Finding the closest facility in ArcMap

Available with Network Analyst license.

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Enable the Network Analyst extension.

   Learn how to enable the Network Analyst extension

3. Click the Catalog window button on the Standard toolbar.

   The dockable Catalog window opens.

4. Using the Catalog window, navigate to the location of the network dataset and drag it into the map display or the table of contents.

   If a connection to the folder that contains the network dataset doesn't already exist, you can create one by clicking the Connect To Folder button or by typing the folder path in the Location text box.

   The Adding Network Layer dialog box opens.

5. Click No to only add the network dataset to the map. Optionally, click Yes to add the network dataset and all its source feature classes to the map.

   The network dataset is added to ArcMap as a network layer.

6. If the Network Analyst toolbar is not already present, click Customize > Toolbars > Network Analyst.

   The Network Analyst toolbar is added to ArcMap.

7. If the Network Analyst window is not already present, click the Network Analyst window button on the Network Analyst toolbar.

   The dockable Network Analyst window opens.

When network analysis layers are created from the Network Analyst toolbar, they are automatically associated with the active network dataset.

8. Ensure that the correct network dataset is active.

   The active network dataset is specified in the Network Dataset drop-down list on the Network Analyst toolbar.

9. On the Network Analyst toolbar, click Network Analyst > New Closest Facility.

   The network analysis layer is created and appears in Table Of Contents and Network Analyst windows.

   The closest facility analysis layer is made up of the following network analysis classes: Facilities, Incidents, Routes, Point Barriers, Line Barriers, and Polygon Barriers. The classes are empty. You will need to create network analysis objects so the solver will have enough information to generate a solution.

10. Add at least one facility and one incident to the analysis.

    There are several ways to add network analysis objects to an analysis layer. The most common ways are creating them using the Create Network Locations Tool or loading them from a feature class. There are two ways to load network analysis objects from a feature class: from ArcMap using Load Locations, or through geoprocessing using the Add Locations tool.

    • Learn how to create network analysis objects with the Create Network Locations Tool
    • Learn how to load network analysis objects in ArcMap
    • Learn how to load network analysis objects using a geoprocessing tool

11. Set or change any properties for the network analysis objects you added in the last step.
    • Learn about the properties of facilities
    • Learn about the properties of incidents
    • Learn about viewing and editing network analysis object properties

12. If you need to adjust the location of a facility or incident, on the Network Analyst toolbar, click the Select/Move Network Location Tool .
13. Optionally, add any point, line, or polygon barriers.

    Learn more about barriers

14. Open the Layer Properties dialog box for the network analysis layer.

    Learn about opening the network analysis Layer Properties dialog box

15. Click the Analysis Settings tab.
16. Set the properties for the closest facility analysis layer.

    Learn about the properties of a closest facility analysis layer

17. Click OK.
18. Click the Solve button on the Network Analyst toolbar.

If the analysis solves successfully, one or many route objects are created in the Routes class.