Quick & Easy Steps to Convert an Excel file to a ArcGIS-ready Table

Excel Columns = ArcGIS Fields
Excel Rows = ArcGIS Records
Excel Cells = ArcGIS Attributes

  1. Open the Excel file .
  2. Clean-up the data. Delete all extraneous information.
  3. Name each ArcGIS Field. In the first row type each column's ArcGIS Field name, no spaces, 10 characters or less.
  4. Set the length of each ArcGIS Field. Select all columns, under the Format pull-down menu, select Column - AutoFit Selection.
  5. Set the Data Type of each ArcGIS Field. Right-click each column letter, click Format Cells, under the Number tab select the appropriate category (text to text, numbers to numbers, lat/long fields are numbers with at least 5 decimal places).
  6. "Save As" once. Save Excel file with a new name.
  7. "Save As" twice. Save as DBF 4 (dBASE IV)(*.dbf). Answer "Yes" to the format question. Close file. Answer "No" to the changes question.
  8. Launch ArcGIS & add the new data file.
Close Window