How Northing works
Northing lets you work with a local copy of GIS data and decide when to send changes elsewhere. Use a local database for analysis, maps to display your results, and a separate review step to send edits back to ArcGIS.
Follow the data
Section titled “Follow the data”A workspace database is a local DuckDB database with spatial support. It holds your tables and the work associated with them, including maps and chats. A table can contain features with geometry or ordinary records without shapes, such as inspections and lookup values.
A pull downloads an ArcGIS layer or standalone table into that database. Once imported, you query and edit the local table. A refresh reads the source again and updates the local copy; tracked tables preserve local edits and report conflicts where the same field changed in both places.
A push sends reviewed local edits back to the source ArcGIS layer. Publishing creates a portal result, such as a new hosted layer. Neither is implied by saving a cell or changing map symbology.
| Action | Where the result lives |
|---|---|
| Import a file or pull a layer | A table in the local database. |
| Run a query | A result you can inspect, map, and export. |
| Save query results as a table | A new local dataset you can use again. |
| Save a map | A map document that refers to data in the database. |
| Export data | A file at the destination you choose. |
| Push reviewed edits | Changes to the original ArcGIS service. |
| Publish a hosted layer | A new item in the selected ArcGIS portal. |
Results map and saved maps
Section titled “Results map and saved maps”Results map shows the latest spatial query. A kept layer stays on that map as reference while you run another query. Keeping a layer is a map action; it is not a backup or a new copy of its source records.
A saved map has its own datasets, styling, labels, pop-ups, and optional panels. Use it for a map you want to reopen or share. Its layers still depend on tables: deleting a table can leave a saved map without its data. See Map basics for choosing between results and a saved map.
Three coordinate systems to distinguish
Section titled “Three coordinate systems to distinguish”The source coordinate system describes the data you bring in. Northing stores map geometry in WGS84 longitude and latitude and records source coordinate information for later use.
The analysis projection controls projected measurements and many spatial operations. Check its status bar indicator and choose a suitable system for your area before measuring or calculating geometry.
The export coordinate system describes coordinates written to an output file. Some formats are fixed to WGS84; others let you choose. Changing map appearance does not replace that export choice.
Workspace layout versus database
Section titled “Workspace layout versus database”Analyst and Engineering are workspace layouts. They change which tools appear first and how much room panels get. Both combines their priorities. Switching between them does not move your records into a different database.
Use Switch database when you actually want another collection of tables, maps, and chats. Use New database to start a separate one. Keep backups and snapshots for recovery; a second map over the same table is not a second copy of the data.
The assistant is optional
Section titled “The assistant is optional”The assistant uses your selected model provider to answer questions and shows the queries behind its work. You can inspect the SQL and compare results with known records. Tables, SQL, maps, and geoprocessing also work without a model connection. Model access and outside data access have separate controls.