BAS Respondent Guides NSC

BAS NSC Respondent Guides 122018.pdf

The Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) & Boundary Validation Program (BVP)

BAS Respondent Guides NSC

OMB: 0607-0151

⚠️ Notice: This form may be outdated. More recent filings and information on OMB 0607-0151 can be found here:

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Request for Non-Substantive Change to the
Boundary and Annexation Survey
OMB Control No. 0607-0151
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
Purpose
The U.S. Census Bureau offers the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) as an annual
opportunity for tribal, state, and local governments to submit updates for federally recognized
American Indian areas, tribal subdivisions, incorporated place boundaries, minor civil divisions,
and counties.
This non-substantive change request is to update the BAS respondent guides to reflect software
updates and new tools available for respondents, as well as cosmetic and formatting changes.
The updated respondent guides include:
• BAS Digital
• BAS Digital Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS)
• BAS Digital Quick Start
• BAS GUPS Quick Start
• BAS Paper
• BAS Tribal GUPS
• BAS Digital Tribal
Background
The current BAS OMB collection was approved on 11/7/2018 for three years with an expiration
date of 11/30/2021. This non-substantive change is a request to submit revised copies of seven
respondent guides that will be used in the 2019 BAS materials. The Census Bureau has made
some changes to the respondent guides to include a new partnership toolbox that automates a
part of the digital response process. The respondent guides also have updated instructions on
using the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM), which is a secure file transport protocol
through which they can submit digital responses.
There are no substantive changes to the program resulting from this change.
Burden
The burden of the BAS is unchanged by this update.
Attachments
BAS Materials
Changes as part of
this NSC.

Material
identification

Description

Addition of section
of overview for the
Secure Web

BAS Digital
Respondent

Section 1.2 Using SWIM to Submit Changes to the
Census Bureau. (Attachment 1).

Incoming Module
(SWIM)
Addition of
instructions for a
new tool and
updates to the tool
images

Guide, BAS
Digital Tribal
BAS Digital
Respondent
Guide,
BAS Digital
Tribal

Separated “Census
Bureau
Geocoding” and
“Feature
Modification” into
Parts
Moved
“Delineating Tribal
Subdivisions”
under “Legal
Boundary Changes
subpart
Removed Section
on Alaska Native
Regional
Corporation
(ANRCs)
Updated
instructions and
screenshot to
reflect new version
Added “Legal
Disputes” section

BAS Paper
Respondent
Guide

SWIM graphic
added

BAS Digital
Quick Start
Guide, BAS
GUPS Quick
Start Guide
BAS GUPS
Quick Start
Guide

QGIS Start Up
Graphic added

Appendix B: 2019 Digital BAS Example Process 1
(Attachment 2) and Appendix C: 2019 Digital BAS
Example Process 2 have been updated to include the
Partnership Toolbox.
The Partnership Toolbox is new to 2019 BAS and
allows the participant a way to automate downloading
data, creating changes and exporting files for
submission. Appendix B has been updated to provide
instructions for the tool.
Part 2: Census Bureau Geocoding. (Attachment 3).
Part 4: Feature Modifications. (Attachment 4).
Expanded into parts to provide more detailed
instructions.

BAS Paper
Respondent
Guide

Section 3.5.7 ‘Tribal Subdivisions’ instructions moved
under Section 3.5 Legal Boundary Updates as the
process is categorically similar to the other geographic
updates in this section. (Attachment 5).

BAS Digital
Tribal, BAS
Tribal GUPS,
BAS Paper

ANRCs are not in scope for 2019, 2020 or 2021 BAS
and will be updated through the 2020 Census
Partnership Statistical Areas Program.

BAS Digital
GUPS, BAS
Tribal GUPS

GUPS updates regularly to fix bugs and add
functionality. The GUPS respondent guides have been
updated to reflect these changes.

BAS Digital
GUPS, BAS
Tribal GUPS

“Legal Disputes” was made into its own Section (2.5).
It instructs participants on the Census Bureau’s policy
on representing areas under dispute, and contact
information. (Attachment 6).
A graphic depicting the SWIM login screen with
instructions on a password reset was added to the BAS
Quick Start Guides. (Attachment 7).

A graphic depicting the QGIS Start Up screen with
versioning information was added to the BAS Quick
Start Guides. (Attachment 8).

Attachment 1: Using SWIM to Submit Changes to the Census Bureau

Attachment 2: How to Use the Partnership tool

Attachment 3: Census Bureau Geocoding

Attachment 4. Feature Modifications

Attachment 5. Tribal Subdivisions

Attachment 6. Legal Disputes

Attachment 7. SWIM Graphic

Attachment 8. QGIS Setup Wizard Graphic

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
Respondent Guide: Digital
Instructions for Participating in the 2019 Boundary and Annexation Survey
Revised as of November 20, 2018

This page intentionally left blank

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital i

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... viii
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey ........................................................................................... viii

What's New for the 2019 BAS? ...................................................................................................... viii

Key Dates for BAS Respondents ....................................................................................................... ix

BAS State Agreements ...................................................................................................................... ix

Legal Disputes ................................................................................................................................... ix

Part 1

Digital BAS Requirements....................................................................................................1

1.1

Digital BAS Participation Requirements ............................................................................................ 1

1.2

Using SWIM to Submit Changes to the Census Bureau..................................................................... 1

1.3

BAS Informational and Tutorial Videos ............................................................................................. 1

Part 2

Topological Relationships and Spatial Accuracy ...................................................................2

2.1

Topological Relationships in MAF/TIGER .......................................................................................... 2

2.2

GIS and Spatial Accuracy ................................................................................................................... 3

2.3

Census Bureau Topology Training Video ........................................................................................... 5

Part 3

Census Bureau Provided Shapefiles .....................................................................................6

Part 4

Census Bureau GeoCoding ...................................................................................................7

4.1

MAF Structure Point (MSP) Geocoding ............................................................................................. 7

4.2

Address Range Geocoding ................................................................................................................. 8

Part 5

Updating the Census Bureau Shapefiles ...............................................................................9

5.1

General File Setup Guidelines ........................................................................................................... 9

5.2

Changing the Map Projection ............................................................................................................ 9

5.3

Boundary Changes ............................................................................................................................. 9

5.3.1 Annexations and Deannexations ..................................................................................................... 10
5.3.2 Boundary Corrections ...................................................................................................................... 10
5.3.3 New Incorporations ......................................................................................................................... 11
5.3.4 Disincorporations ............................................................................................................................ 11
5.3.5 Geographic Corridors ...................................................................................................................... 12
5.3.6 Geographic Offsets .......................................................................................................................... 13
5.4

Linear Feature Updates ................................................................................................................... 14

5.4.1 Adding, Deleting, Renaming, and Recoding Linear Features .......................................................... 14
5.4.2 Linear Feature Update Guidelines ................................................................................................... 14

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital ii

5.4.3 Address Range Updates................................................................................................................... 14
5.5

Area Landmarks, Hydro Areas, and Point Landmarks ..................................................................... 15

5.5.1 Area Landmark/Hydro Area Updates .............................................................................................. 15
5.5.2 Point Landmark Updates ................................................................................................................. 17
5.6

Reviewing Changes to the Census Bureau Shapefiles ..................................................................... 18

5.6.1 Boundary-to-Feature Relationships ................................................................................................ 18
5.6.2 Large Boundary Corrections ............................................................................................................ 20
5.6.3 Including Required Attribute Information ....................................................................................... 21
5.6.4 Including Appropriate Projection Information ................................................................................ 21
5.6.5 Linear Feature Updates ................................................................................................................... 21
5.7

Additional Review Information ....................................................................................................... 22

5.7.1 Submitting Digital Data.................................................................................................................... 22
5.7.2 Change Polygon Naming Conventions ............................................................................................ 23
5.7.3 Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions.................................................................................... 24
5.7.4 Linear Feature, Area Landmark/Hydro Area, and Point Landmark Updates .................................. 24
5.7.5 Compressing the Digital Files........................................................................................................... 24
5.7.6 Submitting Digital Files via SWIM .................................................................................................... 26
5.7.7 Additional Information .................................................................................................................... 30
Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 31
Appendix A Data Dictionary .......................................................................................................... A-1
Appendix B 2019 Digital BAS Example Process 1 ............................................................................ B-1
B.1

How-to Use the Partnership Toolbox .............................................................................................B-1

B.2

Tools Setup .....................................................................................................................................B-1

B.3

Run Data Download ........................................................................................................................B-1

B.4

Create Changes ...............................................................................................................................B-3

B.5

Sliver Blaster (Optional) ..................................................................................................................B-4

B.6

Format Working MXD (Optional) ...................................................................................................B-6

B.7

Attribute Check...............................................................................................................................B-7

B.8

Export Submission ..........................................................................................................................B-9

B.9

Submitting to SWIM .....................................................................................................................B-10

Appendix C 2019 Digital BAS Example Process 2 ............................................................................ C-1
C.1

Required Census Bureau Shapefiles ............................................................................................... C-1

C.2

Local Data ....................................................................................................................................... C-1

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital iii

C.3

Symbolizing Layers in ArcGIS .......................................................................................................... C-1

C.4

Symbolizing Geographic Areas ....................................................................................................... C-2

C.5

Extracting Incorporated Place or MCD Data from Census Shapefiles ............................................ C-2

C.5.1 Filtering the Data ............................................................................................................................ C-2
C.5.2 Exporting the Data to a New Shapefile .......................................................................................... C-3
C.6

Merging Multipart Place Data ........................................................................................................ C-4

C.7

Creating Change Polygons .............................................................................................................. C-4

C.7.1 Creating Change Polygons Using Symmetrical Difference ............................................................. C-4
C.7.2 Creating Change Polygons Using Union ......................................................................................... C-5
C.8

Reviewing and Attributing Change Polygons ................................................................................. C-7

C.9

Examples ......................................................................................................................................... C-7

C.10

Attribute Information ..................................................................................................................... C-8

C.11

Renaming and Finalizing Change Polygons .................................................................................... C-9

Appendix D MTFCC Descriptions .................................................................................................... D-1

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital iv

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Road Representing Three Types of Boundaries............................................................... 2
Figure 2. Typological Integration of Four Classes ........................................................................... 3
Figure 3. Overlay of Four Feature Classes ...................................................................................... 4
Figure 4. GIS Place Boundary Does Not Follow Road Feature ........................................................ 4
Figure 5. MSP Method of Geocoding .............................................................................................. 7
Figure 6. Address Range Method of Geocoding ............................................................................. 8
Figure 7. Geographic Corridor Created ......................................................................................... 12
Figure 8. Geographic Corridor Not Created .................................................................................. 12
Figure 9. Cadastral Data ................................................................................................................ 13
Figure 10. Same Data Edited to Census Requirements ................................................................ 13
Figure 11. A Boundary Correction to Park A ................................................................................. 15
Figure 12. Boundary Corrections Not Snapped to Existing Linear Features................................. 19
Figure 13. Annexation Created without Snapping to Centerlines ................................................ 19
Figure 14. Small Spatial Correction Not Incorporated .................................................................. 20
Figure 15. Small Spatial Correction Not Accepted ........................................................................ 20
Figure 16. Large Boundary Corrections ........................................................................................ 21
Figure 17. New Road Features, Not Added to Existing Road........................................................ 22
Figure 18. New Road Features, Correctly Added .......................................................................... 22
Figure 19. Selecting and Zipping Return Files ............................................................................... 25
Figure 20. Naming the ZIP File ...................................................................................................... 25
Figure 21. SWIM Account Registration ......................................................................................... 27
Figure 22. SWIM Login Window.................................................................................................... 27
Figure 23. Welcome Screen with Upload History ......................................................................... 28
Figure 24. Geographic Partnership Program Selection Window .................................................. 28
Figure 25. Geographic Level Selection Window ........................................................................... 28
Figure 26. Geographic Entity Selection Window .......................................................................... 28
Figure 27. File Upload Screen ....................................................................................................... 29
Figure 28. File Browser Dialog Box ............................................................................................... 29
Figure 29. Entering Comments into the File Upload Window ...................................................... 29
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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital v

Figure 30. Thank You Screen ......................................................................................................... 30
Figure 31. Suggested Map Symbolization .................................................................................... C-2
Figure 32. Filtering Data ............................................................................................................... C-3
Figure 33. Export Data Window ................................................................................................... C-3
Figure 34. Finalizing the Merge Process ...................................................................................... C-4
Figure 35. Finalizing the Symmetrical Difference Process ........................................................... C-5
Figure 36. Finalizing the Union Process ....................................................................................... C-6
Figure 37. Locating the Union Shapefile ...................................................................................... C-6
Figure 38. Small Slivers That Should Be Deleted ......................................................................... C-7
Figure 39. Polygons That Should Be Snapped to Roads or Rivers ............................................... C-8

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital vi

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: BAS Shapefile Naming Conventions .................................................................................. 6
Table 2: Annexations and Deannexations .................................................................................... 10
Table 3: Boundary Corrections ..................................................................................................... 10
Table 4: New Incorporations......................................................................................................... 11
Table 5: Disincorporations ............................................................................................................ 12
Table 6: Geographic Corridors ...................................................................................................... 13
Table 7: Geographic Offsets .......................................................................................................... 13
Table 8: Linear Feature Updates ................................................................................................... 14
Table 9. Address Range Updates .................................................................................................. 14
Table 10: Landmarks and Hydro Areas ......................................................................................... 15
Table 11: Area Landmark MTFCC Codes ....................................................................................... 16
Table 12: Point Landmark Updates ............................................................................................... 17
Table 13: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCC Codes..................................................................... 17
Table 14: Change Polygons ........................................................................................................... 23
Table 15: Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions ................................................................. 24
Table 16: Optional Files................................................................................................................. 24
Table 17: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile ....................................................................... A-1
Table 18: County Subdivisions Shapefile ..................................................................................... A-2
Table 19: Incorporated Place Shapefile ....................................................................................... A-3
Table 20: Consolidated City Shapefile ......................................................................................... A-4
Table 21: Edges Shapefile ............................................................................................................ A-5
Table 22: Area Landmark Shapefile ............................................................................................. A-6
Table 23: Hydro Area Shapefile ................................................................................................... A-6
Table 24: Point Landmark Shapefile ............................................................................................ A-7
Table 25: Geographic Offset Shapefile ........................................................................................ A-7
Table 26: Suggested MTFCC Symbolization ................................................................................. C-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital vii

INTRODUCTION
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau (Census Bureau) conducts the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
annually to collect information about selected legally defined geographic areas, such as
counties (and equivalent areas), incorporated places, minor civil divisions (MCDs), federally
recognized American Indian Areas (AIAs) — including reservations, off-reservation trust lands
and tribal subdivisions, and Hawaiian Homelands. BAS also provides an opportunity for
participants to review the names and geographic relationships for these areas. Title 13, U.S.C.,
Section 6, authorizes this survey.
The Census Bureau uses the boundary information collected during BAS to tabulate data for the
decennial and economic censuses, and to support the yearly delivery of the Population
Estimates Program (PEP) and the American Community Survey (ACS) data. Maintaining correct
boundaries and boundary-to-feature relationships through BAS helps ensure that the Census
Bureau assigns the appropriate housing and population counts to each governmental unit (GU).
In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16, BAS supports the
Census Bureau’s spatial data steward responsibilities for the Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) and the Geospatial One-Stop by updating the inventory and boundaries of
GUs.
In addition, BAS is the source of up-to-date information on changes to the boundaries, codes
and names of incorporated places, MCDs, counties (and equivalent areas), Hawaiian
Homelands, and federally recognized AIAs, which include reservations and off-reservation trust
lands used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS), the National Map, and the Geographic
Names Information System (GNIS).
Please visit the BAS program website at .
For more information on BAS, please view the “Introduction to BAS” video series on the Census
Bureau’s BAS website at .

What's New for the 2019 BAS?
1. The Census Bureau developed a BAS Partner Toolbox for ArcGIS users. This toolbox is designed
to simplify and standardize the BAS update process. See Appendix Afor a step-by-step guide to
using this new tool.
2. The GUPS help videos previously embedded in the software are relocated to the BAS website.
3. Redistricting data contacts participating in the Voting District Project verification phase may
submit boundary updates for reconciliation with BAS contacts.
4. Website revisions.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital viii

Key Dates for BAS Respondents

January 1—Boundary changes must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in
the current survey year.
March 1—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS and PEP data
estimates, and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

BAS State Agreements

The Census Bureau established a number of agreements with states for reporting boundary
changes. Please visit the BAS State Agreements webpage within the BAS program website at
or call
(800) 972-5651 for information regarding state agreements.
Note: The Census Bureau can only establish BAS state agreements for states that require local
governments to report boundary changes to a state agency.

Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of land is in dispute between two or more
jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come
to a written agreement or until there is a documented final court decision regarding the
dispute.
To learn more, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at 301-763-9844.
For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at
the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an
extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the
current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor's office.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital ix

PART 1 DIGITAL BAS REQUIREMENTS
1.1

Digital BAS Participation Requirements
1. All participants must have the ability to edit a Census Bureau shapefile. The Census Bureau
requires that entities update Census Bureau shapefiles with boundary and feature changes,
rather than submitting a shapefile from a local Geographic Information System (GIS).
2. All participants must provide current information for the BAS point of contact, the person
updating the shapefiles, and the highest elected official (HEO) for the entity.
3. All participants must provide legal documentation numbers and effective dates for all legal
boundary changes (annexations and deannexations).
4. Each non-legal boundary correction must contain proper update documentation according to
boundary correction guidelines listed below, or the Census Bureau will not make the correction
for this BAS cycle.

1.2

Using SWIM to Submit Changes to the Census Bureau

All participants must use SWIM to submit their changes to the Census Bureau. Due to security
requirements, the Census Bureau cannot accept submissions via FTP, email or any protocol
other than the SWIM site. For details on registering and using SWIM, please see Section 5.7.6
Submitting Digital Files via SWIM. To access SWIM, enter the following URL in a new browser
window: .To access SWIM, enter the following URL in a
new browser window: .

1.3

BAS Informational and Tutorial Videos

The Census Bureau created training videos to give BAS participants detailed instructions and
information on how to report and submit BAS changes. These videos are available on the BAS
website at: .
If there are any questions or concerns about the participation requirements, contact the Census
Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.
For participants already familiar with GIS and BAS updating procedures, Appendix Aand
Appendix Cprovide step-by-step guidelines for making updates.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 1

PART 2 TOPOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AND SPATIAL ACCURACY
The Geography Division of the Census Bureau is responsible for developing geographic
applications and executing related activities needed to support the Census Bureau in collecting
and disseminating census data. For more than twenty years, the Census Bureau’s Master Address
File and Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference (MAF/TIGER) System has
been a critical resource for supporting the Census Bureau Geographic Partnership Programs.
The following section will describe how the Census Bureau uses a topologically integrated system
and how this differs from traditional GIS, which use separate layers of data.

2.1

Topological Relationships in MAF/TIGER

At the Census Bureau, topology is described as the relationship between different levels of
geography. MAF/TIGER is a geographic database in which the topological structures define the
location, connection, and relationships of streets, rivers, railroads, and other features. These
topological structures help define the geographic entities for which the Census Bureau tabulates
data.
Instead of having a separate layer for each feature class (roads, boundaries, etc.) all MAF/TIGER
information is stored in one layer or file. See Figure 1 and Figure 2 for samples of topologically
integrated files in MAF/TIGER.

Figure 1. Road Representing Three Types of Boundaries
This example shows how a road in MAF/TIGER can also represent a block
boundary, place boundary and a school district boundary.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 2

Figure 2. Typological Integration of Four Classes
This example shows the topological integration of four different feature
classes into one layer. One road feature represents not only a road, but also a
block boundary, place boundary, and a school district boundary.

2.2

GIS and Spatial Accuracy

In a GIS, feature classes are often not topologically integrated; they are separated into individual
layers. When these layers are overlaid in a GIS, there may be boundary misalignments due to the
nature of the data. These non-topologically integrated layers could cause issues in MAF/TIGER.
Figure 3. Overlay of Four Feature Classes and Figure 4. GIS Place Boundary Does Not Follow
Road Feature show how files that are not topologically integrated might appear in a GIS when
overlaid.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 3

Figure 3. Overlay of Four Feature Classes
This example shows an overlay of four different feature classes. Notice how
the topological relationship is compromised. The block, place, and school
district boundaries, which are supposed to follow the road feature, are no
longer aligned with the road in several locations.

Figure 4. GIS Place Boundary Does Not Follow Road Feature
This example shows a situation where a local GIS place boundary does not
follow a road feature. Assuming that the boundary follows the road feature in
MAF/TIGER, changing the Census Bureau place boundary to match the local
file exactly and become misaligned (see arrows) would dissolve the
topological relationship in MAF/TIGER.

The spatial differences between local GIS data and the Census Bureau’s topologically integrated
file are often very small (less than ten feet) and can create boundary-to-feature relationship
issues for the Census Bureau. Instructions on how to review digital submissions for small spatial
boundary corrections can be found in Part 5 Updating the Census Bureau Shapefiles, Section
5.6. It also lists some of the potential consequences of making spatial boundary corrections that
dissolve the topological relationships present in MAF/TIGER.
To find examples of suggested methods for correctly making boundary changes, please see
Appendix Aand Appendix C.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 4

2.3

Census Bureau Topology Training Video

The Census Bureau created a video on the subject of topology and why topology is important to
the BAS. For more information, please go to
to watch the video.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 5

PART 3 CENSUS BUREAU PROVIDED SHAPEFILES
Please download shapefiles from the BAS website at:

in order to review the boundaries and submit changes.
The Census Bureau provides entity layers in ESRI shapefile format for download via the BAS
website. Regardless of the number of geographic entity polygon based shapefiles each
participant downloads and edits, there is only one shapefile for the linear feature network for
each county. See Table 1 for the names of the shapefiles.
Table 1: BAS Shapefile Naming Conventions
Geographic Entity Type

Shapefile Naming Convention

County

PVS_18_v2_county_.shp

Minor Civil Division

PVS_18_v2_mcd_.shp

Incorporated Place

PVS_18_v2_place_.shp

Consolidated City

PVS_18_v2_concity_.shp

Edges (Roads, Rail, Hydro, etc.)

PVS_18_v2_edges_.shp

Area Landmarks

PVS_18_v2_arealm_.shp

Point Landmarks

PVS_18_v2_pointlm_.shp

Hydro Area

PVS_18_v2_water_.shp

Geographic Offsets / Corridors

PVS_18_v2_offset_.shp

Note: represents the two-digit state FIPS code and three-digit county FIPS code.

All shapefiles provided by the Census Bureau are in the following unprojected geographic-based
coordinate system:









Geographic Coordinate System – North American Datum 1983 (GCS NAD83)
Angular Unit: Degree (0.017453292519943299)
Prime Meridian: Greenwich (0.000000000000000000)
Datum: D_North_American_1983
Spheroid: GRS_1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.000000000000000
Semi-minor Axis: 6356752.314140356100000000
Inverse Flattening: 298.257222101000020000

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 6

PART 4 CENSUS BUREAU GEOCODING
Geocoding is how the Census Bureau codes population to geographic entities. There are two
primary methods of geocoding used by the Census Bureau. Both of these involve coding an
address to a spatial polygon, but one uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, while
the other uses address ranges.

4.1

MAF Structure Point (MSP) Geocoding

A field worker stands in front of a house or living quarters, and records the physical location
with a GPS device (Figure 5). Usually, the GPS point should fall very close to the front door of
the house. However, since GPS points were collected in the field, real-world obstacles like
locked fences, poor satellite reception, or even aggressive dogs might sometimes prevent the
worker from gaining access to the front door. In these circumstances, the worker may have to
take the GPS coordinate from the sidewalk or side of the road.

Figure 5. MSP Method of Geocoding
Notice that it is occasionally not possible for the field worker to go all the
way to the front door, due to unforeseen circumstances, like the fence or the
dog shown above. Thus, the MSP (represented here by the red pins) can
sometimes fall within the road or the road right-of-way.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 7

4.2

Address Range Geocoding

When no MSP is available, the Census Bureau codes houses and living quarters according to a
potential range of addresses associated with the adjacent stretch of road (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Address Range Method of Geocoding
When it is not possible to collect an MSP, houses are geocoded according to
their placement along a range of potential addresses along that road. Since
the address has a relationship with the road, boundaries placed on frontlot-lines will lead to mis-geocoding unless an offset flag is used.

While the two methods of geocoding differ greatly, both rely heavily on the integrated nature
of MAF/TIGER. These geocoding methods are affected by the way streets and boundaries are
represented in relation to one another. This interdependence between streets, boundaries, and
geocoding means that Census Bureau representations of legal boundaries may sometimes
differ from other representations (e.g., in local or state GIS). This is especially true regarding
geographic corridors and offsets that follow road right of ways (or the front-lot-lines of parcels).
In both of the examples above, delineating a boundary along the front-lot-line will tend to
increase the risk of incorrect geocoding. As a result, using the road centerline as a boundary is
the safer method.
When completing a BAS submission in which a road or road right-of-way is owned or
maintained by a place but the adjacent housing is not, the respondent should use the centerline
of the road (not the front-lot-line) as the boundary whenever possible. If local or state law
requires the use of the front-lot-line boundary, the respondent must explicitly designate the
polygon(s) between the road centerline and the front-lot boundary as a corridor or an offset
(see Section 5.8 Geographic Corridors and Section 5.9 Geographic Offsets of this document for
more details).
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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 8

PART 5 UPDATING THE CENSUS BUREAU SHAPEFILES
Census Bureau shapefiles can be updated to reflect boundary and/or linear feature changes
that have occurred since the last BAS update. Please go to Appendix Aand Appendix Cand
watch the Digital BAS demonstration video series at for more examples.
Note: If there are problems with the processing of returned files, the Census Bureau will email a
feedback document requesting clarification of any issues. If the problem cannot be resolved before the
project deadline, the changes in question will not be made during the current BAS.

5.1

General File Setup Guidelines

After downloading the shapefiles from the PVS (partnership verification shapefiles) download
page, follow these procedures before beginning actual updates:




5.2

Open the downloaded ZIP file to verify its contents
Copy the shapefiles into a directory on a server/hard drive
Open the shapefiles with GIS software

Changing the Map Projection

Census Bureau files are in GCS NAD83 format and can be projected into any local coordinate
system/projection. Most GIS software packages will allow users to transform file coordinate
systems and projections. For example, if using ArcGIS, use its Project tool in ArcToolbox.
MAF/TIGER shapefile extracts contain defined projection information in the *.prj file. ArcGIS
accesses the *.prj file for projection information so there is no need to define these parameters
before changing the file coordinate systems.
When updates are complete, participants may submit the boundary shapefile using any local
coordinate system/projection if the shapefile contains a *.prj file or spatial reference materials
such as metadata.

5.3

Boundary Changes

In order to update MAF/TIGER, participants must create a separate change polygon layer for
each updated entity type (county, MCD, place). Please create change polygons in relation to the
current MAF/TIGER boundary.
Appendix Aand Appendix Cprovide two examples for creating annexation, deannexation,
boundary correction, new incorporation, geographic corridor, and geographic offset change
polygons. Review any boundary change polygons before submitting them (Section 5.13
Additional Review Information).
If additional shapefiles are needed, please contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or
geo.bas@census.gov.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 9

5.3.1 Annexations and Deannexations
The Census Bureau will accept annexations and deannexations from counties, MCDs, and
incorporated places. Each annexation or deannexation change polygon must have the required
attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 2. The Census Bureau will
snap any annexation or deannexation to a MAF/TIGER feature when it exists within 30 feet of
that feature.
Note: Enter the name of the jurisdiction annexing or deannexing the area in the NAME field.
Table 2: Annexations and Deannexations
NAME

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU
(Not Required
in GA)

AREA
(Required in
GA)

Annexation

X(‘A’)

* See Note

Deannexation

X(‘D’)

* See Note

RELATE

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

Note: Area in acres is required for Georgia, and requested for all other areas.

5.3.2 Boundary Corrections
The Census Bureau will also accept specific boundary corrections from counties, MCDs, and
incorporated places. As with annexations and deannexations, the participant must create
individual change polygons for each boundary correction. Each boundary correction must also
have the required attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 3, or
the Census Bureau will reject them.
Note: Enter the name of the jurisdiction the boundary correction is for in the NAME field.
Table 3: Boundary Corrections
NAME

Boundary Correction
X
(Add Area)
Boundary Correction
X
(Remove Area)
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

AREA

RELATE

X(‘B’)

X(‘IN’)

X(‘B’)

X(‘OUT’)

The Census Bureau uses a topologically integrated database. As a result, the Census Bureau
cannot process all types of boundary corrections for inclusion in MAF/TIGER. The following are
types of boundary corrections that the Census Bureau will accept, process, and update or reject
during the current BAS.
The Census Bureau will accept and process properly documented boundary corrections during
the current BAS cycle that spatially interact with (abut) other BAS legal changes (annexation,
deannexation, corridor, offset) and meet both of the following two conditions:
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 10




In situations where the existing boundary has been digitized incorrectly or appears in the
incorrect location due to Census Bureau activities; and
Where the overall shape of the geographic entity is maintained and no feature-to-boundary
relationships are dissolved.

The Census Bureau will reject boundary corrections:







Along county boundaries unless there is a written agreement between the two counties that
documents the correct location of the boundary;
Between adjacent incorporated places or adjacent MCDs unless the county submitting the
changes is part of a consolidated county agreement or there is a written agreement between
the two incorporated places or MCDs;
That dissolve boundary-to-feature relationships (roads, rivers, railroads, etc.) if the difference is
less than thirty feet;
Which are greater than one square mile, or not contiguous with the rest of the entity boundary.
These boundary corrections may be part of annexations that were never reported to the Census
Bureau. If they are previously unreported boundary changes, please include effective dates and
legal documentation numbers for these changes; or
That have a width of less than thirty feet over the entire polygon.

Note: Remember that the Census Bureau will snap any entity boundary correction to a MAF/TIGER
feature when it exists within thirty feet of that feature.

5.3.3 New Incorporations
County participants may submit new incorporations for incorporated places and MCDs through
Digital BAS. As with other change types, an individual change polygon must be created for each
new incorporation and possess the required attributes and the corresponding change type field
must be populated (see Table 4).
Note: Enter the name of the new jurisdiction in the NAME field. For required documentation for new
incorporations, contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.
Table 4: New Incorporations

New
Incorporation

NAME

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

X(‘E’)

AREA

RELATE

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

5.3.4 Disincorporations
County participants may submit disincorporations through Digital BAS. As with other change
types, an individual change polygon must be created each disincorporation and must possess
the required attributes. The corresponding change type must be populated as in (see Table 5).

