Foursquare data update in ArcGIS Business Analyst

In ArcGIS Business Analyst, you have access to a curated collection of business and demographic variables. One of the data sources available is Foursquare, which provides places data (also known as points of interest) for over 170 countries. Foursquare provides updated vintages in the ArcGIS Places datasets.

In the February 2025 release, the Foursquare data source is updated to use a new dataset, resulting in slight difference in available attributes. This blog article will describe the changes in ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App, ArcGIS Business Analyst Pro, ArcGIS Business Analyst Enterprise, and ArcGIS Business Analyst Mobile App.  

Foursquare data in ArcGIS Business Analyst

The Foursquare data update is available in Business Analyst in the following ways:

• Business Analyst Web App uses Foursquare data in infographics (Standard, Gallery, and custom), saved searches in points of interest (POI) search and void analysis, and saved map layers.
• Business Analyst Pro uses Foursquare data in infographics (Standard, Gallery, and custom) and points of interest (POI) search.
• Business Analyst Enterprise uses Foursquare data in infographics (Standard, Gallery, and custom).
• Business Analyst Mobile uses Foursquare data in infographics (Standard, Gallery, and custom).

Foursquare data in Standard and Gallery infographics 

Foursquare data is used in some Business Analyst infographics. Standard and Gallery templates using Foursquare data have been updated to use the new data and category system. Standard templates updated are listed below:

These updated infographics are available in Business Analyst in the following ways: 

• The February 2025 release of Business Analyst Web and Mobile Apps include these updated infographics. 
• Business Analyst Pro and Business Analyst Enterprise include these infographics when you are connected to the online dataset.  

Foursquare data in custom infographics 

If you use Foursquare data in your custom infographics, your nearby tables and summaries may no longer work with this data change. We recommend rebuilding your saved infographics that use previous Foursquare data. When you run or edit such an infographic, a warning will be displayed: 

Foursquare searches built based on categories and codes will need to be reconfigured. Foursquare data attributes that are no longer available (for example: “NAICS code”, “Open 24 Hours a Day”) will be missing in your infographic. We recommend modifying your infographic template to reconfigure your nearby panels. When you open your template to modify it, the panels with unavailable data will be marked in red. You can see in this example below; several panels that included Foursquare data attributes are no longer available. 

To modify a panel with unavailable data, move your cursor over it, click Edit and recreate it with the Foursquare Open Source Places data. You can update the panels one at a time, then save the changes to your template. If your panel was built to search for variables based on categories and codes, the entire panel will need to be reconfigured.

Foursquare data in saved searches and lists

You will not be able to select a saved points of interest search created with the older Foursquare data source. You will need to recreate the search. You can still use the Show details option to view the search details, to help you recreate it. 

You will not be able to use a saved list in void analysis that was created with the discontinued Foursquare data source. You will need to recreate the list. 

Foursquare data in saved layers

If you saved a layer that contained points returned by the discontinued Foursquare data, you will still be able to access it from your project and use the Zoom to layer option to view the layer on the map. However, you won’t be able to open it to edit.

Resources

For more information on the Foursquare data source in Esri Location Data, please see the following resources: 

• Foursquare data source 
• Introduction to ArcGIS Places dataset 

For more information on how Business Analyst utilizes the Foursquare data source, please see the following resources:   

• Map points of interest in Business Analyst Web App 
• Points of interest (POI) data sources in Business Analyst Web App 
• Search points of interest in Business Analyst Pro 
• Custom variable lists in void analysis using Business Analyst Web App