If you are viewing this page, our money is on the fact that you are at some phase of migrating spatial data from Esri's ArcMap to the company's latest Geographic Information System (GIS) platform, ArcGIS Pro. Whether you are at the beginning or mid-way through your journey, the thought of moving the entirety of an enterprise network to a new system can seem daunting.
The truth is...It does not have to be.
The Integrated Marco Studio suite is designed to help professionals like you get a better grasp on the spatial data you manage. It is built for all hurdles, small and large - from fixing broken data sources to helping your team navigate the waters around standing up ArcGIS Pro. It is all here.
Are you just starting out on your journey of Spatial Data Discovery? Explore what we have found to be tried and true steps to getting the most out of the Migration Process.
01
THE RESEARCH
At the start of the Migration Process, the best plan of attack is to know the terrain and what tools you are working with. Encourage your team to brush up on their ArcGIS Pro knowledge, paying special attention to how an ArcGIS Pro Map Project (.aprx) differs from an ArcGIS Map Document (.mxd).
Use this time to also take into account what differences lie between the two platforms and how they could impact conversion. Need a clue? Metadata and relative path toggling are two Marco-sized hints!
02
THE DISCOVERY
When you have become more familiar with the environment, it is time to dig deeper into your enterprise data. Discover what spatial data files - ArcGIS Map Documents (.mxd), Layer Files, File Geodatabases, etc. - live on your network.
Even better, inquire into the health of each file. Identifying location, ownership, relevancy, and status as it relates to each piece of data is the perfect place to begin - and we recommend Marco Commander to help you pull these details effortlessly while recording them in a central database for easy access and analysis. By discerning the health, you will have a better idea of the steps (or leaps) that required to get enterprise data to a stage primed for migration.
03
THE CLEAN-UP
Now that have an idea of what lives where - What were the most important pieces of information gleaned from the process?
Lots of broken layers on the system? Multitudes of files that have aged out? Too many Untitled.mxd files floating around?
Tidy up unhealthy data, fixing broken data sources, and nixing irrelevant files. Likewise, put resolution on your checklist - Resolve any data issues between the ArcMap and ArcGIS platforms that could compromise migration, like metadata updates.
Take this time to keep in mind what you found and what you want when cleaning up the network. This is the perfect opportunity to begin evaluating current enterprise data standards - both official and unofficial - and think towards the future.
04
THE CONVERSION
Everything is tip-top shape? Let's get moving! Bringing your spatial data up to code is the trickiest part of the whole Migration Process. Converting these files is actually easier than you might think. We promise.
While ArcGIS Pro's Import Map tool can be used to convert a ArcGIS Map Document (.mxd) to an ArcGIS Pro Map Project (.aprx), what about those times when you want to convert multiple files at the same time? Well, we recommend introducing Marco Pro to help out in this process. Converting multiple files with ease is its forte - and only one trick in the 'ole Marco bag!
05
THE EVALUATION
Once you have made it through a successful migration, take a step back and evaluate how smoothly your own data made the transition - Were there hiccups along the way that could be fixed by modifying standards?
Make note of what did and did not work, and initiate regular data check-ups to examine inventory, brokenness, and usage of spatial data. After all, spatial data management is not a one-time activity.
BONUS POINTS: Looking forward to a lengthy Migration Process? We recommend using Marco Desktop and Marco Pro to keep track of what files have been migrated and what have not.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The Migration Process from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro can be overwhelming if you and your team are not sure what to expect. Download the takeaway below to learn more about the methods we use at Integrated Informatics Inc. for migration as well as a starter kit for developing new (aka better) enterprise data standards.
Fill in the details below to download the Spatial Data Discovery presentation with case studies and the Migration Process check list!