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 11

Table 5: Disincorporations

Disincorporation

NAME

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

X(‘X’)

AREA

RELATE

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

5.3.5 Geographic Corridors
The Census Bureau geocodes addresses based on the street centerline. If the geocoding of
these addresses would result in the assignment of population to the incorrect geographic
entity, participants should create a geographic corridor.
A geographic corridor is an area that includes only the road right-of-way and does not contain
any structures addressed to either side of the street. Figure 7 shows a corridor (shown in color)
created where the incorporated place owns the right-of-way but the housing units are not
included in the incorporated place.
Figure 8 shows that the right-of-way belongs in the unincorporated area, while the housing
units are included in the incorporated place (shown in color). This is important for some cities
because they are portraying that the city is not responsible for road maintenance. This is not
relevant for Census Bureau tabulations and is not easy to depict in the MAF/TIGER. This type of
corridor should not be included in a BAS response.

Figure 7. Geographic Corridor Created
Figure 8. Geographic Corridor Not Created
The image on the left (Figure 7) shows that a geographic corridor should
be created to allow for proper geocoding of homes. The image on the right
(Figure 8) shows that the geographic corridor should not be created and
features should be snapped to the street centerline.

The Census Bureau will accept new geographic corridors. Please create individual change
polygons for each new geographic corridor. Each change polygon must have the required
attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 6. In the NAME field,
enter the name of the jurisdiction. In the RELATE field, indicate whether the change is adding IN
or taking OUT (removing) the corridor.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 12

Table 6: Geographic Corridors
NAME

Geographic
X
Corridor
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

AREA

X(‘C’)

RELATE

X(’IN’, ‘OUT’)

5.3.6 Geographic Offsets
A geographic offset is an area claimed by a geographic entity that is only on one side of a road
and does not include structures addressed to that side of the road.
The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their legal boundaries on cadastral
(parcel-based) right-of-way mapping. The Census Bureau bases their maps on spatial data that
is topologically integrated. This makes the maintenance of geographic offsets inefficient.
Snapping an entity boundary to the centerline wherever applicable will help to establish more
accurate population counts. If a boundary is the front lot line, the Census Bureau strongly
prefers that the boundary be snapped to the road. If a boundary is at the rear of a lot, then
please depict it as such. Figure 9 depicts a cadastral (parcel-based) boundary map and
Figure 10 shows how the boundary should be reported when sent to the Census Bureau.

Figure 9. Cadastral Data
Figure 10. Same Data Edited to Census Requirements
On the left in Figure 9 is an example of cadastral data. Figure 10 on the
right, is the same area shown edited to conform to census requirements.

The Census Bureau will accept new geographic offsets. Please create individual change
polygons for each new geographic offset. Each change polygon must have the required
attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 7. In the NAME field,
enter the name of the jurisdiction. In the RELATE field, indicate whether the change is adding IN
or taking OUT (removing) the area represented as an offset.
Table 7: Geographic Offsets
NAME

Geographic
X
Offset
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

CHNG_TYPE

X(‘F’)

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

AREA

RELATE

X (’IN’,
‘OUT’)

The Census Bureau has included an “offset” shapefile in the BAS materials
(PVS_18_v2_offset_.shp), so that participants’ jurisdiction can be checked for any
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 13

existing corridors or offsets. While the Census Bureau prefers that new offsets are not created,
(see above), this information can be helpful in determining if current boundaries are correct.

5.4

Linear Feature Updates

5.4.1 Adding, Deleting, Renaming, and Recoding Linear Features
The Census Bureau will accept linear feature modifications when needed. Please submit linear
feature updates in a separate linear feature update layer. Each linear feature update must have
the required attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 8. In the
TLID (TIGER/Line ID) field, preserve the existing TLID for the feature.
Table 8: Linear Feature Updates
CHNG_TYPE

TLID

Add Feature

X(‘AL’)

Delete Feature

X(‘DL’)

Rename Feature

X(‘CA’)

Recode Feature

X(‘CA’)

FULLNAME

MTFCC

X
X

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

Note: A list of MTFCC codes can be found in Appendix D.

5.4.2 Linear Feature Update Guidelines




If a road, subdivision, etc. is missing from the Census Bureau’s feature network, add the
feature(s) and provide the name and MTFCC.
If a feature that does not exist is in the Census Bureau’s feature network, delete the feature.
If a feature is in the incorrect location in the Census Bureau’s feature network, delete the
feature and re-add it in the correct location. Only do this if the feature is very far off or in the
wrong position relative to boundaries or other features.

5.4.3 Address Range Updates
The Census Bureau accepts address range data as part of the linear feature update layer.
As with other linear feature updates, address ranges must have the required attributes and
corresponding change type populated. As existing address ranges cannot be shown in the
Census Bureau outgoing shapefiles, it is recommended that participants generally only add
address ranges to new features (see Table 9).
Table 9. Address Range Updates
CHNG_TYPE
Address
X(‘CA’)
Ranges
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

U.S. Census Bureau

FULLNAME

MTFCC

LTOADD

RTOADD

LFROMADD

RFROMADD

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 14

5.5

Area Landmarks, Hydro Areas, and Point Landmarks

5.5.1 Area Landmark/Hydro Area Updates
The Census Bureau accepts updates to area landmarks and hydro areas in a similar manner to
legal boundary changes. However, area landmarks and hydro areas are not legal entities, so no
documentation or effective dates are required.
In order to submit area landmark and hydro area updates, create a separate change polygon
layer. Updates to area landmarks and hydro areas include:





Boundary corrections (adding and removing area);
Creating a new area landmark or hydro area;
Removing an area landmark or hydro area; and
Name changes.

Figure 11. A Boundary Correction to Park A

Each area landmark or hydro area update must have the required attributes and corresponding
change type populated. In the AREAID field, preserve the existing AREAID for the feature
(refer to Table 10).
Table 10: Landmarks and Hydro Areas
Boundary Correction
(Add Area)
Boundary Correction
(Remove Area)

FULLNAME

CHNG_TYPE

RELATE

X(‘B’)

X(‘IN’)

X(‘B’)

X(‘OUT’)

Delete Landmark

MTFCC

AREAID
X
X

X(‘D’)

X
X

Change Landmark Name

X(‘G’)

New Landmark

X(‘E’)

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

The examples in Appendix Aand Appendix Cprovide information on how to create change
polygons. While the sample processes are written for legal boundary changes, the same
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 15

methods apply for creating change polygons for area landmarks and hydro areas. When adding
new area landmarks or hydro areas, only add the following types of areas:







Water bodies;
Glaciers;
Airports;
Cemeteries;
Golf courses; and
Parks.

The Census Bureau cannot add other types of areas at this time (although some may already
exist in MAF/TIGER). The following are acceptable MTFCC codes for new area landmarks or
hydro areas:
Table 11: Area Landmark MTFCC Codes
MTFCC

Description

H2030
H2040
H2041
H2051
H2081
C3023
K1231
K1235
K1236
K1237
K2110
K2180
K2181
K2182
K2183
K2184
K2185
K2186
K2187
K2188
K2189
K2190
K2424
K2540
K2457
K2561
K2582

Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound
Glacier
Island
Hospital/Hospice/Urgent Care Facility
Juvenile Institution
Local Jail or Detention Center
Federal Penitentiary, State Prison, or Prison Farm
Military Installation
Park
National Park Service Land
National Forest or Other Federal Land
Tribal Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
State Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
County Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
County Subdivision Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Incorporated Place Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Private Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Other Park, Forest, or Recreation Area (quasi-public, independent park, commission, etc.)
Marina
University or College
Airport – Area Representation
Golf Course
Cemetery

Due to heavy workloads for boundary changes to legal areas, changes to area landmarks and
hydrographic areas may not be added to the database until after the next year’s BAS materials
are created. It may take two BAS cycles in order to see these changes reflected in the materials.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 16

5.5.2 Point Landmark Updates
The Census Bureau accepts updates to point landmarks. Please submit point landmark updates
as a separate point landmark update layer. Updates to point landmarks include:




Adding a new point landmark;
Deleting an existing point landmark; and
Renaming a point landmark.

Each point landmark update must have the required attributes and corresponding change type
populated. In the POINTID field, preserve the existing POINTID for the feature.
Table 12: Point Landmark Updates
New Point Landmark

FULLNAME

CHNG_TYPE

MTFCC

X(‘E’)

Delete Point Landmark
Change Name

POINTID

X(‘D’)

X(‘G’)

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

The Census Bureau cannot make the following point landmark changes due to Title 13 privacy
concerns. Do not include any of the following types of landmarks in the point landmark changes
file.
Table 13: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCC Codes
MTFCC
K1100
K1121
K1122
K1223
K1226
K1227
K1228
K1229
K1232
K1233
K1234
K1235
K1241
K1251
K1299
K2100
K2197
K2300
K2361
K2362
K2363
U.S. Census Bureau

Description
Housing Unit Location
Apartment Building or Complex
Rooming or Boarding House
Trailer Court or Mobile Home Park
Housing Facility/Dormitory for Workers
Hotel, Motel, Resort, Spa, Hostel, YMCA, or YWCA
Campground
Shelter or Mission
Halfway House/Group Home
Nursing Home, Retirement Home, or Home for the Aged
County Home or Poor Farm
Juvenile Institution
Sorority, Fraternity, or College Dormitory
Military Group Quarters
Other Group Quarters Location
Governmental
Mixed Use/Other Non-residential
Commercial Workplace
Shopping Center or Major Retail Center
Industrial Building or Industrial Park
Office Building or Office Park
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 17

MTFCC
K2364
K2366
K2464
K2500
K2564

Description
Farm/Vineyard/Winery/Orchard
Other Employment Center
Marina
Other Workplace
Amusement Center

The Census Bureau also cannot delete or modify any point landmarks imported from the USGS
GNIS database. Changes submitted for the following types of landmarks may be left unchanged:






K2451 (Airport);
K2582 (Cemetery);
C3022 (Summit or Pillar);
C3081 (Locale or Populated Place); and
C3061 (Cul-de-sacs).

Due to heavy workloads for boundary changes to legal areas, changes to point landmarks may
not be added to the database until after the next year’s BAS materials are created. It may take
two BAS cycles in order to see these changes reflected in local materials.

5.6

Reviewing Changes to the Census Bureau Shapefiles

Please review all changes to ensure that they are intentional and correct. The Census Bureau
has created videos with information on many of the topics below. The video series,
“Introduction to the Digital BAS” can be found on the web at:
.

5.6.1 Boundary-to-Feature Relationships
Please review all changes to ensure that the correct boundary-to-feature relationships are
being created or maintained. The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their
legal boundaries on cadastral (parcel-based) right-of-way mapping; however, the Census
Bureau bases maps on spatial data that is topologically integrated. Therefore, snap boundaries
to street centerlines (or rivers, railroads, etc.) wherever applicable. This will help establish a
more accurate population count for entities.
The following examples show situations where boundary changes should be snapped to existing
linear features. The Census Bureau will snap boundary changes to any linear feature within
thirty feet.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 18

Figure 12. Boundary Corrections Not Snapped to Existing Linear Features
These boundary corrections are not snapped to existing linear features in
MAF/TIGER. Both boundary corrections should be snapped to centerlines
or population may be assigned to incorrect entities.

Figure 13. Annexation Created without Snapping to Centerlines
This is an example of an annexation created without snapping to existing
centerlines in MAF/TIGER. Unless the boundary is snapped to centerlines,
some of the population may be assigned to an incorrect entity.

The Census Bureau will not accept boundary corrections that dissolve the current relationship
between an existing boundary and linear feature without specific instruction that the
relationship is incorrect. The Census Bureau will not incorporate any boundary corrections that
create thirty feet or less of gap or overlap between the existing linear feature and boundary
into MAF/TIGER. See below for examples of changes that will not be accepted.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 19

Figure 14. Small Spatial Correction Not Incorporated
Small spatial boundary corrections would dissolve the relationship with the
river. These boundary corrections will not be incorporated into
MAF/TIGER.

Figure 15. Small Spatial Correction Not Accepted
Small spatial boundary corrections would dissolve the boundary-to-feature
relationship with multiple streets. Incorporating these changes would affect
the population counts for the area. Therefore, the Census Bureau will not
accept these small boundary corrections.

5.6.2 Large Boundary Corrections
The Census Bureau will not accept large boundary corrections to an entity without the
appropriate legal documentation numbers and effective dates. These large boundary
corrections may be legal boundary changes that occurred in the past and were never reported
to the Census Bureau. Please submit the appropriate legal documentation number and
effective date so that the changes may be incorporated into MAF/TIGER.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 20

Figure 16. Large Boundary Corrections
Without the appropriate documentation, the Census Bureau will not accept
large boundary corrections.

Note: There may be a few instances when large boundary corrections need to be made because of
incorrect digitizing or where the boundary appears in the incorrect location due to other Census Bureau
activities.

5.6.3 Including Required Attribute Information
It is important to review each change polygon and confirm that the correct attribute
information is included. Without the correct attribute information, the Census Bureau will be
unable to process and incorporate the changes into MAF/TIGER. See Section 5.4 Annexations
and Deannexations for the required attribute information and corresponding change type
codes.

5.6.4 Including Appropriate Projection Information
It is important that the appropriate projection information is included. Each update layer
submitted should contain a *.prj file so that the Census Bureau can convert the projection back
to GCS_NAD83. If the GIS being used cannot create a *.prj file, include the projection
information in metadata. This is critical for the Census Bureau to be able to process the file and
incorporate the updates into MAF/TIGER.

5.6.5 Linear Feature Updates
Please review linear feature changes to ensure that they align with the features currently in
MAF/TIGER.
If linear feature changes do not align with current MAF/TIGER linear features, the Census
Bureau may not incorporate the submitted updates.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 21

Figure 17. New Road Features, Not Added to Existing Road
Figure 18. New Road Features, Correctly Added
The image on the left (Figure 17) shows new road features added to the
existing feature network, but not connected to existing road features. The
image on the right (Figure 18) shows the correction connecting the new
roads to the existing road features.

5.7

Additional Review Information

The Census Bureau will not make any boundary change that affects adjacent legal entities
without the appropriate documentation. Please review any change polygons that affect
adjacent entities to determine if they are intentional legal changes.
Note: Census Bureau will snap any annexation, deannexation, or boundary correction to a MAF/TIGER
feature when it exists within thirty feet of that feature. This helps maintain the boundary-to-feature
relationships in MAF/TIGER and will ensure correct housing tabulation counts for entities.

5.7.1 Submitting Digital Data
If a participant is reporting changes to the BAS, the Census Bureau requires that each
participant submit at least one shapefile (change polygons). The total number of layers
submitted depends on what types of changes are reported. The following is a list of change files
that may need to be submitted:
1. Change Polygon Layers (County, Minor Civil Division, Incorporated Place, and Consolidated City)
 These layers consist of the changes that the Census Bureau needs to make to entities; and
 A layer of change polygons should be created for each level of geography (county, MCD,
place, etc.) that changes are being submitted for.
2. Whole Modified Entity Layer (County, Minor Civil Division, Incorporated Place, and
Consolidated City)
 These layers should only contain the complete and current boundary for the entity being
updated; and
 A whole entity layer should be created for each level of geography that change polygons are
being created for.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 22

3. Local Government Feature Network, Parcel, and Boundary Layers (optional)
 These layers will help the Census Bureau resolve any questionable change polygons and
establish the correct boundary-to-feature relationships.
4. Feature Update Layer (only if there are feature (road, river, railroad, etc.) additions, deletions,
name changes, recodes, or address range updates)
 Include a linear feature update layer with only feature segments requiring a correction.
5. Area/Hydro Landmark Update Layer
 An area/hydro landmark update layer should be submitted only if there are area and/or
hydro landmark updates.
6. Point Landmark Update Layer
 A point area landmark update layer should be submitted only if there are point landmark
updates.
7. BAS Contact Text File (if the BAS point of contact (the person that receives the BAS Annual
Response Email) has changed);
 This can be updated online at:
; and
 This update should include this information:
o First Name;
o Last Name;
o Department;
o Position;
o Shipping Address;
o City;
o State;
o ZIP Code;
o Phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx;
o FAX: xxx-xxx-xxxx;
o Email;
o HEO Term Expires: mm/yyyy; and
o HEO Term Length: x years.

5.7.2 Change Polygon Naming Conventions
The following table provides change polygon naming conventions for county submissions,
county subdivisions, incorporated places, and consolidated cities. The change polygon layer
naming conventions: represents the participant’s BAS entity ID, found on the BAS
Annual Response email or online from this link: .
Table 14: Change Polygons
Participant
County
County
County
Minor Civil Division
Incorporated Place
Consolidated City

U.S. Census Bureau

Changes Submitted For:
County
Minor Civil Division
Incorporated Place
Minor Civil Division
Incorporated Place
Consolidated City

Shape file Naming Conventions
bas19__changes_county
bas19__changes_cousub
bas19__changes_incplace
bas19__changes_cousub
bas19__changes_incplace
bas19__changes_concity

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 23

5.7.3 Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions
The following table provides the whole entity polygon naming conventions for consolidated
county submissions, county subdivisions, incorporated places, and consolidated cities. The
whole entity polygon layer naming conventions: represents the participant’s BAS entity
ID, found on the BAS Annual Response email or online from this link:
.
Table 15: Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions
Participant
County
County
County
Minor Civil Division
Incorporated Place
Consolidated City

Changes Submitted For:
County
Minor Civil Division
Incorporated Place
Minor Civil Division
Incorporated Place
Consolidated City

Shape file Naming Conventions
bas19__WholeEntity_county
bas19__WholeEntity_cousub
bas19__WholeEntity_incplace
bas19__WholeEntity_cousub
bas19__WholeEntity_incplace
bas19__WholeEntity_concity

5.7.4 Linear Feature, Area Landmark/Hydro Area, and Point Landmark Updates
The following table provides the update layer naming conventions for the edges, area
landmark, and point landmark update layers (not required). The naming conventions for the
edges, area landmark, and point landmark update layers: represents the participant’s
BAS entity ID found on the BAS Annual Response email or online from this link:
.
Table 16: Optional Files
Participant
All Participants
All Participants
All Participants

Changes Submitted For:
Edges
Area / Hydro Landmarks
Point Landmarks

Shape file Naming Conventions
bas19__LN_Changes
bas19__Alndk_Changes
bas19__Plndk_Changes

5.7.5 Compressing the Digital Files
SWIM requires all BAS returns to be zipped prior to submission. Please compress ALL update
materials (including change polygon shapefiles, whole entity shapefiles, linear feature updates,
landmark updates, local government feature network and boundary layers, and the text or
other file with the participant’s updated BAS contact information).
Note: Centerline files or any additional information that may be helpful for Census to process the
participant’s file is optional. One example where this would be helpful is if a particular polygon was not
snapped to a river or road because the boundary does not follow the river or road.
1. Navigate to the directory with the shapefiles.
2. Select all files and right click on the selection.
3. Select WinZip, and then Add to ZIP file.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital 24

Figure 19. Selecting and Zipping Return Files

Note: Versions of WinZip may vary so the interface may be slightly different. Software other than
WinZip (e.g., 7zip) may be used to zip the return files.

In the Add window, in the Add to archive field, type the filename in the proper naming
convention: bas<19>__return and then click Add.
Note: Look for the basID number on the BAS Annual Response email or online from this link:
.

Figure 20. Naming the ZIP File

Check the folder where the ZIP file was saved to verify that it was created properly. If the ZIP
file is correct, then the return file is ready for submission.
Note: If assistance is required in preparing or zipping the BAS return files, please call the Census Bureau
at 1-800-972-5651.
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5.7.6 Submitting Digital Files via SWIM
The Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) is a one-stop location for submitting geographic
program files to the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau now requires that all BAS participants
use the Census Bureau’s SWIM for submitting update materials.
Do not send submissions as an email attachment, as the Census Bureau cannot accept them
due to security policy.
The Census Bureau will email the BAS contact a SWIM registration token and digital submission
instructions five days after the BAS contact responds to the BAS Annual Response indicating
that they have changes to report. To respond online, please fill out the online form at
. The five-day waiting
period will give the Census Bureau staff time to update the BAS contact record if necessary so
that the email reaches the right person.
This token is good for one personal account within the SWIM. Once participants have registered
for an account in SWIM, they will no longer need the token to login into the system. If
participants require additional individual SWIM accounts within their organization, please
contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or email geo.bas@census.gov.
Current SWIM Users
If participants are participating in other Census Bureau partnership programs, or have participated in
previous BAS years and already have SWIM accounts, they may use their current account to submit files
for BAS. They do not need to set up a new account.
Participants will not be able to upload a file larger than 250 MB.
SWIM blocks participants from uploading a ZIP file that contains another ZIP file.

At this time, SWIM only accepts ZIP files. Please zip all update materials (e.g., spatial updates
and other relevant update documents) into one ZIP file for the entity’s submission, and follow
the instructions listed below:
1. In a web browser, navigate to .
2. Login:
a) New Users: Participants must have a registration token to create a new account. (Please see
above). Once participants have their token, they should sign-up by clicking the ‘Register
Account’ button. Registration is self-serve, but does require the new user to enter a
registration token to validate their rights to the system.
b) Existing Users: If participants already have a registered account from a previous BAS year,
they should login with their user credentials.

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Figure 21. SWIM Account Registration

Figure 22. SWIM Login Window

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3. If participants have submitted files before, SWIM lists them on the startup screen upon login.
Click 'Start New Upload' to continue.

Figure 23. Welcome Screen with Upload History

4. On the next screen, select the “Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS)” option as the geographic
partnership program, and click ‘Next’ to continue.

Figure 24. Geographic Partnership Program Selection Window

5. On this screen, participants will select a geographic level. This is the geography type of their
agency (e.g., if submitting data for a county government, select county. If an incorporated place,
then select place...etc.). Click 'Next' to continue.

Figure 25. Geographic Level Selection Window

6. Participants will find the name of their geographic entity using the drop-down selectors. These
options dynamically update based on the geography type selected from the previous screen.
Click ‘Next’ to continue.

Figure 26. Geographic Entity Selection Window

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7. On the file upload screen, please click on the ‘+ Add file', and a file browser dialog will appear.

Figure 27. File Upload Screen

8. In the file browser dialog box, select the ZIP file that is to be uploaded. Please be aware that the
SWIM website only accepts ZIP files. Click 'Open' to continue.

Figure 28. File Browser Dialog Box

9. At this time, participants may enter any comments that they wish to include with their file. Click
'Next' to upload the submission.

Figure 29. Entering Comments into the File Upload Window

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10. The final screen will be a ‘Thank You’ screen confirming receipt of the file submission. If this
screen does not appear, or if issues occur during this upload process, please contact the Census
Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.

Figure 30. Thank You Screen

5.7.7 Additional Information
The Census Bureau recommends using Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes
to identify entities such as counties, minor civil divisions, and incorporated places. Using a
standard coding scheme facilitates the digital exchange of data.
The Census Bureau includes these codes are in the BAS shapefiles. Online, the codes can be
found at . If there are any
questions or problems, contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A DATA DICTIONARY
Table 17: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

COUNTYNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county or equivalent feature

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD code

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description code

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU

120

String

Effective date or vintage
Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L – Local
Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)
Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

U.S. Census Bureau

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

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Table 18: County Subdivisions Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS 55 county subdivision code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

COUSUBNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county subdivision

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU

120

String

Effective date or vintage
Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L – Local
Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)
Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

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Table 19: Incorporated Place Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

PLACEFP

String

FIPS 55 place code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

PLACENS

String

ANSI feature code for the place

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing and entity

PARTFLG
CHNG_TYPE

1
2

String
String

Indicates if only part of a feature is represented
Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU

120

String

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L – Local
Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)
Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

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Table 20: Consolidated City Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP
COUNTYFP
CONCITYFP

2
3
5

String
String
String

FIPS State Code
FIPS County Code
FIPS 55 place code

NAMELSAD
PLACENS
LSAD
FUNCSTAT
CLASSFP
PARTFLG
CHNG_TYPE

100
8
2
1
2
1
2

String
String
String
String
String
String
String

Name with translated LSAD
ANSI feature code for the place
Legal/Statistical Area Description
Functional status
FIPS 55 class code describing an entity
Indicates if only part of a feature is represented
Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU
FORM_ID
AREA
RELATE
JUSTIFY
NAME

120
4
10
120
150
100

String
String
Double
String
String
String

Effective date or vintage
Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L – Local
Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)
Supporting documentation
Record ID (GUPS only)
Acreage of update
Relationship description
Justification of change
Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

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Table 21: Edges Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

TLID

Double

Permanent edge ID

TFIDL

Double

Permanent face ID (left)

TFIDR

Double

Permanent face ID (right)

MTFCC

String

FIDELITY

String

FULLNAME

String

SMID

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code
Indication to a respondent when their entity boundary has
changed through spatial enhancement
Decoded feature name with abbreviated qualifier, direction,
and feature type
Spatial Theta ID

SMIDTYPE

String

BBSPFLG

String

CBBFLG

String

BBSP_2020

String

SMIDTYPE code
Redistricting data project participant’s submitted request of
an EDGE for selection as a block boundary
Indicates the status of an EDGE for a selection as a block
boundary
New BBSP flag

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of linear feature update

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

LTOADD

String

Left To Address

RTOADD

String

Right To Address

LFROMADD

String

Left From Address

RFROMADD

String

Right From Address

ZIPL

String

Left ZIP Code

ZIPR

String

Right ZIP Code

EXTTYP

Char

Extension type

MTUPDATE

Date

Date of last update to the edge

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Table 22: Area Landmark Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Area landmark name

PARTFLG

String

Indicates if only part of a feature is represented

AREAID

String

Object ID

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for area landmarks

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area landmark update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

BAG

String

Block area grouping

Table 23: Hydro Area Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for hydrography area

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Hydro landmark name

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of hydro area update

HYDROID

String

Object ID

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

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Table 24: Point Landmark Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

POINTID

String

Object ID

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for point landmarks

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Point landmark name

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of point landmark update

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

Table 25: Geographic Offset Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

TFID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

OFFSET

String

Geographic Offset / Corridor Flag

ADDEXCLUDE

String

Address Exclusion Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

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APPENDIX B 2019 DIGITAL BAS EXAMPLE PROCESS 1
B.1

HOW-TO USE THE PARTNERSHIP TOOLBOX

In an effort to ease the burden of BAS updating for the Census Bureau’s partners, the Census
GEO BAS team developed a Toolbox for ArcGIS. This plug-in facilitates the updating process by
automating the downloading of data, creating changes, removing slivers, formatting and
checking attribution, and preparing/exporting files for submission.

B.2

TOOLS SETUP

These tools were designed primarily for use in ArcCatalog though they could be run from
ArcMap as well. The instructions for most steps are assuming use from ArcCatalog.
1. Unzip the Digital BAS Partnership Tools.ZIP to the C: drive or other preferred working
folder. It does not matter where the older is stored as long as it can be located. Inside
there will be a folder called DBAS, containing all the files to work with. Open ArcCatalog
and connect to a folder if need be. When expanded, the following should be visible:

Note: To connect to a folder in ArcCatalog, click on the Connect to Folder button on the Standard
Toolbar, find the DBAS folder, and then click OK.

B.3

RUN DATA DOWNLOAD

The Census Data Download tool will gather all the partnership shapefile data needed to create
changes from the Census website. If the data is on a Census provided disc, this tool will also
work but only if the disc is loaded into the computer before running the tool.

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1. Expand the DBAS folder and the setup subfolder. In the setup folder, find the
Partnership toolbox. Expand the toolbox and double click on 1) Census Data Download.

2. In the User’s BASID field, enter the BASID for the entity to be processed.

3. When this tool is complete, there should now be a folder for the BASID in the projects
folder. Inside that folder, there will be a geodatabase with reference data in it and an

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archive folder.

Note: The archive folder contains other Census data that may be useful as well.

B.4

CREATE CHANGES

Once the necessary Census data is obtained, run the 2) Create Changes tool to make the change
polygons.
1. Double click on 2) Create Changes.

2. In the Create Changes window:
 In the Local Boundary File field, enter the path to full boundary polygon
 Enter the 11 digit BAS ID in the BAS ID field
 Under Changes Being Processed, chose the type of changes to create from the
dropdown options:
a. Incplace
b. County
c. Cousub (county subdivisions)
d. Aiaanh (Tribal areas)
 For the Name Field in local data, the boundary file may need to be modified to
match a field in the Census Bureau’s data. Type the name of the field (as it
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appears in ArcCatalog) containing the information matching the Census Bureau’s
NAME field. If processing a cousub or aiaanh file where the Census Bureau NAME
field contains duplicates, match the Census Bureau’s NAMELSAD for the entities
where they have unique names

3. Once the tool is complete, the output will be placed in the geodatabase under the
submission feature dataset.

B.5

SLIVER BLASTER (OPTIONAL)

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than that threshold. Participants can also change the tolerance for the sliver blaster if they
know there are small changes that need to be included.
1. Double click on 3) Sliver Blaster.

2. In the Sliver Blaster window:
 The Changes File refers to the changes file created in the previous step, found in the
submission feature dataset
 The Census Edges feature class is found in the benchmark feature dataset and is
called bas_edges

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

B.6

The Buffer Distance field is set to 30 feet by default, but this can be adjusted to
accommodate smaller changes

FORMAT WORKING MXD (OPTIONAL)

The intent of this tool is to create a map document (.mxd) for users containing their change file
and all of the reference layers they will need to finalize a submission. If they would prefer to
use their own .mxd, this step is not required.
1. Double click on 4) Format Working MXD.

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2. The only input for this tool is the Working Folder, which is the folder with the
participant’s BAS ID as its name.

3. Open the new .mxd and begin working with the change polygons.

B.7

ATTRIBUTE CHECK

This tool is used to verify that there are no inconsistencies with the data included in the
submission. This tool can be run during or after change polygons have been reviewed for spatial
accuracy to produce a report of attribution errors. It may also be run for all levels of geography
that have changes since it is run on each individual change file.

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1. Double click on 5) Attribute Check.

2. In the Attribute Check window:
 The Change File should be the change file created in tool 2) Create Changes for
which to generate a report
 In Geography Type, chose the type of geography being worked on from the
dropdown. The same options as the Create Changes tool are available here
 The last input is the optional check box for Includes Changes in Georgia. This box
only needs to be checked if responding in the state of Georgia

3. There should now be a text file in the working folder called
attribute_check_ containing all discrepancies identified in the change file
that still need to be fixed

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B.8

EXPORT SUBMISSION

Upon review of the changes file and the attribute error report, the finalized changes can be
exported for submission to the Census Bureau. This tool can also be used to provide updated
contact information with the submission.
1. Double click on 6) Export Submission Files.

2. In the Export Submission Files window:
 Under Files to submit, add as many changes files as needed to update the
boundaries
 For BAS Contact, Entity Name, Contact Title or Department Name, Address,
Email, and Phone Number, please include any or all contact information updates
that are to be sent to the U.S. Census Bureau. These fields can be left blank if
there are no updates, though if someone other than the BAS Contact prepared
the submission, they may want to include their information
screen shot of the 6) Export Submission Files highlightin BAS Contact, Entity

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Name, Contact Title or Department Name, Address, Email, and Phone Number

B.9

SUBMITTING TO SWIM

The Census Bureau requires participants submit BAS return ZIP files using the Census Bureau’s
SWIM site. Please submit only the ZIP file. SWIM is located at
. For instructions on how to use SWIM, see Section 5.7.6 of
the respondent guide.

