Spatial Join gives <Null> to joined features

[MiriamBelhaine]

When I try to spatially join event data (points) and shapefiles (polygon) it does run, however, it displays the polygon attributes as <Null>. Both datasets cover the African continent. As far as I checked both files use the same coordinating system. 

This is what I inserted in the spatial join function:

Target features: point data (10,335 obs)

Join features: polygon data (816 objects)

Join one to one

Intersect / within etc. all give same result

Join_count gives me 0. Also, when I use the polygon data as target and point data as joined features the programme doesnt run at all and gives me: Invalid SQL syntax[near "IN": syntax error].

Anybody who knows what I am doing wrong?

Thanks!

[DanPatterson_Retired]

check the file 'extent' (left, right, top bottom) to confirm that the coordinate systems are the same.

If one is 'defined' wrong, then the extents may not overlap yielding no intersection/overlaps etc

[MiriamBelhaine]

They seem to overlap: 

[MiriamBelhaine]

Do you know what else could be the problem?

[JoeBorgione · Accepted solution]

Perhaps you should export the xy events to an actual  feature class in a file geodatabase.  I also suggest when prompted for the spatial reference, select 'Layers' and your African Continent polygon as the reference.

[MiriamBelhaine]

Thanks a lot, it worked! 

[XuanyeZuo221]

I also have a similar issue. After projected the layers to same projection, it still didn't match perfectly with spatial join. Then I tried "intersect" function and it worked. Just want to point out this option.