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Importing Shapefiles into Fulcrum

Import shapefile data into a Fulcrum app to create or update records with spatial data.

Written by Coleman McCormick

Yes, you can import shapefiles into Fulcrum. Using the data importer, you can import a shapefile to create new records or update existing ones in an app.

Preparing Your Shapefile

Shapefiles are composed of at least three separate files, .shp, .shx, and .dbf, and usually more, all of which are required to create valid spatial data.

  1. Gather all of the files that make up your shapefile. They should all share the same base file name (for example, parcels.shp, parcels.shx, parcels.dbf, parcels.prj).

  2. Compress these files into a single .zip file.

    Note: Place the shapefile components directly inside the .zip file, not inside a nested folder. A nested folder structure can cause the import to fail.

Importing Your Shapefile

  1. Open the data importer and upload your .zip file.

  2. Fulcrum automatically extracts and analyzes the shapefile's contents to process the import.

    Note: Fulcrum attempts to reproject your file to a standard projection (WGS84 / EPSG:4326) during import.

For a complete walkthrough of the import process, including mapping fields, see Importing Data to Fulcrum.
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Troubleshooting Import Errors

If you see "There was an error during the import" or "A fatal error occurred processing the files," check the following:

  1. Zip contents: Confirm the .zip contains the .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj files together, not inside a nested folder.

  2. Projection: Fulcrum stores data in WGS84 (EPSG:4326). If your file uses another projection (for example, EPSG:27700), reproject it before zipping. Learn more about what projection Fulcrum uses.

  3. Attribute names: Remove special characters and extra-long field names from your shapefile's attributes.

  4. Field-type mismatches: If the import fails right after the map fields step, confirm that date and choice columns match the target field types in your app.

  5. Large files: Split very large shapefiles into smaller batches and import them separately.

If your import still fails after checking the steps above, contact Fulcrum Support and attach the zipped shapefile along with the target app name so we can reproduce the error.

Notes

  • If Lines or Polygons aren't enabled in the app's Location Settings, any line or polygon data in your shapefile is imported as a centroid for the record's location in Fulcrum.

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