{"id":1734442,"date":"2022-10-31T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1734442"},"modified":"2024-01-10T08:37:00","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T16:37:00","slug":"5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/data-management\/5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools","title":{"rendered":"5 great ways to use Data Loading Tools"},"author":318082,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[23851,25741,23051],"tags":[230422,767482,23081],"industry":[],"product":[42661],"class_list":["post-1734442","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-data-management","category-electric-gas","category-water","tag-data","tag-data-loading-tools","tag-utilities","product-arcgis-solutions"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":318082,"user_firstname":"Mindy","user_lastname":"Longoni","nickname":"Mindy Longoni","user_nicename":"mlongoni","display_name":"Mindy Longoni","user_email":"MLongoni@esri.com","user_url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/overview","user_registered":"2022-09-09 13:26:43","user_description":"Mindy happily works as a senior product engineering writer on the ArcGIS Solutions team. When she isn't playing with maps, language, or language related to maps, she enjoys spending time with her family or pondering the meaning of life with her three cats. Only one of them listens.","user_avatar":""},{"ID":9362,"user_firstname":"Joel","user_lastname":"Smith","nickname":"gisjoel","user_nicename":"j-smith","display_name":"Joel Smith","user_email":"j.smith@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2019-04-01 11:34:03","user_description":"Solution Engineer","user_avatar":""},{"ID":9772,"user_firstname":"Alix","user_lastname":"Vezina","nickname":"Alix Vezina","user_nicename":"avezina","display_name":"Alix V\u00e9zina","user_email":"avezina@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2019-07-19 18:00:55","user_description":"Alix is a product engineer in web development at Esri, where she delivers innovative web mapping tools for various industries. She\u2019s passionate about customer success and combines her knowledge with practical experience to help solve problems and empower others to develop impactful applications that provide essential functionality.","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"Use Data Loading Tools to streamline the process of loading data from a source to a target database and transform the data at the same time.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\u201cI have loads<\/em> of extra time!\u201d said No One Ever. Seriously though, who couldn\u2019t use a little more time? In a nutshell, Data Loading Tools\u2014free with ArcGIS Pro\u2014streamlines the process of loading data from a source to a target dataset, and it allows you to transform your data at the same time. Best of all, the process is repeatable: You can transform your data once and reuse that logic again and again.<\/p>\n

Here are five ways to use Data Loading Tools:<\/p>\n

1. Migrate data<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Perhaps this has happened to you: A new data model or schema becomes available with improved features or functionality that your organization really needs\u2014great! But then you realize that you have to migrate your data to take advantage of that functionality\u2014not so great. Data migration is famously time consuming and difficult. That\u2019s where Data Loading Tools comes in.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say that you\u2019re a utility GIS specialist responsible for moving data from a geometric network to a utility network. Data Loading Tools allows you to map the data logically from source to target datasets using Excel workbooks. Because this mapping is saved in a series of Excel workbooks, you can migrate data in smaller chunks. You\u2019d start with a pilot phase to confirm that the logic is appropriate for your migration, and then you\u2019d use the toolbox to migrate data incrementally into the new data model or schema. You could even apply filters to perform quality assurance checks before you move completely into production or to split data from a single source into different target datasets.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1735252,"id":1735252,"title":"Migrate_stackedworkbook2","filename":"Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","filesize":45322,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/data-management\/5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools\/migrate_stackedworkbook2","alt":"Three stacked Excel workbooks with utility data.","author":"318082","description":"","caption":"Data Loading Tools helps you map data logically using a series of Excel workbooks.","name":"migrate_stackedworkbook2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1734442,"date":"2022-10-17 20:20:17","modified":"2022-10-24 15:15:23","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":700,"height":383,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":254,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":383,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","large-width":700,"large-height":383,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":383,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":383,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","card_image-width":700,"card_image-height":383,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Migrate_stackedworkbook2.png","wide_image-width":700,"wide_image-height":383}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

2. Consolidate data<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Another great benefit of Data Loading Tools is that you get the tools that you need to consolidate data from multiple data sources into one workspace.<\/p>\n

Say you\u2019re a data aggregator for your state. You regularly receive parcel data from each county that you must load into a statewide aggregated parcel layer. However, you may frequently receive data that is structured differently than your target workspace. With Data Loading Tools, you\u2019d define how data should be loaded to your target database, helping you produce a seamless statewide dataset.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1735152,"id":1735152,"title":"Consolidate_parcels3","filename":"Consolidate_parcels3.png","filesize":77127,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/data-management\/5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools\/consolidate_parcels3","alt":"Four grayscale parcel layers with gray arrows pointing to a full-color aggregated parcel layer.","author":"318082","description":"","caption":"The ability to define how data is loaded to your target workspace helps ensure that your final dataset is exactly how you want it, regardless of how the data you initially received was structured.","name":"consolidate_parcels3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1734442,"date":"2022-10-17 19:54:03","modified":"2022-10-24 15:16:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":625,"height":459,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","medium-width":355,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","medium_large-width":625,"medium_large-height":459,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","large-width":625,"large-height":459,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","1536x1536-width":625,"1536x1536-height":459,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","2048x2048-width":625,"2048x2048-height":459,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","card_image-width":625,"card_image-height":459,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Consolidate_parcels3.png","wide_image-width":625,"wide_image-height":459}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

