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Can I create/design my fields in Excel and import them to ArcGIS Pro while creating feature classes?

AlexKweya

First off, I’m aware that one can import tables or fields from other feature classes when creating fields for a new feature class. However, so far unless I have an exact schema from another feature class, I have to additionally go through the list I import from an Excel table to set certain parameters like Field Aliases and Data Types.

My intention is to have some sort of template in Excel whereby I will design all my fields and specify the Field Name, Alias, Data Type, “Nullable Status”, Number Format, Domains and other parameters; after which, when creating fields for feature classes, on importing the Excel table, I can have them automatically populate as per the “attributes” set in Excel without having to tweak say the Alias or “Nullable Status”.

Is that possible? It would really be a better and faster way to create fields without moving around in the Create Feature Class pane to populate/adjust fields and values

I’ll appreciate any insights.

Alex Kweya.

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Accepted answers

jcarlson

I don't believe this is possible, at least, not without some custom scripting. The conversion tool only lets you specify the row that has the column names and the range for the data. There's no way to tell the tool to look elsewhere in the sheet/workbook for metadata on the individual fields.

What's more, the conversion tool only makes a "best guess" at the data type based on a columns contents. A single cell with a typo can cast the whole column as another type.

This is one of the key downsides to spreadsheet-style data as opposed to a true database. Even if you use some of the built-in data validation tools in Excel, there's nothing about a given column that is actually defined on a deeper level that another program would understand.

All that said, with some scripting, I do think this might be doable, and not all that difficult. Suppose you had another sheet in your Excel file called "Field Metadata", in which the fields had settings defined for their alias, type, etc. in its own table. You could use python to convert that table to a list of lists, then submit that as a parameter on Add Fields (multiple). Here's the example from the docs:

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data/district.gdb"
arcpy.management.AddFields(
    'school', 
    [['school_name', 'TEXT', 'Name', 255, 'Hello world', ''], 
     ['street_number', 'LONG', 'Street Number', None, 35, 'StreetNumDomain'],
     ['year_start', 'DATE', 'Year Start', None, '2017-08-09 16:05:07', '']])

You'd need to create an empty feature class first, then use Add Fields. After that, you'd need to append the data from Excel → Feature Class rather than directly converting. But it's still using built-in tools, no custom functions or anything.

All comments

WayneRennick

This is so useful.
https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/schema-report.htm

Thanks!

alex_friant

There is a built-in set of Geoprocessing Tools that do this in ArcGIS Pro:

Data Management Tools
- Workspace
  - Generate Schema Report
  - Convert Schema Report
  - Import XML Workspace Document

Your workflow would be something like this:

Design your Geodatabase "template" feature class (fields, settings, domains, sub-types, etc.)
Run the Generate Schema Report -- choose export option to XLSX
1. You can make little tweaks in that spreadsheet in Excel if you need to
Run the Convert Schema Report -- choose export option to XML
Run the Import XML Workspace Document -- you'll need a Geodatabase as your target to deploy the schema to

✅ Done.

WayneRennick

but can you specify all the Data Type and Length of the new fields?

TravisColeHC

This is an old topic, but thought it might help someone. At least in Pro 3.5, you can bring the Excel file into Pro. Then export it to a table and use that table for the template of fields. It is pretty straightforward and easy.

JC-220

Just went through this process and following jcarlson's lead wrote a script that creates a feature class for every sheet of a workbook using name of the sheet as the name of the featureclass. Rows of the sheet correspond to fields and columns are Field Name, Field Type, Field Alias, Field Length, Default Value and Field Domain. The code reads the last letter i.e. _A, _L, _P of the sheet name to determine geometry. First, last, and all empty rows are ignored as I had to work withing existing sheet designs.

TableConverter.py

TableConverterWorkbook.xlsx

alex_friant

There is an extension offered by Esri, the "Topographic Production Tools" toolbox, which allows you to do such things: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/topographic-production/generate-geodatabase-from-excel.htm

JessicaJThompson

Hello All!

I am also looking into this. Survey123 Connect builds in Excel. As you build a survey you are creating the fields, as well as selecting their lengths and their fieldtypes. It would be amazing if it could be imported in some way into Pro so that all of the configurations you set do not have to be transcribed. If a mistake is made and the field/type/length do not match in the survey and the feature class the survey will not work.

ESRI wants you to publish the survey to the AGOL and have a hosted feature service created there (so apparently taking an excel spreadsheet and converting it to a feature class can be done by ESRI?? At least the S123/AGOL folx have it down). We have our own federated server and depending on the data the fc and related tables/attachements are stored in a specified database.

Anyway I would love to know if this becomes available. I have been converting dozens of paper inspections/reviews for a variety of department into dynamic surveys. It would be significantly easier if this was an option in

AlexKweya

Finally got around to testing it and it works!

I however noticed that the integer fields couldn’t accept the Field Lengths I had set.

(I attached some screenshots—Concatenating fields to form the last part of the script in Excel, and the generated Fields in ArcGIS Pro.)

NGA GNS Geographic Names_Excel I.png

NGA GNS Geographic Names_Excel II.png

NGA GNS Geographic Names_ArcGISPro Fields.png

danretired

same advise... build fields in a geodatabase

AlexKweya

I see. The issue however was mainly for when you have to use different fields as opposed to a certain type of repetitive fields which can be imported from an existing feature class.

danretired

Create a template featureclass If there are certain fields that you will use all the time or create the code to produce one. Leave Excel out of it, it isn't the vehicle for database construction or maintenance. It has its limitations

Work with Microsoft Excel files in ArcGIS Pro—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

AtanasJuma

Am really looking for this solution.

AlexKweya

Thanks for that, Josh. I'll explore it and see how it works out.

jcarlson

What's more, the conversion tool only makes a "best guess" at the data type based on a columns contents. A single cell with a typo can cast the whole column as another type.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data/district.gdb"
arcpy.management.AddFields(
    'school', 
    [['school_name', 'TEXT', 'Name', 255, 'Hello world', ''], 
     ['street_number', 'LONG', 'Street Number', None, 35, 'StreetNumDomain'],
     ['year_start', 'DATE', 'Year Start', None, '2017-08-09 16:05:07', '']])

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