ArcGIS Business Analyst Online

On-Demand Reports and Maps for Informed Decisions

Import File

Import File allows you to import shapefiles of polygons and points, and Excel files containing address information. You can import files with a maximum of 100 addresses with a file size limit of 1 MB. Shapefiles must be a single zipped file and containing .shp and .prj files.

When working, the Prev and Next buttons guide you through the workflow. The step that you are on appears and the number of steps is provided along with an indication of what can be done.

1. Click the Select Location tab and click Import File.

The Import File pane appears.


2. Click Browse to select the file that you want to import.

Once selected, the file name appears in the Select file to import text box.

3. Click Import.

To import an Excel file

The Import Confirmation dialog box appears.

1. Confirm the column headings that will be extracted from the selected file. You can choose from Site Name, Address, City, ZIP, State, and/or Latitude, and Longitude.

You can select the column for your site name which is optional.

2. Click Import.

The Import Locations dialog box appears with the import progress results. Invalid addresses and multiple matches can be corrected in the following dialog box.

3. Click Next.
4. If any corrections are needed, for multiple matches and invalid addresses, you can make the corrections.
5. For multiple matches, select the correct address from the options provided. For invalid addresses, type in a new address. Click Find Again.

Or if you don't want to make any corrections, click Ignore All.

6. The locations successfully found appear and are all checked by default.
7. You can select the location symbol. You can choose from the pin symbol or the customizable symbol. The default is the pin.
8. To use the customizable symbol, click on the icon and a pop-up appears for you to choose the shape, size, and color. Click the customizable symbol to close the pop-up.

9. Click the Open label for each location after import if you want a label open for each location after importing. The default is unchecked.
10. Click Add Selected Locations.

    The symbol for the selected locations appears on the map.

    Click Next in the Find Location pane to add rings, drive times, or donuts.

    The Import File step 2 of 3 pane appears.

To import a shapefile

You can import point shapefiles and polygonal shapefiles.

Importing a point shapefile

The Import Confirmation dialog box appears.

1. Confirm the description attribute that will be extracted from the selected file.

2. To use the customizable symbol, click on the icon and a pop-up appears for you to choose the shape, size, and color. Click the customizable symbol to close the pop-up.

3. Click the Show label for each location if you want a label shown for each location. The default is unchecked.
4. Click OK.

Importing a polygonal shapefile

The Import Confirmation dialog box appears.

1. Click the radio button to indicate if you want to create sites from shapefiles as single site or multiple sites.


The default is multiple sites.

Confirm the description attribute that will be extracted from the selected file.


2. Click OK.

The Find Location step 1 of 2 pane appears.

To get reports

This provides you with reports for the location you have created.

In the Find Location pane, click Get Reports.

This activates the Get Reports tab.

To add another site

This allows you to add another site.

In the Find Location pane, click Add Another Site.

This brings you back to the Find Location pane where you can locate another site.

To save a site

This allows you to save the site you have created. You can select the folder where you want to save the location, change the site name, or create a new folder in which to save the site.

1. In the Find Location pane in step 3 of 3, click Save Site.

The Save Site dialog box appears.


2. For Site name, enter a name for your site.
3. You now have the option to Save in an existing folder by selecting one from the Save in drop-down menu.
4. Or, you can click the Create New Folder icon to save to a new folder.

If you are working with more than one site in a single logon session, you can choose to save multiple sites in Same Folder and Different Folders.

Saving to the same folder

1. To save multiple sites to the same folder, click the Same Folder radio button.
2. Check the check box next to each of the sites that you want to save.
3. Using the Save in drop-down menu, select the folder.
4. To create a new folder, click the folder with the plus sign to create a new folder and name it in the Save in drop-down menu.
5. Use the folder with the red arrow to move up one folder level.

Note: This becomes enabled when a subfolder is selected in the Save in drop-down menu.

6. Click Save.

Saving to different folders

If you are saving multiple sites, you can save the sites in different folders.

1. To save multiple sites to a different folder, click the Different Folders radio button.
2. Check the check box next to the sites that you want to save.
3. Using the Save in drop-down list to the right of the Site name, select the folder.
4. To create a new folder, click the folder with the plus sign to create a new folder and name it in the Save in drop-down menu.
5. Use the folder with the red arrow to move up one folder level.

Note: This becomes enabled when a subfolder is selected in the Save in drop-down menu.

6. Continue this process until you have selected folders for each of the sites.
7. Click Save.