XY coordinate question/help....please!!!

[ELTerrell]

Hi,

I'm trying to add a spread sheet to my map with xy coordinates.  I have 195 points I want to plot of polling sites in a county.  In the spread sheet I have the ID column (polling site), the X and Y columns.  When I go to add data it tells me I do not have an object ID.  I can get the points to map but can only see them if I "zoom to layer".  At that point I can't see any of the other layers that should be visible.

After reading a few threads it looks like I can either attach this to my precinct layer/shape file....or add it seperately.  However, I haven't been able to make either work.

Can anyone help me?  Please & thank you.

[TimWitt]

You need to make sure that when you add your XY data to choose the same coordinate system as your other layers.

[ELTerrell]

Thank you.  So how do  I make sure the coordinate system is the same?

[TimWitt]

Right click one of your other layers and choose properties. There go to the Source tab and scroll down to Coordinate system.

[ELTerrell]

Ok....they were all the same: GCS_North_American_1983.

What else should I check?

[TimWitt]

Is this the coordinate system you chose when adding your XY data?

If not use the WGS84 system, that usually works.

Geographic Coordinate Systems -> World and there choose WGS 1984

[ELTerrell]

Yes, that's the one I chose (actually it populated automatically).

I don't see WGS84 anywhere.  Where should I be looking for that?

[TimWitt]

Geographic Coordinate Systems -> World and there choose WGS 1984

[ELTerrell]

Boom!!! That worked!  Thanks so much for your help!

[TimWitt · Accepted solution]

No problem, don't forget to mark the answer by hitting the grey checkmark next to it 🙂