Work with stand-alone tables in maps

In ArcGIS, a stand-alone table contains attribute data but does not have any associated spatial features. The term stand-alone refers to this lack of association, whereas an attribute table displays the attributes of its associated geographic features.

Learn about attribute tables in ArcGIS Pro

Because stand-alone tables are not associated with geographic features by default, many interactions with stand-alone tables in ArcGIS Pro involve creating a layer from the table, or creating a join or relate to the table. When a stand-alone table is selected in the Contents pane of a map or scene, the Standalone Table tab appears in the ribbon. This tab includes tools that help you visualize and interact with your stand-alone table, including creating a layer from the table or establishing a join.

The unique capabilities of stand-alone tables in maps and scenes are discussed below. Like other tabular data, you can interact with stand-alone table views as well as perform statistical analysis, make charts, and filter data.

Add and organize stand-alone tables in a map or scene

When added to a map or scene, stand-alone tables are listed in the Contents pane under the Standalone Tables group header.

Follow these steps to add a stand-alone table to a map or scene view:

  1. Open a catalog view or the Catalog pane, if not already open.
  2. Navigate to a location in your folder directory containing the table.
  3. Right-click the table and click Open Table Open Table, or drag the table to the Contents pane of the map or scene.

After it is added to the Contents pane, you can select, copy, and paste stand-alone tables within the pane and into other maps and scenes.

Group stand-alone tables with layers

Stand-alone tables can be moved into a group layer in the Contents pane and re-ordered with other tables or layers in the group layer.

Follow these steps to group stand-alone tables with other layers.

  1. Choose a stand-alone table in the Contents pane to highlight it. Hold Ctrl and highlight any other tables or layers you want to group with the stand-alone table.
  2. Right-click the selection of tables and layers, and choose Group Group.

    The stand-alone tables appears as a sublayer with the other tables and layers in the map's drawing order.

You can also click and drag a stand-alone table into an existing group layer to move it into the group layer.

Remove stand-alone tables

Follow these steps to remove one or more stand-alone tables from a map or scene.

  1. Choose a stand-alone table in the Contents pane to highlight it.
  2. Right-click the table, or a selection of tables, and choose Remove Remove.

    You cannot remove a table and layer simultaneously.

Create a layer from a stand-alone table

Many workflows with stand-alone tables in ArcGIS Pro involve creating a layer from the data in the table. Depending on the structure of the data, you can create geographic features from your table.

If your stand-alone table contains coordinate data (in x,y format), you can add the data as a feature layer. If you do not want to save the data in another format, you can also use the Make XY Event Layer tool to create a temporary layer from your stand-alone table. In both cases, stand-alone tables with z-coordinates can be added to scenes as 3D content.

If your stand-alone table contains address information, you can build a layer by geocoding the addresses.

Save a stand-alone table as a layer file

A stand-alone table can be saved as a layer file (*.lyrx). This is useful if you need to review or edit the file's definition in a text editor or share the file in a different format. Follow these steps to save a stand-alone table as a layer file:

  1. Choose a stand-alone table in the Contents pane to highlight it.
  2. On the Share tab, in the Save As group, click Layer File Layer File.
  3. In the Save Layer File dialog box, browse to a location and type a name for the stand-alone table layer file.
  4. Click Save.

Stand-alone tables can also be shared as a hosted table or map image layer that references registered data to ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise.

Related topics