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APPENDIX C 2019 DIGITAL BAS EXAMPLE PROCESS 2
C.1

REQUIRED CENSUS BUREAU SHAPEFILES

When downloading shapefiles for the 2019 BAS, shapefiles will begin with the prefix PVS
(partnership verification shapefiles) (e.g., PVS_18_v2_edges_.shp). Throughout this
guide, Census Bureau uses the prefix of bas_2019, but the PVS files are exactly the same.
Copy the data to a hard drive/server and unzip the data to ensure that the correct data was
downloaded. For an incorporated place, these layers are critical:



PVS_18_v2_place_.shp
PVS_18_v2_edges_.shp

Note: represents the two-digit state code and three-digit county code.

The shapefiles should include the home county/counties as well as all adjacent counties
(if necessary).
Note: The Census Bureau suggests that participants make an extra copy of the data as an emergency
backup.

C.2

LOCAL DATA

The minimum data necessary is a jurisdiction polygon shapefile showing only the outer
boundary or boundaries. Local parcel files are not acceptable for this method. If each
jurisdiction’s boundaries are contiguous, the file should contain only one polygon for each
entity; if some of the entities within the jurisdiction are non-contiguous, they may be saved as a
multi-part polygon or consist of one polygon for each disjointed part. Other local data layers
that may be helpful, if available, include centerline data, hydrological, railroad or other linear
feature data, and imagery.

C.3

SYMBOLIZING LAYERS IN ARCGIS

The following are suggestions for symbolizing Census data in ArcGIS. For the Edges layer,
symbolize the linear features by grouping like MTFCC codes (codes sharing the same first
character). See Table 26.
Table 26: Suggested MTFCC Symbolization
st

MTFCC 1 Character

U.S. Census Bureau

Linear Feature Type

Symbol

Hydrology

Non-Visible Feature (boundary)

Railroad

Road

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C.4

SYMBOLIZING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

Symbolize the place layer using Fill Color of RGB (255, 235, 190) with no outline.
Note: County participants with many adjacent incorporated places may want to use different colors to
distinguish one place from another.

Figure 31. Suggested Map Symbolization

C.5

EXTRACTING INCORPORATED PLACE OR MCD DATA FROM CENSUS
SHAPEFILES

Note: County participants submitting county boundary changes can skip this step. Use the
PVS_18_v2_county_ shapefile which only contains the county boundary. Counties submitting for
multiple incorporated places or MCDs skip ahead to Section C.6 Merging Multipart Place Data.

C.5.1 FILTERING THE DATA
1. In ArcMap, click Selection and then click Select by Attributes.
2. In the Select By Attributes window:
 From the Layer dropdown, select PVS_18_v2_{place|mcd}_.
 Double click “NAME”
 Left click the = button
 Click the Get Unique Values button
 In the list, locate and double click the name of the entity (It will appear in the formula).
 Click OK

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Figure 32. Filtering Data

C.5.2 EXPORTING THE DATA TO A NEW SHAPEFILE
1. In the Table of Contents, right click the Incorporated Place or MCD layer, select Data, and then
click Export Data.
2. In the Export Data window:
 From the Export dropdown, choose Selected Features.
 In the Output feature class field, enter a location to save the shapefile.
 Click OK.

Figure 33. Export Data Window

Note: If the incorporated place spans more than one county, it will need to be exported from each
county’s place shapefile and merged. Follow the instructions in Section C.6 Merging Multipart Place
Data if the incorporated place needs to merge, otherwise skip to Section C.7.2 Creating Change
Polygons Using Union.
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C.6

MERGING MULTIPART PLACE DATA

1. In ArcToolbox, double-click Data Management Tools, then double-click General, and then
double-click Merge.
2. In the Merge window:
 Next to the Input Datasets field, click the arrow and select each layer (or use the Browse
button to the right of the field to find the layers)
 In the Output Dataset field, browse to and select a location to save the shapefile.
o Name the shapefile Export_Output_Final or Merged, or anything easy to
find/remember.
 Click OK.

Figure 34. Finalizing the Merge Process

C.7

CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS

C.7.1 CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS USING SYMMETRICAL DIFFERENCE
1. In ArcToolbox, double-click Analysis Tools, then double-click Overlay, and then double-click
Symmetrical Difference.
2. In the Symmetrical Difference window:
 In the Input Features field, click the arrow (or browse) and select the layer created in
Section C.5.
 In the Update Features field, click the arrow (or browse) and select the local government
boundary layer (the participant’s data).
 In the Output Feature Class field, browse to and select a location to save the shapefile.
o Name the shapefile Differences_between_BAS_local, Differences1, or anything easy to
find/remember.
 Click OK.

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Figure 35. Finalizing the Symmetrical Difference Process

Note: This process creates a layer that contains all of the differences between Census Bureau and local
boundaries. However, the Symmetrical Difference tool creates multipart polygons that need to be
broken up and individually coded.
3. Turn on Editing (using the Editing dropdown in the Editor toolbar). Select all of the records in
the layer that was created in the Symmetrical Difference step.
4. On the Advanced Editing toolbar, click the Explode tool
separate record for each change.

. The layer will now contain a

The created layer shows individual change polygons representing the differences between the
Census Bureau and local government entity boundaries. Please review these differences and
code them appropriately.
Skip to Section C.8, Reviewing and Attributing Change Polygons.

C.7.2 CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS USING UNION
1. In ArcToolbox, double-click Analysis Tools, then double-click Overlay, and then double-click
Union.
2. In the Union window:
 In the Input Features field, click the arrow (or browse) and select
PVS_18_v2_{place|mcd}_, and the local incorporated place or MCD layer.
 In the Output Feature Class, browse to and select a location to save the shapefile.
o Name the shapefile Export_Output_union, or Union, or anything easy to
find/remember.
 Click OK.

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Figure 36. Finalizing the Union Process

The union operation will create records that contain differences as well as areas that are in
common between the Census Bureau and local government boundary layers.
The next step is selecting and deleting the areas in common between the Census Bureau and
local government boundary layers.
1. On the Editor toolbar, click Editor, and then click Start Editing.
2. If a Start Editing window opens, in the top pane click to highlight the union shapefile, and then
click OK.

Figure 37. Locating the Union Shapefile

3. In ArcMap, in the Tools toolbar, click the Select Features
button.
 Locate features on the map that the Census Bureau and the local government layers have in
common.
 Select each feature individually, or click and hold the left mouse button and drag a box to
highlight the common features.
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 Press Delete.
 Repeat these steps until only the features that have changed are left in the map.
4. Once all of the areas in common have been removed from the union shapefile, on the Editor
toolbar, click Editor, and then click Save Edits.
5. Select all of the remaining records in the layer that was created in the Union step.
6. On the Advanced Editing toolbar, click the Explode tool
separate record for each change.

. The layer will now contain a

The new layer shows individual change polygons representing the differences between the
Census Bureau and the local government’s representation of the boundaries. Please review
these differences make sure they are coded appropriately. Continue to the next section for
instructions on reviewing and coding change polygons.

C.8

REVIEWING AND ATTRIBUTING CHANGE POLYGONS

After the individual change polygons have been created, each must be reviewed and
appropriately coded. When reviewing the polygons, please refer to Section 5.3 Boundary
Changes in the main part of this guide to look for polygons that should be deleted from the
submission, as well as those that should be snapped to nearby visible features to maintain
boundary-to-feature relationships.

C.9

EXAMPLES

These examples show very small sliver polygons that should be deleted during review as they
eliminate boundary-to-feature relationships with a river (left) and a road (right). Furthermore,
these boundary corrections also are not located near legal changes or corridor/offset changes
(type ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘C’, ‘F’), so they should be removed from consideration.

Figure 38. Small Slivers That Should Be Deleted

The examples in Figure 38 show small slivers along rivers (left) or roads (right) that should be
deleted.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

C-7

Figure 39. Polygons That Should Be Snapped to Roads or Rivers

The examples in Figure 39 show polygons that should be snapped to rivers (left) or roads (right).

C.10 ATTRIBUTE INFORMATION
Note: All updates MUST be attributed.

To begin updating attributes


On the Editor Toolbar, click Editor, and then click Start Editing.
Annexations


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for an annexation:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, AUTHTYPE, DOCU and EFF_DATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for an annexation is A.

button and select the annexation polygon.

Deannexations


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for a deannexation:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, AUTHTYPE, DOCU and EFF_DATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for an annexation is D.

button and select the deannexation polygon.

Corridors


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for a corridor:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, RELATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for a corridor changes is C.
o In the RELATE field, enter IN if the change is adding corridor area to the place or OUT if
the change is removing corridor area.

button and select the corridor polygon.

Offsets


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool



On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes

U.S. Census Bureau

button and select the offset polygon.
button.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

C-8



In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for an offset:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, RELATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for an offset change is F.
o In the RELATE field, enter IN if the change is adding offset area to the place or OUT if the
change is removing offset area.

Boundary Corrections


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool
polygon.




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for a boundary correction:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, RELATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for a boundary correction is B.
o In the RELATE field, enter IN if the boundary correction is adding area or OUT if the
boundary correction is removing area.

button and select the boundary correction

Note: If a county is reporting for adjacent incorporated places or MCDs, and a boundary correction to
one entity affects another, use RELATE = IN and NAME = . This is due to the fact
that RELATE = OUT leaves a question as to whether or not there should be a gap between the two
entities.

To finish updating attributes


Once all of the attribute changes have been made, in the ArcMap menu, click Editor, and then
click Stop Editing. (In the Save window, click Yes.)

C.11 RENAMING AND FINALIZING CHANGE POLYGONS
Renaming the shapefile
After creating and coding all change polygons, please rename the change polygon layer prior to
its submission to the Census Bureau. This process must be completed for each level of
geography (county, place, MCD) that has changes.

1. In ArcMap, open the ArcCatalog
tab.
2. In ArcCatalog, navigate to shapefile, right-click and select Rename.
3. Save the output shapefile in the proper naming convention:
bas19__changes_.
Note: The basID numbers can be found on the BAS Annual Response Email or online from this link:

Note: See Section 5.7.5 Compressing the Digital Files for instructions on zipping updates.

Submitting the shapefile
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

C-9

The Census Bureau requires participants submit BAS return ZIP files using the Census Bureau’s
SWIM site. Please submit only the ZIP file. The SWIM is located at
. For instructions on how to use SWIM, see Section 5.7.6
Submitting Digital Files via SWIM of the respondent guide.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

C-10

APPENDIX D MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS
The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a 5-digit code assigned by the Census
Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census Bureau MAF/TIGER
products.
MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

C3022

Mountain Peak or Summit

C3023

Island

C3024

Levee

C3026
C3027

Quarry (not water-filled),
Open Pit Mine or Mine
Dam

C3061

Cul-de-sac

C3062

Traffic Circle

C3066
C3067
C3071
C3074

Gate
Toll Booth
Lookout Tower
Lighthouse Beacon

C3075

Tank/Tank Farm

C3076

Windmill Farm

C3077

Solar Farm

C3078

Monument or Memorial

C3079
C3080

Boundary Monument
Point
Survey Control Point

C3081

Locality Point

C3085

Alaska Native Village
Official Point
American Indian Area

A prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the Earth’s
surface.
An area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low
wetland [including archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock, isla,
isle, key, moku and rock].
An embankment flanking a stream or other flowing water feature to
prevent overflow.
An area from which commercial minerals are or were removed from
the Earth; not including an oilfield or gas field.
A barrier built across the course of a stream to impound water and/or
control water flow.
An expanded paved area at the end of a street used by vehicles for
turning around. For mapping purposes, the Census Bureau maps it only
as a point feature.
A circular intersection allowing for continuous movement of traffic at
the meeting of roadways.
A movable barrier across a road.
A structure or barrier where a fee is collected for using a road.
A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for observation.
A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for transmission
of light and possibly sound generally to aid in navigation.
One or more manmade structures, each higher than its diameter, used
for liquid (other than water) or gas storage or for distribution activities.
One or more manmade structures used to generate power from the
wind.
One or more manmade structures used to generate power from the
sun.
A manmade structure to educate, commemorate, or memorialize an
event, person, or feature.
A material object placed on or near a boundary line to preserve and
identify the location of the boundary line on the ground.
A point on the ground whose position (horizontal or vertical) is known
and can be used as a base for additional survey work.
A point that identifies the location and name of an unbounded locality
(e.g., crossroad, community, populated place or locale).
A point that serves as the core of an Alaska Native village and is used in
defining Alaska Native village statistical areas.
A legally defined state- or federally recognized reservation and/or offreservation trust land (excludes statistical American Indian areas).
A legal area held in trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.
A statistical geographic entity that represents the residences,
permanent and/or seasonal, for Alaska Natives who are members of or
receiving governmental services from the defining legal Alaska Native
Village corporation.

G2100
G2120
G2130

U.S. Census Bureau

Hawaiian Home Land
Alaska Native Village
Statistical Area

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-1

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical
Area

G2150

State-designated Tribal
Statistical Area

G2160

Tribal Designated
Statistical Area

G2170

American Indian Joint Use
Area
Alaska Native Regional
Corporation

A statistical entity identified and delineated by the Census Bureau in
consultation with federally recognized American Indian tribes that have
no current reservation, but had a former reservation in Oklahoma.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a state-appointed liaison for a state-recognized American
Indian tribe that does not currently have a reservation and/or lands in
trust.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe that does not
currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation trust land.
An area administered jointly and/or claimed by two or more American
Indian tribes.
Corporate entities established to conduct both business and nonprofit
affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-203). There are twelve
geographically defined ANRCs and they are all within and cover most of
the State of Alaska (the Annette Island Reserve-an American Indian
reservation-is excluded from any ANRC). The boundaries of ANRCs
have been legally established.
Administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American Indian
reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or Oklahoma tribal statistical
areas (OTSAs). These entities are internal units of self-government or
administration that serve social, cultural, and/or economic purposes
for the American Indians on the reservations, off-reservation trust
lands, or OTSAs.
A relatively small and permanent statistical subdivision of a federally
recognized American Indian reservation and/or off-reservation trust
land, delineated by American Indian tribal participants or the Census
Bureau for the purpose of presenting demographic data.
A cluster of census blocks within a single tribal census tract delineated
by American Indian tribal participants or the Census Bureau for the
purpose of presenting demographic data.
A grouping of adjacent metropolitan and/or micropolitan statistical
areas that have a degree of economic and social integration, as
measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
whole counties and equivalents.
A county or grouping of counties that is a subdivision of a Metropolitan
Statistical Area containing an urbanized area with a population of 2.5
million or more.
A grouping of adjacent New England city and town areas that have a
degree of economic and social integration, as measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) in New England.
A grouping of cities and towns in New England that is a subdivision of a
New England City and Town Area containing an urbanized area with a
population of 2.5 million or more.

G2200

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

G2400

Tribal Census Tract

G2410

Tribal Block Group

G3100

Combined Statistical Area

G3110

Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area

G3120

Metropolitan Division

G3200

Combined New England
City and Town Area
New England City and
Town Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area
New England City and
Town Division

G3210

G3220

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-2

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G3500

Urban Area

G4000

State or Equivalent
Feature

G4020

County or Equivalent
Feature

G4040

County Subdivision

G4050

Estate

G4060
G4110

Subbarrio (Subminor Civil
Division)
Incorporated Place

G4120

Consolidated City

G4210

Census Designated Place

G4300

Economic Census Place

G5020

Census Tract

G5030

Block Group

G5035

Block Area Grouping

G5040

Tabulation Block

Densely settled territory that contains at least 2,500 people. The
subtypes of this feature are Urbanized Area (UA), which consists of
50,000 + people and Urban Cluster, which ranges between 2,500 and
49,999 people.
The primary governmental divisions of the United States. The District of
Columbia is treated as a statistical equivalent of a state for census
purposes, as is Puerto Rico.
The primary division of a state or state equivalent area. The primary
divisions of 48 states are termed County, but other terms are used such
as Borough in Alaska, Parish in Louisiana, and Municipio in Puerto Rico.
This feature includes independent cities, which are incorporated places
that are not part of any county.
The primary divisions of counties and equivalent features for the
reporting of Census Bureau data. The subtypes of this feature are
Minor Civil Division, Census County Division/Census Subarea, and
Unorganized Territory. This feature includes independent places, which
are incorporated places that are not part of any county subdivision.
Estates are subdivisions of the three major islands in the United States
Virgin Islands (USVI).
Legally defined divisions (subbarrios) of minor civil divisions (barriospueblo and barrios) in Puerto Rico.
A legal entity incorporated under state law to provide general-purpose
governmental services to a concentration of population. Incorporated
places are generally designated as a city, borough, municipality, town,
village, or, in a few instances, have no legal description.
An incorporated place that has merged governmentally with a county
or minor civil division, but one or more of the incorporated places
continues to function within the consolidation. It is a place that
contains additional separately incorporated places.
A statistical area defined for a named concentration of population and
the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place.
The lowest level of geographic area for presentation of some types of
Economic Census data. It includes incorporated places, consolidated
cities, census designated places (CDPs), minor civil divisions (MCDs) in
selected states, and balances of MCDs or counties. An incorporated
place, CDP, MCD, or balance of MCD qualifies as an economic census
place if it contains 5,000 or more residents, or 5,000 or more jobs,
according to the most current data available.
Relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a County or equivalent
feature delineated by local participants as part of the Census Bureau’s
Participant Statistical Areas Program.
A cluster of census blocks having the same first digit of their four-digit
identifying numbers within a Census Tract. For example, block group 3
(BG 3) within a Census Tract includes all blocks numbered from 3000 to
3999.
A user-defined group of islands forming a single census tabulation
block. A BAG must: (1) consist of two or more islands, (2) have a
perimeter entirely over water, (3) not overlap, and (4) not cross the
boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county or
incorporated place boundaries.
The lowest-order census defined statistical area. It is an area, such as a

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-3

MTFCC

Feature Class

G5200

Congressional District

G5210

State Legislative District
(Upper Chamber

G5220

State Legislative District
(Lower Chamber)

G5240

Voting District

G5400

Elementary School District

G5410

Secondary School District

G5420

Unified School District

G6120

Public-Use Microdata Area

G6300

Traffic Analysis District

G6320

Traffic Analysis Zone

G6330

Urban Growth Area

G6350
G6400

ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(Five-Digit)
Commercial Region

H1100

Connector

H2025

Swamp/Marsh

H2030

Lake/Pond

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
city block, bounded primarily by physical features but sometimes by
invisible city or property boundaries. A tabulation block boundary does
not cross the boundary of any other geographic area for which the
Census Bureau tabulates data. The subtypes of this feature are Count
Question Resolution (CQR), current, and census.
The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist for state
equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no representative. The
subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 111th
Congressional Districts, plus subsequent Congresses.
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the upper or unicameral chamber of a state
governing body. The upper chamber is the senate in a bicameral
legislature, and the unicameral case is a single house legislature
(Nebraska).
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the lower chamber of a state governing body.
The lower chamber is the House of Representatives in a bicameral
legislature.
The generic name for the geographic features, such as precincts,
wards, and election districts, established by state, local, and tribal
governments for the purpose of conducting elections.
A geographic area within which officials provide public elementary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public secondary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public educational
services for all grade levels for residents.
A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 or more
persons for which the Census Bureau provides selected extracts of
household-level data that are screened to protect confidentiality.
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic Analysis District
(TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs).
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data.
An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization that the
Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® System in agreement with
the state.
An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.
For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data, municipios in
Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.
A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between two
nonadjacent water features.
A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy,
possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, marais and
pocosin].
A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-4

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

H2040
H2041
H2051

Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

H2053
H2060
H2081

Ocean/Sea
Gravel Pit/Quarry filled
with water
Glacier

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

K1225

Crew-of-Vessel Location

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent
Care Facility
Juvenile Institution

An artificially impounded body of water.
An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.
A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight, cove
and inlet].
The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.
A body of water in a place or area from which commercial minerals
were removed from the Earth.
A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of
accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top
or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice field and ice
patch].
A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, branch,
brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].
A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of interlacing
channels.
An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate or
drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as a
waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].
A point or area in which the population of military or merchant marine
vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near the home port pier.
One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive medical
or surgical attention [including infirmary].
A facility (correctional and non-correctional) where groups of juveniles
reside; this includes training schools, detention centers, residential
treatment centers and orphanages.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, administered by a local (county,
municipal, etc.) government.
An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult
persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal government
or a state government.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere classified or
administered by a government of unknown jurisdiction.
One or more structures intended for use as a residence for those
having a religious vocation.

K1235

K1236

Local Jail or Detention
Center

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State
Prison, or Prison Farm

K1238

Other Correctional
Institution

K1239

K1246
K2110

Convent, Monastery,
Rectory, Other Religious
Group Quarters
Community Center
Military Installation

K2165

Government Center

K2167

Convention Center

K2180

Park

K2181

National Park Service Land

K2182

National Forest or Other

U.S. Census Bureau

Community Center.
An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense for use
by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned area for the use of the
National Guard.
A place used by members of government (either federal, state, local, or
tribal) for administration and public business.
An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space to host
public and private business and social events.
Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local
governments.
Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—under the
jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
Land under the management and jurisdiction of the federal
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-5

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

Federal Land

government, specifically including areas designated as National Forest,
and excluding areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of an American Indian
tribe.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a state government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a regional
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a county
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a minor civil division
(town/township) government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a municipal
government.
A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or preservation
of a cultural or natural resource.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of some other type of
government or agency such as an independent park authority or
commission.
An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and
distributing mail and other postal material.
Fire Department.
Police Station.
Library.
City/Town Hall.
A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be accessed
by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of such a facility
include marine terminal, bus station, train station, airport and truck
warehouse.
A place where privately owned, light-craft are moored.
A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by
piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, or it may be
used for recreational purposes.
A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including
airstrip, landing field and landing strip].
A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines, including
associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle transit,
including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or where
cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, and other
commercial offices.
A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or taking
off from a body of water can debark and load.
A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and exit

K2183

Tribal Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2184

State Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2185

K2186

County Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2187

County Subdivision Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2188

Incorporated Place Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2189

K2191

Private Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Other Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area (quasipublic, independent park,
commission, etc.)
Post Office

K2193
K2194
K2195
K2196
K2400

Fire Department
Police Station
Library
City/Town Hall
Transportation Terminal

K2424
K2432

Marina
Pier/Dock

K2451

Airport or Airfield

K2452
K2453

Train Station, Trolley or
Mass Transit Rail Station
Bus Terminal

K2454

Marine Terminal

K2455

Seaplane Anchorage

K2456

Airport—Intermodal

K2190

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-6

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description
airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of transportation.

K2459

Transportation
Hub/Terminal
Airport—Statistical
Representation
Park and Ride
Facility/Parking Lot
Runway/Taxiway

K2460

Helicopter Landing Pad

K2540

University or College

K2543

School or Academy

K2545

K2561
K2582

Museum, Visitor Center,
Cultural Center, or Tourist
Attraction
Golf Course
Cemetery

K2586

Zoo

K3544

Place of Worship

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Powerline

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

L4110

Fence Line

L4121
L4125

Ridge Line
Cliff/Escarpment

L4130

Point-to-Point Line

L4140

Property/Parcel Line
(Including PLSS)

L4150

Coastline

L4165

Ferry Crossing

K2457
K2458

U.S. Census Bureau

The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census blocks
used for the delineation of urban areas.
A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to other
modes of transportation.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for taking off
and landing at an airport.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for taking
off and landing.
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for preschool,
elementary or secondary study, teaching, and learning [including
elementary school and high school].
An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest that
provides information or displays artifacts.
A place designed for playing golf.
A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground and
memorial garden].
A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined within
enclosures and displayed to the public for educational, preservation,
and research purposes.
A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious
worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and mosque.
A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with
pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid (e.g., crude
oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.
One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for conducting
high-voltage electric power.
A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers
suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.
A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually
made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine,
or to mark a boundary.
The line of highest elevation along a ridge.
A very steep or vertical slope [including bluff, crag, head, headland,
nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and rimrock].
A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at
another, both of which are in sight.
This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either public or
private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote a Public Land
Survey System or equivalent survey line.
The line that separates either land or Inland water from Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly borders Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline represents the Coastline.
Where Inland water (such as a river) flows into Coastal, Territorial or
Great Lakes water, the closure line separating the Inland water from
the other class of water represents the Coastline.
The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and forth over
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-7

MTFCC

Feature Class

P0001
P0002

Nonvisible Linear
Legal/Statistical Boundary
Perennial Shoreline

P0003

Intermittent Shoreline

P0004

Other non-visible
bounding Edge (e.g.,
Census water boundary,
boundary of an aerial
feature)
Railroad Feature (Main,
Spur, or Yard)
Carline, Streetcar Track,
Monorail, Other Mass
Transit
Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail
Line, Tram

R1011
R1051

R1052

S1100

Primary Road

S1200

Secondary Road

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road,
Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along
a limited access highway

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

S1720

Stairway

S1730

Alley

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
a waterbody in a boat.
A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a
shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.
The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water for a
water feature that exists year-round.
The boundary between land and water (when water is present) for a
water feature that does not exist year-round.
A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical boundary,
and does not correspond to a shoreline or other visible feature on the
ground. Many such Edges bound area landmarks, while many others
separate water features from each other (e.g., where a bay meets the
ocean).
A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad traffic.
Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of a rail yard.
Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, monorails,
streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically inaccessible to mainstream
railroad traffic and whose tracks are not part of a road right-of-way.
A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is typically
inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that aerial tramways
and streetcars (which may also be called “trams”) are accounted for by
other MTFCCs and do not belong in R1052.
Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways within the
interstate highway system or under state management, and are
distinguished by the presence of interchanges. These highways are
accessible by ramps and may include some toll highways.
Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. Highway, State
Highway or County Highway system. These roads have one or more
lanes of traffic in each direction, may or may not be divided, and
usually have at-grade intersections with many other roads and
driveways. They often have both a local name and a route number.
Generally, a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that usually has a
single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in this feature class may
be privately or publicly maintained. Scenic park roads would be
included in this feature class, as would (depending on the region of the
country) some unpaved roads.
An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is required.
These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in very rural areas.
Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars and trucks belong in the
S1400 category.
A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a limited
access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf interchange. These
roads are unaddressable and do not carry a name in the MAF/TIGER
System.
A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that provides
access to structures along the highway. These roads can be named and
may intersect with other roads.
A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.
A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series of
steps.
A service road that does not generally have associated addressed
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-8

MTFCC

S1740

S1750
S1780
S1820

Feature Class

Private Road for service
vehicles (logging, oil fields,
ranches, etc.)
Internal U.S. Census
Bureau use
Parking Lot Road
Bike Path or Trail

Feature Class Description
structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at the rear of buildings
and properties and is used for deliveries.
A road within private property that is privately maintained for service,
extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often unnamed.
Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

The main travel route for vehicles through a paved parking area.
A path that is used for manual or small, motorized bicycles, being
either too narrow for or legally restricted from vehicular traffic.
S1830
Bridle Path
A path that is used for horses, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.
S2000
Road Median
The unpaved area or barrier between the carriageways of a divided
road.
Note: The information in this table was last updated in November 2017.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-9

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital

D-10

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
Respondent Guide: GUPS
Instructions for Using the Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS)
Revised as of November 20, 2018

This page intentionally left blank

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ........................................................................................................................viii
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey ...................................................................................... viii
What's New for the 2019 BAS?.................................................................................................. viii
Key Dates for BAS Respondents .................................................................................................. ix
BAS State Agreements ................................................................................................................. ix
Legal Disputes .............................................................................................................................. ix
Respondent Guide Organization ................................................................................................. ix

Section 1: Process and Workflow .......................................................................................... 1
1.1
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2

Receiving the GUPS Application and Shapefiles ........................................................................... 1
Getting Help .................................................................................................................................. 2
GUPS Help ..................................................................................................................................... 2
BAS Help ....................................................................................................................................... 2

Section 2: Reviewing BAS Data .............................................................................................. 1
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.4.1
2.4.2
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8

Boundary Corrections ................................................................................................................... 1
Legal Boundary Changes............................................................................................................... 1
Reviewing Legal Boundaries ......................................................................................................... 1
Requirements for Legal Boundary Changes ................................................................................. 2
Boundary Changes to Legal Entities ............................................................................................. 2
Boundary Changes to Legal Entities in Georgia and Indiana ........................................................ 3
Legal Disputes ............................................................................................................................... 3
Reviewing Linear Features ............................................................................................................ 3
Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas ................................................................... 4
Reviewing Point Landmarks .......................................................................................................... 6

Section 3: Quality Control and File Submission ...................................................................... 8
3.1
3.2
3.3

Validating Updates ....................................................................................................................... 8
Submitting Files through SWIM .................................................................................................... 8
Submitting Files on DVD ............................................................................................................... 9

Section 4: Requirements and Installation ............................................................................ 10
4.1
4.2

Getting Started ........................................................................................................................... 12
How to Install GUPS .................................................................................................................... 13

Section 5: Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management) ........................................................ 18
5.1 How to Access BAS Shapefiles .................................................................................................... 18
5.2 Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website ................................................................ 19
5.3 Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website.............................................................................. 30
5.4 Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site ............................................................ 33
5.5 Use GUPS Interface..................................................................................................................... 35
5.5.1 GUPS Main Page ......................................................................................................................... 35
5.5.2 Table of Contents and Map View ............................................................................................... 38
5.5.3 Managing the Map View from Within the Table of Contents .................................................... 39
5.5.3.1 Manage Layer Visibility ........................................................................................................... 39
5.5.3.2 Reorder Data Layers ................................................................................................................ 40
5.5.3.3 Expand/Contract Table of Contents Menus ............................................................................ 40
5.6 Menu & Toolbars ........................................................................................................................ 40
5.6.1 Menu Tabs .................................................................................................................................. 41
5.6.2 Standard Toolbar Buttons........................................................................................................... 46
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

5.6.2.1 Identify a Feature Using the Identify Features Button............................................................ 48
5.6.2.2 Select/Deselect Features Using the Select Features and Deselect Features Buttons............. 49
5.6.2.3 Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table .................................................................... 53
5.6.2.4 View an Attribute Table for a Layer on the Map ..................................................................... 55
5.6.2.5 Determine Distance, Area, and Angles on the Map ................................................................ 56
5.6.2.6 Save Locations on a Map Using the Bookmark Button ........................................................... 58
5.6.3 BAS Toolbar Buttons ................................................................................................................... 59
5.6.4 Status Bar .................................................................................................................................... 60
5.7 How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS........................................................................... 61
5.7.1 The Add Data Toolbar ................................................................................................................. 61
5.7.2 How to Upload User-Provided Data Layers ................................................................................ 62
5.7.3 How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile........................................................................................ 64

