I found an alternate solution, for anyone that might be referencing this post later. I had a table with data by month for different routes (1155 features) but no spatial or location information and route polygon areas (229 features) that I needed to join to show the attributes that vary by month for each route. Make query table created a multiplication of my 1155*229 features but did not maintain the attributes needed to display this spatially without additional processes. This was my workflow in ArcPro:
Start with the polygon and table both having a uniqueID field for joins. You may have to create a field that has a relevant uniqueID, I used a day and route number.
Export the table and polygon/ point layer in the same gdb, this will not work on an excel brought in.
Run add ‘attribute index’ tool on these fields.
Convert the polygon to a point using the’ Feature to Point’ tool and check the box for ‘inside’ in ArcPro- I am using 2.7
Run the tool called ‘calculate geometry attributes’ tool, I used WGS 84 and linear US feet and square feet for the parameters.
Note: creating fields and calculating geometry didn’t work for me when I went to display x,y date because of required field type errors.
Now you have a point file with and x and y field and a unique ID field ready to join.
The many to one join:
Select the table (the ‘many’) and add join, join to the point layer(the one) with the x,y fields. Use the UniqueID field for the join and keep all records.
Export this joined table to the gdb. (Display x,y tool will fail on a joined layer.)
Take the new table and right click to run the ‘display x,y’ tool. Check the attribute count, it should match the original table, if not check the join and fields.
