Batch Processing (almost) any tool in ArcGIS Pro
You can run almost any geoprocessing tool in ArcGIS as a batch process, which allows you to execute the tool multiple times while varying an input parameter as needed.
Included in this tutorial:
Access the Batch Option
Batch Options and Tool Parameters
Software version in examples: ArcGIS Pro 3.5.1
Credits: L. Meisterlin (2025)
This tutorial demonstrates batch processing with the Clip tool, as a basic example. The interaction within the software is the same for other operations, although the specific parameters will depend on the tool.
Access the Batch Option
Find the desired tool within the Geoprocessing Pane (either by navigating through the toolboxes or searching for the tool’s name). There, right-click on the tool’s name and click Batch.
accessing the batch option of the clip tool
Batch Options & Tool Parameters
Batch Options
You will first be prompted to specify the options for how ArcGIS should run the tool as a batch operation. In other words, as the is executed multiple times one of its parameters will be different with each execution. This is the Batch Parameter.
Under Choose a batch parameter, you can select one of the tool’s parameters from the drop-down menu. (This list of options will vary based on the specific geoprocessing tool.)
the Batch Options, using the clip tool as an example
The Batch Tool options also include…
Whether to Make a temporary batch tool or to Save the batch tool. If you plan to run this tool as a batch process only one, you can make it temporary. If it will be useful to create a new tool that iterates over several inputs, you can save the batch tool in an ArcGIS Pro toolbox.
An option to Add output datasets to an open map, which is checked by default. Unchecking this option will save the (potentially many) outputs generated but not add them to the open (current) map project.
When you are satisfied with the batch options, click Next to move to the tool’s options and parameters.
Tool Parameters
The next dialogue box should be familiar based on the tool you have chosen to run as a batch process.
All of the tool’s typical parameters are present in this dialogue box with some modifications based on the batch options.
The parameter chosen as the batch parameter now also includes the option to specify multiple inputs. In our Clip tool example, we are given the option to add multiple Input Features or Datasets. The tool will execute multiple times, once per input feature layer or dataset added here.
The Output Features or Dataset parameter looks familiar (with the typical options to name and save the outputs). Additionally, ArcGIS Pro suggests a suffix for the output layers using the %Name% variable. This will insert the name of the input features file into its corresponding output dataset to distinguish the multiple results from one another.
the Batch Tool Parameters, using the clip tool as an example
As usual, click Run to execute the tool. Your results will be saved where you have specified in the Output Features or Datasets option.