What are the best practices to optimize performance when exporting layouts to PDF in ArcGIS Pro?

Answer

Exporting layouts to PDF in ArcGIS Pro is essential as it facilitates the decision-making process by presenting complex spatial data in a clear and concise manner. However, large datasets or high-resolution images in layouts can affect the export performance. The process is further prolonged if the machine's hardware requirements or capabilities, in terms of CPU, RAM, or disk speed, are not met.

Below are some of the best practices to potentially avoid a slow performance when exporting layouts to PDF in ArcGIS Pro.

• Remove unnecessary attributes from the project data to reduce the size of the datasets. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Reduce data size for more information.
• Generalize datasets using partitions. This approach is most effective when dealing with a substantial quantity of complex features alongside their attributes, as it enables geoprocessing tools to operate on the partitioned data in sequence. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Generalizing large datasets using partitions for more information.
• Ensure the machine running ArcGIS Pro meets the minimum, recommended, and optimal requirements specified for installation and upgrading. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: ArcGIS Pro 3.3 system requirements for more information.
• Improve the performance by saving the layout as a layout file, opening a new project, and importing the layout file before exporting the layout to PDF from the new project. If the data source is broken after importing, repair it by selecting the correct data file.