Section 6: Making BAS Updates in GUPS ............................................................................. 66
6.1
6.1.1
6.1.2
6.1.3
6.1.4
6.1.5
6.1.6
6.1.7
6.1.8
6.1.9
6.2
6.2.1
6.2.2
6.2.3
6.2.4
6.3
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.3.3
6.3.4
6.4
6.4.1
6.4.2
6.4.3
6.5
6.5.1
6.5.2
6.6
6.6.1
6.6.2
6.6.3

How to Update Legal Boundaries ............................................................................................... 66
Recording an Annexation ........................................................................................................... 66
Recording a Deannexation.......................................................................................................... 72
Adding a New Legal Entity (New Incorporation) ........................................................................ 77
Deleting an Entity (Disincorporation) ......................................................................................... 84
Making a Boundary Update on a County Line ............................................................................ 86
Making a Legal Boundary Change for a Consolidated City ......................................................... 94
Making a Boundary Correction (Add Area/Remove Area) ......................................................... 94
Adding a Geographic Corridor .................................................................................................... 97
Add a Geographic Offset........................................................................................................... 105
How to Update Linear Features................................................................................................ 106
Adding a Linear Feature............................................................................................................ 106
Deleting a Linear Feature ......................................................................................................... 107
Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature .......................................................................................... 108
Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature ............................................................................ 109
How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas ....................................................... 111
Adding a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area .................................................................. 111
Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ...................................................................... 115
Adding Area to an Area Landmark or Hydrographic Area ........................................................ 117
Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area................................................... 120
How to Update Point Landmarks.............................................................................................. 122
Adding a Point Landmark.......................................................................................................... 122
Deleting a Point Landmark ....................................................................................................... 124
Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark .......................................................................... 124
How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools ....................................................................... 125
Geography Review Tool ............................................................................................................ 125
Review Change Polygons Tool .................................................................................................. 130
Exporting a Printable Map ........................................................................................................ 137
How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit.................................................................................. 140
Exporting a File to Share ........................................................................................................... 141
Exporting a File to Submit to the Census Bureau ..................................................................... 143

Section 7: Submitting Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM ....................................... 146
Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 152
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
U.S. Census Bureau

BAS Contact Information and Resources ..................................................................... A-1
Terms ............................................................................................................................B-1
MTFCC Descriptions ...................................................................................................... C-1
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

iii

Appendix D
Standard Street Type Abbreviations ............................................................................ D-1
Appendix E
GUPS Tools .................................................................................................................... E-1
E.1 Set Layer Symbology ................................................................................................................... E-1
E.2 Change Label Display................................................................................................................... E-3
E.3 Restoring Default Label Display Settings ..................................................................................... E-5
E.4 Using the Table of Contents Toolbar to Manage Layers ............................................................. E-6
E.5 Preset Views in the Manage Layer Visibility Table of Contents .................................................. E-7
Appendix F
MAF/TIGER Feature Classification ................................................................................ F-1
Appendix G
Shapefile Names .......................................................................................................... G-1
Appendix H
Shapefile Layouts ......................................................................................................... H-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. BAS Workflow .................................................................................................................................................1
Figure 2. GUPS Main Page Layout................................................................................................................................36
Figure 3. Close Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................38
Figure 4. Restore the Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................39
Figure 5. Managing Layer Visibility ..............................................................................................................................39
Figure 6. Menu and Toolbars .......................................................................................................................................40
Figure 7. Manage Layer Toolbar ..................................................................................................................................40
Figure 8. Standard Toolbar ..........................................................................................................................................46
Figure 9. Sub-tool Markers ..........................................................................................................................................46
Figure 10. BAS Toolbar.................................................................................................................................................59
Figure 11. Status Bar ....................................................................................................................................................60
Figure 12. Add Data Toolbar ........................................................................................................................................61
Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated Area ................................................................................... B-2
Figure 14. Incorporated Area and Unincorporated Area ........................................................................................... B-2
Figure 15. Participant Responses............................................................................................................................... B-2
Figure 16. A Cadastral (Parcel-Based) Boundary Map ............................................................................................... B-3
Figure 17. How a Boundary Should be Represented When Sent to the Census Bureau ........................................... B-3
Figure 18. Place Boundary – Front-Lot-Line .............................................................................................................. B-4
Figure 19. Place Boundary – Rear-Lot-Line ................................................................................................................ B-4
Figure 20. Table of Contents Layers Toolbar ............................................................................................................. E-6
Figure 21. Add Preset Layer ....................................................................................................................................... E-7
Figure 22. Visibility Presets Dialog Box ...................................................................................................................... E-7

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Available Change Types by Entity Type ............................................................................................................2
Table 2: Acceptable MTFCCs for New Area Landmarks/Hydrographic Areas................................................................5
Table 3: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCCs .................................................................................................................6
Table 4: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature ..................................................................................................10
Table 5: GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements................................................................................................13
Table 6: Install the GUPS Application ..........................................................................................................................14
Table 7: Start a New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS website .........................................................................19
Table 8: Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website .................................................................................................30
Table 9: Download Shapefiles from ftp2 Site to a Hard Drive (State Users) ...............................................................33
Table 10: GUPS Main Page Elements ...........................................................................................................................36
Table 11: Menu Tabs and Their Functions ...................................................................................................................41
Table 12: Adjust Snapping Tolerances .........................................................................................................................45
Table 13: Standard Toolbar Buttons ............................................................................................................................47
Table 14: Identify a Feature on the Map .....................................................................................................................49
Table 15: Select/Deselect Features on the Map ..........................................................................................................50
Table 16: Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table .........................................................................................53
Table 17: View Layer Attributes Using the Attributes Table........................................................................................55
Table 18: Measure Distances, Area, and Angles on a Map ..........................................................................................56
Table 19: Bookmark Locations on a Map.....................................................................................................................58
Table 20: BAS Toolbar Buttons ....................................................................................................................................59
Table 21: Status Bar Elements .....................................................................................................................................60
Table 22: Add Data Toolbar Buttons............................................................................................................................61
Table 23: Load Shapefiles/Geodatabase Layers ..........................................................................................................62
Table 24: Load Data from a Web Mapping Service .....................................................................................................63
Table 25: Add Imagery Files .........................................................................................................................................64
Table 26: Import a ZIP File Shared by Another User ....................................................................................................64
Table 27: Record an Annexation ..................................................................................................................................66
Table 28: Recording a Deannexation ...........................................................................................................................72
Table 29: Adding a New Legal Entity ...........................................................................................................................77
Table 30: Record a Disincorporation ...........................................................................................................................84
Table 31: Record an Annexation in an Adjacent County .............................................................................................86
Table 32: Making a Boundary Correction ....................................................................................................................94
Table 33: Adding a Geographic Corridor .....................................................................................................................97
Table 34: Adding a Linear Feature .............................................................................................................................106
Table 35: Deleting a Linear Feature ...........................................................................................................................108
Table 36: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature ...........................................................................................................108
Table 37: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature ..............................................................................................109
Table 38: Creating a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ..................................................................................112
Table 39: Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ........................................................................................115
Table 40: Adding Area to an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area .............................................................................117
Table 41: Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ....................................................................120
Table 42: Adding a Point Landmark ...........................................................................................................................122
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 43: Deleting a Point Landmark .........................................................................................................................124
Table 44: Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark ............................................................................................124
Table 45: Using the Geography Review Tool .............................................................................................................126
Table 46: Reviewing Change Polygons.......................................................................................................................130
Table 47: Export a Printable Map ..............................................................................................................................138
Table 48: Exporting Files to Share with Another User ...............................................................................................141
Table 49: Exporting Files for Submission to the Census Bureau ................................................................................143
Table 50: Transmitting Files to the Census Bureau Using SWIM ...............................................................................146
Table 51: BAS Contact Information and Resources ................................................................................................... A-1
Table 52: MTFCC Descriptions ................................................................................................................................... C-1
Table 53: Standard Street Type Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... D-1
Table 54: Reset Layer Symbology .............................................................................................................................. E-1
Table 55: Change Default Labeling ............................................................................................................................ E-3
Table 56: Restoring Default Labeling ......................................................................................................................... E-5
Table 57: Table of Contents Layers Toolbar Buttons ................................................................................................. E-6
Table 58: MAF/TIGER Feature Classification ..............................................................................................................F-1
Table 59: State Shapefiles Names.............................................................................................................................. G-1
Table 60: County Shapefiles Names .......................................................................................................................... G-2
Table 61: Edges Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_edges) ......................................................................................................... H-1
Table 62: Address Ranges Attribute File (PVS_19_v2_addr) ..................................................................................... H-1
Table 63: Census Block Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_tabblock2010) ................................................................................. H-2
Table 64: Census Tract Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_curtracts).......................................................................................... H-2
Table 65: American Indian Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_aial) .................................................................................. H-3
Table 66: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_county) ................................................................... H-4
Table 67: County Subdivisions Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_mcd) ..................................................................................... H-4
Table 68: Incorporated Place Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_place) ..................................................................................... H-5

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

vii

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
INTRODUCTION
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) annually to collect
information about selected legally defined geographic areas, such as counties (and equivalent
areas), incorporated places, minor civil divisions (MCDs), federally recognized American Indian
Areas (AIAs) — including reservations, off-reservation trust lands and tribal subdivisions, and
Hawaiian Homelands. BAS also provides an opportunity for participants to review the names
and geographic relationships for these areas. Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 6,
authorizes this survey.
The Census Bureau uses the boundary information collected during BAS to tabulate data for the
decennial and economic censuses, and to support the yearly delivery of the Population
Estimates Program (PEP) and the American Community Survey (ACS) data. Maintaining correct
boundaries and boundary-to-feature relationships through the BAS helps ensure that the
Census Bureau assigns the appropriate housing and population counts to each governmental
unit (GU).
In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16, BAS supports the
Census Bureau’s spatial data steward responsibilities for the Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) and the Geospatial One-Stop by updating the inventory and boundaries of
GUs.
In addition, BAS is the source of up-to-date information on changes to the boundaries, codes
and names of incorporated places, MCDs, counties (and equivalent areas), Hawaiian
Homelands, and federally recognized AIAs, which include reservations and off-reservation trust
lands used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS), the National Map, and the Geographic
Names Information System (GNIS).
Please visit the BAS program website at .
For more information on BAS, please view the “Introduction to BAS” video series on the Census
Bureau’s BAS website at .

What's New for the 2019 BAS?
1. The Census Bureau developed a BAS Partner Toolbox for ArcGIS users.
2. The GUPS help videos previously embedded in the software are relocated to the BAS website.
3. Redistricting data contacts participating in the Voting District Project verification phase may
submit boundary updates for reconciliation with BAS contacts.
4. Website revisions.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
C.

Key Dates for BAS Respondents

January 1—Boundary updates must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in
the current survey year.
March 1—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS and PEP data
estimates, and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

BAS State Agreements

The Census Bureau has established a number of agreements with states for reporting boundary
changes. Please visit the BAS State Agreements webpage within the BAS program website at
or call
(800) 972-5651 for information regarding state agreements.
Note: The Census Bureau can only establish BAS state agreements for states that require local
governments to report boundary changes to a state agency.

Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of land is in dispute between two or more
jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come
to a written agreement, or there is a documented final court decision regarding the dispute.
To learn more, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at (301) 763-9844.
For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at
the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an
extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the
current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor's office.

Respondent Guide Organization

This guide has been created for those who choose to participate in the survey using GUPS.
Those using their own GIS should consult the Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent
Guide: Digital available on the BAS website: . Those using paper maps should
consult the Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper. This guide is equipped
with shortcuts to subjects that respondents may want to jump to directly. To move directly to
one of these sections, click on the linked text.
This guide contains two parts:
Part 1: Provides an overview of BAS. It specifies the:




Process and Workflow;
Receiving the GUPS Application and Shapefiles;
GUPS Help;

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS








BAS Help;
Reviewing BAS data (Information specific to the review and update of each type of geographic
entity);
Boundary Corrections (Including Legal Boundary Changes and Reviewing Legal Boundaries);
Reviewing Linear Features (Including Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas);
Reviewing Point Landmarks;
Validating Updates; and
Submitting Files through SWIM and Submitting Files on DVD.

Part 2: Describes GUPS and gives step-by-step instructions (Action/Result in table format) for:













Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management);
Requirements and Installation;
How to Access BAS Shapefiles;
Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website;
Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site;
How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS;
How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile;
How to Update Legal Boundaries;
How to Update Linear Features;
How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools;
Exporting a Printable Map; and
How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit.

Note: In all the Action/Result tables, the action is usually a command or action the participant needs to
perform and the Result(s) of the action will be shown in italics. For example: if the participant
clicks the GUPS icon on their desktop, the software should begin to run automatically.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
SECTION 1: PROCESS AND WORKFLOW
Figure 1 below illustrates the three phases of the work to be completed for the BAS. The first
section in the diagram includes initial steps. The second section indicates the types of
geographic data that should be reviewed and updated. The final section lists the final steps to
validate and submit changes.

Figure 1. BAS Workflow

The sections of this guide are organized around the topical areas in the diagram and provide
needed program information and procedures, as well as relevant deadlines.
See Appendix A: BAS Contact Information and Resources for a list of contacts and helpful
program links.

1.1

Receiving the GUPS Application and Shapefiles

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
Once GUPS is installed, the BAS shapefiles can be imported from the BAS website directly to the
GUPS application. Instructions on how to load data into GUPS appears in Section 5.2. If a
participant does not have Internet access, they may request shapefiles on DVD. To request a
data DVD, call (800) 972-5651 or email geo.bas@census.gov.

1.2

Getting Help

Part 2: How to Use GUPS of this guide contains directions for how to use the tools available
within the GUPS application, as well as step-by-step instructions for how to carry out specific
shapefile updates (e.g., annexations and deannexations, adding and deleting features and
landmarks, etc.).

1.2.1 GUPS Help
Training videos for help with using GUPS are available on the BAS website
. In addition, a Section
508-compliant version of this guide is available there.
For supplemental information on functions within GUPS that are specific to QGIS, a QGIS user’s
manual can be found at . The
QGIS manual offers particularly helpful information on several activities that are touched on in
this guide, but not described in detail, including working with user-provided data layers,
creating search expressions for attribute tables, and creating customized coordinate systems.
For questions concerning technical problems with the GUPS application, user support is
available via telephone at (800) 972-5651 and by email geo.bas@census.gov.

1.2.2 BAS Help
BAS participants may find the Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital
helpful. Although designed for experienced GIS users, it provides important information on
geocoding, topological relationships, and spatial accuracy relevant to Census Bureau shapefiles.
This guide can be downloaded at: .
The Census Bureau has also created a number of other BAS-related videos, including a helpful
one on the subject of topology and why topology is important to the BAS. To view these videos,
go to: .

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
SECTION 2: REVIEWING BAS DATA
The Census Bureau requests that participants review and update all legal entities and
boundaries within their jurisdiction, including the new incorporation or disincorporation of legal
entities, legal boundary changes, and boundary corrections. They may also update linear
features and landmarks, including area landmarks, hydrographic areas, and point landmarks,
although review of these is optional.
To help conduct their review, the GUPS application allows participants to import and overlay
their own geospatial data layers with the Census Bureau shapefiles. Image files may be
imported from web mapping services, geodatabases, and other file types. Steps to import the
most common types of user-provided data are provided in Section 5.7 How to Import UserProvided Data into GUPS.

2.1

Boundary Corrections

2.2

Legal Boundary Changes

Legal boundary changes are the result of legal actions (e.g., annexations), and documenting
such changes is the primary goal of BAS. AIA Legal documentation (e.g., statute, federal court
decision, trust deed) must accompany all AIA legal boundary changes, while legal boundary
change submissions from incorporated places, MCDs, and counties must provide an
authorization number, such as a resolution or ordinance number.

2.3

Reviewing Legal Boundaries

When reviewing legal boundaries, participants should examine the Census Bureau shapefiles
for all legal entities within their jurisdiction. These include:





Incorporated places;
Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) such as towns, boroughs, and townships;
Counties (and county equivalents); and
Consolidated cities.

Table 1 shows the specific changes allowed for each legal entity type.

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PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
Table 1: Available Change Types by Entity Type
Entity Type
Incorporated Place

Minor Civil Division (MCD)

County

Consolidated City

2.4

Available Change Types
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New Entity (New incorporation)
Deleted Entity (Disincorporation)
Addition or Annexation
Deletion or Deannexation
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)
Geographic Corridor
Geographic Offset
New Entity
Deleted Entity
Addition or Annexation
Deletion or Deannexation
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)
Geographic Corridor
Geographic Offset
New Entity (New incorporation of place and MCD)
Deleted Entity (Disincorporation of place and MCD)
Addition or Annexation
Deletion or Deannexation
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)
Geographic Corridor
Geographic Offset
New Entity (New incorporation of place and MCD)
Deleted Entity (Disincorporation of place and MCD)
Addition or Annexation
Deletion or Deannexation
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)
Geographic Corridor
Geographic Offset

Requirements for Legal Boundary Changes

2.4.1 Boundary Changes to Legal Entities
For a boundary change to an existing legal entity (or the new incorporation or disincorporation
of a legal entity) to be processed as a legal change, participants must provide the legal
documentation number (e.g., law or ordinance number), effective date, and authorization type.
They are not required to submit paperwork documenting the change.
Note: Although additional documentation is not required, the Census Bureau strongly encourages
attaching supporting paperwork to submissions (this may be done directly in GUPS). The
paperwork will expedite the Census Bureau’s ability to reconcile and process any legal updates.

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2.4.2 Boundary Changes to Legal Entities in Georgia and Indiana
For questions about required documentation for a particular jurisdiction, contact the
Geography Division by phone at (800) 972-5651 or by email at geo.bas@census.gov.
Georgia: Any legal boundary change made to an incorporated place in the state of Georgia
must include: (1) the effective date and (2) the acreage of the new entity. In addition, before
entering the change, ensure that all annexation/deannexation information has been reported
to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). The DCA provides the Census Bureau a list of
the entities that reported boundary changes each year. Any legal boundary changes to
incorporated places not on this list will not be placed in the MAF/TIGER System. For additional
information, see: .
Indiana: Per Indiana state law, counties must provide the legal boundary updates for
townships. For more information, refer to Indiana Code 36-6 Government of Townships at
.

2.5

Legal Disputes

2.6

Reviewing Linear Features

It is important that Census Bureau data reflects the most recent linear features to ensure that
new or previously missed housing units located along these features are identified and located.
When reviewing linear features (edges layer) on the Census Bureau shapefiles, first determine
whether any features are missing or need to be deleted. Pay particular attention to areas that
have experienced recent population growth or construction activities, as these are the most
likely to possess new or altered linear features (e.g., new subdivisions, traffic circles converted
to straight ways, or privately maintained roads that serve as public streets, but exclude private
driveways).
Attribute updates (e.g., name, class code, and address ranges) may also be added for selected
features. For a complete list of MAF/TIGER Feature Class Codes (MTFCCs), review
Appendix C: MTFCC Descriptions.
To aid in the review of linear features, GUPS allows users to import local street centerline files,
hydrography layers, imagery, and other user-provided geospatial data for reference and
comparison against the Census Bureau data.

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PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
In the review, please note:





2.7

S1100 and S1200—If adding road features with an MTFCC of S1100 (Primary Road) or S1200
(Secondary Road), users must supply a feature name. As is the case for all road features, the
feature name should be a proper name or route number.
Spatial Inaccuracies—The Census Bureau will not process the wholesale spatial realignment of
features to enhance spatial accuracy. If a feature is in the incorrect location, delete the feature
and add it in the correct location. Take this action only if the feature is exceedingly spatially
inaccurate and/or the current location (with respect to other features and boundaries) affects
the tabulation of housing units to the correct geography, such as legal entities, census tracts,
and census blocks.
Address Range Changes—The Census Bureau accepts address range data as part of the linear
feature update layer. As with other linear feature updates, the required attributes and
corresponding change type for the update must be supplied. In addition, because existing
address ranges are not shown in the Census Bureau’s outgoing shapefiles, it is recommended
that participants only add address ranges to new features.

Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas

The Census Bureau accepts updates to area landmarks and hydrographic areas in a similar
manner to legal boundary changes. However, area landmarks and hydro areas are not legal
entities, so no documentation or effective dates are required.
Allowable updates for area landmarks and hydrographic areas are:

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


Add new area landmark or hydrographic area;
Remove area landmark or hydrographic area;
Change or add landmark name; and
Boundary corrections (add and remove area).

If adding a new area landmark or hydrographic area, please add only:

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


Water bodies;
Glaciers;
Airports;
Cemeteries;
Golf courses; and
Parks.

The Census Bureau cannot add other types of area landmark/hydrographic areas to the
MAF/TIGER System at this time (even though others may already exist in the database).
Table 2 shows the acceptable MTFCCs for new area landmarks or hydrographic areas.

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PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
Table 2: Acceptable MTFCCs for New Area Landmarks/Hydrographic Areas
MTFCC

Description

H2030
H2040
H2041
H2051
H2081
C3023
K1231
K1235
K1236
K1237
K2110
K2180
K2181
K2182
K2183
K2184
K2185
K2186
K2187
K2188
K2189
K2190

Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound
Glacier
Island
Hospital/Hospice/Urgent Care Facility
Juvenile Institution
Local Jail or Detention Center
Federal Penitentiary, State Prison, or Prison Farm
Military Installation
Park
National Park Service Land
National Forest or Other Federal Land
Tribal Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
State Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
County Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
County Subdivision Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Incorporated Place Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Private Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Other Park, Forest, or Recreation Area (quasi-public, independent park,
commission, etc.)
Marina
University or College
Airport – Area Representation
Golf Course
Cemetery

K2424
K2540
K2457
K2561
K2582

Note: If adding an MTFCC K2457 (Airport – Area Representation) area landmark, please limit the
updates to major airports (major regional and international airports). The feature should show
the full extent of the airport facility, that is, do not limit the addition to simply the landing strips.

Area Landmark/Hydro Area Changes May Be Delayed
The Census Bureau prioritizes boundary changes to legal areas to meet ACS, PEP, and BAS deadlines.
Therefore, there may be delays in incorporating area landmark and hydrographic area changes to the
MAF/TIGER System. Please do not resubmit any changes that were sent during the previous year’s BAS.
The Census Bureau is working on incorporating those changes, and they will be reflected in the next
year’s BAS materials.

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PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
2.8

Reviewing Point Landmarks

Because many of the point landmarks contained in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER System
originate from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS),
which is the official gazetteer of point landmark names for the Federal Government, point
landmark updates are limited in BAS. The Census Bureau cannot modify any point landmark
imported from the GNIS database. Thus, be aware that name changes or deletions submitted
for the following types of landmarks may be left unchanged:





K2451 (Airport or Airfield);
K2582 (Cemetery);
C3022 (Summit or Pillar); and
C3081 (Locale or Populated Place).

Also, due to Title 13 privacy concerns, any landmark with an MTFCC shown in Table 3 below
cannot be added to the MAF/TIGER System as a point landmark. The MAF/TIGER System no
longer maintains any point landmarks with these MTFCCs. Landmarks with these codes could
identify a residence or private business. Thus, it is also important not to add any of the point
landmark types shown in the table using alternative MTFCCs.
Table 3: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCCs

U.S. Census Bureau

MTFCC

Description

K1100

Housing Unit Location

K1121

Apartment Building or Complex

K1122

Rooming or Boarding House

K1223

Trailer Court or Mobile Home Park

K1226

Housing Facility/Dormitory for Workers

K1227

Hotel, Motel, Resort, Spa, Hostel, YMCA, or YWCA

K1228

Campground

K1229

Shelter or Mission

K1232

Halfway House/Group Home

K1233

Nursing Home, Retirement Home, or Home for the Aged

K1234

County Home or Poor Farm

K1235

Juvenile Institution

K1241

Sorority, Fraternity, or College Dormitory

K1251

Military Group Quarters

K1299

Other Group Quarters Location

K2100

Governmental

K2197

Mixed Use/Other Non-residential

K2300

Commercial Workplace

K2361

Shopping Center or Major Retail Center

K2362

Industrial Building or Industrial Park

K2363

Office Building or Office Park
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PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
MTFCC

Description

K2364

Farm/Vineyard/Winery/Orchard

K2366

Other Employment Center

K2424

Marina

K2500

Other Workplace

K2564

Amusement Center

Point Landmark Changes May Be Delayed
The Census Bureau prioritizes boundary changes to legal areas to meet ACS, PEP, and BAS deadlines.
Therefore, there may be delays in incorporating point landmark changes to the MAF/TIGER System.
Please do not resubmit any changes that were sent during the previous year’s BAS. The Census Bureau is
working on incorporating those changes, and they will be reflected in the next year’s BAS materials.

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PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
SECTION 3: QUALITY CONTROL AND FILE SUBMISSION
3.1

Validating Updates

Validate Often
Validation tools in GUPS can be accessed at any time while working in the application. For best results,
utilize the tools often while working to identify errors early and avoid extensive rework. Steps to use the
Geographic Review tool and the Review Change Polygons tool are included in Section 6.5 How to Use
GUPS Review and Validation Tools.

3.2

Submitting Files through SWIM

Prompt submission of updates is appreciated. It benefits the Census Bureau—allowing the BAS
team to review the files early, provide feedback, and avoid backups in file processing—and the
participant—guaranteeing their updates are recorded accurately and are reflected in the latest
releases of Census Bureau data products.
For those with Internet access, all BAS submissions must be made via the Secure Web Incoming
Module (SWIM). Due to security reasons, the Census Bureau cannot accept files sent via email
or through its alternate ftp sites.
If participants indicated on their “Annual Response Form” that they wished to receive the GUPS
application, they will automatically receive the SWIM URL and a registration token via email.
The email should arrive 5 days after the Annual Response is completed online (or 5 business
days after the Census Bureau receives the paper form).
The registration token allows users to establish personal SWIM accounts. If a SWIM token does
not arrive after the amount of time specified, email geo.bas@census.gov or call (800) 972-5651.
Once registered, the token will no longer be necessary to log into the system.

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Current SWIM Users
If a participant is in another Census Bureau partnership program, or participated in a previous BAS year
and already has a SWIM account, they may use their current account to submit files for BAS. They do not
need to set up a new account.
Note: Participants will not be able to upload a file larger than 250 MB, and SWIM will block participants
from uploading a zip file that contains another zip file.

For step-by-step instructions to submit files through the SWIM, refer to Table 50. For those
without Internet access, see Section 3.3 below.

3.3

Submitting Files on DVD

If internet access is unavailable, please copy ZIP file(s) to DVD for submission. The DVD should
be mailed to:
U.S. Census Bureau
National Processing Center
ATTN: BAS Returns, Bldg 63E
1201 East 10th Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47132

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PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
SECTION 4: REQUIREMENTS AND INSTALLATION
This section includes information needed to use GUPS. It offers a description of the GUPS
application and gives specific instructions (in the form of Step/Action tables) for how to use
GUPS to make BAS updates. Reminder: this guide is equipped with shortcuts to subjects that
respondents may want to jump to directly. To move directly to one of these sections, click on
the linked text.
Section 4:. Requirements and Installation



Getting Started - Lists the hardware and software requirements for GUPS and SWIM; and
How to Install GUPS - Provides instructions for installing the application.

Section 5: Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management)
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

How to Access BAS Shapefiles - Provides instructions to load shapefiles;
Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website;
Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website;
Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site;
Use GUPS Interface - Including the Menu, Toolbars, Table of Contents or Map Legend, and the
Map View area;
Menu & Toolbars - Offers instructions for using the tools available through the menu and
toolbars; and
How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS.

Section 6: Making BAS Updates in GUPS
 How to Update Legal Boundaries - Gives instructions to make required and optional updates in
the application;
 How to Update Linear Features;
 How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas;
 How to Update Point Landmarks;
 How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools; and
 Exporting a Printable Map.
 Exporting a File to Submit to the Census Bureau - Provides instructions to submit files to the
Census Bureau through SWIM.

Follow the steps in Table 4 to change the attributes (e.g., the name, MTFCC, or address range)
of a linear feature.
Table 4: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

If planning to change the name of a linear feature, check first to see if it has an alternate name. To
do this, click the Display All Names button on the BAS toolbar.

Then click on the linear feature on the map. The selected feature turns cyan blue (color may vary)
and the Display All Names dialog box opens, showing the primary name in the Prim. Name field and
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Step

Action and Result
the alternate name, if one is present, in the Alt. Name field.

To see any additional alternate names, click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Alt. Name
field. If no alternate name exists, ‘NULL’ appears in the Alt. name field.
Step 2

If providing an address range for a linear feature, check the checkbox next to > direction in the
Edges field in the Table of Contents. This activates the arrows that indicate the FROM and TO nodes
for line segments.

Step 3

Click on the Modify Linear Feature Attributes button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 4

Click the linear feature on the map with attributes to be edited. The Modify Linear Feature
Attributes dialog box opens with the TIGER Line Feature ID (TLID) of the feature selected. The

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Step

Action and Result
FULLNAME field populates if the feature is named. If the feature is not named, the field is blank. The
MTFCC, LTOADD, RTOADD, LFROMADD, and RFROMADD fields show the assigned values for each.

Step 5

Update the FULLNAME field. If the field is blank, type in the new name. If the field is already
populated, highlight the existing name and hit the Delete key on the keyboard. It is also possible to
backspace over the name to clear the field. Then type in the new name.

Step 6

If correcting the MTFCC, click on the down arrow to the right of the field to open the drop-down
menu and select the correct MTFCC from the menu.

Step 7

Change the address range for the linear feature, if necessary. Type in potential address ranges in
the LTOADD (left to address); RTOADD (right to address); LFROMADD (left from address);
RFROMADD (right from address) fields based on the directional arrows. The directional arrows
show the origin node (FROM) and the end node (TO).

Step 8

Click Save button at the bottom of the Modify Linear Feature Attributes dialog box.
The address ranges for all features are blank in the geographic partnership shapefiles because the
ranges are stored in tables separate from the shapefiles. Address ranges can be provided in these
fields, but be aware that the Census Bureau may already have address ranges.
It is important to note which node is the FROM node and which is the TO node (based on the red
directional arrows) so that the address ranges are associated with the correct side of the street and
the correct census block.
Note: Provide potential address ranges for blocksides, such as 0-98, 100-198, etc., for even parity
and 1-99, 101-199, etc., for odd parity address ranges. Do not provide actual address ranges.

