What is ArcGIS in Power BI?
Putting data on a map is one of the quickest ways to see patterns that a simple chart might miss. With ArcGIS for Power BI, you can go far beyond just plotting dots on a standard map by overlaying powerful demographic information, analyzing drive times, and creating rich, interactive geographic stories. This article will walk you through what ArcGIS for Power BI is, how to use it, and why it's a game-changer for your reports.
What Exactly is ArcGIS for Power BI?
ArcGIS is a powerful suite of geographic information system (GIS) software developed by Esri, one of the leading companies in mapping and spatial analytics. The ArcGIS for Power BI visual is a direct collaboration between Microsoft and Esri, bringing Esri's enterprise-level mapping capabilities right into your Power BI reports and dashboards.
Think of it as the standard Power BI map visuals on steroids. While the default map visuals are great for showing basic location data, the ArcGIS visual unlocks a new level of analysis. You can layer multiple datasets, access Esri's extensive library of basemaps, and tap into curated demographic data. It transforms your Power BI dashboard from a place that shows what happened to a tool that explains where and why it happened.
Instead of just seeing that sales are high in California, you can overlay median household income data to see if sales are concentrated in wealthier areas, or add a drive-time layer to understand which customers are within a 10-minute drive of your retail locations.
Why Choose ArcGIS Over Standard Power BI Maps?
You might be wondering why you'd need the ArcGIS visual when Power BI already has a built-in "Map" and "Filled Map." While those are useful for simple visualizations, ArcGIS offers several distinct advantages that provide deeper context.
Better Basemaps: The standard maps offer a few basic backgrounds. ArcGIS gives you access to Esri's rich library of basemaps, including satellite imagery, topographic maps, street maps, and simple light or dark gray canvases designed to make your data pop.
Multiple Data Layers: This is a huge differentiator. With standard maps, you're usually limited to displaying one set of data points. With ArcGIS, you can add multiple layers. For example, you could show your customer locations as one layer, your store locations as another, and overlay a demographic reference layer showing population density all on a single, unified map.
Access to Demographic Data: Even with the standard, free version of the visual, you get access to curated Esri demographic data for the United States. You can add layers for things like population density, average household income, or diversity index to see how external factors correspond with your own business data.
Advanced Styling and Symbology: ArcGIS provides far more control over how your data appears. Beyond changing dot colors and sizes, you can create heat maps to show data concentration, use clustering to handle thousands of points gracefully, and choose from a wider range of symbols to represent your information clearly.
Powerful Spatial Analysis (Premium): If you have an ArcGIS license, you can unlock tools directly within Power BI. You can calculate drive times (e.g., "show all customers within a 15-minute drive of our new warehouse"), find what's nearby a specific point, add public maps from the ArcGIS community, and create pop-up infographics with key statistics.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your First ArcGIS Map
Getting started with the ArcGIS visual is straightforward because it comes pre-installed with Power BI Desktop. Here's how to create your first map.
Step 1: Get Your Location Data Ready
Your map is only as good as your data. Before you start, make sure your dataset has clean and unambiguous location information. ArcGIS can geocode - or place points on a map - using several types of data:
Street Addresses: The most precise method. Having addresses in separate columns (Street, City, State, ZIP/Postal Code) typically yields the best results.
Latitude and Longitude: If you have coordinates, this is the most accurate way to plot data. Use two separate columns, one for latitude and one for longitude.
Standard Boundaries: You can use well-known geographic boundaries like cities, states, countries, or postal codes.
Common Pitfall: Be careful with ambiguous names. If your data just says "Paris," Power BI won't know if you mean Paris, France, or Paris, Texas. Be as specific as possible by including state, province, or country information to ensure accuracy.
Step 2: Add the ArcGIS for Power BI Visual to Your Report
Inside Power BI Desktop, look at the Visualizations pane. The ArcGIS icon, represented by a globe with a pin, should be there by default. Simply click it to add the visual to your report canvas.
Upon adding it, you’ll see a prompt asking you to sign in. For now, you can close this window to use the standard features available to all Power BI users. We'll cover the sign-in options in a moment.
Step 3: Add Your Data to the Visual
With the ArcGIS visual selected, you'll see several fields in the Visualizations pane where you can drag your data:
Location: Drag your primary location field here (e.g., City, State, or a full Address).
