How to input coordinates (degrees) on Excel for Spatial Reference in Feet

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02-15-2018 08:13 AM
AdamBourque1
New Contributor

My spatial reference is NAD_1983 in Feet; however, I am collecting coordinate points by decimal degree. So in excel, when I used feet for a point, it worked, but when I input the decimal degrees -84.35974404 , 37.90278682 it ends up projecting the point at a different coordinate (-100, 26.3). Do I need to change the coordinate system when I'm displaying XY data? If so what to? Picture provided below

Explanation and solution would be greatly appreciated, I know it's a rookie question. 

Thanks!

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DanPatterson_Retired
MVP Emeritus

You have to add the data as decimal degrees, define it as a Geographic Coordinate system (ike GCS WGS84 or GCS NAD83 whatever is applicable) , then you have to use the Project tool in ArcMap to project the data if you need it projected to your coordinate system which has the units of feet

There is no direct conversion from degree to feet.  It depends on where you are on Earth since you are converting from a spherical to a planar coordinate system.