Credits: L. Meisterlin (2022)

Included in this tutorial

Common Map Surrounds
- North Arrows
- Scale Bars and Text
- Legends
Accessing other map elements

Software version in examples: ArcGIS Pro 2.8.1

Tutorial Data: The tutorial includes demonstration with sample data available here.

In concept there are two categories of additional elements one might add to a map layout:

Map “surrounds” are the elements that are directly related to the map frame, such as a scale bar which should reflect the scale of the map within the frame, even if the scale is changed, and
other map elements which are not directly related to the frame, such as additional text including titles or photographs.

This tutorial demonstrates how to add additional elements to a map layout in ArcGIS Pro.

NOTE: The examples demonstrated are not intended as examples of “how to layout a map” — only “how to add” these elements to a layout within the software.

GIS software contains several options for customizing the look of a map composition, many of these are helpful regardless of whether you plan to finish your design work in other software, such as inserting map surrounds.

Map Surrounds

Map surrounds are the elements that are directly related to the map frame. Conventionally, these include north arrows, graticules, scale bars, and legends. In the software, these elements will dynamically update as you change your map frame.

For example: if you rotate your map, then a linked north arrow will rotate accordingly. If you rescale your map, a linked scale bar will also update.

Access any of these elements to add to a layout in the Insert tab of the Main Menu ribbon while in a Layout View.

The demonstration below hovers over each of the options for your reference.

The process of adding any of these map surrounds to your layout is the same: first choose which from the Insert tab of the Main Menu ribbon, then click and drag a bounding box for the element.

The most common surrounds are demonstrated below.

North Arrows

The demonstration below walks through inserting a north arrow, as well as resizing and repositioning it.

The demo also moves through some of the options for customizing the arrow in the North Arrow Format Properties panel and accessing this panel by double-clicking on the arrow in the layout if needed.

inserting a north arrow and accessing its options

Scale Bars

The demonstration below walks through inserting a scale bar, as well as resizing and repositioning it. It also moves through some of the options for customizing the scale bar in the Scale Bar Format Properties panel. These include the units of the scale bar and the text options.

Notice that the general properties include specifying which Map Frame is associated with this scale bar. If the map is rescaled within the frame, the scale bar will update.

The format options appear automatically when you add a scale bar. To access the panel at any time, right-click on the scale bar in the layout and choose “Properties.”

Alternative: Scale Text

You can add a textual scale to your layout as one of the dynamic text options in the Insert tab. There, you’ll find different options for formatting this text.

Keep in mind that some textual scales are not appropriate for maps that may be rescaled later. If an image is resized to be bigger or smaller than its original, then “1 inch” will no longer relate to the overall map scale. For example a map intended for printing with a textual scale will certainly “lose its scale” if projected on a screen.

accessing textual scales via the dynamic text list

Legends

Insert a legend by clicking the Legend button on the Insert tab or by choosing from the Legend drop-down menu.

As with the other parts of this tutorial, the following demonstration walks through adding a legend to the layout and highlights some of the Legend Format Property options. These include changing the title of the legend and the map synchronization options.

adding a Legend, accessing Legend Format Properties, and Changing Layer Names

Changing the Layer Names

The demonstration above also includes changing the names associated with layers, as labeled in the Contents panel and within the automatically generated legend. Changing these names does not change the name of the underlying dataset.

You can change the name interactively within the Contents panel (demonstrated first, above) or by accessing the layer’s properties dialog (demonstrated second).

Other Surrounds and Map Elements

The other options of the Insert tab include adding text, images, and other graphics. These can be used for titles, labels, annotation, and explanation.

There are also other map surrounds, including charts and tables which can be dynamically updated as the map changes.

Adding Additional Elements to a Layout