3. Transform data<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the greatest Data Loading Tools superpowers is the ability to transform data. More specifically, if you get data from one supplier, you don\u2019t have to ask your supplier to modify their data to conform to your schema. Instead, you can use Data Loading Tools and an Excel workbook to conform the data on your end. The supplier formats the data as they like, you get what you need, and everyone wins.<\/p>\n

Take address data, for example. If you\u2019ve ever received address data from multiple suppliers, you know how messy it can be. One dataset may have the full address in a single field; the second may separate the house number and street name from the rest of the address; and the third may store the house number and street name in one field, the city in a second field, the state or province in a third field, and the postal code in a fourth. To be usable, the data needs to be transformed. The good news is that Data Loading Tools can help you define your data mapping using easy-to-configure Excel workbooks. You can even write calculation expressions to transform data, all within Excel.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1735272,"id":1735272,"title":"Transform_addresses5","filename":"Transform_addresses5.png","filesize":161969,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/data-management\/5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools\/transform_addresses5","alt":"Side-by-side maps and their data tables, with the left showing addresses in multiple fields and the right showing them in a single field.","author":"318082","description":"","caption":"Data Loading tools can help you transform address data that you get from multiple suppliers into one format that works for you.","name":"transform_addresses5","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1734442,"date":"2022-10-17 20:22:58","modified":"2022-10-18 15:08:03","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":700,"height":504,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","medium-width":363,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":504,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","large-width":700,"large-height":504,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":504,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":504,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5-646x465.png","card_image-width":646,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Transform_addresses5.png","wide_image-width":700,"wide_image-height":504}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

4. Clean up data<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Data is arguably the most important GIS component; an analysis is only as good as the data that goes into it. However, clean and ready-to-use data is as elusive as a unicorn. But with Data Loading Tools, cleaning up your data doesn\u2019t have to be tedious or time consuming.<\/p>\n

Remember the address data that Data Loading Tools helped you transform? Your address fields are now in great shape, but your street suffixes need a little help: Some are abbreviated, some are all caps, and some are abbreviated and all caps. No worries! Data Loading Tools can help you turn any st, St, or street to a consistent all-caps STREET, if that\u2019s the format you prefer.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1735092,"id":1735092,"title":"CleanUp_address3","filename":"CleanUp_address3.png","filesize":34240,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/data-management\/5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools\/cleanup_address3","alt":"ArcGIS Pro attribute table of street addresses with inconsistent street-suffix formatting.","author":"318082","description":"","caption":"Variety may be the so-called spice of life, but not when it comes to address suffixes. Why not let Data Loading Tools help you clean up?","name":"cleanup_address3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1734442,"date":"2022-10-17 19:35:33","modified":"2022-10-18 15:07:18","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":600,"height":352,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","medium-width":445,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","medium_large-width":600,"medium_large-height":352,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","large-width":600,"large-height":352,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","1536x1536-width":600,"1536x1536-height":352,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","2048x2048-width":600,"2048x2048-height":352,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","card_image-width":600,"card_image-height":352,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CleanUp_address3.png","wide_image-width":600,"wide_image-height":352}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

5. Archive data<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Archiving data can be complicated, but it is especially beneficial if you run analyses cyclically (for example, monthly, quarterly, or yearly). Fortunately, Data Loading Tools can help.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a utility GIS analyst, you\u2019ll find this functionality useful for your yearly inspection cycle. You\u2019d use Data Loading Tools to define the mapping between your active workspace and your archive. The next time the analysis cycles back, you\u2014or anyone else on your team\u2014could clear the workspace and fill it with new, active data.<\/p>\n

But not all cycles are calendar based. If you\u2019re an emergency management professional, you know that disasters can occur at any time and that the data from one emergency offers valuable insight that is vital to preparing for the next. After the first emergency passes, you\u2019d use Data Loading Tools to archive the old data, and then you\u2019d clear the workspace for new incident data.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1735302,"id":1735302,"title":"Archive_data2","filename":"Archive_data2.png","filesize":283612,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-solutions\/data-management\/5-great-ways-to-use-data-loading-tools\/archive_data2","alt":"Map of emergency management data with multicolored point symbology.","author":"318082","description":"","caption":"Archiving data from one emergency ensures that you have access to that data the next time that a similar emergency occurs.","name":"archive_data2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1734442,"date":"2022-10-17 20:26:29","modified":"2022-10-18 14:55:13","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":687,"height":294,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","medium_large-width":687,"medium_large-height":294,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","large-width":687,"large-height":294,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","1536x1536-width":687,"1536x1536-height":294,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","2048x2048-width":687,"2048x2048-height":294,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","card_image-width":687,"card_image-height":294,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Archive_data2.png","wide_image-width":687,"wide_image-height":294}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

These five uses are only some of the repeatable and time-saving ways to put Data Loading Tools to work for you. So, how are you going to use all that time you just saved?<\/p>\n

Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information about Data Loading Tools, check out the following resources:<\/p>\n