When calculating statistics for a field after a one-to-many join, the values are larger than prior to the join

Description

After conducting a one-to-many join, the statistics values for a number field increase when compared to the pre-join values.

Cause

In a one-to-many join, only the first matching record is joined and displayed in the layer's attribute table. However, when using some tools, the subsequent joined records are used in calculations.

This means that even though only the first record is joined and displayed, when calculating statistics for a field all values are included.

Note:
In ArcMap 10.1, when exporting or using the Feature Class To Feature Class conversion tool on a feature class with a 1:M join, the resulting output contains all values and not just the first matching record.

Solution or Workaround

• It is recommended to use a relate or relationship class instead of a 1:M join.
• If creating the 1:M join is the only option, it may be best to do field calculations and statistics prior to the join.