Symbol types, also known as smart mapping, are presented based on the geometry of the feature you are mapping (points, lines, or polygons) and the type of data attributes that you select (numbers, categories, dates, and so on). The symbol type that you select helps you to target specific audiences and provides options to emphasize aspects of the data in a variety of ways.
Learn more about symbol types and smart mapping in the ArcGIS tutorial series Smart Mapping Styles in Map Viewer.
Use the following sections to help determine which symbol type is right for the data. To apply a symbol type to the data, follow the workflow in Change the style settings.
Location
The location symbol type shows how features are distributed on a map—for example, whether features are clustered or dispersed. This style uses one symbol for all features (point, line, or polygon) in a layer. Location symbols are sized identically across the map.
When you bring data into ArcGIS for Power BI, the default symbol type is Location. The location symbol type can be applied to any type of layer in ArcGIS for Power BI. This is the only symbol type available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
See Smart Mapping: Location (single symbol) for more information about styling with the location symbol type.
Examples of using the location symbol type are listed in the following table:
| Examples | Questions you can answer with this symbol type |
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Heat map
A heat map shows the relative density of points on the map as a continuous color ramp that implies temperature ranging from cool (few points) to hot (many points).
Heat maps can be used with location data to show the relative density of the locations on a map, but when you add a numeric data attribute, the heat map will be weighted based on that attribute and display relative values of both the attribute and the density. To create a weighted heat map with Power BI data, add a numeric attribute to the Size field well in the Build visual pane. To create a weighted heat map with ArcGIS Online data, add a numeric attribute to the Symbology tab 
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You can use heat maps to map the location of point features only, not lines or polygons. Heat maps are useful when many of the points on a map are close together or overlapping, making it difficult to distinguish between features. They are effective when the data contains many points or if you have a layer with point-based events. For example, you can use a heat map to show event-based data over time, such as traffic violations.
Tip:
If you have only a few locations, a heat map is less effective. Map layers with few or diffusely dispersed points using the Location style.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the heat map style can be applied to Power BI data as well as feature layers and demographic layers added to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online. It can also be applied to the result layers from the Join layers and Find similar analysis tools. It is not available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
To style ArcGIS layers with the heat map symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add a points feature layer to a map. To style Power BI data with the heat map style type, add point location data (such as coordinates or addresses) to the Location or Latitude (Y) and Longitude (X) field wells. The Heat map option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See the ArcGIS Blog article Reveal patterns with the heat map style for more information about heat maps.
Examples of using a heat map are listed in the following table:
| Examples (points only) | Questions you can answer with this symbol type |
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Size
You can use graduated symbol sizes to represent numeric data or ranked categories, allowing you to visually compare quantities and identify trends.
In maps styled with proportional symbols, larger symbols represent larger numbers. Adjust the size of the symbols to define the data. For example, you can use proportional symbols to show the total population surrounding public library locations in Iowa.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the size style can be applied to Power BI data as well as feature layers and demographic layers added to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online. It can also be applied to the result layers from the Join layers and Find similar analysis tools. It is not available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
To style ArcGIS layers with the size symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add a numeric attribute to the Symbology tab . To style Power BI data with the size style type, add a numeric data attribute to the Size field well in the Build visual pane. The Size option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See Smart Mapping: Counts and Amounts (size) for more information about styling with proportional symbols.
Color
When a map contains numeric data, you can distinguish features using graduated colors to reflect a count or an amount. Different types of color ramps can be used to demonstrate low-to-high data values—for example, a light-to-dark color ramp can show the range of electricity consumption per capita.
Color ramps can be applied to point data, such as business or service locations; lines, such as rivers or highways; and polygons, such as city boundaries or postal codes.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the color style can be applied to Power BI data as well as feature layers and demographic layers added to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online. It can also be applied to the result layers from the Join layers and Find similar analysis tools. It is not available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
To style ArcGIS layers with the color symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add a numeric attribute to the Symbology tab . To style Power BI data with the color style type, add a numeric data attribute to the Color field well in the Build visual pane. The Color option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See Smart Mapping - Counts and Amounts (color) for more information.
Examples of using graduated colors are listed in the following table:
| Examples (apply to either size or color) | Questions you can answer with this symbol type |
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Color and size
When the data contains multiple attributes, you can style a map to compare and contrast two of them. This symbol type uses proportional sizes to emphasize the highest and lowest concentrations of the first attribute and complementary colors to emphasize the strongest and weakest distribution of the second attribute.
See Smart Mapping - Color and Size for more information.
You can also choose a theme with the color and size style to highlight dynamic values in the data. For example, the Above and below theme allows you to map a single attribute around a central value using different color and proportional symbol pairs to show values above and below center. This could help you visualize data, for example, where poverty rates are above and below the national average. To find theme options, look in the Theme drop-down menu under Symbol styling on the Style options tab 
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In ArcGIS for Power BI, the color and size style can be applied to Power BI data as well as feature layers and demographic layers added to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online. It can also be applied to the result layers from the Join layers and Find similar analysis tools. It is not available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
To style ArcGIS layers with the color and size symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add two numeric attributes to the Symbology tab . To style Power BI data with the color and size symbol type, add a numeric data attribute to the Size field well and a numeric data attribute to the Color field well in the Build visual pane. The Color and size option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
Examples of using color and size are listed in the following table:
| Examples | Questions you can answer with this symbol type |
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Types
You can use the types style to illustrate different types of categorical data in ArcGIS for Power BI, not counts or numeric measurements. For example, you can use different colors and shapes to represent different types of road networks or highways.
