topic ArcGIS Data Pipelines- Select Fields Tool Issue- Creates table as output instead of feature layer in Data Pipelines Questions

ArcGIS Data Pipelines- Select Fields Tool Issue- Creates table as output instead of feature layer

Amanda__Huber — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:55:44 GMT

Hello,

We recently noticed when we add the tool "Select Fields" our Feature Layer output turns into an AGOL Hosted table instead:

Based on my understanding of the documentation, it doesn't appear this should be the expected behavior: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/data-pipelines/latest/process/select-fields.htm

Please correct me if I'm wrong!

I tested this a few times and it resulted in the same output:

When removing the tool and testing the output, the output is a Feature Layer as expected:

Please let me know if I'm missing something.

Thanks,

Amanda Huber

Re: ArcGIS Data Pipelines- Select Fields Tool Issue- Creates table as output instead of feature layer

BethanyScott — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:34:58 GMT

Hi @Amanda__Huber,

Thank you for reaching out!

In the Select fields tool, make sure you are also selecting the geometry field. In Data Pipelines, datasets do not have a set geometry field like feature layers do. This means if you don't actively include the geometry field in the selection, the dataset no longer has any concept of a geometry.

Additionally, you'll notice in the output feature layer tool that there is a parameter named "Geometry"; this accepts a field of type geometry as input and is what determines whether a feature layer or table will be created. When the Geometry parameter is empty, a table will be created.

Could you please confirm that you've selected the geometry field in Select fields, and that it is specified in the output Feature layer tool?

Thanks again!

Bethany

Re: ArcGIS Data Pipelines- Select Fields Tool Issue- Creates table as output instead of feature layer

Amanda__Huber — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:52:20 GMT

Hi @BethanyScott,

Thanks for your quick response!

I just tested again following your suggestion and ahh this was the piece of the puzzle I was missing! That's good to know moving forward. Thank you for clarifying this.

Are there other tools that also require "shape" to be selected to move forward into the output? I'm still learning Data Pipelines and these little things are easy to get caught on.

Thanks so much,

Amanda Huber

Re: ArcGIS Data Pipelines- Select Fields Tool Issue- Creates table as output instead of feature layer

BethanyScott — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 20:33:09 GMT

Glad to hear that resolved the issue!

To answer your question of "Are there other tools that also require "shape" to be selected to move forward into the output?":

Generally speaking, you'll want to keep the geometry field throughout the entire workflow if the goal is to create a feature layer and not a table. Once a field of any type is removed, it will not appear again in downstream results.

Most Data Pipelines tools will maintain the geometry field if it was present in the input dataset. The exceptions to that are:

Select fields if the geometry field is not selected (the case you reported).
Map fields if you map a dataset with geometry to a dataset without geometry.
Pivot is primarily a tabular data processing tool, and typically the transformations would not result in geometries being maintained. However, it is possible to maintain the geometry if you specify the geometry field as the Value field parameter, and choose an Aggregate function of "Any".
Summarize attributes is also primarily a tabular data processing tool and would not maintain geometry values unless you choose to calculate a summary field statistic using an "Any" statistic for the geometry field.

Please let me know if that answers your question, or if you have any additional questions. 🙂

Thanks again!

Bethany