4.1

Getting Started

Download GUPS from the BAS website at: . If the GUPS package was
requested, it should include a DVD containing the GUPS software, respondent guides, and a
readme text file.
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Before beginning the installation, please verify the computer has the capabilities needed to run
GUPS (using Table 5 below).
GUPS is based on QGIS (formerly known as Quantum GIS), a free and open-source desktop
geographic information system application. To learn more about QGIS, visit their website at
. The GUPS application was developed for use in a desktop PC
or a network environment.
Table 5 lists the hardware and software requirements to install and run GUPS. Also included are
the software requirements to submit files through the SWIM website.
Table 5: GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements
Hardware

Operating System

Browser

Disk Space Needed to Run
GUPS:
3.3 GB

Windows:
To run GUPS, users need one of the following
Windows operating systems:

Browsers supported by SWIM
(current version and one
previous version):

Disk Space Needed to Store
Shapefiles:

Shapefile sizes vary by
state. To view the size of
the shapefiles, right-click,
and choose Properties in
the drop-down menu.
The Files Properties box
opens and displays the
folder size. Select
multiple files/folders in
the list to view their
properties via the same
method.
RAM:

 Windows 7
 Windows 8
 Windows 10
Apple Mac OS X:
Mac OS X users must secure a license for
Microsoft Windows and use a Windows bridge.
The suggested bridge software is Boot Camp,
which comes pre-installed on all Mac computers.
See instructions for using Boot Camp at:
.






Internet Explorer
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Apple Safari

Important Note: SWIM
supports the two most recent
version of each of these major
browsers.

Important Note: Boot Camp requires the
computer be restarted in order to set up the
bridge. Be sure to print the instructions provided
at the URL above before installing Boot Camp.

4 GB minimum, 8 GB or
more recommended for
optimal performance.

Depending on the Windows OS version, the GUPS dialog boxes may have a different
appearance than the screenshots contained in the user guide, although the content is the
same.

4.2

How to Install GUPS

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PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
currently installed version with the one provided on the Census Bureau’s installation DVD to
acquire the latest version. To complete the installation, follow the steps in Table 6: Install the
GUPS Application.
Note: If a version of GUPS is already installed, please check that it is the latest version. Go to the GUPS
tab and click the About GUPS option in the drop-down menu to find the GUPS version number. If
it is not the latest version, download the most recent version and follow the setup instructions
below which will automatically uninstall the old version before it installs the latest GUPS version.
Table 6: Install the GUPS Application
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the direct download link or place the
installation DVD into the computer’s DVD drive. For some users, a Windows protected your PC
pop-up box may appear.

To continue, click ‘More info’, then select ‘Run anyway?’.
Step 2

Other users may receive a user account control pop-up that asks, “Do you want to run this file?”,
“Do you want to allow the following program from an unknown publisher to make changes to this
computer?”, or a similar query. See an example below.

If this pop-up occurs, click Run, Yes, Allow, or an option that allows the installation to proceed. The
software should begin to run automatically.

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Step
Step 3

Action and Result
If the software does not run automatically, open Windows Explorer, navigate to the DVD drive, and
double-click on the file named Setup-9.0-0.bat
Note: The name of this file may vary slightly, but it will be the only setup .bat file available.

If the software still does not run properly, contact the local System Administrator for assistance.
Step 4

When the installer opens, the Welcome to the QGIS Setup Wizard screen appears.

Before proceeding, close all other programs or applications. Once other programs and applications
are closed, click the Next button.
Step 5

The License Agreement screen appears.

Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree button to continue.

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Step
Step 6

Action and Result
The Choose Install Location screen opens. It is recommended to install the application at the
default: (i.e., C:\Program files\QGISGUPS). Otherwise, use the Browse button to navigate to a
preferred location.

To begin the installation, click Next to continue.
Step 7

The Choose Components screen opens.

‘QGIS’ in the Select components to install field is checked and grayed out since it is the default.
Simply click Install to continue.
To review a previous screen or reread the license agreement, click the Back button (each screen
contains this button). This returns the screen to the previous page.
Step 8

U.S. Census Bureau

The software should take between 5 and 10 minutes to install. When it is finished, the Completing
the QGIS GUPS Setup Wizard screen opens.

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Step

Action and Result

Click the Finish button.
Step 9

Step 10

U.S. Census Bureau

The GUPS Install Setup: Completed screen opens showing the status of the installation of GUPS.
When completed, click the Close button on the following screen.

To complete the installation, click the Close button at the bottom of the GUPS Install Setup:
Completed Setup Wizard screen. Once the application installs, QGIS will be added to the All
Programs Start Menu list.

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PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
SECTION 5: USING GUPS (BASICS AND MAP MANAGEMENT)
After successfully installing GUPS, participants are ready to start their BAS updates. There are
three ways to retrieve shapefiles when starting a new project:




From the Census Bureau website (loads directly into GUPS);
From DVD (if one was requested); and
From My Computer (if the files have been downloaded to the hard drive).

Table 7 shows the steps to open GUPS and start a new project using the Census Bureau
website. Table 8 shows the same steps to open GUPS, but starts a new project using the Census
Bureau provided DVD or My Computer (downloaded Census Bureau shapefiles saved to the
hard drive).

5.1

How to Access BAS Shapefiles

BAS shapefiles from the BAS website can be pulled directly into the application when working in
GUPS by choosing the Census Web option during project setup. Users can load the shapefiles as
needed or load multiple county files at once. This is the preferred method for loading the
Census Bureau’s BAS Shapefiles into GUPS as it ensures that required files are placed in the
correct location for the application to access.
Another option for loading files is to download the shapefiles from the BAS website (or from
the Census Bureau ftp2 site), then import them into GUPS. BAS shapefiles are available for
download from the BAS website here: . Instructions for how to download Census
Bureau shapefiles appear in Table 7 and Table 8. Downloading files to the hard drive is not the
preferred method when working in GUPS, and should be used only when necessary (e.g., if
additional data layers that GUPS does not automatically load need to be pulled in as userprovided data).
If the shapefiles were requested to be received on a DVD, the files can be loaded directly into
GUPS from the DVD. Instructions for how to load shapefiles are contained in Table 7: Start a
New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS website.
Whether the files are pulled from the BAS website or from the DVD, the GUPS application
unzips them and places them into a pre-established folder created on the computer’s home
directory during the installation process (C:\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\BAS2019\shape). It then
displays them in the application and manages the files. There is no need to take any further
action.

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CAUTION!
Regardless of the source of the shapefiles, it is important NOT TO CHANGE any shapefile or folder name.
The files and folders must have the exact names given for the GUPS application to recognize and load
them.

5.2

Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website

To open the GUPS application and begin BAS updates, follow the steps in Table 7 below. Before
beginning, note that:
1. To practice using GUPS without committing the changes, simply exit the system without saving.
Before the system closes, it will give the option to discard the changes.
2. If comfortable with the system, but not all changes are completed in one session, simply save
the changes, then close the system. When opening GUPS later, reopen the project and continue
working.
Note: In all the Action/Result tables, the action is usually a command or action to be performed and the
Result(s) of the action will be shown in italics. For example: click the QGIS icon on the desktop,
the software should begin to run automatically.
Table 7: Start a New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS website
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Select QGIS Desktop 2.18.15 from the All Programs list in the Start Menu.

The QGIS splash screen appears. (Note: QGIS is the open-source platform for building GUPS.)

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Step

Step 2

Action and Result

Wait until the application loads (this may require a few minutes on older computers). When the GUPS
application has loaded, the GUPS main page opens and the QGIS Tips! box appears.

Note: Since GUPS was built on the QGIS open-source platform, there will be references to QGIS in
several locations within the GUPS application.
Step 3

To view QGIS system tips, click the Next button to read the first tip. Thereafter use the Previous and
Next buttons to navigate within tips. To no longer see the tips on startup, click the checkbox in the
bottom left-hand corner that reads ‘I’ve had enough tips, don’t show this on start up any more!’ To
no longer see the tips on startup, click the checkbox in the bottom left-hand corner that reads ‘I’ve
had enough tips, don’t show this on startup anymore!’

Step 4

To begin a GUPS project, close the QGIS Tips! box by clicking the OK button. The box closes and the
Map Management dialog box opens, as shown below.

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Step 5

In the Map Management dialog box, use the drop-down menu next to the Program field to select the
program, ‘Boundary and Annexation Survey’. ‘Boundary and Annexation Survey’ populates the field.

Step 6

In the Sub Program field, select ‘Boundary and Annexation Survey’.
In the State field, use the drop-down menu to select a state. The scroll bar to the right allows the
user to move up and down the list of states.

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This example uses Indiana.
Step 7

In the Working County field, use the drop-down menu to select the county to make updates.
This example uses Jefferson County, Indiana.

Independent City Users
Note that the Working County drop-down menu is sorted by FIPS code. Search for the city’s code
rather than assuming it will appear alphabetically. A portion of the Working County drop-down list
(the State of Virginia was used for this example) appears below, showing independent cities near the
end of the list because their FIPS codes are higher.

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Step 8

Action and Result

After selecting the working county, GUPS will prompt the participant for a location from which to
import the county’s (or county equivalent’s) shapefiles. The Select Data Folder, Directory or Location
box opens.

GUPS only asks to specify a data download location once per project. When a project has been closed
and reopened, the shapefiles automatically load, even if no changes were made during the first
session.
Step 9

U.S. Census Bureau

In the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box drop-down menu, select a data download
location. This example assumes the user is pulling the data from the BAS website, so click on Census
Web in the drop-down menu.

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Step 10

When Census Web is chosen, the shapefile for the county begins to load and progress is displayed by
a blue striped bar (color may vary), with the percentage of the upload completed displayed to the
right.

Step 11

As GUPS loads the data, it unzips and copies the files to a folder in the home directory created during
the installation process. The data is then loaded into the GUPS application.

Step 12

After the files load, GUPS returns to the Map Management screen. In the Entity Type field drop-down
menu, select the type of entity to be updated. The options are ‘Consolidated City’, County’, ‘Minor
Civil Division (MCD)’, ‘Place’, and ‘State’.
Note: The options may vary, depending on the entity types the state contains. Independent city
users should select ‘Place’.
This example assumes a ‘County’ user.

Step 13

U.S. Census Bureau

After the entity type is selected, an Entity Name field appears. Since the entity type ‘County’ was
selected, and Jefferson County was previously named as the working county, GUPS automatically fills

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the Entity Name field with ‘Jefferson County.’

If ‘Consolidated City’ was selected as the Entity Type, the name of the consolidated city-county
government automatically fills the Entity Name field.
If ‘Place’ was selected as the Entity Type, the Entity Name field is blank. A drop-down menu, which
lists all incorporated places within the working county, allows selection of the correct entity.
If ‘State’ was selected as the entity type, the state selected in the State field automatically fills the
Entity Name field.
Step 14

In all cases, a list of the counties in the state appears at the bottom of the Map Management dialog
box.
Adjacent counties (counties whose borders touch the working county) are highlighted in yellow, and
may be checked if necessary.

Step 15

All checked counties will display in the Map View. Uncheck the box for any county in order to not
display it.
To select additional counties to display (up to a total of 10 may be chosen at once), check the
checkboxes next to them. Scroll down using the scroll bar to the right to see the full list of counties.

Step 16
U.S. Census Bureau

For this example, neighboring Clark and Jennings Counties are selected. Check the checkboxes next to
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these counties, then click the Open
dialog box.

Step 18

button at the bottom of the Map Management

GUPS unzips and copies the files to the GUPS home directory then loads them into the application. The
map management screen, with all selections grayed out, will show while the project is loading
followed by a progress bar with the message “Starting GUPS.”
The data layers for Jefferson County appear in the Table of Contents and the maps for the selected
adjacent (or other selected counties) appear next to that for the working county in Map View. In our
example, as shown below, Map View displays the maps for Jennings and Clark Counties next to that
for Jefferson County.

Step 20

If for any reason shapefiles are missing from the chosen location in the Select Data Folder, Directory
or Location drop-down menu, or the files are corrupted and cannot be loaded, an error message will
display.

Step 21

Click OK to return to the Map Management dialog box and then close Map Management. Reopen
Map Management from the Standard Toolbar.

Step 22

Try loading the file(s) from another location. After reopening map management, reselect the desired
working county and pick another option for loading the files.

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If loading shapefiles using the ‘Census Web’ and ‘CD/DVD’ options is not successful, follow the
instructions in Table 8 or Table 9 to download the files from the BAS website or Census Bureau’s ftp2
site. Then pull them into GUPS using the ‘My Computer’ option in the Select Data Folder, Directory
or Location drop-down menu. When ‘My Computer’ is selected, the Select directory screen opens.

On this screen, click on the My Computer icon in the left-hand corner.
Navigate to the location of the files to load, select the files, and then click on the Select button at the
bottom of the Select directory screen. GUPS unzips and loads the files, then moves them to the preestablished folder in the home directory.
Step 23

After working on a project, be sure to save before exiting. Otherwise unsaved edits will be lost. To
save, click the Save icon on the Standard toolbar.

The Current edits pop-up box asks to save the changes for all layer(s).

Click OK. The changes are saved.

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Step 24

Action and Result
Close the application to discard any changes (click the red X in the upper right-hand corner of the
main GUPS page). A Save? pop-up warning prompts to save, discard, or cancel.

Click Discard to not save the current project.
Step 25

To reopen a saved project, in the Map Management dialog box, click the down arrow next to the
Open Recent button. The drop-down menu opens with a list of current projects.

If sharing a computer with other GUPS users, multiple project files may appear in the drop-down
menu, as shown below. Here three separate users in Mississippi have created projects on the same
computer.

To identify which of the entries in the list represents a particular project, look at its number string.
This string comprises a BAS ID. Each BAS ID is 11 digits. The first digit indicates the Entity Type (i.e.,
the user type) (0 = consolidated city; 1 = incorporated place; 2 = county; 3 = MCD; and 7 = state). The
next two digits are the state FIPS code. The following three digits are the FIPS code for the working
county (these digits are ‘000’ for incorporated places). The final five digits are the FIPS code for the
specific incorporated place, consolidated city, or MCD that created the project (for counties, these
digits are ‘00000’ since the county is already identified in the string).
The number string,
reflects a project created by a Place user (for the City of
Lena) in Mississippi, where 1 = incorporated place; 28 = Mississippi FIPS code; 000 = placeholder
number for non-county entities (if the user were a county user this number would be the FIPS code
for Chickasaw County, or 155); and 40360 = the place FIPS code for Lena.
The BAS ID information for a particular geography is available within the Map Management dialog
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box. Below is an example for Hanover Township, an MCD in Jefferson County, Indiana.

Step 26

After identifying the correct file to reopen, select it from the list. The map for the project
automatically loads and the layers show in the Table of Contents.
Census Bureau-defined default layers and view settings are loaded each time a new project is started
in GUPS. If these default settings have been changed and then are saved during a project, reopening
the project will load these saved changes rather than the Census Bureau-defined default layers and
view setting.
To restore the default settings for a layer:




Click on the layer in the Table of Contents. A drop-down menu opens.
In the drop-down menu, select ‘GUPS Layer’. A submenu opens.
In the submenu, select ‘Load default style’ (see illustration below).

To reset the default settings for all layers, select ‘Load all default style.’

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Step 27

Action and Result
When a project is opened in Map Management, any previously selected adjacent (or other selected)
counties may appear in cyan blue and remain checked. Other adjacent counties that have not
previously been selected may appear in yellow and are also checked, as shown below.

Additional counties may be loaded at this point.
Loading Multiple Files at Once
The limit to how many county datasets can be loaded at once is 11 (the working county plus 10 other
counties). To load shapefiles for additional counties, after the first 10 are loaded:

5.3



Leave the same working county selected in the Working County field.



Uncheck the already loaded counties in the Map Management dialog box list.



Check the checkboxes for the additional counties (up to 10) to be added. Click the Open
button and after the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box opens, use the dropdown menu to select the source of the files. Repeat this process as many times as needed.

Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website

Follow the steps in Table 8 to download the files from the BAS website. Please note that images
may vary slightly as website updates are made after this document is published.
Table 8: Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website
Step
Step 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result
Enter the URL into a web browser. The Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) Partnership
Shapefiles page opens.

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Step 2

Under ‘2019 Partnership Shapefiles’, in the ‘Select a Geography’ drop-down box, select the name
of the state in which the entity is located from the drop-down list. The [State Name] Partnership
Shapefile Batch Download page opens.

Step 3

To select the county(ies) or county equivalent(s) needed, click the box next to it. Up to five (5)
counties may selected at a time. Once the counties are selected, click the Submit button at the
bottom left hand side of the page.

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A prompt to save the file(s) appears.

Step 4

Step 5

In the Save As dialog box, select a location in the home directory to save the files.

Step 6

Click the Save button. The file(s) are saved in the selected location.

Step 7

To obtain shapefiles for additional counties, repeat the download process as needed.

Step 8

When selecting the geography in GUPS, the application asks to specify the location (‘CD/DVD’, ‘My
Computer’, or ‘Census Web’) of the files. When a selection is made, GUPS asks to select a directory.
Navigate to the location of the files and select those to upload. GUPS unzips and loads the files,
then moves them to the pre-established folder in the home directory.

Step 9

When the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box opens, use the drop-down menu to select
the location from which to pull the shapefiles. In this instance, this example loads them from a
Census Bureau-provided DVD. To do so, insert the DVD into the DVD drive, then select ‘CD/DVD’,
as shown below.

The files for Clark and Jennings Counties begin to load and progress is displayed by the blue striped
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bar (color may vary), with the progress percentage noted to the right.

Step 10

5.4

If for any reason shapefiles are missing from the location chosen in the Select Data Folder,
Directory or Location drop-down menu, or the files are corrupted and cannot be loaded, an error
message such as the one shown below will display.

Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site

If using GUPS at the state level, or if downloading shapefiles for several counties at one time,
follow the steps in Table 9.
Table 9: Download Shapefiles from ftp2 Site to a Hard Drive (State Users)
Step
Step 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result
Using Internet Explorer (IE) or another web browser navigate to . The ftp
root at ftp2.census.gov main page opens.

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Step 2

Press ‘Alt’ and click the ‘View’ tab on the browser menu and select “Open FTP site in File
Explorer” to open the Census Bureau FTP site in Windows Explorer (sometimes called file
explorer). If using Windows Explorer to access the ftp2 site, no login information is required.

Step 3

After the Census Bureau FTP site has been opened in file explorer, click the ‘geo’ folder.

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Step 4

Within the ‘geo’ folder, click the ‘pvs’ folder (partnership verification shapefiles).

Step 5

Select the state folder that contains the county or counties for which data is downloading. The
state folders are represented using two-digit state FIPS codes.

Step 6

There are several sets of shapefiles within each state directory. Download the most recent
partnership shapefiles. These shapefiles are contained within a zip file with the prefix
partnership_shapefiles_18v2. Each zip file ends with a five-digit state-county FIPS code (e.g.,
08051) which represents the county data being downloaded. Make sure to choose the filename
with “18v2”, because the “18v1” files are sometimes also available in the folders.

Step 7

Select the county or counties that are to be downloaded to the local drive. These files may be
copied to any desired location. When selecting a geography in GUPS, the application asks to
specify the location (‘CD/DVD’, ‘My Computer’, or ‘Census Web’) of the files. When ‘My Computer’
is selected, GUPS asks to select a directory. Navigate to the location where the files will be saved
and select those that are to be uploaded. GUPS unzips and loads the files, then moves them to the
pre-established folder on the designated home directory.
If using an ftp client software such as winscp or FileZilla (or other), may
be connected to without a password. Participants should enter ‘anonymous’ as the user name and
their email address as the password.

5.5

Use GUPS Interface

5.5.1 GUPS Main Page
Figure 2 shows the layout of the main GUPS page. This page contains all the tools needed for
making BAS updates. All work is completed from this page. Shown in the figure are the main
page elements. These include the:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Menu;
Table of Contents;
Map View (where the data displays);
Toolbars (Standard toolbar, BAS toolbar, and Add Layers toolbar); and
Status Bar (at bottom of page).

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Figure 2. GUPS Main Page Layout

The purpose for each element on the main GUPS page is explained in Section 5.5.1 through
Section 5.7.1 describing in detail the individual components and specific functions of each
element.
Table 10: GUPS Main Page Elements
Page Element

General Function

The menu offers basic features such as Settings and Help; tools to manage the map view
and import user-provided data; important calculation, measurement, and geoprocessing
tools; and tools needed to make shapefile updates. Note that almost all of the functions
available from the Menu are also available in the application’s more conveniently located
toolbars.

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents shows the layers on the map for the county selected. Layers (or
groups) can be removed, layer visibility managed, and legend content filtered through the
Table of Contents toolbar.

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Page Element

General Function

Map View

The Map View displays the data for the county selected in the Map Management dialog
box.

Standard Toolbar

Provides the navigation and other tools needed to interact with the map and layers’
attribute tables.

BAS Toolbar

Gives the specific tools needed to make BAS updates, view linear feature attributes, review
and validate changes, import and export zipped files, and print maps.

Manage Layers
Toolbar

Offers tools to import non-Census data. Map layers may be superimposed in GUPS to
compare the features on the users’ maps with those on the Census Bureau shapefiles. Note:
although shown horizontally here, this toolbar appears aligned vertically to the left of the
Table of Contents in the GUPS application.

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Page Element

General Function

Status Bar

Displays information on the map scale, projection, and coordinates and allows the user to
adjust the display.

5.5.2 Table of Contents and Map View
When choosing a program and geography in the Map Management dialog box, GUPS
automatically loads a set of default data layers (and default layer groups) defined by the Census
Bureau for the program selected. As the map opens in Map View, the list of the preset layers
(already grouped) appears in the Table of Contents.
Use the Table of Contents and the small toolbar appearing at its top to manage the map view.
Note that the Table of Contents and the Map View windows are interdependent. Selections
made in the Table of Contents are immediately reflected on the map display.
Close the Table of Contents at any time to see more of the map (just click on the small ‘x’ in the
upper right-hand corner).

Figure 3. Close Table of Contents

To restore the Table of Contents, click the View tab on the Menu, select ‘Panels’ in the
drop-down menu, click the arrow next to ‘Panel’ to open the submenu, then click on ‘Layers’.

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Figure 4. Restore the Table of Contents

The Table of Contents will then reopen and display in its default position on the page.

Click the checkbox next to a layer to add it to the map view.
Uncheck the checkbox next to a layer to remove it from the view.

OR, Right-click the name of the layer and select ‘Remove’ in the drop-down menu.

Figure 5. Managing Layer Visibility
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5.5.3.2 Reorder Data Layers
In the Table of Contents, the order in which the layers are listed determines how the layers
display on the map. The layers at the top display on top of those below them. To change the
display order:
1. Left-click on the layer name.
2. Hold down the mouse button and drag the layer to the desired position in the list.
3. Release the mouse button to place the layer in its new position. The map display will then
reflect the new layer order in the Table of Contents.

5.5.3.3 Expand/Contract Table of Contents Menus
To expand or contract the menu for a layer or layer group:


Click on the ‘+’ sign to expand the group. When the ‘+’ sign next to the layer name
is clicked, the layer’s submenu opens:



5.6

Click on the ‘-’ sign next to the layer to close the submenu(s):

Menu & Toolbars

The main Menu, the Standard toolbar, and the BAS toolbar are located at the top of the GUPS
page. These toolbars offer general GIS and system tools used to make BAS updates.

Figure 6. Menu and Toolbars

The Manage Layer toolbar, the vertical toolbar located to the left of the Table of Contents
(shown here in a horizontal position) allows the importing of user-provided data.

Figure 7. Manage Layer Toolbar

Note: Although the Menu is always located at the top of the page and cannot be moved, the toolbars
may be moved the toolbars to a more convenient location. For example, drag the Add Data
toolbar to the top of the page to expand the area available for the Table of Contents and Map
View.

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While working with the toolbars, hover the mouse over any toolbar button to see the name of
the tool it represents. Resize and reposition the toolbars by dragging them.
The Menu, the Standard toolbar, and the BAS toolbar are described in the section below. The
Add Data toolbar is discussed in Section 5.7, How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS.

5.6.1 Menu Tabs
Table 11 below defines each of the tabs on the main Menu, provides an image of the
drop-down options for each, and describes each tab’s function.
Table 11: Menu Tabs and Their Functions
Tab
Project

Drop-down Menu

Edit

From the Edit tab, click ‘Undo’ to undo the last
action or ‘Redo’ to redo an undone action.
Note: For ‘Undo’ to work, the correct layer must
be selected in the Table of Contents. For example,
if a linear feature is added to the Edges layer, then
the layer is deselected by selecting the Area
Landmarks layer, ‘Undo’ will not delete the linear
feature. The Edges layer must be selected to undo
the linear feature’s addition.
Note: Multiple actions can be undone on a single
layer (e.g., the addition of several linear features)
if the project has not been saved. If the project is
saved, the Undo option is disabled until more
changes are made.

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Tab
View

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description
The View tab is used to complete several actions
also available on the Standard toolbar. Included
are options for navigating the map, identifying
feature attributes, measuring distance, and
creating spatial bookmarks to return to the same
map view at a later time.
This location also provides a way to:





Layer

Set what toolbars display.
Restore the Table of Contents if it has
been closed it (click ‘Panels’ in the dropdown menu, click the right arrow, click
‘Layers’ in the Layers down-menu).
Refresh the map to restore it to the
original map extent.

The Layer tab provides access to adding and
removing layers from the map, opening the layer’s
attribute table, setting the map projection, or
Coordinate Reference System (CRS), and
displaying or hide layers.
Note: Many of these same functions are more
conveniently located on the Add Layers toolbar
and the small toolbar that sits at the top of the
Table of Contents.

Settings

The Settings tab provides access to custom CRS
and map display options, and can be used to set
snapping tolerances (see instructions below this
table).

Vector

The Vector tab provides access to several
Geoprocessing Tools, used to create buffers
around features, overlay areas to create an
intersection, union, or symmetrical difference,
merge features, and perform other common
geoprocessing actions.

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Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description

Raster

Web

The MetaSearch is a QGIS plugin to interact with
metadata catalogue services, supporting the OGC
Catalogue Service for the Web (CSW) standard.
This plugin provides an easy and intuitive
approach and user-friendly interface to searching
metadata catalogues within QGIS.

Processing

Although available to GUPS users, the options
under the Processing tab are not needed for
Census Bureau geographic program participation.
The items under this tab pertain to algorithms,
creating models, viewing the results of algorithms
executed, and history.

Help

The Help tab provides tools for understanding
QGIS (the open-source platform on which GUPS
was developed) and the GUPS application itself. It
also contains BAS contact information, access to
the online version of this guide, training videos,
and other information. Clicking the About option
will bring up the latest version of GUPS installed
on the computer.

GUPS

The GUPS tab provides quick access to the key
tools also available on the Standard and BAS
toolbars, including those needed to manage
maps;

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Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description

Click the About GUPS option in the dropdown menu to find the GUPS version
number. This number will be required if
technical assistant is needed. Here the
version number is 8.15.4-0current_20181031. The number that
appears may be more recent based on the
user’s computer and software.

make linear changes;

change area features;

review and validate work;

import county ZIP files from other users, and
export maps;

and add imagery.

Note on Snapping Tolerances
Snapping tolerances in GUPS are pre-defined by layer (e.g., the default tolerance for edges is set to 15 pixels).
When making boundary corrections, it may be beneficial to adjust the snapping tolerances for a layer or
layers. To do this, follow the steps in the table below.

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Table 12: Adjust Snapping Tolerances
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
In the Settings tab drop-down menu, click on ‘Snapping Options’.

The Snapping options dialog box opens.

Step 2

From the Snapping mode drop-down menu, select whether to apply the tolerance adjustment to
the current layer only or to all layers.

Step 3

From the Snap to drop-down menu, choose the snapping method.

Step 4

From the Tolerance drop-down menu, use the up and down arrows to select the value, and then
select the units (map units or pixels) in the drop-down to the right.

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Step 5

To enable topological editing and/or snapping on an intersection, use the checkboxes next to each.

Step 6

Click OK. The new snapping tolerances are set.

5.6.2 Standard Toolbar Buttons
The Standard toolbar provides the navigation tools to interact with the map and layers’
attribute tables.

Figure 8. Standard Toolbar

The Standard toolbar actually includes several smaller toolbars. Each sub-toolbar is identified
by a series of small parallel lines that precede it.

Figure 9. Sub-tool Markers

The first sub-toolbar contains the Save button, Map Management button (opens the Map
Management dialog box), the GUPS Data Settings button (used to safely remove old GUPS
project files), and the Search button. The second sub-toolbar provides tools for viewing and
navigating the map in Map View, and the third sub-toolbar allows a user to identify, select, and
deselect features on the map, make measurements, create spatial bookmarks, and work with
the layers’ attribute tables.
It is possible to move the location of the sub-toolbars. Simply left-click the parallel lines
preceding the sub-toolbar and while holding down the mouse, drag the sub-toolbar to the
desired location.
Each button on the Standard toolbar and its purpose is defined in the table below.

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Table 13: Standard Toolbar Buttons
Button

Name

Function/Description

Save

Saves the current GUPS project,
including any user changes to layer
properties, projection, last viewed
extent, and layers added.
Choose a geographic participant
program in GUPS and access the
automatically loaded default map
display layers based on the program
chosen.
Warning! This tool deletes files and
folders permanently! Change GUPSGIS
data working directory and clean GUPS
project data.
Search the map by place, landmark, or
street name and zoom automatically to
the feature.
Designed for touchscreen computers.
Allows users to zoom and pan the map
displayed in Map View using finger
gestures to increase or decrease the
map scale.
Shifts the map in Map View without
changing the map scale. Click the
button, then click a location on the map
to re-center the map to the clicked
location.
Shifts the map in Map View to the rows
selected in the attribute table for a
selected feature. After selecting a
feature(s), click the button to re-center
the map based on the selected
feature(s).
Displays the map in Map View at a
larger scale. Click the button, then click
on the map at the location to be
zoomed to.
Displays the map in Map View at a
smaller scale.
Displays the map in Map View at a
smaller scale and zooms the map view
to the full extent of the county.
Zooms the Map View to the rows
selected by query in the attribute table
for a feature(s). After selecting a
feature(s) on the map, click the button
to view the feature(s) at a greater map
scale.

Map Management

GUPS Data Settings

Touch Zoom and Pan

Pan Map

Pan Map to Selection

Zoom In

Zoom Out
Zoom Full

Zoom to Selection

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Button

Name

Function/Description

Zoom to Layer

Zooms the Map View to the layer
selected in the Table of Contents. After
selecting the layer, click the button to
zoom to the layer’s extent.
Zooms the Map View to the previous
map extent.
Zooms the Map View forward to the
next map extent (if it was viewed
previously).
Creates and names a spatial bookmark
of the current map view.
Display all bookmarks created by the
user.
Displays Map View to initial full display.

Zoom Last
Zoom Next

New Bookmark
Show Bookmarks
Refresh
Identify Features

Select Features by Area or
Single Click

Select Features Using an
Expression
Deselect Features from All
Layers
Measure

Identifies geographic features. Click the
button, then click on a feature on the
map to identify the feature at the
location.
Allows the user to select layer features
in the map window with a single click,
by dragging the cursor, or by drawing
graphics on the screen.

Initiates an attribute table record
request by querying the table based on
table fields and/or values in the fields.
Deselects selected features from all
layers.
Provides options to measure linear
distance, area, and angles on the map.

