{"id":2961248,"date":"2026-03-31T17:05:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T00:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2961248"},"modified":"2026-04-07T16:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T23:44:13","slug":"how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers","title":{"rendered":"How Publishing Paths Determine Coordinate Systems in Hosted Feature Layers"},"author":437412,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[23851,22941],"tags":[31781,169802,33141,28641],"industry":[],"product":[36551],"class_list":["post-2961248","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-data-management","category-mapping","tag-coordinate-system","tag-coordinate-systems","tag-hosted-feature-layers","tag-publishing","product-arcgis-online"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":437412,"user_firstname":"Jessica","user_lastname":"Parteno","nickname":"Jessica Parteno","user_nicename":"jpartenoesri-com_esriinc","display_name":"Jessica Parteno","user_email":"jparteno@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2026-02-09 23:17:45","user_description":"Jessica is a Product Engineer on the ArcGIS Online team based out of San Jose, California. She is passionate about building intuitive tools that strengthen data management and elevate mapping experiences.","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"A hosted feature layer\u2019s coordinate system is determined by its publishing path. This overview explains coordinate system assignment rules.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Hosted feature layers\u00a0can be created\u00a0in a\u00a0variety of\u00a0ways. Some are published straight from ArcGIS Pro with carefully curated map properties, others are\u00a0created\u00a0through a\u00a0quick drag\u00a0and\u00a0drop\u00a0from\u00a0a variety\u00a0of\u00a0data\u00a0sources\u00a0directly in\u00a0ArcGIS Online, and still others\u00a0are generated from\u00a0scratch or\u00a0blank templates.\u00a0No matter how they begin,\u00a0all\u00a0layers\u00a0carry\u00a0a\u00a0foundational characteristic: its coordinate system.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0easy to forget about coordinate systems. They work quietly in the background, making sure your data shows up in the right spot,\u00a0until the day something shifts or\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0align, and suddenly\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0all you can think about.\u00a0This is where careful consideration comes in.\u00a0Choosing the right coordinate system means thinking about both the method used to create the layer and how the data will\u00a0ultimately be\u00a0used, ensuring it meets the spatial and workflow requirements of your project.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This blog is all about understanding how coordinate systems are handled depending on how your hosted feature layer is created. The workflow you choose\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0just influence your schema or\u00a0settings;\u00a0it\u00a0determines\u00a0the\u00a0coordinate system\u00a0your data ends up living in. But\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0only half the story. The coordinate system you should\u00a0use\u00a0also depends on your project needs.\u00a0Let\u2019s\u00a0take a look\u00a0at\u00a0how coordinate\u00a0systems are\u00a0assigned,\u00a0help you\u00a0determine\u00a0which coordinate system is\u00a0appropriate for\u00a0your workflow,\u00a0and\u00a0review how\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0the coordinate system of your existing feature layers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How\u00a0Your Publishing Path Determines Your Coordinate System<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are many ways to create a hosted feature layer in ArcGIS Online, and each publishing path\u00a0has its own method to\u00a0determine\u00a0the coordinate system. Whether you publish directly from ArcGIS Pro, upload a file through the ArcGIS Online interface, start from a template, or generate a feature layer from an existing\u00a0feature layer, the method you choose\u00a0determines\u00a0the\u00a0coordinate system\u00a0of your\u00a0hosted feature layer. Understanding these publishing paths is the key to understanding why your data lands in one coordinate system versus another. The table below breaks down each creation method\u00a0and how\u00a0it assigned a\u00a0coordinate system to\u00a0a newly created hosted feature layer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Publishing\u00a0<\/span>H<\/span>osted\u00a0<\/span>F<\/span>eature\u00a0<\/span>L<\/span>ayers<\/span>\u00a0from ArcGIS Pro<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961353,"id":2961353,"title":"Publish from Pro 2","filename":"Publish-from-Pro-2.png","filesize":51840,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers\/publish-from-pro-2","alt":"A summary table with the different ways to publish data from ArcGIS Pro and how it impacts coordinate systems on the final hosted feature layer.","author":"437412","description":"","caption":"","name":"publish-from-pro-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961248,"date":"2026-03-25 01:10:52","modified":"2026-04-01 23:52:18","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":893,"height":390,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":203,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":335,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","large-width":893,"large-height":390,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","1536x1536-width":893,"1536x1536-height":390,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","2048x2048-width":893,"2048x2048-height":390,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2-826x361.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":361,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-from-Pro-2.png","wide_image-width":893,"wide_image-height":390}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Creating\u00a0<\/span>H<\/span>osted\u00a0<\/span>F<\/span>eature\u00a0<\/span>L<\/span>ayers in ArcGIS Online<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961354,"id":2961354,"title":"Publish in AGOL 2","filename":"Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","filesize":104681,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers\/publish-in-agol-2","alt":"A summary table with the different ways to create hosted feature layers in ArcGIS Online and how it impacts coordinates systems.","author":"437412","description":"","caption":"","name":"publish-in-agol-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961248,"date":"2026-03-25 01:12:59","modified":"2026-03-25 01:13:36","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":929,"height":713,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","medium-width":340,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":589,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","large-width":929,"large-height":713,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","1536x1536-width":929,"1536x1536-height":713,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","2048x2048-width":929,"2048x2048-height":713,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2-606x465.png","card_image-width":606,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Publish-in-AGOL-2.png","wide_image-width":929,"wide_image-height":713}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Choosing the Right Coordinate System for the Job<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Once you understand how a coordinate system gets assigned to your hosted feature layer, the next step is to make sure you select the right one for what you\u2019re trying to accomplish. Not every project has the same spatial needs: a web map centered on visualization behaves very differently from a field data collection workflow, and both differ from analysis-heavy projects where accuracy is crucial. Each workflow places its own demands on precision, performance, and compatibility. The table below shows how these needs translate into coordinate systems recommendations, helping you set up your layers for success from the start.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961699,"id":2961699,"title":"best practices2","filename":"best-practices2.png","filesize":61047,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers\/best-practices2","alt":"Table summarizing the the recommended best practices for selecting a coordinate system for your hosted feature layer.","author":"437412","description":"","caption":"","name":"best-practices2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961248,"date":"2026-03-31 23:46:24","modified":"2026-03-31 23:46:32","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":930,"height":397,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":198,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":328,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","large-width":930,"large-height":397,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","1536x1536-width":930,"1536x1536-height":397,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","2048x2048-width":930,"2048x2048-height":397,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2-826x353.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":353,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/best-practices2.png","wide_image-width":930,"wide_image-height":397}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

