Choosing a map document as the layout for your map series

You can also select a standard ArcMap map document in the form of an existing map document (.mxd) file to use as a template for your layout.

Choosing to use a layout from an existing map document will bring in the existing layers, page elements, and properties from the selected map document.

Steps:

1. Click the Selected option in the Layout area on the Map Sheet Properties dialog box.
2. Click Select.

   The File Layout Applicator Properties dialog box appears.

3. Click Browse.

   The Open dialog box appears.

4. Navigate to the map document you want to use.
5. Click Open.
6. Click the Select Layout drop-down arrow and choose the layout you want to use.

   You will only see more than one layout if the map document you've chosen is an MPS-Atlas .mxd with more than one layout.

7. In the Data Options area, choose one of the following options:
   • Leave the existing layers—Only the layers in the .mxd chosen in the dialog box are displayed. Layers in the current (active) document are removed.
   • Append layers from the selected layout with the existing layers—The layers in the .mxd chosen in the dialog box are appended to the top of the table of contents of the current (active) document.
   • Replace the existing layers with the layers from the selected layout—The layers in the .mxd chosen in the dialog box are replaced with only the layers in the current (active) document.
8. Proceed to one of the following:

   Map document storageChoosing the map series storage settingChoosing the map sheet storage setting