Most of the sub-toolbar buttons defined above are straight-forward. Those related to features,
however, require further explanation. These buttons are used to identify and select/deselect
features on the map and to view feature attributes. They are also used to make measurements
and create spatial bookmarks.
5.6.2.1 Identify a Feature Using the Identify Features Button
To identify a feature on the map, follow the steps in Table 14 below.

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Table 14: Identify a Feature on the Map
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
Click the Identify button on the Standard toolbar.
Step 2

Then right-click on the feature. The results will display in drop-down menus on the map.

To see all attributes for the feature, select ‘Show attribute table’ in the faces drop-down menu.
Step 3

Alternately, click the Identify button, then left-click on the feature. The feature turns red (color may
vary) and the Identify Results screen opens under the Table of Contents, showing the feature
attributes. (Note that here the screen has been dragged from beneath the Table of Contents so that
it sits over the map.)

5.6.2.2 Select/Deselect Features Using the Select Features and Deselect Features Buttons
The Select Features button provides several ways to select features on the map. The Deselect
Features from All Layers button allows users to deselect previously selected features.
Table 15 describes each of the feature selection methods, discusses when one might be
preferable over another, and explains how to deselect features.

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Table 15: Select/Deselect Features on the Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
To begin, click on a layer name in the Table of Contents. For example, to select a linear feature, click
on the ‘edges’ layer. To select faces, click on the ‘faces’ layer.

Step 2
Click once on the Select Features button on the Standard Toolbar.
Step 3

To select an edge or face on the map, click on it. In this example, select ‘faces’ in the Table of
Contents and click on a face. The face selected turns cyan blue (color may vary).

Step 4

To select more than one face, hold down the CTRL key while clicking on the additional face(s). This
method is useful when selecting noncontiguous faces, as shown below.

To select multiple features, click the Select Feature button, then drag the cursor over the features on
the map. This method is useful when selecting a large number of contiguous faces or a large number
of nearby linear features without having to click each feature one by one.
A Note on GUPS Tools
GUPS tools remain active until a different tool is selected. For example, if the Select Features tool is
used to choose faces for a new area landmark, then in order to add a new linear feature instead, the
Add Linear Feature tool must be clicked before clicking on the map again. If not, the Select Features
tool, still active, selects a face.
Step 5

U.S. Census Bureau

To open other Select Features options, click on the down arrow to the right of the Select Features
button. The Select Features drop-down menu opens.

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Step

Action and Result

Note that when a menu option is selected, the button’s appearance changes.
Step 6

The first option in the menu, ‘Select Feature(s)’, duplicates the functions made available in the Select
Features button on the toolbar.

Step 7

The second option, ‘Select Features by Polygon’, selects features via a polygon drawn on the map. To
use this feature select it in the drop-down menu, then follow the steps below.

Step 8

Left-click on the map to begin the polygon. Drag the cursor to extend the line, left-click, and then
extend the line in a new direction. Finish by closing the polygon, as shown below.

Step 9

To complete the selection, right-click. All faces with an edge appearing within the polygon are
highlighted in cyan blue.

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Step

Step 10

Action and Result

The third option, ‘Select Features by Freehand’, selects features based on user-defined shapes drawn
on the map.

To use this option, click on the map and use the cursor to draw any shape (polygon, triangle, circle,
etc.). If the shape does not cross any edges, the single face in which the shape is drawn is selected and
turns cyan blue. If the shape crosses several faces, all faces whose edges are crossed are selected and
turn cyan blue.
Note: This method is particularly useful when attempting to select a very small face. For example,
draw a tiny triangle within a face to select it.
Step 11

The final option, ‘Select Features by Radius,’ selects features by defining a circle around the features
to select.

Polygons can be deselected by holding and using the same selection option to select by holding CTRL
and retracing over the polygons, or deselect a feature or features automatically by clicking the
Deselect Features from All Layers button (next to the Select Features button) once.
The selected features in all layers are deselected.

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5.6.2.3 Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table
Another method to select features is by querying the attribute table. To do so, follow the steps
in Table 16. In this example, the attribute table is being queried for the edges layer to locate
and select all linear features flagged as edges for block boundaries.
Table 16: Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
Click the Select Features Using an Expression button on the Standard toolbar.
The Select by Expression window opens. The window has two tabs: Expression and Function Editor.

Step 2

Under the Expressions tab, click the plus (‘+’) signs next to the items in the Functions field to display
their submenus.

Step 3

To build a query, click the ‘+’ sign next to ‘Fields and Values’ to open the list of choices and then
double-click on a field name. In this example, the ‘BBSP Flag’ is selected to search for all features
flagged as edges for block boundaries. Once selected, “BBSP Flag” appears in the expression pane, and
a Load values field is added to the Fields pane at the bottom far-right corner.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Select an operator from a full list by clicking the ‘+’ sign next to “Operators” in the Functions pane. OR,
if one needs a commonly used operator such as equals, plus, or minus, click its corresponding button
in the row of buttons at the top of the Expression pane.

Step 5

In this example, the operator for equals is needed. Double-click the ‘=‘ operator button. The
expression in the Expression pane now reads “BBSP Flag” =.

Step 6

To select a specific value for the field “BBSP Flag”, click either the all unique or 10 samples button in
the Load values field. The Values field above the buttons populates with all allowed values.

Step 7

Select a value. Then select ‘4’ by double-clicking on it in the Values field list. The expression changes to
“BBSP Flag” = ‘4’.

Step 8
Click the Select by Expression
button just below the Load values field. Then click Close.
All edges marked with a BBSP Flag with a value of ‘4’ turn cyan blue (color may vary) on the map.

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Step

Action and Result

5.6.2.4 View an Attribute Table for a Layer on the Map
To view an attribute table for a map layer, follow the steps in the table below.
Table 17: View Layer Attributes Using the Attributes Table
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right-click the layer in the Table of Contents. The drop-down menu opens.

Step 2

Click the ‘Open Attribute Table’ option in the drop-down menu. The Attribute table opens showing
all features in the layer and their attributes (e.g., name, MTFCCs, etc.). Each column represents a
separate attribute and each row an individual feature.

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Step

Step 3

Action and Result

To select a feature to view, click on the number on the far left of the row. To select multiple
features, click on the number of the row for the first feature one wants to select, then press the
CTRL key. While holding the CTRL key down, click on the numbers for the other individual rows one
wants to select. To select a range of features, click on the number for the row showing the first
feature one wants to select, then press the SHIFT key. While holding down the SHIFT key, click on
the number for the last row one wants to select.

5.6.2.5 Determine Distance, Area, and Angles on the Map
To measure the distance between two or more points, area, or an angle on a map, follow the
steps in Table 18.
Table 18: Measure Distances, Area, and Angles on a Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Measure button on the Standard toolbar.

The Measure button drop-down menu opens.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

To measure the distance between two points on the map, select ‘Measure Line’ in the drop-down
menu. The Measure box opens.

Step 3

Zoom to the map location to be measured. Then click on the beginning point on the map and continue
clicking on points until one reaches the final point. Right-click when done. The length of each segment
of the line drawn, as well as the total length of the line between the beginning point and the ending
point, appear in the Measure box.

Step 4

To measure area on the map, select ‘Measure Area’ in the drop-down menu. The Measure box opens.
When the box opens, left-click on the map to begin drawing a polygon around the area one wants to
measure. Left-click when each vertex of the polygon is reached. When finished, right-click. The area
polygon encompasses appears in the Total field. Use the drop-down to the right to see the area in other
units of measure.

To begin a new measurement, click the New button.
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Step
Step 5

Action and Result
To measure an angle on the map, first select the ‘Measure Angle’ option in the drop-down menu. Then
left-click on the map to begin drawing the angle. Drag the mouse (but do not hold down the mouse
button) to create the first side of the angle. Then left-click. Drag the mouse again (again without
holding down the mouse button) to draw the second leg. The Angle box opens showing the angle
measurement.

5.6.2.6 Save Locations on a Map Using the Bookmark Button
To save geographic locations on the map and view them later, follow the steps in Table 19.
Table 19: Bookmark Locations on a Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Zoom to the location on the map in Map View to be bookmark and click on the New Bookmark
button on the Standard toolbar.

The Geospatial Bookmarks box opens.

Step 2

Click on the row named ‘New bookmark’. Then backspace over ‘New bookmark’ and type in a
descriptive name for the bookmark (255-character limit). Click the Close button. The bookmark is
added.

Step 3

To view and manage spatial bookmarks, click on the Show Bookmarks button on the Standard
toolbar. The Geospatial Bookmarks dialog box again opens.
To zoom to a bookmark, click on a bookmark name in the dialog box and then click the Zoom to

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Step

Action and Result
button.
To delete a bookmark, click on the bookmark name, then press the Delete button.
Bookmark names and coordinates cannot be edited from the Geospatial Bookmarks dialog box.

5.6.3 BAS Toolbar Buttons
The BAS toolbar provides the BAS-specific functions needed to complete a participant’s review
and update activities, as well as to import and export zipped shapefiles.

Figure 10. BAS Toolbar

Each toolbar button is described in Table 20 below.
Table 20: BAS Toolbar Buttons
Button

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

Add Linear
Feature

Add a new linear feature.

Delete Linear
Feature

Delete an existing linear feature.

Split Linear
Feature

Split a linear feature. One may need to split a linear feature to accurately reflect
an entity’s location. This feature “splits” the original into two.

Display All
Names

Displays all names for a street with multiple names assigned in the MAF/TIGER
System.

User Address
List

Import an address list (.csv, .txt, etc.) into GUPS.

Modify Linear
Feature
Attributes

Edit attributes of a selected linear feature.

Modify Area
Feature

Make updates to legal area (annexations, deannexations, boundary corrections,
etc.).

Show/Hide
Legend

Shows or hides the layer.

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Button

Name

Function/Description

Geography
Review Tool

Review the attribute table for a layer.

Review Change
Polygons

Review change polygons in a layer and make corrections (reviews change
polygons for holes and minimum size).

Import County
ZIP

Import zipped GUPS project shared by another GUPS user.

Export to ZIP

Create the ZIP file containing all required data and shapefiles to be submitted to
the Census Bureau or to share with another GUPS user.

Print Map to
File

Export a printable map in *.pdf, *.png, *.tif, or *.jpeg format.

Internet Map
Service

Displays the chosen map location in an internet mapping service, such as Google
or Bing Maps

Add USGS
Imagery

Displays satellite imagery overlaid on the QGIS map

Add Point
Landmark

Add a new point landmark.

Edit Point
Landmark

Edit point landmark attributes.

Delete Point
Landmark

Delete an existing point landmark.

5.6.4 Status Bar
The Status bar at the bottom of the GUPS main page displays information about the map. It
allows one to adjust the map scale and see the mouse cursor’s coordinates on the map.

Figure 11. Status Bar

Table 21 describes each element of the Status bar.
Table 21: Status Bar Elements
Item

Description

Coordinate

Shows the current position in map coordinates (default is decimal degrees for GUPS) as the
map cursor is moved across the map.

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Item

Description
Toggles between the coordinate position of the mouse cursor or the map view extents as the
map is panned and zoomed.
Shows the current zoom level in the Map View. Can be changed by selecting one of the
predefined levels from the drop down, by typing in a new ratio, or using the scroll wheel on the
mouse.

Scale

Locks the scale to use the magnifier to zoom in or out.

Magnifier

Allows the user to zoom without changing the scale.

Rotation

Shows the map rotation.

Render

Temporarily prevents layers from drawing. Enable by clicking the checkbox immediately to the
left of “Render”.
Clicking on the icon opens the projection properties for the current map.
Displays system messages for the QGIS session.

5.7

How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS

5.7.1 The Add Data Toolbar
To import one’s own imagery, geodatabase, shapefiles, web mapping service, or other data
layers into GUPS, use the Add Data toolbar.

Figure 12. Add Data Toolbar

Although shown in a horizontal position in Figure 12, the Add Data toolbar appears arranged
vertically to the left of the Table of Contents in GUPS. Its buttons are described in Table 22.
Table 22: Add Data Toolbar Buttons
Button

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

Add Vector Layer

Add vector based shapefile and geodatabase files.

Add Raster Layer

Add raster based shapefile and geodtabase files.

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Button

Name

Function/Description

Add SpatialLite
Layer

Add data from a SpatialLite database.

Add PostGIS
Layer

Add PostGIS layer.

Add
WMS/WM(T)S
Layer

Add Web Mapping Services and Web Mapping Tile Services. Publicly accessible
and secured WMS services are supported.

Add WCS Layer

Add Web Coverage Services, which provide access to raster data useful for
client-side map rendering.

Add WFS Layer

Add Web Feature Services.

Add/Edit Virtual
Layers

Add or Edit Virtual Layers.

New Shapefile
Layer
Add a new shapefile layer or new temporary scratch layer.

5.7.2 How to Upload User-Provided Data Layers
GUPS supports vector data in a number of formats, including those supported by the OGR
library data provider plugin, such as ESRI shapefiles, MapInfo MIF (interchange format), and
MapInfo TAB (native format). It also supports PostGIS layers in a PostgreSQL database and
SpatiaLite layers. Support for additional data types (e.g., delimited text) is provided by
additional data provider plugins.
Below are the steps to import the most commonly used data formats. To load shapefile or
geodatabase data layers into the map, follow the steps in the table below.
Note: Only one user-provided data layer may be uploaded at a time. If uploading multiple data layers,
note that GUPS will only allow uploading one layer at a time.
Table 23: Load Shapefiles/Geodatabase Layers
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
Begin the upload. Click the Add Vector Layer
Layer dialog box opens.
U.S. Census Bureau

button on the Add Data toolbar. The Add Vector

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

In the Encoding drop-down menu, the default value is ‘System’. If an error message displays when
opening a file, use the drop-down to select UTF-8. UTF-8 populates the Encoding field.

Step 3

Click the Browse button and navigate to the folder where the shapefile or geodatabase is saved on the
computer.

Step 4

Left-click the file to upload, then click the Open button. The shapefile/geodatabase is added to the
Table of Contents and to the Map View window.

To load data from a web mapping service, follow the steps in Table 24 below.
Table 24: Load Data from a Web Mapping Service
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
To begin the upload, click the Add WMS/WM(T)S Layer button
Add Layers from a WM(T)S Server dialog box opens.

on the Add Data toolbar. The

Step 2

Select the web mapping service. Click the Layers tab, then click the New button under the tab. The
Create a new WMS Connection dialog box opens.

Step 3

In the Name field, type a name for the web mapping imagery service. In the URL field, type the URL for
the service. If the service requires a user name and password, type them in the fields provided. Click
OK. The service will be added to the drop-down menu for web mapping services appearing just below
the Labels tab.
Note: If working inside a firewall, users may be prompted to enter a user name and password to
obtain resources from outside the firewall.

Step 4

Select the imagery service added in the drop-down menu. The available layers appear in the
ID/Name/Title/Abstract box.

Step 5

Click on the layer to display, then click the Add button. The WMS is added to the map showing in Map
View and to the Table of Contents.

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Step

Action and Result
When the WMS is added, it displays over the top of other layers selected for Map View. To make it
display below these layers, click on the WMS layer and, while holding down the mouse button, drag it
to the bottom of the Table of Contents.

If participants do not have access to a web mapping service, have a poor Internet connection,
or work under a restrictive firewall, other types of imagery files may still be added to GUPS
(e.g., a county or state imagery dataset). One option for adding imagery may be the National
Agricultural Imagery Service (NAIP), supplied in web mapping service format by the U.S.
Geological Survey. To add imagery files, follow the steps in the Table 25.
Table 25: Add Imagery Files
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
Click the Add Raster Layer
Data Source dialog box opens.

button on the Add Data toolbar. The Open a GDAL Supported Raster

Step 2

Navigate to the folder where the imagery file is stored.

Step 3

Select the file, then click Open. The file loads into GUPS.

5.7.3 How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile
To import Census Bureau shapefiles already updated by another user, use the Import Project
ZIP File button (available both on the BAS toolbar and in the Map Management dialog box),
then follow the steps in Table 26 below.
Table 26: Import a ZIP File Shared by Another User
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Import Project ZIP File button in the upper left-hand corner of the Map Management dialog
box:

OR on the BAS toolbar:

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

The Open file window displays.

Step 3

From this window, click on the ‘Computer’ icon (called ‘My Computer’ in some versions of Windows)
located in the far-left-hand pane.
When the list of directories opens, navigate to the location where the shared ZIP file is located.

Step 4

Click once on the file, then click the Open button.

The file loads into Map View.

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SECTION 6: MAKING BAS UPDATES IN GUPS
The tables in this section provide step-by-step instructions for making BAS updates. The
examples assume participants have read and understood the directions for opening GUPS and
using Map Management. If not yet comfortable with Map Management, please review the
contents of Section 5:Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management).
before making updates. It is highly recommended to use a source of imagery data when making
any BAS updates.

6.1

How to Update Legal Boundaries

All examples shown here, although using real data, are purely fictitious. They are employed for
purposes of illustration only and do not indicate any actual geographic changes.

6.1.1 Recording an Annexation
Follow the steps in the Table 27 to record an annexation. The fictitious example in this table
looks at an incorporated place named Kissimmee, Florida. Kissimmee has annexed several
parcels previously outside its city limits.
Table 27: Record an Annexation
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the place (or other legal entity) that is annexing area. Be
sure to have all layers one wants to see on the map checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Action and Result

Step 3

Click the drop-down area next to the Geography field, and select the entity type (here ‘Place’), from
the drop-down menu. A list of all incorporated places in the county appears in the Info list in the
bottom portion of the dialog box.

Step 4

Double-click on the row in the list for the place that is making the annexation (here ‘Kissimmee city’).
(Note: The list of places is short, but in some cases it can be long. Use the scroll bar to the right of
the list to move up and down the list, if needed.) Once the row is double-clicked on, the map zooms to
the place selected.

If the map does not zoom to a scale sufficient to make the changes, click on the Zoom in button on
the Standard toolbar.
Step 5

U.S. Census Bureau

To select the faces to add to Kissimmee, click on the small down arrow next to the Select Features
button on the dialog box toolbar. The Select Features button drop-down menu opens. In this example
the “radius” method is used to select the faces to be added to Kissimmee. Click on ‘Select Features
by Radius’ in the menu.

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Step

Step 6

Action and Result

Next, go to the map and place the cursor where the faces are to be added.
To select a single face, simply drag the cursor outward in the center of the face. To select multiple
faces, drag the cursor across the edges that separate the faces. In this example, seven faces were
selected. The faces selected turn cyan blue (color may vary).

Because all geographic areas consist of faces, one may need to “split” a face to accurately reflect an
entity’s boundary.
To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (click on Table 34 for
instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the original face
into two faces. The new face can now be added to the new entity.
If a face is accidentally selected, it can be deselected with the Deselect Features from All Layers
option in the Select Feature(s) drop-down menu.

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Step

Step 7

Action and Result

Click the Add Area button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose Change Type pop-up box appears, and asks to choose a change
type.

Step 8

U.S. Census Bureau

Since this is an annexation, click the ‘Legal Change’ radio button, then click OK. The Create Change
Polygons dialog box opens, with the State and County FIPS codes, the place name, and the
Legal/Statistical Area Description (LSAD) already populated.

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Step
Step 9

Action and Result
Click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to open the calendar, then click on the effective
date for the annexation.

The selected date will populate the EFF_DATE field.
Step 10

Select an authority type for the annexation in the AUTHTYPE field drop-down menu.

Step 11

In the DOCU field, type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the
annexation or upload documentation for the change. To upload documentation, click the folder icon
next to the DOCU field.

The DOCU window opens.

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Step
Step 12

Action and Result
Click on the icon for ‘My Computer’ (or simply ‘Computer’ in some Windows versions) to open the
directory where the documentation was saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Step 13

Select the appropriate directory in the list and navigate to the file to be uploaded as documentation,
then click the file. The file name appears in the File name field.
To upload the file, click the Open button.

The name of the document populates the DOCU field on the dialog box.

Step 14

U.S. Census Bureau

Finally, select ‘Annexation’ in the drop-down menu for the CHNG_TYPE field.

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Step

Step 15

Action and Result

When finished, click OK. The added faces (once saved) turn tan in color on the map (color may vary).

6.1.2 Recording a Deannexation
Follow the steps in Table 28 to record a deannexation. The fictitious example in this table uses
Sayre City, an incorporated place in Oklahoma.
Table 28: Recording a Deannexation
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the place (or other legal entity) that is deannexing area.
Be sure that all layers needed on the map are checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Step

Step 3

Action and Result

Click the arrow next to the Geography field, and select in the drop-down menu the entity type from
which to deannex area. This example is deannexing land from an incorporated place, so ‘Place’ is
selected.

Place appears in the Geography field and a list of all incorporated places in the county appears in the
Info list in the bottom portion of the dialog box.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Click on the place name (Sayre city) in the list. The map zooms to Sayre.

Step 5

Zoom on the map to the location where the deannexation occurred. Then choose a method for
selecting the faces to be deannexed. In this example, in the drop-down menu for the Select Features
tool, click on the ‘Select Feature(s)’ option.

Step 6

Click on a face to select it. To select more than one face, depress the CTRL key, and while holding the
CTRL key down, click each face to be deannexed. The selected face(s) turn cyan blue (colors may
vary).

Because all geographic areas consist of faces, one may need to “split” a face to accurately reflect an
entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (click on
Table 34 for instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the
original face into two faces. One can now select the face to add to the new entity.
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Action and Result
Click the Remove Area button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box appears, and asks to choose a change
type.

Step 8

Since this is a legal deannexation, click the ‘Legal Change’ radio button, then click OK. The Create
Change Polygons dialog box opens.

Step 9

In the Create Change Polygons dialog box, click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field and,
when the calendar opens, click on the date which the deannexation became effective.

The date selected populates the EFF_DATE field.
Step 10

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Select an authority type for the deannexation in the AUTHTYPE field drop-down menu.

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In the DOCU field, type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the
deannexation, or upload legal documentation for the change. To upload documentation, click the
folder icon next to the DOCU field.

When the DOCU window opens, click on the icon for ‘My Computer’ (or simply ‘Computer’ in some
Windows versions) to open the directory where the documentation had been saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Step 12

Select the appropriate directory and navigate to the file to upload. Click the file. Then click the Open
button at the bottom of the DOCU window.

GUPS uploads the file and the file name appears in the DOCU field in the Create Change Polygons
dialog box.

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Step 13

In the CHNG_TYPE field drop-down menu, select ‘De-annexation’.

Step 14

When finished, click OK. The selected faces turn green on the map (color may vary).

6.1.3 Adding a New Legal Entity (New Incorporation)
Follow the steps Table 29 to add a new legal entity. In this example, a fictitious newly
incorporated place in Michigan is being added.
Table 29: Adding a New Legal Entity
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county where one wants to add a new entity. Be sure all necessary layers are
checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Action and Result

Click the drop-down arrow next to the Geography field, and select the entity type to add from the
drop-down menu. In this example a newly incorporated city is added, so ‘Place’ is selected.

Place appears in the Geography field and a list of all incorporated places in the county appears in the
Info list.

Step 4

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Zoom to the location where the new entity is located. To select the faces for the entity, left-click
once on the Select Features button on the dialog box toolbar.

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Then click on the map to select the face or faces.
If the entity includes only a single face, simply click once on the face to select it. If the entity includes
several contiguous faces, after clicking on the first face, depress the CTRL key and while holding it
down, left-click on each additional face to be added. The selected faces turn cyan blue (colors may
vary).

Note: Faces may also be selected (after clicking the Select Features button) by simply dragging the
cursor over the edges that mark their boundaries. Additional means of selecting faces (by polygon,
by freehand, and by radius) are discussed in Table 15: Select/Deselect Features on the Map.
Because all geographic areas consist of faces, a participant may need to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary.
To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (click on Table 34 for
instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the original face
into two faces. Now select the face to add to the new entity.
Step 6

To record the new entity, click the Add Entity button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature new entity dialog box opens.

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Note: If the Add Entity button is clicked before selecting the faces, a pop-up box warning will
appear. Simply click OK and add the faces.

Step 7

In the new entity dialog box, type the new legal entity name in the Name field.

Step 8

Next add the effective date for the legal change. Click on the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE
field and, when the calendar opens, click on the effective date.

The date selected populates the EFF_DATE field.

Step 9

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Next, add the authority type using the AUTHTYPE drop-down menu.

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Finally, either type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the new
entity in the DOCU field, or upload documentation for the change. To upload documentation, click
the folder icon next to the DOCU field.

The DOCU window opens.

Step 11

Click on the icon for ‘My Computer’ (or simply ‘Computer’ in some Windows versions) to open the
directory where the documentation is saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

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Action and Result
Select the appropriate directory in the list and navigate to the file to upload as documentation, then
click the file. The file name appears in the File name: field.
To upload the file, click the Open button.

Step 13

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Once the Open button is clicked, the name of the document appears in the DOCU field.

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Action and Result
Click the OK button.
Note: Red asterisks indicate required fields. Required fields must be completed to move forward. If
one or more required fields are not completed and the OK button is clicked, GUPS will prompt the
user to complete the fields. Any required field not completed will highlight in red, as shown below.

Once all required fields are completed and the OK button clicked, the faces for the new entity turn
purple on the map (colors may vary) and the name of the new entity appears in the list of
incorporated places in the Modify Area Feature dialog box.

Once the Census Bureau verifies the new entity, it will assign it a FIPS code.
The code preceding the new entity name in the list is not a FIPS code, and should not be used for
any official purpose. It is only a placeholder until the official FIPS code can be assigned.
Step 15

To make additional changes to the map, simply make a new selection in the Modify Area Feature
dialog box Geography field and continue work. Save changes as they are made or wait until all work
on the map is finished. Saving as changes are completed, however, is recommended to avoid losing
work in the event of a power outage or system interruption.
New Entity that Crosses a County Boundary
If the new entity crosses a county boundary, the new entity must be added in both counties
separately. After making the change in the working county, return to Map Management, select the
other county as the working county, and proceed to add the new entity in this county as well. If the
added entity crosses more than one county boundary, complete the addition in each county
affected.

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6.1.4 Deleting an Entity (Disincorporation)
Follow the steps in the table below to record a disincorporation. In this example, a fictitious
disincorporation for Minersville, Utah is shown.
Table 30: Record a Disincorporation
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the entity to delete. Be sure that all layers needed are
checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

Click the drop-down arrow next to the Geography field, and select ‘Place’ in the drop-down menu.

Place appears in the Geography field and a list of all incorporated places in the county appears in the
Info list.

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Action and Result

Step 4

Click the entity in the list to show the disincorporation (here Minersville). The map zooms to
Minersville.

Step 5

Click the Delete button on the toolbar inside the Modify Area Feature dialog box.

A pop-up asks ‘Are you sure you want to permanently delete this Area feature?’

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Action and Result

Step 6

Click OK. The disincorporated entity turns green on the map (color may vary), and it is removed from
the list of incorporated places in the county.

Step 7

To make additional changes to the map, simply make a new selection in the Modify Area Feature
dialog box Geography field and continue work.
Deleted Entity that Crosses a County Boundary
If the deleted entity crosses a county boundary, the entity must be deleted in both counties
separately. After making the change in the working county, return to Map Management, select the
other county as the working county, and proceed to delete the entity in this county as well. If the
deleted entity crosses more than one county boundary, complete the deletion in each county
affected.

6.1.5 Making a Boundary Update on a County Line
Users reporting on behalf of an incorporated place may make changes across county
boundaries for their place. The steps in Table 31 provide an example for an annexation by a
place across a county boundary. The fictitious example uses Brooklyn Village, in Dane County,
Wisconsin. It has annexed land in adjacent Rock County.
Table 31: Record an Annexation in an Adjacent County
Step

Action and Result
Independent City Users: Users reporting for independent cities (cities independent of any county and
treated by the Census Bureau as county equivalents) should follow the steps described below to
show annexations/deannexations between the city and surrounding counties. County Users: When
updating a county boundary, the user must switch the working county to add/remove area located in
the other county. To update a boundary, use the instructions below, but in Step 6, select County
instead of Place in the Geography drop-down menu, and in Step 7, click in the Info list on the name of
the county to add or remove the area.

Step 1

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To show a boundary change that crosses a county boundary, change the working county to the
county in which the added faces are located. This example assumes that Dane County is the working
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Action and Result
county and is already displayed in Map View. To switch the working county:
Click the Map Management button on the Standard toolbar.

The Map Management dialog box opens showing the program, state, working county, entity type,
and entity name selected earlier. A list of adjacent counties, highlighted in yellow, displays near the
bottom of the dialog box.

Step 2

To change the working county, click the down arrow for the Working County field to open the dropdown menu and select Rock County from the list. Select County from the Entity Type field.

The list of adjacent counties repopulates to show the counties adjacent to Rock County.

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Action and Result

Step 3

Unclick the checkbox for all counties except Dane. Then click the Open
button at the
bottom of the Map Management dialog box. A Save current project pop-up box asks if the user
would like to save their current project.

Step 4

Click the Save button in order not to lose any previously made changes to the Dane County shapefile.
The Map View displays both Dane and Rock Counties and the Table of Contents displays the layers for
the new working county (Rock County).

Step 5

To select the entity within Dane County to which one wants to add the area that is within Rock
County, click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Action and Result

In the Geography field drop-down menu, select the entity type to which the annexed land should be
assigned. Because Brooklyn Village is an incorporated place, select ‘Place’.

A list of all incorporated places in both Rock and Dane Counties appears in the Info list at the bottom
of the dialog box. The list includes Brooklyn Village.

Step 7

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Scroll down the list and click the row for ‘Brooklyn village’. The map zooms to the portion of the
county boundary where Brooklyn Village is located.

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Action and Result

Step 8

Zoom in to the faces to be annexed, then click the Select Features button on the dialog box toolbar
once.

Step 9

Click the face on the map to be added, if there is only one. To add additional faces, hold down the
CRTL key and continue to click on faces until done. The selected faces turn a more vibrant yellow
(color may vary).

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Because all geographic areas consist of faces, a participant may need to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s
location (click on Table 34 for instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate
MTFCC. This splits the original face into two faces. The face can now be selected to add to the new
entity.
Step 10

To add the faces selected within Rock County to the incorporated place Brooklyn Village, click the
Add Area button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type dialog box opens.

Click the radio button next to ‘Legal Change’ to indicate that this is a legal boundary change. Then
click OK.
Step 11

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The selected faces turn green (colors may vary) and the Create Change Polygons dialog box opens.
GUPS automatically fills the FIPS codes, name, and LSAD fields for Brooklyn Village.

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Step 12

Click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to select an effective date for the annexation.

Step 13

Select an authority type for the annexation in the AUTHTYPE field drop-down menu.

Step 14

Type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the change, or upload legal
documentation. To upload a document, click on the folder icon to the right of the DOCU field.

