Using ArcMap .mxd map files in ArcGIS Pro

[Hannah_Wilson]

My company currently uses ArcMap and we are planning to make the move to using ArcGIS Pro this year. We have .mxd map templates that were created in ArcMap and are used when building maps for different properties. With the move to ArcGIS Pro I find that I am not able to see the .mxd documents in my files when I go to Import Map. Should I rebuild these templates in ArcGIS Pro so they are a more updated version?

I will take any recommendation on migrating old .mxd files to being able to be added to ArcGIS Pro and the best way to continue to use our templates in Pro. 

[DanPatterson]

some info is covered in here

 For ArcMap users—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

and here

Import an ArcMap document—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Pro project templates

Project templates—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

 Create a project template—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

and there are other templates if you search the help topics using "template"

as the search term

[RobertBorchert]

Start Pro.  

Select Start without a template

This will start Pro without a map or layouts.

From the top menu select the Insert Tab

Select Import Map

When the dialog opens navigate to your .mxd and add it.  This will add the .mxd to the project. 

[Hannah_Wilson]

Thank you. This is what I've done, but my .mxd files aren't showing up when I try to add them to the project even though I know the files are in the folder. I'm curious if maybe it's because they were created in an old version of ArcMap. 

[GIS_Fox]

You can connect to the folder with your MXDs and drag and drop into your PRO project that way as well if you are having trouble directly using the import workflows. I'm on PRO 2.9 and it still retains this function, the MXD files look different and their icon has changed when loading in PRO. 

Definitely going to be re-reading the documentation however, very useful topic.

Best regards, thanks everyone!

[Robert_LeClair]

With regard to your *.mxd, does it contain any *.sde connection files?  If so, try this.  Remove the *.sde files from the *.mxd and attempt to import the *.mxd into ArcGIS Pro.  What is the result?

[Hannah_Wilson · Accepted solution]

I found the issue. The .mxd map documents I was trying to import into ArcGIS Pro could not be found because someone had saved them in a .gdb file. Thus I could see the .mxd maps when looking at them in File Explorer, but I could not navigate to them when trying to import them into ArcGIS Pro. I pulled them out of their prospective .gdb folders and placed them in a regular folder. I can now see all the .mxd files and import them easily. Just a reminder that it's good to know what the file path is if you can't find something in Arc! 

Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions.