Manually Importing/Converting Coordinate Data into ArcGIS Shapefiles

The simplest format for recording a series of coordinates (i.e. grid units, artifact locations, boundaries, etc.) is a table with x, y, and sometimes z values. This tutorial demonstrates two methods for creating a Shapefile from the data contained within such a table.

While this simple idea and its application is obvious to archaeologists, who often play a game of connect-the-dots with point clouds, it is not a process typically used to create data layers for most GIS practitioners. It is rarely included in text books that offer step-by-step instruction using GIS.

Programs used in this tutorial:
Microsoft Excel
ESRI ArcCatalog
ESRI ArcMap

The use of a log (field journal) for hand recording coordinate data for points shot with a total station or digital theodolite is an important aspect of field work. The notebook not only backs up electronic data, it becomes very useful when the point cloud generated from the coordinate data is connected to form meaningful shapes. These shapes include everything from unit outlines to site boundaries.

This lesson uses a sample table of coordinates to create a boundary and four units representing a working archaeological site. The lesson can be applied to any number of coordinates and makes the process of converting total station point data into meaningful shapes a very hands-on affair. Let’s get started!

Below is the .csv (comma-separated value) file created using Microsoft Excel. (Remember: not all total stations will allow description data to be attached to point data, yet another reason that a journal is useful). Save this file (or any file you've created as a .csv file using Excel) on your computer where you will remember it.

Next, if you haven’t already done so, start ArcMap. Then, underneath the Tools menu, select “Add XY Data…”

This opens a dialogue window which allows you to select a file for import. Select the coords.csv file and the window will automatically identify which field are x and y coordinate fields in the table.

Once you select OK you should have the following result:

Now the points must be saved as a Shapefile (they only exist in the ArcMap document as Events at this point). A shapefile is created by exporting the data above, which is accomplished by right clicking on the Events and selecting 'Export Data...' under the 'Data' drop-down menu.

The export dialogue box will open and you should save the Shapefile with default settings as ‘Export_Coords’. Select 'Yes' when asked to if you want to add the Shapefile as a new layer and remove the Events. The Shapefile is now ready to serve as a background for the creation of a polygon Shapefile used to connect-the-dots.

Create two new Shapefiles on your hard drive called ‘Boundary’ and ‘Units'. Once you’ve added these two new shapefiles we can use the points in ‘Export_Coords’ to edit our new files.

'Snapping' must be turned on to ensure that our new Shapefiles exactly match the points saved in the ‘Export_Coords’ file. First, select 'Start Editing' under the 'Editing' drop-down menu. Since all the files in the ArcMap document are located in the same directory, you are not asked to specify which directory to edit out of. Once Editor has started select 'Snapping' from the Editor menu and the snapping dialogue box opens inside ArcMap. Click on the box underneath Vertex next to ‘Export_Coords’ and then close the dialogue.

Once editing begins on the ‘Boundary’ and ‘Units’ files, the cursor used to create the feature will lock onto the ‘Export_Coords’ layer and ensure that the new features correspond exactly with the coordinates.
Two ways to determine in what order to connect dots (with labels turned on).

Use information contained in the ‘Export_Coords’ file itself

Use notes from a field book that correspond to points on the screen.

And that's it!