Getting started with ArcGIS Pro

Having some familiarity with ArcGIS Pro is a requirement for making in-person reference appointments at the Stanford Geospatial Center.

First time ArcGIS Pro users (or anyone needing a refresher) can follow the links on this landing page to get started with Esri ArcGIS Pro tutorials and guides.

Esri software is made available to any Stanford affiliate through an educational site license. Users must be directly affiliated with Stanford and have a valid SUnet ID.

You can install ArcGIS Pro on your own machine (Windows only, not available for Mac OS) by logging into your Stanford account at MyEsri.com or ArcGIS Online ( more info ). Be sure to use the single sign on method illustrated below:

If you are Mac user, or can not get into the GIS lab for some reason, you can use the Stanford virtual desktop service  Apporto  to access ArcGIS Pro and other apps.

Virtual Desktop quick notes:

• 2GB of persistent file storage is available per user on the Apporto Cloud service.
• User accounts are deprovisioned after 12 months and user data is removed 60 days after that.

Please see the  Apporto FAQ  page for more information about using this service.

In order to fully license any copy of ArcGIS Pro you must sign in to your Stanford ArcGIS Online account in the app.

• Find the "Not signed in" link in the upper right corner of ArcGIS Pro.
• Click the link and use the Your ArcGIS Organizations URL method to sign in with your Stanford credentials.
• If you find the default log-in window is not working, use the "Sign In Using Browser" link in the lower right corner.

If GIS as a tool is completely new to you, you may want to start with one of these high level overviews of the field. Understanding some of the fundamental GIS concepts and vocabulary will help you get the most out of these tutorials.

 Esri: What is GIS? 

 mapschool: What is a map? 

The links below comprise the full Learn the basics tutorial set from Esri. All together these individual lessons take a little under 4 hours to complete, but they can be done in stages and none of them are longer than 45 minutes individually.

•  Introducing ArcGIS Pro 
•  Navigate maps and scenes 
•  Create a project 
•  Add data to a project 
•  Explore data 
•  Author a map 

The tutorials listed above represent everything you need to get started or make a reference appointment with SGC staff. But if you'd like to keep going there are more lessons under the  ArcGIS Pro quick-start tutorials  site.

During each quarter the SGC runs a series of introductory workshops for various GIS tools and processes. The ArcGIS Pro tutorials are all self guided due to the need for Windows only machines, but we will hold occasional "group" self guided session in the Branner Library GIS lab where students can learn together and get help from SGS staff who will be in the room working alongside you. If you'd like to join a group tutorial session sign up for the GIS email list  here .