How to see the Coordinate System of a Hosted Feature Layer<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Once your data is published\u00a0or if you are working with existing\u00a0hosted feature layers and you want to confirm the coordinate system, you can find that information in the layer\u2019s REST endpoint or by bringing the layer into ArcGIS Pro and reviewing the layer properties.\u00a0This information will be available on the item page\u00a0in\u00a0future releases.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

REST endpoint\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Go to the\u00a0layer\u2019s\u00a0item page in ArcGIS Online.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Click the Overview tab.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. On the right side of the page,\u00a0under\u00a0Details\u00a0locate\u00a0the URL.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. On the right side of the\u00a0URL\u00a0click on the View icon.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. This opens the layer\u2019s REST endpoint. Look for the spatial reference section. If the hosted feature layer has a standard coordinate system you will find the WKID, which is a numeric code that represents the c<\/span>oordinate system. Look up the code to identify the coordinate system name. If you are using a custom coordinate system you will find the WKT, which <\/span><\/span>is a full textual representation that defines all the details of a coordinate system.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961347,"id":2961347,"title":"REST Spatial Ref","filename":"REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","filesize":11281283,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers\/rest-spatial-ref","alt":"Navigates to the Spatial Reference section of the REST endpoint of a hosted feature layer.","author":"437412","description":"","caption":"","name":"rest-spatial-ref","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961248,"date":"2026-03-25 00:31:45","modified":"2026-03-25 00:32:14","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","large-width":1280,"large-height":720,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/REST-Spatial-Ref.gif","wide_image-width":1280,"wide_image-height":720}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

    ArcGIS Pro<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Open a map in ArcGIS Pro.<\/li>\n
    2. Connect to your instance of ArcGIS Online. Add a web map or hosted feature layer through the portal connection or using the feature layer\u2019s URL (Add Data > From Path).<\/li>\n
    3. In the Content pane, right-click the hosted feature layer and select Properties.<\/li>\n
    4. Go to the Source tab and scroll to the Spatial reference section. This section will include the name and WKID for the coordinate system.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961348,"id":2961348,"title":"ArcPro_SpatialRef","filename":"ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","filesize":100338,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/data-management\/how-publishing-paths-determine-coordinate-systems-in-hosted-feature-layers\/arcpro_spatialref","alt":"Reviewing the spatial reference information of a hosted feature service in ArcGIS Pro.","author":"437412","description":"","caption":"","name":"arcpro_spatialref","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961248,"date":"2026-03-25 00:32:23","modified":"2026-03-25 00:35:32","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":1100,"height":653,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","medium-width":440,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":456,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","large-width":1100,"large-height":653,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","1536x1536-width":1100,"1536x1536-height":653,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","2048x2048-width":1100,"2048x2048-height":653,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef-783x465.png","card_image-width":783,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ArcPro_SpatialRef.png","wide_image-width":1100,"wide_image-height":653}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

      Additional Resources:<\/h2>\n
      Understanding how coordinate systems work behind the scenes is key to keeping your hosted feature layers accurate, efficient, and ready for analysis. If you\u2019d like to keep building your spatial reference skills, the following Esri resources are a great place to continue learning.<\/div>\n