When the DOCU window opens, click on the icon for ‘My Computer’ (or simply ‘Computer’ in some
Windows versions) to open the directory where the documentation is saved.

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The directories display, as shown below.

Step 15

Select the appropriate directory and navigate to the file to upload. Click the file. Then, to upload it,
click the Open button at the bottom of the DOCU window.

The file name appears in the DOCU field in the Create Change Polygons box.

Step 16

Finally, use the CHNG_TYPE drop-down menu to select the type of legal change being made, here an
annexation.

Then click OK.
Step 17

Click the Save button on the Standard toolbar. The Current edits pop-up box asks to “Save the
changes for all layers? “.

Click OK. The changes are saved and the selected faces turn brown, as shown below. (Note: If the
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Dane County map is reopened now, the faces will appear as part of Brooklyn Village.)

6.1.6 Making a Legal Boundary Change for a Consolidated City
Users who represent consolidated cities (i.e., cities that share a consolidated government with
a county or minor civil division) should follow the steps described in Table 31 in Section 6.1.5:
Making a Boundary Update on a County Line to show boundary changes between the city and
any county adjacent to it. To show boundary changes between the consolidated city itself and
the entity or entities with which it shares a government, proceed as any incorporated place
user would. That is, to annex land from another entity within the consolidated government
area, treat it as one would any annexation within a county.

6.1.7 Making a Boundary Correction (Add Area/Remove Area)
To make a boundary correction that adds or removes area from an entity, follow the steps in
Table 32. In this fictitious example, a boundary correction is made to the city limits of Linwood,
Kansas.
Table 32: Making a Boundary Correction
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the legal entity to add or remove area. Be sure all layers
needed on the map are checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

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The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

Click the arrow next to the Geography field, and select in the drop-down menu the entity type for
adding or removing area. In this example, ‘Place’ is selected. The Info list populates with all
incorporated places in the county for the geography chosen.

Step 4

Click on the row in the list for the place that is adding/removing area (here Linwood). The map
zooms to the place selected.

Step 5

Click the down arrow next to the Select Features button to select the face(s) to add or remove for
the boundary correction. The Select Features drop-down menu opens.

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In this example, three small faces that are difficult to select are being added, so the best option is to
‘Select Features by Freehand’. This method allows placing the cursor inside the first face and
drawing a tiny line. The selected face turns cyan blue (colors may vary).

To select the other faces, press the CTRL key, and while holding it down, repeat the action for the
two remaining faces. All three faces turn color.

Note: To add area, the area must be outside the selected place. To remove area, the area must be
within the selected place.
Step 6

On the Modify Area Feature toolbar, click on the Add button (to add area to the entity) or on the
Remove button (to remove area from the entity).

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box opens, and asks to choose the change
type.

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Action and Result

Since this example is not making a legal boundary change, but rather a boundary correction, click
the radio button next to ‘Boundary Correction’. Then click OK. The added faces turn green on the
map (color may vary) and are added to the legal entity boundary.

Removing area from a boundary is conducted following the same steps, the only difference being
that the Remove button on the Modify Area Feature toolbar is clicked. Once the faces are selected
and the Remove button clicked, the same Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box
displays. Select ‘Boundary Correction’ and the faces will turn green.

6.1.8 Adding a Geographic Corridor
The steps to add a geographic corridor are shown in the table below. The fictitious example
provided uses Dupont, Indiana. The steps in this table show how the city would mark the
annexation of a geographic corridor along State Road 7, which in the example leads to a newly
built golf course that is part of the town.
Table 33: Adding a Geographic Corridor
Step

Action and Result
Creating a geographic corridor requires two actions: first split the faces on either side of the road (if
edges do not already exist), then add the area.

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Action and Result

Step 1

Load the data for the county (in this example, Jefferson County, Indiana).

Step 2

Pan to the location of the geographic corridor (here State Road 7).

Step 3

Click the Add Linear Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

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Step 4

Left-click on the map at the beginning point of the first line and drag the cursor to create the line
marking the first half of the corridor. Left-click at the end of the line, then right-click to tell GUPS one
has finished drawing. The line appears on the map, and the Add Linear Feature dialog box opens.

Step 5

Type a name if desired in the Name field, then select the appropriate MTFCC code in the MTFCC
drop-down list. In this example, ‘P0001 – Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary’ is selected.

The MTFCC field populates with the selection.
Step 6

Click the OK button.

The line turns from purple to dark green (colors may vary) and the name, if provided, is added to the
map.
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Step 7

Add a line on the opposite side of the road using the same instructions provided in Steps 4 through 6.
(Note: There is no need to click the Add Linear Feature button again; it is still active.) When finished,
the map should display the two corridor faces created, as shown below.

Step 8

To add the area: click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Action and Result

Step 9

In the Geography field drop-down menu, select the entity type (in this case, ‘Place’). A list of all
incorporated places in Jefferson County (including Dupont) populates the Info list at the bottom of the
dialog box.

Step 10

Click on the row for Dupont in the list. The map zooms to the Town of Dupont.

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Step 11

Pan to the location of the new corridor drawn on the map. Then click the Select Feature(s) button on
the small toolbar near the top of the Modify Area Feature dialog box.

Step 12

Left-click inside one of the corridor faces, then drag the cursor across the road. Once the cursor is
released, the faces on either side of the road will have been selected and turn cyan blue.

Step 13

To record the corridor, click the Add button on the Modify Area Feature dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type dialog box opens.
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Step

Step 14

Action and Result

Click the radio button next to Corridor. A box opens giving an explanation of what a geographic
corridor is and asking if the user wants to proceed.
Click Yes. The user is returned to the Modify Area Feature Choose change type box.

Step 15

Click the OK button at the bottom of the box.

Step 16

The Review Change Polygons pop-up box opens and asks whether this is a legal change.

Step 17

If the geographic corridor is not part of a legal change, click No. The change is automatically added as
a boundary correction.

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Action and Result
If the geographic corridor is a legal change, click Yes. The Create Change Polygons dialog box opens.

Step 18

Click on the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to select an effective date for the change.

Step 19

Use the AUTHTYPE drop-down menu to select an authority type.

Step 20

In the DOCU field, either type in the documentation number, or upload legal documentation of the

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change. To upload a document, click on the folder icon, navigate to the directory where the
document is stored, and double-click the file. The file uploads to GUPS and the name of the file
appears in the DOCU field.

Step 21

In the CHNG_TYPE field, select ‘Corridor’ in the drop-down list. Corridor fills the CHNG_TYPE field as
shown in the screenshot above.

Step 22

Click OK. The faces marking the corridor turn green on the map (color may vary). The corridor has
been added.

6.1.9 Add a Geographic Offset
To create a geographic offset, follow the same steps as for a corridor (Table 33). The only
difference is that geographic offsets are only on one side of the road.

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6.2

How to Update Linear Features

6.2.1 Adding a Linear Feature
Follow the steps below to add a linear feature.
Table 34: Adding a Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the entity where a linear feature will be added. Be sure
the edges layer is checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the map the
feature will be added.

Step 2

Click on the Add Linear Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 3

Left-click the mouse at the starting point of the line (A) and continue to left-click the mouse at each
vertex (shape) point of the line. When the new line is completed, right-click the mouse (B). The
right-click tells GUPS to finish drawing.

The Add Linear Feature dialog box opens.

Step 4

U.S. Census Bureau

Type the name of the new linear feature in the Name field if the feature is named; otherwise, leave
blank. Be sure when entering the feature name either to spell out the feature type (e.g., street,
road, avenue), or to select an approved abbreviation from the list provided in Appendix D.

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Step
Step 5

Step 6

Action and Result
In the MTFCC field drop-down menu, choose the appropriate code for the feature.

Click the OK button
at the bottom of the Add Linear Feature dialog box. The added
linear feature and the name assigned appear on the map.

Adding a linear feature coincident with a boundary – GUPS will not allow one linear feature to be
placed over another. For example, if attempting to add a road overlaying a legal boundary line, a
pop-up box will warn ‘Added Line Overlays an Existing line’. If adding a linear feature coincident
with a boundary, follow the instructions for updating linear feature attributes instead (for
instructions click on Table 37). Once a street is added on a boundary edge, update the MTFCC in the
Update Attributes pop-up to one of the "S" class feature codes (e.g., S1400) and add a name in the
FULLNAME field.

6.2.2 Deleting a Linear Feature
To delete a linear feature, follow the steps below.
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Table 35: Deleting a Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county containing the entity where the linear feature will be deleted. Be sure
that the edges layer is checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the map
where the feature will be deleted.

Step 2

Click on the Delete Linear Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 3

Left-click the linear feature to be deleted. In the example below, an unnamed road was clicked. The
clicked linear feature turns cyan blue (color may vary) and the Delete Linear Feature pop-up box
appears, asking for confirmation to delete the feature.

Step 4

Click OK. The line is deleted in the attribute table. The cyan blue color is removed from the line and
the line now looks as it did originally.
When a linear feature is deleted, it is not actually removed from the Census Bureau shapefile. GUPS
assigns a Delete Line flag to the feature in the attribute table, and the feature is later processed for
deletion when the Census Bureau receives the BAS file.
Note: If there are multiple linear features to delete, click the Delete Linear Feature button on the
toolbar once, then press CTRL and click each of the features to delete. GUPS will delete all of the
linear features selected. The cursor can also be dragged over multiple linear features to select them.

6.2.3 Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature
To restore a deleted linear feature, follow Table 36: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature.
Table 36: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the deleted linear feature. Be sure the edges layer is
checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the map where the deleted feature is
located.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

Left-click on the deleted feature. The deleted feature turns cyan blue (color may vary) and the Delete
Linear Feature dialog box opens. The box asks to confirm restoring the line.

Step 3

To restore the linear feature, click the OK button.

The Delete Line flag is removed from the attribute table and the line is restored.

6.2.4 Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature
Follow the steps in Table 37 to change the attributes (e.g., the name, MTFCC, or address range)
of a linear feature.
Table 37: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

If planning to change the name of a linear feature, check first to see if it has an alternate name. To
do this, click the Display All Names button on the BAS toolbar.

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Action and Result

To see any additional alternate names, click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Alt. Name
field. If no alternate name exists, ‘NULL’ appears in the Alt. name field.
Step 2

Step 3

Click on the Modify Linear Feature Attributes button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 4

Click the linear feature on the map with attributes to be edited. The Modify Linear Feature
Attributes dialog box opens with the TIGER Line Feature ID (TLID) of the feature selected. The
FULLNAME field populates if the feature is named. If the feature is not named, the field is blank. The
MTFCC, LTOADD, RTOADD, LFROMADD, and RFROMADD fields show the assigned values for each.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

Step 6

If correcting the MTFCC, click on the down arrow to the right of the field to open the drop-down
menu and select the correct MTFCC from the menu.

Step 7

Step 8

6.3

How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas

6.3.1 Adding a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
To create a new landmark or hydrographic area, follow the steps below. In this fictitious
example, a golf course is added in Jefferson County, Indiana, located northwest of Dupont
Town.

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Table 38: Creating a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county where the new area landmark or hydrographic area will be added. Be
sure the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on
the map where the landmark or hydrographic will be added.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

In the Geography field drop-down menu, select ‘Area Landmark/Area Hydrology’. ‘Area
Landmark/Area Hydrology’ populates the Geography field and a list of area landmarks and
hydrological features in the county appears in the Info list.

Step 4

Click on the yellow Select Feature(s) button on the Modify Area Feature toolbar.

Step 5

Then click on the first face on the map to select it. To select more than one face, depress the CTRL key,
and while holding it down, click on the additional faces. In this example, two faces are selected, one on
either side of Bear Creek. The selected faces turn cyan blue (color may vary).

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Step

Action and Result

Step 6

Click on the Add Entity button on the Modify Area Feature toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature box opens.

Step 7

In the Modify Area Feature box, type in the name of the new area landmark in the Full name field.

Then select the appropriate code in the MTFCC field drop-down list, as shown below.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 8

Click OK. The faces selected for the new entity now display in purple (color may vary). The name of the
added landmark also appears within the change polygon on the map (see green circle), and the name
of the new entity appears in the Info list.

Because all geographic areas consist of faces, the user may need to “split” a face to accurately reflect
an entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (click
on Table 34 for instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits
the original face into two faces. One can now select the face to add to the new entity.
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6.3.2 Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
To delete an area landmark or hydrographic area, follow the steps below.
Table 39: Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county in which one wants to delete an area landmark or hydrographic area. Be
sure the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

In the Geography field drop-down menu, select ‘Area Landmark/Area Hydrography’. ‘Area
Landmark/Area Hydrography’ populates the Geography field and a list of area landmarks and
hydrological features in the county appears in the Info list.

Hint

To view all the area landmarks and hydrographic areas in the Info list, use the scroll bar located to the
far right-hand side of the Modify Area Feature dialog box.
To move up and down within the list, use the blue navigation arrows located on the small toolbar near

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Step

Action and Result
the top of the dialog box.

Step 4

In the Info list, click on the area landmark/hydrographic area one wants to delete. The selected entry is
highlighted in the Info list and the map zooms directly to the selected feature.

Step 5

Click the Delete Area Feature button on the Modify Area Feature dialog toolbar.

A pop-up box opens and asks to confirm the deletion of the feature.

Step 6

To delete the area landmark/area hydrography, click OK. The linear feature turns gray (color may vary)
on the map, and its name disappears from the Info list.

Step 7

Not ready to delete? Click Cancel to be returned to the Modify Area Feature dialog.

Step 8

Once ready to delete the area landmark/area hydrography, click on the feature name in the Info list.
The buttons will reactivate, and click the Delete Area Feature button.

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6.3.3 Adding Area to an Area Landmark or Hydrographic Area
Follow the steps in Table 40 to add area to an area landmark or hydrographic area.
Table 40: Adding Area to an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the area landmark or hydrographic area to which area will
be added. Be sure the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

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Click the down arrow next to the Geography field and select ‘Area Landmark/Area Hydrography’ in
the drop-down menu. The selection populates the Geography field and a list of area landmarks/hydro
features in the county appears in the Info list.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Click the row in the list for the area landmark/area hydrography to which area will be added. The
selected entity is highlighted in the Info list and the map zooms to its location.

Step 5

To select the face(s) to add to the area landmark, click the Select Feature button on the Modify Area
Feature toolbar.

Then click the face to be added to the area feature. The added face turns cyan blue (color may vary).
(Note: To select more than one face, depress the CTRL key, and while holding it down, click the other
faces.)

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Step

Action and Result

Step 6

To add the face(s) selected, click the Add Area button on the Modify Area Feature dialog box toolbar.

The selected face is added to the area landmark and turns the same color as the other face(s) that
make up the area landmark. The map also now shows the full extent of the area landmark.

Because all geographic areas consist of faces, the user may need to “split” a face to accurately reflect
an entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (see
Table 34 for instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the
original face into two faces. One can now select the face to add to the new entity.

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6.3.4 Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Follow the steps in Table 41 to remove area from an area landmark or hydrographic area.
Table 41: Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open in Map View the county that contains the area landmark or hydrographic area from which
area will be removed. Be sure the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

Step 4

Select the area landmark/hydrography area from which to remove area. The selected entity is
highlighted in the Info list and the map zooms to its location. In this example, Indian Lake County
Park is chosen.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

To select the face(s) to remove from the area landmark, click the Select Feature button on the
Modify Area Feature dialog box toolbar.

Then click on the first face to remove. To select additional faces, depress the CTRL key, and while
holding it down, click the additional faces.
Step 6

To remove the face(s) selected, click the Remove Area button on the Modify Area Feature dialog
box’s internal toolbar.

The selected face turns light green (color may vary) on the map and is removed from the area
landmark.

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Step

Action and Result

Because all geographic areas consist of faces, the user may need to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s
location (click on Table 34 for instructions to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate
MTFCC. This splits the original face into two faces. One can now select the face to add to the new
entity.

6.4

How to Update Point Landmarks

6.4.1 Adding a Point Landmark
To add a point landmark, follow the steps in Table 42.
Table 42: Adding a Point Landmark
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open the project in Map View. Be sure the ‘Point Landmark’ layer is checked in the Table of
Contents (pointlm_18077 in this example)

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

Click the Add Point Landmark button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 3

Click on the map

Step 4

Type in the name for the new point landmark in the FULLNAME: field. Then click the down arrow
next to the MTFCC: field to open the drop-down menu.

Step 5

Select the MTFCC, then click the OK

button at the bottom of the box.

The map updates to show the added point landmark. In this case a traffic circle was added and
named Buchanan Circle.

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6.4.2 Deleting a Point Landmark
To delete a point landmark, follow the steps in Table 43: Deleting a Point Landmark.
Table 43: Deleting a Point Landmark
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Zoom to the area on the map where a point landmark will be deleted. In this example, the traffic circle
named Buchanan Circle will be deleted.

Step 2

Click the Delete Point Landmark button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 3

On the map, click on the point landmark to delete (Buchanan Circle). The Delete Point Landmark
dialog box opens, and asks to confirm the deletion of the point landmark.

Step 4

Click OK. The point landmark disappears from the map and from the attribute table.

6.4.3 Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark
To change the attributes of a point landmark (e.g., its name, MTFCC), follow the steps in
Table 44.
Table 44: Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Zoom to the area on the map where the point landmark is located and click on the landmark. In this
example, the name of Buchanan Traffic Circle is changed.

Step 2

Click on the Edit Point Landmark button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 3

On the map, click on Buchanan Circle. The Edit Point Landmark dialog box opens.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

To change the name, backspace over the name appearing in the FULLNAME: field, then type in the
new name. In this example, the name to Marley Circle is changed.

Step 5

Click OK. The new name of the point landmark appears on the map.

6.5

How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools

GUPS provides two tools—the Geography Review tool and the Review Change Polygons tool to
help users review and validate the updates made in the system.

6.5.1 Geography Review Tool
The Geography Review tool filters the map layers based on various fields in the attribute table.
This tool can check the changes made to linear features, area landmarks, point landmarks, and
legal boundaries anywhere within a county. It can also be used to view the attributes of
entities, features, landmarks, and boundaries not changed. Note: Although this tool allows
users to review changes, it cannot be used to edit them. Instructions for how to use the
Geography Review tool information appear in Table 45.

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Table 45: Using the Geography Review Tool
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click on the Geography Review button on the BAS toolbar.

The Geography Review Tool dialog box opens.

Step 2

In the Layer Name: field drop-down menu, select the data layer to view:

In this example, the file “bas18_25510500000_55105_changes_alndk” was selected. This is the
transaction data output file for the area landmark layer (note the word “changes” in the file name
to indicate the layer has been updated).
Step 3

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Once a selection is made, the attribute table for the layer opens, with the attributes for each area
landmark changed displayed in a separate row.

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Step

Action and Result
If not all the columns in the attribute data table are visible, drag the edge of the dialog box
outward to widen the view. Users may also move the dialog box to another location by clicking
inside the box and dragging it.

Step 4

To see an area landmark on the map, click its row in the attribute table, then click the Zoom
button (the row is highlighted and the map automatically zooms to the landmark selected, which is
highlighted and shows changes made in cyan blue – colors may vary).

Step 5

To view other area landmarks listed in the table rows, use the Previous Zoom and Next Zoom
buttons. The previous or next row highlights and the system zooms to the map for that row.

Step 6

Use the Search feature at the bottom of the dialog box to filter the table layers by specific
attributes (e.g., full name, MTFCC, change type, etc.).

Step 7

First, select the layer to view (in this example, the county subdivision layer is selected).

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Step

Action and Result

For each feature changed for a county subdivision, the attributes of the changed feature display in
the table rows. Each column gives the name of the attribute.

Step 8

In the Column Name drop-down menu, select the attribute by which to filter.

In this example, change type (CHNG_TYPE) was selected.
Step 9

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Finally, in the Select drop-down, select the attribute value by which to filter, then click the Search
button. In this example, ‘Boundary Correction’ is selected.

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Step

Action and Result

After clicking Search, the attribute table is filtered to show the rows for all boundary corrections
made in the county subdivision layer.

Step 10

To view an individual boundary correction, click on its row and click the Zoom button.

Step 11

To return to the attribute table to see the full (unfiltered) county subdivision layer, click the
Refresh

button in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.

Note that when filtering the table by some attributes (e.g., state and county FIPS code or MTFCC),
no drop-down list appears from which to make a selection. This is because some attribute codes
are too numerous to make scrolling through a list practicable. Instead one will receive a blank box
in which they may type the search value. For example, if filtering the area landmarks layer by
MTFCC and one wants to see hospitals in the layer, type in the MTFCC for hospitals (K1231), as
shown below, then click Search.

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6.5.2 Review Change Polygons Tool
The Review Change Polygons tool allows users to view the transactions created from the edits
made to legal entities, as well as to area landmarks and hydrographic areas. Users can review
the transaction polygons that represent boundary changes, as well as new incorporations and
disincorporations. The tool also allows users to make corrections to change polygons.

Notes on Reviewing Change Polygons
The Review Change Polygons tool must be run before the GUPS will export a file.
The Review Change Polygons tool must be run for each county worked. For example, if changes were
made to the working county, and changes were also made to an adjacent county when annexing land for
the working county, the change polygon check must be run on both counties.

To use the Review Change Polygons tool, follow the steps in Table 46.
Table 46: Reviewing Change Polygons
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

In the Map Management dialog box, make sure the county for which the check is to be run
appears in the Working County field.

Once the Open button at the bottom of the dialog box is clicked and the map opens in Map
View, the Review Change Polygons check is ready to run.
If changes in more than one county were made, the check must be run for each county worked.
This means that after completing the check for one county one must return to Map
Management and select the additional county which was worked as the working county. Then
run the check on it. Repeat this process until the check is run for all counties in which changes
were made.
If no changes were made in another county, only run the check for the one county worked.
Step 2

Once the working county is loaded, begin the change polygons review.
Click on the Review Change Polygons button on the BAS toolbar.

The Review Change Polygons dialog box opens just below the Table of Contents.

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Step

Action and Result

Note: This box can be dragged anywhere on the screen and docked.
Step 3

Use the Geography drop-down menu shown below to select the geography to review. In this
example, ‘MCD’ has been selected.

Step 4

After selecting an entity type, the Small Area Check and Find Holes buttons become active and
all change polygons for the entity type selected appear in the Info list at the bottom of the box.

Step 5

To check for small area change polygons, click the Small Area Check button. If all change
polygons are of sufficient size, a pop-up box informs the user of this.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 6

If there are small area polygons within an MCD in the working county, they appear in the Info list
with their acreage noted in the Area in Acres column. The Display All Changes button also
becomes active (this button allows one to toggle back to see all change polygons in the list).

Step 7

To view a polygon on the map, click the row for the polygon in the Info list. The polygon is
highlighted and the map zooms to the location of the polygon.

Note in the illustration above, the Review Change Polygons box was moved to sit over the map.
As stated earlier, one may move the box anywhere on the page and dock it.
Step 8

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To delete polygons that are too small (less than 500 square feet), click on the row for the change
polygon in the Info list. The Delete Change Polygon button appears.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 9

To delete the polygon, click the Delete Change Polygon button. A pop-up box asks for
confirmation to delete.

Step 10

Click the Yes button. The polygon is removed from the list, from the map, and from the attribute
table.

Step 11

Before the Small Area check is complete, repeat the steps above for each geography type for
which change polygons were created.

Step 12

Next, review the polygons for holes (that is, two or fewer small faces missed when creating a
change polygon). While still in the Review Change Polygons dialog box, select a geography type
from the Geography drop-down menu. For this example, ‘MCD’ is again selected. A list of
change polygons for MCDs in the county populates the Info list and the Display All Changes
button replaces the Small Area button (since this check has already run). The Find Holes button
remains in its original location.

Step 13

Click on the row for the polygon in the Info list to see it on the map, then click the Find Holes
button. If no holes are present, a pop-up box informs the user of this.

Step 14

If holes are found, a list of polygons with holes appears in the Holes Review box and the Fix
button activates at the bottom of the box.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 15

To correct a change polygon, click on its row to highlight it. The map zooms to its location and
displays all holes in cyan blue (color may vary).

Step 16

Click the Fix button to repair the hole. The change polygon is corrected and the correction
displays on the map (i.e., the hole is changed to the same color as the remainder of the polygon).

Step 17

Before the Find Holes check is complete, repeat the steps above for each geography type for
which change polygons were created.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 18

After reviewing for small areas and holes, use the Review Change Polygons tool to check the
general accuracy of the change polygons. To do so, select the entity type in the Geography dropdown menu. A full list of change polygons for the geography type selected displays in the Info
list.

Step 19

Click on the row for each polygon to see it on the map and to review changes.
If there is a mistake on the map (e.g., a new incorporated place was created that was supposed
to have six faces, but only five were selected), click on the Modify Area Feature button on the
BAS toolbar and make the correction.

Step 20

To review boundary changes, select the entity type to review in the Geography drop-down
menu at the top of the Review Change Polygons dialog box. In this example, ‘Place’ was
selected. All boundary change polygons for the entity type selected populate the Info list.
To review a boundary change, click on the change polygon in the list, then click the Legal Entity
Change button at the bottom of the Review Change Polygons dialog box, shown below.

The map zooms to where the change was made and a box opens displaying the information that
was entered when the change was coded. Here, because the change was a boundary correction,
the effective date, authority type, and documentation fields are not filled.

If this change was mistakenly coded as a boundary correction, and should have been a legal
change instead, the error may be corrected here. In this example a change polygon mistakenly
coded as a boundary correction rather than an annexation was corrected.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 21

Click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to select an effective date for the annexation.

Step 22

Use the drop-down menu for the AUTHTYPE field to select the authority type for the change.

Step 23

In the DOCU field, type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the
annexation, or upload legal documentation for the change. To upload documentation, click the
folder icon next to the DOCU field.

When the DOCU window opens, click on the icon for ‘My Computer’ (or simply ‘Computer’ in
some Windows versions) to open the directory where the documentation was saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

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Step

Action and Result

Select the appropriate directory and navigate to the file to upload. Click the file. Then, to upload
it, click the Open button at the bottom of the DOCU window.

GUPS uploads the file and the file name appears in the DOCU field.
Step 24

Step 25
Step 26

Finally, in the CHNG_TYPE field drop-down menu, change ‘Boundary Correction’ to the correct
change type (‘Annexation’, ‘Corridor’, or ‘Offset’). Here ‘Annexation’ is selected.

Click the OK

button. The correction is made.

When all reviews (for small areas, holes, and boundary changes) have been completed for all
entity types, and any corrections needed have been made, click the Save
button on the BAS
toolbar. All corrections are saved. The Review Change Polygons check is complete.

Step 27

6.6

If changes were made in more than one working county, return to Map Management, select the
additional county as the working county, and repeat the steps above. Repeat this process as
many times as needed until the Review Change Polygons check has been run on all the counties
in which changes were made.

Exporting a Printable Map

GUPS allows the user to generate printable maps in four formats (.pdf, .png, .tiff, and .jpeg).
The maps can be created in portrait or landscape view, on letter or ledger (legal) size paper,
and at various scales. To export a printable map from GUPS, follow the steps in Table 47.

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Table 47: Export a Printable Map
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.

The Print Map to File dialog box opens.

Step 2

In the Desired Map Titles section, type in a map title and sub-title.

Step 3

Under Page Orientation, click the radio button next to ‘Portrait’ or ‘Landscape’ to select the map’s
orientation on the page when printed.

The map orientation in the preview pane to the right changes to reflect the selection.

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Step

Action and Result
Portrait View (left) and Landscape View (right)

Step 4

Under Map Scale, click the appropriate radio button to select the map scale (one may use the
current map extent or set a fixed scale). To select a fixed scale, click the radio button next to ‘Fixed
Scale’, then click the down arrow to open the drop-down menu. In the drop-down list, click on the
scale desired.

Step 5

Under Desired Paper Size, click the radio button next to ‘Letter’ for 8½ by 11-inch paper or the
‘Ledger’ button for 11 by 17-inch paper.

Step 6

When ready to export the file, under Export File Format, click the radio button next to the desired
format. One may export the file in .pdf, .png, .tiff, or .jpeg format.

Step 7

Click the Save button. The Map Export – Save Map As… window opens.

Note: GUPS automatically selected the “output” folder for BAS2019 as the save location. This folder
was created by the GUPS installer. To save the file to a different location, navigate to the location
first before saving.
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Step

Action and Result

Step 8

After selecting the location, type in a name for the file, then click Save.

Step 9

The file is saved and the user receives a pop-up message confirming that the export is complete.

Step 10

To save the file, click OK. The file is saved either in the default BAS2019 output location or in the
alternate location the user specified. Here the file was saved in the default location.

6.6.1 How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit
When creating ZIP files to export, users have two options—exporting the file to share with
other users or exporting the file for submission to the Census Bureau. In either case, GUPS
automatically names the output ZIP file. It packages all the files required by the Census Bureau
(including any documentation uploaded) into the ZIP file and saves it in a preset location
created by GUPS during the installation process.

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Important Note
If changes are made to more than one working county, a separate ZIP file for each county is required for
export.

6.6.2 Exporting a File to Share
To export a file to share with another user, follow the steps in Table 48.
Table 48: Exporting Files to Share with Another User
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 2

After clicking the Export to Zip button, one of two results may occur, depending on whether the
changes were validated using the Review Change Polygons tool. If the tool was not used to check
the work, the Export to ZIP pop-up box appears and lists the specific checks that need to be run
before the file can be exported.

If this message appears, click the Cancel button and run the Review Change Polygons check. Then
repeat the initial export steps again.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

If the Review Change Polygon check was already run, the Export to ZIP pop-up box displays the
status of the checks and the date and time they were made, as shown below.

Step 4

Look carefully at the run times listed. If any additional changes were made after these times, click
Cancel and run the Review Change Polygons check again. Then repeat the export steps.

Step 5

The Select Output Type dialog box opens.

To prepare ZIP file to be shared with another user, select the “Share with Another Participant”
radio button. Click OK.
Step 6

The ZIP File Output dialog box opens. It informs the user that the ZIP file was created and asks if
they want to view the folder.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 7

If Yes is clicked, the directory opens and displays the folder location where GUPS placed the file.
Note: GUPS automatically saves the file to an output folder that the GUPS installer created
during the installation process.)

Step 8

The file may now be shared with another user.

6.6.3 Exporting a File to Submit to the Census Bureau
To export a file to submit to the Census Bureau, follow the steps in Table 49.
Table 49: Exporting Files for Submission to the Census Bureau
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.

The Select Output Type dialog box opens.

Click the Export for Census radio button. Then click OK.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

After clicking the OK button, one of two results may occur, depending on whether the changes were
validated using the Review Change Polygons tool. If the tool was not used to check the work, the
Export to ZIP pop-up box appears and lists the specific checks that need to be run before the file can be
exported.

Step 3

If this message appears, click the Cancel button and run the Review Change Polygons check. Then
repeat the initial export steps again.

