I am attempting to join census data (county level) to a county base map, using the FIPS county code as the join field.
I can join successfully if I do not alter the original csv file from the census download. However, ArcMap will make all data fields into string types that way and I want a numeric type. According to the ArcMap help file, I should remove all text entries from the first eight rows of the table and make them numerals (I used zero). After making this change, ArcMap won't let me select the FIPS column as the join column anymore. Frustrating! Any suggestions?
Best Answer
You cannot choose the join field because they are of different field types.
Create a new field of the same type as the one you are trying to join too, then field calculate your values into your new field. The join should work.