Prepare ArcMap XY data (.dbf format) for use in ArcPad

Summary

The ArcPad extension for ArcMap allows data to be extracted from a geodatabase to be used in the field with ArcPad. Instructions provided describe how to prepare ArcMap data for editing in an ArcPad field environment and then save it to ArcMap.

Procedure

1. Add .dbf data into ArcGIS ArcMap using File > Add Data > Add XY Data.
2. Right-click on the <filename> Events dataset in ArcMap's Table of Contents (TOC) and select Data > Export Data.
3. Retain the defaults in the Export Data window. Specify a personal geodatabase feature class as the Output. Click OK.
   
4. Click 'YES' to add the exported data to the map.
5. Click the 'Get Data for ArcPad' tool from the ArcPad toolbar to export data from ArcMap to ArcPad.
   
   
6. Select the layer(s) to be checked out to ArcPad. Click Next.
7. Select the layer(s) to be checked out for editing in ArcPad. Click Next.
8. Specify the data's spatial extent, specified features, and specified fields to be utilized.
9. Specify the file name used to store data and the location where the folder is stored. If desired, select the check box to have ArcPad tools create an ArcPad map (.apm file) during the process. Click Finish.
   
10. Open ArcPad on the field device and add point data. Save any edits prior to checking the data back into the personal geodatabase feature class in ArcMap.
11. Exit ArcPad from the File menu prior to checking any edits back into ArcMap.
12. To bring edits from ArcPad into ArcMap, add the personal geodatabase feature class to ArcMap.
13. Start an edit session from Editor toolbar > Start Editing. The 'Check In Edits from ArcPad' (in ArcGIS 9.3.1 and prior versions) and 'Get Data from ArcPad' (in ArcGIS 10) tool on the ArcPad toolbar is now enabled for use.