Latitude/Longitude: Use these instead of the Location field if you have coordinate data.
Size: Use a numerical value here to determine the size of the symbols. For example, drag 'Sales Revenue' to this field to make locations with higher sales appear as larger circles.
Color: Use a categorical field to color-code your data points. For example, dragging a 'Product Category' field here will assign a different color to each category.
Time: If your data has a time component (like a date), you can add it here to create animated maps showing how data changes over time.
Tooltips: Add any extra data fields here that you want to appear when a user hovers over a data point on the map.
For a basic map, simply drag a field like 'State' or 'Postal Code' into the Location field well. You should immediately see points appear on the map.
Step 4: Understand User Types (Standard vs. ArcGIS Account)
When you first use the visual, you interact with it as a standard Power BI user. This is free and powerful enough for many use cases. However, knowing the difference is important:
Standard (Free): This default mode lets you create maps, use all basemaps, style your points, and access a curated set of US demographic reference layers. The number of points you can plot is also limited.
ArcGIS Account (Licensed): If you sign in with a paid ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise account, you unlock premium capabilities. This includes access to global demographic data, the ability to add layers from your ArcGIS organization, use advanced analysis tools like drive-time buffers, and a much higher limit on the number of addresses you can map.
Exploring the Key Features of ArcGIS for Power BI
Once you have data on your map, the fun begins. Click the ellipsis (...) on the visual and select 'Edit' to open the map tools toolbar. This is where you'll customize your map's appearance and layers.
Basemaps
This is your background map layer. Experiment to find one that fits your data story. A Light Gray Canvas puts the focus squarely on your data, while a Streets or Imagery with Labels basemap provides more geographic context.
Symbology
This determines how your data is visualized. By default, you might see single symbols, but you have several options:
Counts and Amounts (Size): Great for showing magnitude. Larger symbols represent larger values (e.g., more sales, higher profit).
Counts and Amounts (Color): Uses a color ramp (like light to dark blue) to show intensity. Good for metrics like population density.
Types (Unique Symbols): Uses different colors or symbols for different categories in your data.
Heat Map: Visualizes the density of points in an area. Excellent for identifying "hotspots."
Clustering: Groups nearby points into a single symbol when you're zoomed out, which helps declutter maps with thousands of points.
Reference Layers
Reference layers add context by overlaying another dataset onto your map. This is one of the most powerful features.
Demographic Layers: Go to the Analysis pane (the button looks like a set of three cards) and choose 'Reference Layer'. You can add curated layers like 2023 Median Household Income. Now you can visually compare your sales data against the income levels of each area.
ArcGIS: If you're signed in with an ArcGIS account, you can add layers from ArcGIS Online, including public data like infrastructure, environmental hazards, or census boundaries.
Practical Tips for Creating Effective Maps
Define Your Map's Purpose: Don't try to show everything at once. Is your map for identifying top-performing regions? Or is it for analyzing market saturation? A clear goal leads to a clear and effective map.
Keep it Clean: Avoid overwhelming your audience with too many colors, layers, or labels. Use clear, simple symbology and a basemap that complements, rather than competes with, your data points.
Tell a Story with Tooltips: Add valuable information to your tooltips. Instead of just showing the city name, include the sales figure, customer count, and maybe the top-selling product for that area.
Use the Drive Time Tool Wisely: The drive time analysis tool (a premium feature) is invaluable for site selection, logistics, and resource allocation. Use it to answer questions like, "How many of our top customers are less than 15 minutes away from a potential new store location?"
Final Thoughts
Incorporating ArcGIS maps into your Power BI reports lets you move beyond simple charts and uncover location-based insights that would otherwise stay hidden. It's a powerful tool for understanding geographic patterns in your sales figures, customer demographics, and operational logistics, empowering you to make smarter, data-driven decisions that are grounded in the real world.
Of course, building a powerful map is just one part of the analytics process. The biggest initial challenge is often just getting all your marketing, sales, and operational data connected and ready to analyze. That's where we make things simple. With Graphed, you can connect your data sources in seconds and use simple, natural language to start building real-time dashboards instantly. This saves you from the manual drag-and-drop work, so you can spend less time wrangling data and more time exploring it with compelling visuals like ArcGIS maps.