A geoprocessing package is a convenient way to share geoprocessing workflows by packaging one or more tools and the data used by the tools into a single compressed file (.gpkx). Geoprocessing packages are created from one or more successfully run geoprocessing tools. All tool settings and environments, models, scripts, data, layers, and files needed to run the tool are included in the package. This means someone with your package can rerun your tool to produce the exact same results, or use the tool with different data to produce new results. The package can also contain additional files—such as text documents, slideshows, and compressed .zip files—that provide more information or resources about using your tool.
You and others can use the tools and data inside the package by adding it to your ArcGIS Pro project, which extracts or unpacks the contents of the package to the <User Documents>\ArcGIS\Packages folder.
Note:
Geoprocessing packages created in ArcGIS Pro can only be used in ArcGIS Pro.
Learn more about using geoprocessing packages
Create a geoprocessing package
There are two methods for creating geoprocessing packages:
- Select the successfully run geoprocessing tool you want to package from the list of tools under Share > Package > Geoprocessing. This will open the Geoprocessing Package pane. Alternatively, you can right-click a successfully run tool in the Geoprocessing History node of the Catalog pane, and select Share As > Geoprocessing Package.
- Use the geoprocessing tools in the Package toolset. These tools provide a finer degree of control over how data and tools are packaged, but the tools do not have interactive analyzing capabilities to find problems with the tools you are packaging, and you must use a separate tool to upload a package to ArcGIS Online.
Examples
Geoprocessing packages can be used to do the following:
- Share methodology
- Collaborate on a project
- Consolidate tools and data into a centralized location
- Evaluate multiple scenarios
- Train others how to perform a workflow
Sharing methodologies
You may have an expertise in a particular subject, such as surface water runoff modeling, or expertise in a technique, such as linear referencing. You can share your expertise using a geoprocessing package, delivering sample data and models you've developed, along with related files such as PDF documents that further explain your methods. The recipients of your package can study your methodologies and apply them to their own data.
Project collaboration
Suppose you have a project where your colleagues are in different locations and are working on different aspects of the project. For example, in a site suitability study, one of your colleagues is responsible for evaluating soils, while another is dealing with transportation issues. The results of their individual investigations can be packaged and shared with everyone working on the project. At key points in the project, these individual packages can be consolidated into one package for redistribution to all team members.
Consolidation
Imagine a scenario in which you're working on project and you have a map with 15 layers, containing data from a variety of sources—some is stored on your local disks, some consists of UNC paths to other machines on your network, and some may be from enterprise databases. You're deep into developing some models that use some but not all the data. Now you must unplug your laptop from the network and go on the road. You want to continue working on your models, but you're going to be off the network.
First, run the models you're working on to create results, and then package the results into a geoprocessing package. All the data and models are included in the package. (When packaging with the Package Result tool, you can specify that you only want data in the current map extent and to extract enterprise database data into a file geodatabase that's included in the package.) You then unpack the package to a folder on your local disk, and you have everything you need to continue working consolidated into one folder.
Consolidating data into a single folder is a common task. Tools in the Package toolset can help you consolidate data as a shortcut to packing and unpacking to a specific folder.
Scenario evaluation
Your project may involve creating many scenarios. For example, you might be developing land-use plans for a region, and you need alternative plans for various assumptions, such as high growth in some areas and negative growth in others, planned improvements in transportation and other infrastructure, and funds available for open space purchases. Each plan forms a scenario: a unique collection of data, edits to the data, models, and model parameters. You can create a geoprocessing package to quickly make a snapshot of a scenario, freeing you to create new scenarios.
Training
If you provide training courses for your staff or others outside your organization, you can use packages to deliver your course materials.