Dynamic Feature Classes

[dylancummings]

I was in a meeting with one of my bosses the other day and they posed a question that I hope you guys can help me out with. Basically, what they want to do is have it set up to where they send me an excel spreadsheet, i take the spreadsheet with the data on it and upload it into ArcGIS 10 (which is the version I am using), now from that spreadsheet i can geocode the data onto the map, now...that part i can do easily, but what they want to be able to do is to somehow link the excel sheet to the one i upload in ArcGIS 10 so that they can go in and add data to the excel spreadsheet and have it automatically reflect on the map so that away i don't have to reupload the spreadsheet and recreate all of the layers everytime they change the data. Is there a way you can do this?

[AllisonPlummer]

The dynamic geocoding can be accomplished by importing your table of addresses to your map, right click the table in the TOC and select geocode addresses. Choose an appropriate address locator and click ok. In the next window, in the Output section, you will have the option to create a dynamic feature class. If it is greyed out, just make sure the output location for the geocoding results is the same location as where you are keeping your table of addresses. It then appears to set up a relationship class between the table and the geocoding results, making it dynamic. If you make the locations the same and it still won't give you the option to create a dynamic feature class, then it may be a liscensing issue.

I believe edits must be made to the table in ArcMap in order for it to change the geocoded points. I've never tried this with an excel spreadsheet.