Note:
A maximum of 200 unique values can be used, and 10 colors are available. The same color can represent multiple categories. The types map style is most informative when the data contains up to 10 categories—for example, restaurant types, tree species, or political parties.In ArcGIS for Power BI, the types style can be applied to Power BI data as well as feature layers and demographic layers added to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online. It can also be applied to the result layers from the Join layers and Find similar analysis tools. It is not available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
To style ArcGIS layers with the types symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add a categorical attribute to the Symbology tab . To style Power BI data with the types symbol type, add a categorical data attribute to the Color field well in the Build visual pane. The Types option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See Unique types for more information.
Examples of using types are listed in the following table:
| Examples | Questions you can answer with this symbol type |
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Types and size
Use the types and size style to represent categorical data and a fixed array of numeric data using symbols of proportionate sizes to illustrate areas of greatest variance.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the types and size style can be applied to Power BI data as well as feature layers and demographic layers added to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online. It can also be applied to the result layers from the Join layers and Find similar analysis tools. It is not available for result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool.
To style ArcGIS layers with the types and size symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add one numeric attribute and one categorical attribute to the Symbology tab . To style Power BI data with the types and size symbol type, add a numeric data attribute to the Size field well and a categorical data attribute to the Color field well in the Build visual pane. The Types and size option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See the ArcGIS Blog article A drawing style designed for categorical data: Types for more information.
Examples of using types and size are listed in the following table:
| Examples | Questions you can answer with this symbol type |
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Pie (donut) chart
Use pie or donut charts to show the proportions of categorical data associated with a single feature, using either a count or a summary statistic. Pie chart symbols can help answer questions such as what the proportions of categories are for each feature on a map or comparing counts or other summary statistics between locations.
For example, you are reviewing purchases of insurance policies across the United States to determine where there is market potential for each policy class (automobile, disability, life, and property). You can select each policy class field and map them using the charts style. The data is represented as pie chart symbols showing the proportions of each policy class that are being purchased in each state.
Tip:
To display a donut-style chart instead of a pie chart, adjust the Shape slider under Chart styling on the Style options tab .
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the pie (donut) chart style can be applied to feature layers and demographic layers added from ArcGIS Online as well as the result layers from the Join layers tool. It is not available for Power BI data layers or result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool or the Find similar analysis tool. Learn more about how to add layers to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online.
To find the pie (donut) chart symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add two or more numeric attributes to the Symbology tab . The Pie (donut) chart option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See an example of charts.
Dot density
Use the dot density style to visualize the distribution of one numeric attribute or to compare multiple numeric attributes using different-colored dots. With this style, each dot represents a count of something or someone, such as citizens, sales, or crimes. The dot density style works well for layers with polygon features associated with counts or totals that share a common unit of measurement, such as people, houses, incident reports, total dollars, and more.
For example, you can use this style to show the concentration of unsheltered homeless people compared to sheltered homeless people in a city or the distribution of population by race across the United States.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the dot density style is available for polygon layers only. This style can be applied to feature layers and demographic layers added from ArcGIS Online as well as the result layers from the Join layers tool. It is not available for Power BI data layers or result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool or the Find similar analysis tool. Learn more about how to add layers to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online.
To find the dot density symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add two or more numeric attributes to the Symbology tab . The Dot density option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See an example of dot density.
Predominant category
The predominant category style is useful if a layer contains multiple related attributes that you want to compare and show which attribute is predominant—that is, has the highest value—and the degree of its predominance compared to the other attributes in the layer.
For example, you can use this style to see the predominant ethnic population in each census tract in Los Angeles, California, and how much higher the predominant population is compared to the others.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the predominant category style is available for feature layers and demographic layers added from ArcGIS Online as well as the result layers from the Join layers tool. It is not available for Power BI data layers or result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool or the Find similar analysis tool. Learn more about how to add layers to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online.
To find the predominant category symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add two or more numeric attributes to the Symbology tab . The Predominant category option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See an example of predominance.
Relationship
Using the relationship smart mapping style, you can visualize the relationship between two numeric attributes in point, line, or polygon feature data. For example, you can see whether there is a relationship between the richness and rarity of species in the world and in which areas the relationship is most pronounced. Based on the bivariate choropleth mapping technique, the relationship style applies a distinct graduated color ramp to the classified data in each attribute and combines the color ramps, allowing you to see where the attributes may be related. You can explore the relationship using different focus options.
For example, you can focus on where both richness and rarity of species are high, or change the focus to highlight areas where they are both low. You can also change the classification method and other settings.
In ArcGIS for Power BI, the relationship style is available for feature layers and demographic layers added from ArcGIS Online as well as the result layers from the Join layers tool. It is not available for Power BI data layers or result layers from the Buffer/Drive time analysis tool or the Find similar analysis tool. Learn more about how to add layers to your ArcGIS for Power BI visualization from ArcGIS Online.
To find the relationship symbol type in ArcGIS for Power BI, add two numeric attributes to the Symbology tab . The Relationship option will appear in the Symbol type drop-down menu.
See an example of relationship.