Create a locator

To create a custom locator, you can create a locator item that references a geocode service URL, or create a view of ArcGIS World Geocoding Service to search only for specific types of locations within an area of interest.

For example, you may have a geocode service you published from a custom locator in ArcGIS Pro that you want to make available in your organization, or you may need to enforce a specific level of precision when members perform batch geocoding of addresses in a locator view of ArcGIS World Geocoding Service.

Create a locator or locator view

To create a locator or locator view, do the following:

1. Verify that you are signed in to your organization and have privileges to create content.
2. From the My content tab of the content page, click New item and click Locator.
3. Choose what type of locator item to create and click Next.
   • Create a locator view from the ArcGIS Geocoding service—Choose this option to create a locator view.
   • Create a locator from a geocode service—Choose this option if you have an ArcGIS Server geocode service URL to use as a locator, and paste it in the URL field.

     If the geocode service has parameter names and values defined, you can specify a custom parameter to use for the locator item.

     If the geocode service requires credentials to access it, you can enable the option to store the credentials and provide the username and password to access the service. If you do not store credentials with the locator, users may be prompted for credentials when using the locator.

     Note:

     Only built-in ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Server credentials can be stored with a service.

4. Provide a title and optionally, choose a folder in which to save the locator item, and specify tags and a summary that describes the locator.
5. Click Save to create the locator item.

   If you created a locator from a geocode service, the item page for the locator opens. Configure item details for the locator and share the locator with the appropriate audience.

   If you created a locator view, the item page for the locator view opens to the Settings tab. Proceed with the next set of steps to configure settings for the locator view.

Define settings for a locator view

To define the settings for the locator view, do the following:

1. At the top of the Settings tab, click Locator (view) Settings.
2. From the drop-down menu, select the type of location you want to find:
   • All Types—Choose this option if you don't want any restrictions on the types of locations returned.
   • Addresses, Postal Codes and Populated Places—Choose this option to limit results to streets, cities, states, or postal codes.
   • Coordinates—Choose this option to limit results to MGRS or a specific format for latitude, longitude.
   • Places of Interest—Choose this option to limit results to the names of places or landmarks.
3. If you chose a category other than All Types in the previous step, further refine the location filter as needed by checking the boxes for the categories you want to search. See the following examples:
   • If you chose Addresses, Postal Codes and Populated Places and only want ArcGIS World Geocoding Service to return matches with street address or better, check the Point Address and Street Address boxes.
   • If you chose Coordinates and want to make latitude, longitude the accepted format for coordinates, check the Latitude, Longitude box.
   • If you chose Places of Interest and only want ArcGIS World Geocoding Service to return matches to airports, check the Airport box.
4. Specify where you want to search for locations as follows:
   • Anywhere in the world—Select this option to search for locations globally.
   • In selected countries/regions—Select this option to search for locations in specific countries. Search or browse for the countries you want and select them one at a time until you've made all of your selections.

     Note:

     If your data contains a country value, search results will include any countries explicitly defined in the data. However, if countries are not explicitly defined in the data, results will be restricted to the country or countries you define using this locator view setting.

   • Within a specified area—Select this option to define the extent of an area to search for locations. Click Set Area and define the extent. Click OK when finished.
5. If you chose Addresses, Postal Codes and Populated Places or Places of Interest for the type of location you want to find, choose one of the following to specify your preference for displaying locations:
   • On the side of the street (routing location)
   • On the rooftop or parcel centroid (address location)

   Note:

   Your preference may not be available for all locations. If the selected preference is not available for a location, the location will be displayed with the highest precision available.

6. Specify your preference for returning city names as follows:
   • As defined for the country—Keep this option selected to return the default city name defined for the country. For example, cities in the United States are returned by default using the postal city name.
   • Postal city name—Select this option to return the primary postal city name even if it's different from the city name typed in the search. The postal city name is the primary name assigned to the postal code of the address. For example, the 45420 postal code in Ohio has a primary postal city value of Dayton. Addresses in the city of Kettering are assigned this postal code, which means that searches for addresses in Kettering are returned as Dayton addresses. If this option is selected and an organization member searches for 2109 E Dorothy Ln, Kettering, OH, 45420, the match label returned is 2109 E Dorothy Ln, Dayton, Ohio, 45420, even though the address is within the Kettering city limits.
   • Local city name—Select this option to return the locally known city name even if it's different from the city name typed in the search. The local city name is the name of the city in which the address is located and may be different from the postal city. For example, if this option is selected, a search for 2109 E Dorothy Ln, Dayton, OH, 45420—an address in Kettering, Ohio—returns the match label of 2109 E. Dorothy Ln, Kettering, Ohio, 45420, even though Dayton is included in the search string and the postal code typed has a postal city value of Dayton.
   • Matched city name—Select this option to return the matched city name value when the city name typed in a search matches any of the local city name or postal city name values.

   Note:

   Not all addresses have postal city and local city values assigned to them. If the requested preferred city does not exist in the data, a different city value is returned based on default address formats.

7. Specify your preference for returning street names as follows:
   • As defined for the country—Keep this option selected to return the default street name. The default street name is the matched street name.
   • Matched street name—Select this option to return the matched street name value when the street name typed in a search matches any of the supported street names assigned to an address.
   • Primary street name—Select this option to return the primary street name even if it's different from the alternate street name typed in the search. The primary street name is the primary name assigned to a street. For example, if this option is selected, a search for CA-138, Pearblossom, CA returns the match label of Pearblossom Hwy, Pearblossom, California, 93553.
8. Click Save to save the locator view settings.
9. Configure item details for the locator view and share the locator view with the public or with your organization.

   You must share the locator view to make it available to members of your organization or the public. Once it's shared, an administrator can add it to your organization's list of locators available for members to use for geosearch and batch geocoding.

   Note:

   Anonymous users will only have access to the locator view if you share it with the public. Locator views that are shared with the organization and included in your organization's list of locators are only accessible to organization members. Anonymous users cannot perform geosearch in any apps using locators that are only shared with the organization.

If the locator view is added to the organization's list of locators, it is recommended that you enable delete protection on the locator item to prevent accidental deletion. Once it's added, if you decide to delete your locator view in the future, your administrator must first remove it from the organization's list of locators.