ArcGIS Business Analyst Pro, an extension to Esri’s flagship ArcGIS Pro application, provides advanced mapping and analysis capabilities focused on data and location intelligence. The only thing more powerful than Business Analyst Pro is Business Analyst Pro…with local data.
As a Business Analyst user, you may have heard the term “local data” and “local datasets” before—for example, when exploring the product’s help documentation. Maybe you were not entirely sure what it meant or why you should be interested in it. This article is part of the blog series Got five minutes? Get to know… and outlines the basics for understanding local data in Business Analyst Pro. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What is local data?
- What’s included in a local dataset?
- What can you do with local data?
- How do you purchase and download local datasets?
- How frequently is local data updated?
- What resources are available for local data users?
What is local data?
Local data refers to country-specific datasets created for use in Business Analyst Pro that you can store on your hard drive (or any hard drive you have access to). The data is “local” in that it’s stored locally on your machine or other network drive location. Business Analyst local datasets are available for the United States, Canada, India, and Japan.
Once you have purchased local data, it incurs no further costs to use it. You can continue to use it as long as you have an active Business Analyst license and are using it within the product it was licensed for. This is different from using online data, because online data—as the name implies—is accessed through the internet and consumes credits each time you use it.
When using Business Analyst Pro, you have the option to connect to either a local or online data source, as shown in the figures below. The cloud icon appears when you are connected to an online data source, whereas a local connection shows a computer and monitor icon. To use local data, make sure you are connected to your local dataset!
What is included in a local dataset?
Business Analyst Pro local data includes almost all the data you may have seen in the web version: demographics, spending, behaviors, and points of interest data, for example. It also includes the files you need to create drive times, walk times, and threshold areas, as well as report templates and infographics so you can create custom information products.
Generally speaking, local data contains, but is not limited to:
- The data itself (in the Data folder)
- Product documentation (in the Documentation folder)
- Report and infographic template files (stored in the Information Products folder)
- Setup and configuration files (in the Configuration folder)
What can you do with local data?
All Business Analyst Pro workflows can be performed using local data. This includes all the classics: color-coded layers, target marketing, enriching layers with data, trade areas, suitability analysis, benchmark comparisons, and the list goes on.
In addition, there are some Business Analyst Pro workflows that can only be used with a local dataset. These workflows are:
So what are the advantages and limitations when using local data in Business Analyst Pro? Here’s a brief comparison:
| Advantages | Limitations |
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How do I purchase and download a local dataset?
First, you must download and install ArcGIS Pro and authorize the Business Analyst extension. For instructions on this process, see ArcGIS Business Analyst Pro Implementation Guide. You can purchase and download local datasets through My Esri for the United States and Canada. Some regional Esri distributors, such as Esri India and Esri Japan, also provide local datasets for purchase.
When you purchase a local dataset, your data will be available to install from My Esri. You will also receive a license for the data, in .sdlic file format. This data license file is critical to use the data. You’ll apply this license after downloading the data, during the setup process. For instructions, see the following:
How frequently is local data updated?
The local datasets for the United States and Canada are updated once a year. This corresponds with the main online data release—the local data is essentially a hard-copy “snapshot” of the online data update. For example, depending on the time of year, the U.S. and Canadian business locations point data may be months older than the current online version.
For information on India and Japan datasets, contact Esri India or Esri Japan.
What other resources are available for local data users?
To learn more about downloading, installing, and using local datasets in Business Analyst Pro, visit the following resources:
To read about local data in action, check out these Business Analyst Pro blog articles:
- Use Business Analyst’s Target Marketing Wizard to find customers in a new area
- Drive customer growth with target marketing in ArcGIS Business Analyst Pro
- Understanding advanced customer-derived trade areas in ArcGIS Business Analyst Pro
Local data is a big topic to cover—we hope this article gets you started with this resource. Keep an eye out for more articles in the Got five minutes? Get to know… blog series.
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