Import File

Import File allows you to import shapefiles of polygons and points, and Excel files containing address information. You can import Excel files with a maximum file size limit of 1 MB. Shapefiles can be imported with a maximum of a file size limit of 3 MB. Shapefiles must be a single zipped file containing .shp and .prj files.

Steps:
  1. To access Import Files, click Maps, Define Areas for Reports and click Import File.

    Import File appears on the left.

  2. In Select a file to import, click Browse to choose the file that you want to import.

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

  3. Click Import.

    The next steps will vary depending on the type of file that you've imported. You can import an Excel file, a polygonal shapefile or a point shapefile.

To import an Excel file

The Import Confirmation dialog box appears.

Steps:
  1. Confirm the column headings that will be extracted from the selected file. You can choose from Address, City, State, ZIP Code and/or Latitude and Longitude.
  2. Click Next.
  3. If any corrections are needed for invalid addresses, you can make them here.
    • You can fix the matches one at a time, make corrections or ignore the point.
    • You can fix all of the matches. Using the edit link next to the invalid addresses, you can correct these and click Find Again.
    • If you don't want to make any corrections, click Add matches to map.

    The locations successfully found appear on the map.

  4. In Properties, use the Name drop-down menu to select the name column from the Excel file.
  5. Check Open labels for all points if you want a label open for each location after importing. By default, this is unchecked.
  6. You can change the symbol. Use the drop-down menu to change the icon, color and size. Click more for for more pin icon options. The default is the pin.
    Choose a symbol for this layer
    You can also import an image by clicking Browse to navigate to the image on your local machine.
    Import custom symbol
  7. Click Next.
    • You can create rings, drive times or bands with the points on the map using Yes, add rings. You can only create a maximum of 100 rings, drive times and bands at one time. If your Excel file has more than 100 points, click on Change Selections to select the points for rings, drive times and bands.
    • Click No, I'm done to close the panel.

Change selections

Change selections allow you to indicate the points in your Excel to display on the map. Once displayed, you can create rings, drive times or bands.

In the Confirm selections dialog box, you can select the points in the following ways:

  • First 100
  • Displayed on map
  • All
  • Use search to narrow the spreadsheet entries
  • Click individual check boxes

To import a shapefile

You can import point and polygonal shapefiles.

Importing a polygonal shapefile

After importing your point shapefile, the Properties dialog box appears.

Steps:
  1. To create sites, select multiple sites or single sites.
    Select single or multiple sites.

    If the imported shapefile doesn't contain multiple shapes then Multiple sites will be disabled.

  2. Use the Name drop-down menu to select the name column from the shapefile.
  3. Check Open labels for all points if you want a label open for each location after importing. By default, this is unchecked.
  4. To change the colors for fill, click the color picker and select the color. To change the color transparency, use the slider. Click no fill to remove the fill for the site on the map.
  5. To change the colors for the border, click the color picker and select the color. To change the color transparency, use the slider. Click no border to remove the borders for the site on the map.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Your sites have been saved in My Content.
    • You can get reports for your site by clicking Get Reports.
    • You can access your sites in My Content by clicking Organize.
    • You can click Done to close the panel.

Importing a point shapefile

The Import Confirmation dialog box appears.

Steps:
  1. Use the Name drop-down menu to select the name column from the shapefile.
  2. Check Open labels for all points if you want a label open for each location after importing. By default, this is unchecked.
  3. You can change the symbol. Use the drop-down menu to change the icon, color and size. Click more for more pin icon options. The default is the pin.
    Choose a symbol for this layer
    You can also import an image by clicking Browse to navigate to the image on your local machine. Import custom symbol
  4. Click Next.
  5. Your sites have been saved in My Content.
    • You can create rings, drive times or bands with the points on the map using Yes, add rings. You can only create a maximum of 100 rings, drive times and bands at one time.
    • Click No, I'm done to close the panel.
  6. If you select Yes, add rings then select rings, drive times or bands and the radius and click Apply.
    • You can get reports for your site by clicking Get Reports.
    • You can access your sites in My Content by clicking Organize.
    • You can click I'm Done to close the panel.

Having trouble importing a shapefile

Here are some tips for importing shapefiles.

  • The ZIP archive must contain the .shp, .shx, .dbf and .prj files that comprise the shapefile.
  • There should only be one shapefile in a ZIP archive.
  • The files must be stored directly in the root (the central directory) of the ZIP archive, not in the directories within the archive. If your ZIP file viewer shows Path information, the Path should be blank.
  • You can import standard compressed archive .zip files; other compression formats aren't supported at this time.
  • You can't import shapefiles containing multi patch or multipoint geometries.
  • The shapefile should contain valid geometries. Currently, self-intersections in polygon shapefiles aren't supported.

    If you have ArcGIS for Desktop, you can use the Repair Geometry tool to correct invalid geometries in shapefiles. Click here for information about the Repair Geometry tool.

  • The shapefile must have an accompanying .prj file in which the coordinate system of the data is defined. If you have ArcGIS for Desktop, you can define the coordinate system of a shapefile, which creates an appropriate .prj file for the shapefile. You need to know the appropriate coordinate system to choose for your data. Click here for more information on defining the coordinate system for a shapefile by selecting an existing coordinate system.
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