Available with ArcGIS Pro Standard and Data Reviewer licenses.
Summary
The Unnecessary Polygon Boundaries check finds polygon features that share a common boundary and contain identical attribute values.
Supported workflows
ArcGIS Data Reviewer checks support multiple methods for implementing automated review of data. The following table identifies the supported implementation methods for this check:
Workflow | Supported | Licensing |
---|---|---|
Validation attribute rule | Yes (ArcGIS Pro 2.7 and ArcGIS Enterprise10.9 or later) | Available with ArcGIS Pro Standard and Data Reviewer license |
Constraint attribute rule | Yes (ArcGIS Pro 3.2 or later) | Available with ArcGIS Pro Standard and Data Reviewer license |
Run Data Checks | Yes (ArcGIS Pro 3.5 or later) | Available with Data Reviewer license |
Overview
When polygon features share a common boundary and contain identical attribute values on editable fields, the shared boundary is often unnecessary and is captured as an error. Features found with this check can be merged without a loss of information and can result in enhanced database performance.
In the following example, a polygon that shares its boundaries with multiple polygons produces either one or multiple error results:


Attribute Rule syntax
The following table describes the validation and constraint attribute rule parameters:
Parameter | Required | Description | Workflow |
---|---|---|---|
Subtype |
No | The subtype(s) to which the rule is applied. |
Validation |
Constraint | |||
Attribute |
No | A query that identifies the features to which the rule is applied. |
Validation |
Attributes to Ignore |
No |
The attribute values to ignore during evaluation. Only editable fields can be ignored. |
Validation |
Constraint | |||
Triggers | Yes | The editing events that trigger the rule to take effect.
| Constraint |
Name |
Yes | A unique name for the rule. This information is used to support data quality requirement traceability, automated reporting, and corrective workflows. |
Validation |
Constraint | |||
Description |
No | A description of the error you define when a noncompliant feature is found. This information is used to provide guidance for corrective workflows. |
Validation |
Constraint | |||
Severity |
No | The severity of the error assigned when a noncompliant feature is found. This value indicates the importance of the error relative to other errors. Values range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest priority and 5 being the lowest. |
Validation |
Tags |
No | The tag property of the rule. This information is used in rule authoring and management workflows to support traceability and reporting of data quality requirements. |
Validation |
Constraint |
Run Data Checks syntax
The following table describes the Run Data Checks parameters:
Parameter | Required | Description |
---|---|---|
Input Feature | Yes | The input feature layer that is evaluated by the rule. Note:You can disable a map selection or layer definition query using the toggle button that honors the selection or filter before evaluation. Layer definition queries that include a spatial clause are not supported. |
Attribute Filter | No | A query that identifies the features to which the rule is applied. |
Attributes to Ignore | No | The attribute values to ignore during evaluation. Only editable fields can be ignored. |
Name | Yes | A unique name for the rule. This information is used to support data quality requirement traceability. |
Extent | Yes |
|
Notes
Keep the following in mind when using the check:
- The Validation Status attribute value of input features is ignored during evaluation. For example, input features with a validation status of 0 (No calculation required, no validation required, no error), 1 (No calculation required, no validation required, has error(s)), 4 (Calculation required, no validation required, no error), or 5 (Calculation required, no validation required, has error(s)) are still included during rule evaluation.
- The Attribute filter parameter is limited to comparison (=, <>, >, <, >=, and <=) and logical (AND/OR, IN/NOT IN, LIKE/NOT LIKE, and IS NULL) operators.
- GUID and Global ID data types are ignored during evaluation.
- The Attribute and the Attributes to Ignore filter parameters do not support the following field types: Big Integer, Date Only, Time Only, and Timestamp Offset.