Converting CSV and XLSX Files into Feature classes in ArcMap 10.2

The post will demonstrate how to convert data saved in the CSV and XLSX format (Spreadsheet) to feature classes in ArcMap 10.2. The tables or spreadsheet should contain XY fields i.e. geographic coordinates or location data.
Note that ArcMap accepts CSV, TXT and Excel XLSX files.

Procedure

Let us start with the CSV file.
Open Catalog and navigate to where the CSV file is stored. Remember that Arcmap only connects to folders in the Crive. The demo CSV file is Schoolmapping.csv- see where cursor finger is to the lower right.


Right Click on the file > Create Feature class > From XY Table


In the dialog box, select the location fields from the drop down lists. X field represent the Longitude, while Y field represent the Latitude. Click on Coordinate Systems of Input coordinates. For the demo. WGS 84 is selected. Click OK to process.

Go to the Add Data icon and navigate to where the feature class is stored. For the demo it is XYSchoolmapping.

The feature class is added to the Table of Content.


Right Click on the feature class layer > Open attribute table


The Table shows the same data as the CSV file it was created from.


Creating from XLSX files

XLSX format files are basically files saved in excel workbook format. Spreadsheets in excel come as sheets.
IN the Catalog directory tree, the Schoolmapping.xlsx is opened and has two sheets in it. For the demo- masts$ and schoolmapping$.


Right Click on the selected sheet > Create Feature Class > From XY Table


A Create Feature Class from XY Table dialog window will pop up. Just as for the CSV file above, select the X and Y fields and input a coordinate system. Click OK

To Add the data, Click on the Add Data button and navigate to where the file was saved as a feature class.


The data in the excel sheet (red dots) is now displayed as XY data and a feature class- XYmast$ in ArcMap 10.2


The attribute table of the created feature class.