony Sent: Friday, August 15, 2014 12:01 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Best practices for tabular data? Most issues I've encountered with Excel and CSV input data are due to those formats not storing data as having specific types such as dates, numbers, text, etc. When importing from those sources, ArcGIS may assume data types, which it does by sampling and examining the first X records. If later data in that file violates the assumed type, such as text in a what initially appeared to be a numeric field (like a zip code, where American zips tend to be numeric while foreign zips tend to be alphanumeric), you get a load error which can be hard to track down. Plus, other users that edit Excel files are not restricted in any way in what they type or how they format columns. Also, Excel will in some cases alter data to suit its own assumptions; for example, all our zip codes here begin with a leading zero, which Excel assumes is not needed and so drops it without confirmation. As noted previously, while Excel can export to CSV it doesn't always format the output correctly if say commas are embedded within a cell's data. Where applicable I prefer database sources like Access and SQL Server, since they require data to be typed nearly identically to those types found in file geodatabase format and SDE databases. Depending on the situation, I may first import data from other formats into an Access or SQL Server staging database, and do non-spatial manipulations there before importing into ArcGIS. Those offer more tools, speed, and functionality to handle formatting, scrubbing, exceptions, and advanced logic than ArcGIS. -Tony Schaffer City of Manchester, NH Information Systems Department 100 Merrimack Street, Manchester, NH 03101 Phone: (603) 624-6519 x2309 Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> _____ From: Northeast Arc Users Group [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Jennifer M. Kalasardo [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, August 15, 2014 10:47 AM To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Best practices for tabular data? Good Morning All, I'm interested in preferences of ArcGIS users with regards to Excel and Access when organizing raw data to eventually be uploaded. Has anyone used FileMaker with GIS successfully? Preferences for exporting to either program are welcome too. Thanks, Jennifer M. Kalasardo GIS/CAD Operator Iroquois Pipeline Operating Company One Corporate Drive, Suite 600 Shelton, CT 06484-6211 203-925-7224 (W) 203-925-7213 (F) 860-967-9795 (C) [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> _____ The Right-To-Know Law (RSA 91-A) provides that most e-mail communications, to or from City employees and City volunteers regarding the business of the City of Manchester, are government records available to the public upon request. Therefore, this email communication may be subject to public disclosure. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This list (NEARC-L) is an unmoderated discussion list for all NEARC Users. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from this list, you can remove yourself by going to http://listserv.uconn.edu/nearc-l.html. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This list (NEARC-L) is an unmoderated discussion list for all NEARC Users. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from this list, you can remove yourself by going to http://listserv.uconn.edu/nearc-l.html.