Add layers from files

You can add layers to Map Viewer by importing data you have stored in supported file formats.

Supported files in Map Viewer and the items created

The following table lists the file types you can add to Map Viewer. For most file types, a hosted feature layer is published and added to the map. For some file types, you must specify whether to publish a layer and use that in the map or add the file directly to the map.

You must be a member of a role that has the privilege to create, update, and delete content. If a hosted feature layer is published, your role must also have the privilege to publish hosted feature layers.

Tip:

For caveats and restrictions related to publishing from each of the file types listed below, see Publish hosted feature layers.

File type	Item or items created	Notes
Comma-separated values (.csv)	When you add a .csv file from a local or network drive, and the file contains location data in longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal degrees, you can add the file or publish the file. If you add only the file, an item is created in My Content for the file and the file is used as a layer in the map. If you publish, an item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted feature layer (or hosted table layer if you choose to publish a table). The hosted layer is added to the map. For all other .csv file types and source locations, a hosted feature layer (or table layer if there is no location data in the file) is published and added to the map. An item is created for the file and the hosted layer.	When you add a .csv file containing latitude and longitude data to the map without publishing, updates made to features and attributes in the .csv file automatically appear in the map. If the file contains location data, the data must use World Geodetic System (WGS84) as its reference coordinate system.
File geodatabase	A hosted feature layer is published that contains all feature classes and tables in the file geodatabase. The hosted feature layer is added to the map. An item is created for the file geodatabase and an item is created for the hosted feature layer.	The file geodatabase must be compressed in a .zip file. Note: The features are published in the WGS 1984 Web Mercator (Auxiliary Sphere) coordinate system.
GeoJSON	You can add the file or publish the file. If you add only the file, an item is created in My Content for the file and the file is used as a layer in the map. If you publish, an item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted feature layer. The hosted feature layer is added to the map.	When you add a GeoJSON file to the map without publishing, updates made to features and attributes in the GeoJSON file automatically appear in the map. The data must use World Geodetic System (WGS84) as its reference coordinate system.
KML	When you add a KML layer, the KML is added to the map and is added as an item. No feature layer is published.
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (.xls or .xlsx)	A hosted feature layer is published and added to the map. An item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted feature layer. If the Excel file does not contain location data, an item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted table layer. The hosted table is added to the map.
Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) GeoPackage	A hosted feature layer is published and added to the map. An item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted feature layer.
Service definition (.sd)	A hosted feature layer is published and added to the map. An item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted feature layer.
Shapefile (.zip)	A hosted feature layer is published and added to the map. An item is created for the file and an item is created for the hosted feature layer.

Add a file to Map Viewer

To add a file to create a layer in Map Viewer, do the following:

1. Click Add on the Contents (dark) toolbar and choose Add layer from file.
2. Click Your device, browse to the location of the file on your local machine or a directory on a network share, and click Open.

   Tip:

   When adding from a local or network directory, you can drag the file into this window rather than browse to it.

3. If you add a .csv file containing latitude and longitude coordinate locations, or you add a GeoJSON file, choose one of the following options:
   • Create a hosted feature layer and add it to the map—A hosted feature layer is published for a .csv file containing coordinate locations or a GeoJSON file and the hosted layer is added to the map. A table layer is published for a .csv file with no location data and the table layer is added to the map.
   • Upload the file as an item and add it to the map—The .csv or GeoJSON file is added to the map.
4. If you add a .zip file, choose the content type from the Item type drop-down menu.
5. If you add an Excel file that contains more than one sheet, choose which sheet to use.
6. If you add a .csv or Excel file, define the fields to include and choose the type of location data, if any, to use for the layer.
   1. If you are publishing from the file, choose which fields to include.
   2. Optionally, provide display names and data types for the fields.
   3. Optionally, if you are publishing from the file and the file contains date fields that store dates in a time zone other than UTC, define the time zone.

      The time zone you specify is used for all date fields stored in the hosted layer that is published from the file.

   4. Click Next.
   5. If the file includes location information, choose the type of location information that Map Viewer uses to locate features and choose the locator to use to geocode locations.

      By default, Map Viewer geocodes locations based on your organization's region. To change the country that Map Viewer uses to geocode the locations in the file, choose a different country from the Country drop-down menu. If your file contains locations from multiple countries or from a country not in the list, choose World.

   6. If the file does not contain location information or if you do not want to include the location information, choose None to have Map Viewer add the data as a table.

      This option is only available when publishing from the file.

   7. Review the location fields and click a cell to change which location field or fields are used.
7. Click Next.
8. Provide a title.
9. Choose a folder in My content where you want to save the item.

   Alternatively, you can choose Create new folder from the menu and type a folder name to save the item in a new folder.

10. If your organization administrator configured content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help people find the item.

    You can also start typing a category name to narrow the list of categories.

11. Optionally, type tags that describe the item.

    Separate the terms with commas (for example, Federal land is considered one tag, and Federal, land is considered two tags).

    As you type, you can select any of the suggested tags that appear; suggestions are generated from tags you previously added.

12. Optionally, provide a summary that describes the item.
13. Click Create and add to map.

    The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

If you encounter issues with adding the file to the map, confirm that the organization administrator configured the portal with a hosting server. If you still encounter issues with adding or viewing your file in the map, see Troubleshoot.

If you published a hosted feature layer from a .csv or Excel file containing addresses or place-names, you should review feature placement before sharing the layer and map.