Step 4

If the Review Change Polygon check was already run, the Export to ZIP pop-up box displays the status
of the checks and the date and time they were made, as shown below.

Step 5

Look carefully at the run times listed. If any additional changes were made after these times, click
Cancel and run the Review Change Polygons check again. Then repeat the export steps.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 6

Otherwise, click OK. The GUPS User Contact Information dialog box opens up. Complete the required
fields and click OK.

The ZIP File Output dialog box opens. It informs the user that the ZIP file was created and asks if they
want to view the folder.

Step 7

If Yes is clicked, the directory opens and displays the folder location where GUPS placed the file. Note:
GUPS automatically saves the file to an output folder that the GUPS installer created during the
installation process.

Step 8

The file is now ready to upload to the Census Bureau through the SWIM. See Section 1: on the next
page.

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PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
SECTION 7: SUBMITTING FILES TO THE CENSUS BUREAU THROUGH
SWIM
To upload and transmit update files to the Census Bureau, participants must access their
accounts in the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM), as shown in Table 50.
Note: Participants with existing SWIM accounts, should use their user name (email address) and
password. Participants without existing SWIM accounts, should contact the Census Bureau at
geo.school@census.gov to obtain a 12-digit registration token needed to create an account. Once
a token has been assigned, participants can create their SWIM accounts.
Table 50: Transmitting Files to the Census Bureau Using SWIM
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open a new browser window and enter the URL . The SWIM login
screen opens.

Step 2

Users that already have a SWIM account should enter their email address and password. Click the
Login button. The Welcome screen opens. Go to Step 8.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Users without a SWIM account must register. Click the Register Account button. The Account
Registration screen opens.

All fields on the Account Registration screen are required.

Step 4

On the Account Registration screen, first, enter the 12-digit token provided by the Census Bureau.
Then enter contact name, agency, and email in the appropriate fields.

Step 5

Create a password. The passwords must meet the five criteria below:
1.

It must be 8 characters in length

It must have at least one upper case character

It must have at least one lower case character

It must have at least one number

It must have at least one special character (valid special characters are: #, !, $, *, &, ?, ~).

Note: The commas shown immediately above are to separate the special characters listed. A comma
is not a valid character for the password.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 6

Set up a security question (click the arrow on the right of the Security Question box and select a
question in the drop-down list, then enter an answer in the Answer box). Click the Submit button
when finished. A screen opens to confirm that the account has been successfully registered.

On the Confirmation screen, click Login, and be returned to the Login screen.
Step 7

Step 8

On the Login screen, enter the email and password then click the green Login button. The Welcome
screen opens. A list of files the participant has previously uploaded, the creation date of the file, the
name of the file, and its corresponding zip size. If one needs to make modifications, click on the file to
edit, then select the Start New Upload button.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 9

To begin an upload, click the Start New Upload button. Select the Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS)
radio button, and then click Next at the bottom of the screen.

Step 10

A screen opens asking “What type of BAS you are reporting for?” Click the radio button next to the
governmental unit for which data is being submitted, then click the Next button. In this example,
County is selected.

Step 11

A screen opens that allows selection of the state and the entity (in this case county) for which data is
being reported. For this example, North Carolina in the State field drop-down menu and the county in
the County field drop-down menu are selected. Select the Next button.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 12

The Select a .ZIP file to upload screen opens. Choose a zip file to upload. Note: All files must be a zip
file. The zip file cannot contain another zip file. To upload a file, click the + Add File button on the
screen.

Step 13

The Choose File to Upload window opens.

Locate the ZIP file to be uploaded then double-click it. Note: Only one file at a time can be added.
Step 14

Once the file upload is complete, the Status field shows ‘Success.’ The name of the file appears in the
File(s) field. To add another file, click the + Add File and the upload process will repeat.
In this example, there are two files uploaded.

Step 15

After uploading the file(s), type any comments (including pertinent information about data projection
or supporting documentation for shapefiles) in the Comments field. Click Next.

Step 16

The Thank You screen appears and confirms the receipt of the submission.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 17

To submit files for a different entity, click on the ‘Upload Form’ link in the phrase “You may Log Out or
return to the upload form, to submit more files.” This choice returns the user to the Welcome screen.
To log out, click on Log Out. The Census Bureau will acknowledge the receipt of the uploaded file.
SWIM sessions deactivate after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Note: While working in SWIM, the participant may obtain help by clicking on the Help button on any
screen. When the button is clicked, a screen opens with links to help resources.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A BAS CONTACT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Table 51: BAS Contact Information and Resources
Action/Question

Resource

Contact

Request shapefiles on
DVD

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651

BAS materials
questions

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651

Legal boundary
questions

Geography
Division

Call: (301) 763-1099

Email: geo.bas@census.gov

Email: geo.bas@census.gov
Fax: (800) 972-5652

Ask guidance on areas
under legal dispute

Census Bureau
Legal Office

Call: 1-301-763-9844

GUPS technical support

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651
Email: geo.bas@census.gov
Be sure to have the number for the version of GUPS currently
installed. To find this number, go to the Help tab on the main
Menu in GUPS and click ‘About GUPS’ in the drop-down menu. A
pop-up box will provide the number.

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651

SWIM technical
support

Geography
Division

geo.swim@census.gov

Submit output files on
DVD (if the participant
does not have Internet
access)

National
Processing
Center

Send to:

SWIM token questions

U.S. Census Bureau

Email: geo.bas@census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau
National Processing Center
ATTN: BAS Returns, Bldg 63E
1201 East 10th Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47132

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APPENDIX B TERMS
Areal Feature - is a prominent and identifying feature of a landscape significant enough to
warrant name recognition, such as a lake, park, school, military base, or cemetery, etc. This
type of feature class is only assigned to a face geometry. Any face can be assigned to multiple
features. For example, a water body can also be part of a park.
Edge - is a one-dimensional object (legacy 1-cell), bounded by two nodes: a start node and an
end node. Its geometry is distinguished by the coordinates of the start and end nodes, and
additional coordinates that are ordered and serve as vertices (or shape points) between the
two nodes. An edge is a primitive feature in the Oracle database.
Effects of having Edge features in the MAF/TIGER Database(MTDB):



Represents an invisible boundary line for various geometry, geographic, and statistical data and
can stand alone.
A linear feature always occupies the same space as an edge and there are attributes on an edge
that are lone relevant when a linear feature exists.

Face - is a two-dimensional object (legacy 2-cell) bounded by two or more edges. Its boundary includes
not only the edges that separate it from other faces, but also any interior edges (two-dimensional
topological primitives) contained within the area of the face.

Geographic Area - is a demarcated area used for the collection and/or tabulation of Census
Bureau data.
Geographic Corridors - is an area that includes only a road (or other feature’s) right-of-way and
does not contain any structures. Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated shows
a corridor that has been created where an incorporated place annexed the road right-of-way,
but not the housing units assigned to either side of the road (these belong instead to an
unincorporated area). If it is important to the incorporated place that its ownership and/or
maintenance of the road and/or its right-of-way be displayed on Census Bureau’s maps, a
geographic corridor should be created. However, the Census Bureau does not require places to
report rights-of-way: maintaining geographic corridors in a nationwide database is difficult and
impractical, and the right-of-way should only be included if it is crucial to the place, or if state or
local laws require it. The Census Bureau would actually prefer that the area simply not be
assigned to the place at all.
Figure 14. shows an example where the right-of-way belongs in an unincorporated area, while
the housing units along it are included in an incorporated place (shown in color). While
depicting this corridor may be important for local purposes, it is not relevant for Census Bureau
tabulations and is not easy to depict in the Census nationwide database. This type of corridor
should not be included in a BAS response.
Please note that the Census Bureau does not require places to display rights-of-way or road
maintenance corridors that do not contain or potentially contain housing or population. If local
or state law does not require depiction of these geographic features, the Census Bureau prefers
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that they be left off BAS submissions. However, if it is necessary for the place to depict them,
then they must be submitted as a geographic corridor.

Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated Area
Figure 13 - A corridor that has been created where an incorporated place
annexed the road right-of-way, but not the housing units assigned to either
side of the road.

Figure 14. Incorporated Area and Unincorporated Area
Figure 14 - The right-of-way belongs in an unincorporated area, while the
housing units along it are included in an incorporated place.

To recap, when a participant has a case where a road right-of-way is legally included in the
boundary, but the adjacent parcels/houses are not, there are two options. One should either
not include the area in the place at all (Scenario A in Figure 15. Participant Responses), or
include it in the place and flag it as a corridor (Scenario C in Figure 15. Participant Responses).
What one should never do is include such areas within the place boundary without flagging
them as corridors (Scenario B in Figure 15. Participant Responses).

Figure 15. Participant Responses
Figure 15 – (A): The respondent did not include place ownership of the
road or the right-of-way, allowing houses along the road to be geocoded
correctly. (B): The respondent chose to show place ownership of the road,
but did not flag it as a corridor, causing houses along the road to be
incorrectly geocoded.(C): The respondent chose to show place ownership of
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the road, and flagged that ownership as a corridor, allowing the houses to
be geocoded correctly. Both A and C are acceptable.

Geographic Offsets
A geographic offset is an area (either within or outside of a geographic entity) that is only on
one side of a road (unlike corridors, which involve both sides of the road) and does not include
structures addressed to that side of the road. Much of the same guidelines regarding corridors
also holds true for offsets.
The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their legal boundaries on cadastral
(parcel-based) right-of-way mapping. Census Bureau maps are based on spatial data that is
topologically integrated which makes maintenance of geographic offsets inefficient. Using the
road centerline wherever possible will help to establish more accurate population counts. If a
boundary follows a front-lot-line, the Census Bureau strongly prefers that the road centerline
be used as the boundary. If a boundary is at the rear of a lot, then it should be depicted as such.
If it is unclear whether a particular line is a front-lot-line or something else, please contact the
BAS team for assistance. As a rule, if a house or building could not conceivably be built in the
area between the potential line and the centerline of the road, then the line can be considered
a front-lot-line. Figure 16. A Cadastral (Parcel-Based) Boundary Map depicts a cadastral (parcelbased) boundary map and Figure 17. How a Boundary Should be Represented When Sent to the
Census Bureau shows how the boundary should be represented when it is sent to the Census
Bureau.

Figure 16. A Cadastral (Parcel-Based) Boundary Map

Figure 17. How a Boundary Should be Represented When Sent to the Census Bureau

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Figure 18. Place Boundary – Front-Lot-Line
Figure 18 - Shows a situation in which the place boundary is along the
front-lot-line. In this example, the respondent must either use the road
centerline as the boundary (preferred), or create an offset.

Figure 19. Place Boundary – Rear-Lot-Line
Figure 19 - The place boundary is on the rear-lot-line, so the respondent
should not use the road centerline or create an offset, but should rather
digitize in a new boundary following the rear-lot-line.

The Census Bureau has included an “offset” shapefile in the BAS materials
(bas_2019_offset_.shp), so that a jurisdiction can be checked for any existing corridors
or offsets. While the Census Bureau prefers that new offsets are not created (see above), this
information can be helpful in determining if current boundaries are correct.
Linear Feature - is a single dimension feature (Road/Path, Hydro, Rail, or Miscellaneous) along
one or more edges.
Point Feature - is an isolated node not connected to an edge. The XY coordinate point is where
a structure resides. Point Feature structures include housing units and legacy point landmark of
public facilities such as libraries, police stations, schools, churches, malls, and some
monuments.

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APPENDIX C MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS
The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a 5-digit code assigned by the Census
Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census Bureau MAF/TIGER
products.
Table 52: MTFCC Descriptions
MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

C3022

Mountain Peak or Summit

A prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the Earth’s
surface.

C3023

Island

An area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low
wetland [including archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock, isla,
isle, key, moku and rock].

C3024

Levee

An embankment flanking a stream or other flowing water feature to
prevent overflow.

C3026

Quarry (not water-filled),
Open Pit Mine or Mine

An area from which commercial minerals are or were removed from
the Earth; not including an oilfield or gas field.

C3027

Dam

A barrier built across the course of a stream to impound water and/or
control water flow.

C3061

Cul-de-sac

An expanded paved area at the end of a street used by vehicles for
turning around. For mapping purposes, the Census Bureau maps it only
as a point feature.

C3062

Traffic Circle

A circular intersection allowing for continuous movement of traffic at
the meeting of roadways.

C3066

Gate

A movable barrier across a road.

C3067

Toll Booth

A structure or barrier where a fee is collected for using a road.

C3071

Lookout Tower

A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for observation.

C3074

Lighthouse Beacon

A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for transmission
of light and possibly sound generally to aid in navigation.

C3075

Tank/Tank Farm

One or more manmade structures, each higher than its diameter, used
for liquid (other than water) or gas storage or for distribution activities.

C3076

Windmill Farm

One or more manmade structures used to generate power from the
wind.

C3077

Solar Farm

One or more manmade structures used to generate power from the
sun.

C3078

Monument or Memorial

A manmade structure to educate, commemorate, or memorialize an
event, person, or feature.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

C3079

Boundary Monument
Point

A material object placed on or near a boundary line to preserve and
identify the location of the boundary line on the ground.

C3080

Survey Control Point

A point on the ground whose position (horizontal or vertical) is known
and can be used as a base for additional survey work.

C3081

Locality Point

A point that identifies the location and name of an unbounded locality
(e.g., crossroad, community, populated place or locale).

C3085

Alaska Native Village
Official Point

A point that serves as the core of an Alaska Native village and is used in
defining Alaska Native village statistical areas.

G2100

American Indian Area

A legally defined state- or federally recognized reservation and/or offreservation trust land (excludes statistical American Indian areas).

G2120

Hawaiian Home Land

A legal area held in trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.

G2130

Alaska Native Village
Statistical Area

A statistical geographic entity that represents the residences,
permanent and/or seasonal, for Alaska Natives who are members of or
receiving governmental services from the defining legal Alaska Native
Village corporation.

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical
Area

G2150

State-designated Tribal
Statistical Area

A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a state-appointed liaison for a state-recognized American
Indian tribe that does not currently have a reservation and/or lands in
trust.

G2160

Tribal Designated
Statistical Area

A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe that does not
currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation trust land.

G2170

American Indian Joint Use
Area

An area administered jointly and/or claimed by two or more American
Indian tribes.

G2200

Alaska Native Regional
Corporation

Corporate entities established to conduct both business and nonprofit
affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-203). There are twelve
geographically defined ANRCs and they are all within and cover most of
the State of Alaska (the Annette Island Reserve-an American Indian
reservation-is excluded from any ANRC). The boundaries of ANRCs
have been legally established.

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

Administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American Indian
reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or Oklahoma tribal statistical
areas (OTSAs). These entities are internal units of self-government or
administration that serve social, cultural, and/or economic purposes
for the American Indians on the reservations, off-reservation trust

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description
lands, or OTSAs.

G2400

Tribal Census Tract

A relatively small and permanent statistical subdivision of a federally
recognized American Indian reservation and/or off-reservation trust
land, delineated by American Indian tribal participants or the Census
Bureau for the purpose of presenting demographic data.

G2410

Tribal Block Group

A cluster of census blocks within a single tribal census tract delineated
by American Indian tribal participants or the Census Bureau for the
purpose of presenting demographic data.

G3100

Combined Statistical Area

A grouping of adjacent metropolitan and/or micropolitan statistical
areas that have a degree of economic and social integration, as
measured by commuting.

G3110

Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area

An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
whole counties and equivalents.

G3120

Metropolitan Division

A county or grouping of counties that is a subdivision of a Metropolitan
Statistical Area containing an urbanized area with a population of 2.5
million or more.

G3200

Combined New England
City and Town Area

A grouping of adjacent New England city and town areas that have a
degree of economic and social integration, as measured by commuting.

G3210

New England City and
Town Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area

G3220

New England City and
Town Division

A grouping of cities and towns in New England that is a subdivision of a
New England City and Town Area containing an urbanized area with a
population of 2.5 million or more.

G3500

Urban Area

G4000

State or Equivalent
Feature

The primary governmental divisions of the United States. The District of
Columbia is treated as a statistical equivalent of a state for census
purposes, as is Puerto Rico.

G4020

County or Equivalent
Feature

The primary division of a state or state equivalent area. The primary
divisions of 48 states are termed County, but other terms are used such
as Borough in Alaska, Parish in Louisiana, and Municipio in Puerto Rico.
This feature includes independent cities, which are incorporated places
that are not part of any county.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G4040

County Subdivision

The primary divisions of counties and equivalent features for the
reporting of Census Bureau data. The subtypes of this feature are
Minor Civil Division, Census County Division/Census Subarea, and
Unorganized Territory. This feature includes independent places, which
are incorporated places that are not part of any county subdivision.

G4050

Estate

Estates are subdivisions of the three major islands in the United States
Virgin Islands (USVI).

G4060

Subbarrio (Subminor Civil
Division)

Legally defined divisions (subbarrios) of minor civil divisions (barriospueblo and barrios) in Puerto Rico.

G4110

Incorporated Place

A legal entity incorporated under state law to provide general-purpose
governmental services to a concentration of population. Incorporated
places are generally designated as a city, borough, municipality, town,
village, or, in a few instances, have no legal description.

G4120

Consolidated City

An incorporated place that has merged governmentally with a county
or minor civil division, but one or more of the incorporated places
continues to function within the consolidation. It is a place that
contains additional separately incorporated places.

G4210

Census Designated Place

A statistical area defined for a named concentration of population and
the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place.

G4300

Economic Census Place

The lowest level of geographic area for presentation of some types of
Economic Census data. It includes incorporated places, consolidated
cities, census designated places (CDPs), minor civil divisions (MCDs) in
selected states, and balances of MCDs or counties. An incorporated
place, CDP, MCD, or balance of MCD qualifies as an economic census
place if it contains 5,000 or more residents, or 5,000 or more jobs,
according to the most current data available.

G5020

Census Tract

Relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a County or equivalent
feature delineated by local participants as part of the Census Bureau’s
Participant Statistical Areas Program.

G5030

Block Group

A cluster of census blocks having the same first digit of their four-digit
identifying numbers within a Census Tract. For example, block group 3
(BG 3) within a Census Tract includes all blocks numbered from 3000 to
3999.

G5035

Block Area Grouping

A user-defined group of islands forming a single census tabulation
block. A BAG must: (1) consist of two or more islands, (2) have a
perimeter entirely over water, (3) not overlap, and (4) not cross the
boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county or
incorporated place boundaries.

G5040

Tabulation Block

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description
not cross the boundary of any other geographic area for which the
Census Bureau tabulates data. The subtypes of this feature are Count
Question Resolution (CQR), current, and census.

G5200

Congressional District

The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist for state
equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no representative. The
subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 111th
Congressional Districts, plus subsequent Congresses.

G5210

State Legislative District
(Upper Chamber

Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the upper or unicameral chamber of a state
governing body. The upper chamber is the senate in a bicameral
legislature, and the unicameral case is a single house legislature
(Nebraska).

G5220

State Legislative District
(Lower Chamber)

Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the lower chamber of a state governing body.
The lower chamber is the House of Representatives in a bicameral
legislature.

G5240

Voting District

The generic name for the geographic features, such as precincts,
wards, and election districts, established by state, local, and tribal
governments for the purpose of conducting elections.

G5400

Elementary School District

A geographic area within which officials provide public elementary
grade-level educational services for residents.

G5410

Secondary School District

A geographic area within which officials provide public secondary
grade-level educational services for residents.

G5420

Unified School District

A geographic area within which officials provide public educational
services for all grade levels for residents.

G6120

Public-Use Microdata Area

A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 or more
persons for which the Census Bureau provides selected extracts of
household-level data that are screened to protect confidentiality.

G6300

Traffic Analysis District

An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic Analysis District
(TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs).

G6320

Traffic Analysis Zone

An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data.

G6330

Urban Growth Area

An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization that the
Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® System in agreement with
the state.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G6350

ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(Five-Digit)

An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.

G6400

Commercial Region

For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data, municipios in
Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.

H1100

Connector

A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between two
nonadjacent water features.

H2025

Swamp/Marsh

A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy,
possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, marais and
pocosin].

H2030

Lake/Pond

A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.

H2040

Reservoir

An artificially impounded body of water.

H2041

Treatment Pond

An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.

H2051

Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight, cove
and inlet].

H2053

Ocean/Sea

The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.

H2060

Gravel Pit/Quarry filled
with water

A body of water in a place or area from which commercial minerals
were removed from the Earth.

H2081

Glacier

A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of
accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top
or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice field and ice
patch].

H3010

Stream/River

A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, branch,
brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].

H3013

Braided Stream

A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of interlacing
channels.

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate or
drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as a
waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].

K1225

Crew-of-Vessel Location

A point or area in which the population of military or merchant marine
vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near the home port pier.

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent
Care Facility

One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive medical
or surgical attention [including infirmary].

K1235

Juvenile Institution

A facility (correctional and non-correctional) where groups of juveniles
reside; this includes training schools, detention centers, residential
treatment centers and orphanages.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-6

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

K1236

Local Jail or Detention
Center

One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, administered by a local (county,
municipal, etc.) government.

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State
Prison, or Prison Farm

An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult
persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal government
or a state government.

K1238

Other Correctional
Institution

One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere classified or
administered by a government of unknown jurisdiction.

K1239

Convent, Monastery,
Rectory, Other Religious
Group Quarters

One or more structures intended for use as a residence for those
having a religious vocation.

K1246

Community Center

Community Center.

K2110

Military Installation

An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense for use
by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned area for the use of the
National Guard.

K2165

Government Center

A place used by members of government (either federal, state, local, or
tribal) for administration and public business.

K2167

Convention Center

An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space to host
public and private business and social events.

K2180

Park

Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local
governments.

K2181

National Park Service Land

Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—under the
jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

K2182

National Forest or Other
Federal Land

K2183

Tribal Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of an American Indian
tribe.

K2184

State Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a state government.

K2185

Regional Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a regional
government.

K2186

County Park, Forest, or

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-7

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

Recreation Area

natural resource and under the administration of a county
government.

K2187

County Subdivision Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a minor civil division
(town/township) government.

K2188

Incorporated Place Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a municipal
government.

K2189

Private Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or preservation
of a cultural or natural resource.

K2190

Other Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area (quasipublic, independent park,
commission, etc.)

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of some other type of
government or agency such as an independent park authority or
commission.

K2191

Post Office

An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and
distributing mail and other postal material.

K2193

Fire Department

Fire Department.

K2194

Police Station

Police Station.

K2195

Library

Library.

K2196

City/Town Hall

City/Town Hall.

K2400

Transportation Terminal

A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be accessed
by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of such a facility
include marine terminal, bus station, train station, airport and truck
warehouse.

K2424

Marina

A place where privately owned, light-craft are moored.

K2432

Pier/Dock

A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by
piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, or it may be
used for recreational purposes.

K2451

Airport or Airfield

A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including
airstrip, landing field and landing strip].

K2452

Train Station, Trolley or
Mass Transit Rail Station

A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines, including
associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.

K2453

Bus Terminal

A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle transit,
including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.

K2454

Marine Terminal

A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or where
cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, and other

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-8

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description
commercial offices.

K2455

Seaplane Anchorage

A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or taking
off from a body of water can debark and load.

K2456

Airport—Intermodal
Transportation
Hub/Terminal

A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and exit
airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of transportation.

K2457

Airport—Statistical
Representation

The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census blocks
used for the delineation of urban areas.

K2458

Park and Ride
Facility/Parking Lot

A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to other
modes of transportation.

K2459

Runway/Taxiway

A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for taking off
and landing at an airport.

K2460

Helicopter Landing Pad

A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for taking
off and landing.

K2540

University or College

A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].

K2543

School or Academy

A building or group of buildings used as an institution for preschool,
elementary or secondary study, teaching, and learning [including
elementary school and high school].

K2545

Museum, Visitor Center,
Cultural Center, or Tourist
Attraction

An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest that
provides information or displays artifacts.

K2561

Golf Course

A place designed for playing golf.

K2582

Cemetery

A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground and
memorial garden].

K2586

Zoo

A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined within
enclosures and displayed to the public for educational, preservation,
and research purposes.

K3544

Place of Worship

A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious
worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and mosque.

L4010

Pipeline

A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with
pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid (e.g., crude
oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.

L4020

Powerline

One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for conducting
high-voltage electric power.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-9

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers
suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.

L4110

Fence Line

A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually
made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine,
or to mark a boundary.

L4121

Ridge Line

The line of highest elevation along a ridge.

L4125

Cliff/Escarpment

A very steep or vertical slope [including bluff, crag, head, headland,
nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and rimrock].

L4130

Point-to-Point Line

A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at
another, both of which are in sight.

L4140

Property/Parcel Line
(Including PLSS)

This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either public or
private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote a Public Land
Survey System or equivalent survey line.

L4150

Coastline

The line that separates either land or Inland water from Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly borders Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline represents the Coastline.
Where Inland water (such as a river) flows into Coastal, Territorial or
Great Lakes water, the closure line separating the Inland water from
the other class of water represents the Coastline.

L4165

Ferry Crossing

The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and forth over
a waterbody in a boat.

P0001

Nonvisible Linear
Legal/Statistical Boundary

A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a
shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.

P0002

Perennial Shoreline

The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water for a
water feature that exists year-round.

P0003

Intermittent Shoreline

The boundary between land and water (when water is present) for a
water feature that does not exist year-round.

P0004

Other non-visible
bounding Edge (e.g.,
Census water boundary,
boundary of an aerial
feature)

A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical boundary,
and does not correspond to a shoreline or other visible feature on the
ground. Many such Edges bound area landmarks, while many others
separate water features from each other (e.g., where a bay meets the
ocean).

R1011

Railroad Feature (Main,
Spur, or Yard)

A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad traffic.
Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of a rail yard.

R1051

Carline, Streetcar Track,
Monorail, Other Mass
Transit

Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, monorails,
streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically inaccessible to mainstream
railroad traffic and whose tracks are not part of a road right-of-way.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-10

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

R1052

Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail
Line, Tram

A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is typically
inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that aerial tramways
and streetcars (which may also be called “trams”) are accounted for by
other MTFCCs and do not belong in R1052.

S1100

Primary Road

Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways within the
interstate highway system or under state management, and are
distinguished by the presence of interchanges. These highways are
accessible by ramps and may include some toll highways.

S1200

Secondary Road

Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. Highway, State
Highway or County Highway system. These roads have one or more
lanes of traffic in each direction, may or may not be divided, and
usually have at-grade intersections with many other roads and
driveways. They often have both a local name and a route number.

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road,
Rural Road, City Street

Generally, a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that usually has a
single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in this feature class may
be privately or publicly maintained. Scenic park roads would be
included in this feature class, as would (depending on the region of the
country) some unpaved roads.

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is required.
These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in very rural areas.
Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars and trucks belong in the
S1400 category.

S1630

Ramp

A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a limited
access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf interchange. These
roads are unaddressable and do not carry a name in the MAF/TIGER
System.

S1640

Service Drive usually along
a limited access highway

A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that provides
access to structures along the highway. These roads can be named and
may intersect with other roads.

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.

S1720

Stairway

A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series of
steps.

S1730

Alley

A service road that does not generally have associated addressed
structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at the rear of buildings
and properties and is used for deliveries.

S1740

Private Road for service
vehicles (logging, oil fields,
ranches, etc.)

A road within private property that is privately maintained for service,
extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often unnamed.

S1750

Internal U.S. Census

Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-11

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

Bureau use
S1780

Parking Lot Road

The main travel route for vehicles through a paved parking area.

S1820

Bike Path or Trail

A path that is used for manual or small, motorized bicycles, being
either too narrow for or legally restricted from vehicular traffic.

S1830

Bridle Path

A path that is used for horses, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.

S2000

Road Median

The unpaved area or barrier between the carriageways of a divided
road.

Note: The information in this table was last updated in November 2017.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-12

APPENDIX D STANDARD STREET TYPE ABBREVIATIONS
Table 53: Standard Street Type Abbreviations

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

ALLEY
ANEX
ARCADE
AVENUE
BAYOU
BEACH
BEND
BLUFF
BLUFFS
BOTTOM
BOULEVARD
BRANCH
BRIDGE
BROOK
BROOKS
BURG
BURGS
BYPASS
CAMP
CANYON
CAPE
CAUSEWAY
CENTER
CENTERS
CIRCLE
CIRCLES
CLIFF
CLIFFS
CLUB
COMMON
COMMONS
CORNER
CORNERS
COURSE
COURT
COURTS
COVE
COVES
CREEK
CRESCENT
CREST
CROSSING
CROSSROAD
CROSSROADS
CURVE
DALE

ALY
ANX
ARC
AVE
BYU
BCH
BND
BLF
BLFS
BTM
BLVD
BR
BRG
BRK
BRKS
BG
BGS
BYP
CP
CYN
CPE
CSWY
CTR
CTRS
CIR
CIRS
CLF
CLFS
CLB
CMN
CMNS
COR
CORS
CRSE
CT
CTS
CV
CVS
CRK
CRES
CRST
XING
XRD
XRDS
CURV
DL
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

DAM
DIVIDE
DRIVE
DRIVES
ESTATE
ESTATES
EXPRESSWAY
EXTENSION
EXTENSIONS
FALL
FALLS
FERRY
FIELD
FIELDS
FLAT
FLATS
FORD
FORDS
FOREST
FORGE
FORGES
FORK
FORKS
FORT
FREEWAY
GARDEN
GARDENS
GATEWAY
GLEN
GLENS
GREEN
GREENS
GROVE
GROVES
HARBOR
HARBORS
HAVEN
HEIGHTS
HIGHWAY
HILL
HILLS
HOLLOW
INLET
ISLAND
ISLANDS
ISLE
JUNCTION
JUNCTIONS
KEY
KEYS

DM
DV
DR
DRS
EST
ESTS
EXPY
EXT
EXTS
FALL
FLS
FRY
FLD
FLDS
FLT
FLTS
FRD
FRDS
FRST
FRG
FRGS
FRK
FRKS
FT
FWY
GDN
GDNS
GTWY
GLN
GLNS
GRN
GRNS
GRV
GRVS
HBR
HBRS
HVN
HTS
HWY
HL
HLS
HOLW
INLT
IS
ISS
ISLE
JCT
JCTS
KY
KYS
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-2

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

KNOLL
KNOLLS
LAKE
LAKES
LAND
LANDING
LANE
LIGHT
LIGHTS
LOAF
LOCK
LOCKS
LODGE
LOOP
MALL
MANOR
MANORS
MEADOW
MEADOWS
MEWS
MILL
MILLS
MISSION
MOTORWAY
MOUNT
MOUNTAIN
MOUNTAINS
NECK
ORCHARD
OVAL
OVERPASS
PARK
PARKS
PARKWAY
PARKWAYS
PASS
PASSAGE
PATH
PIKE
PINE
PINES
PLACE
PLAIN
PLAINS
PLAZA
POINT
POINTS
PORT
PORTS
PRAIRIE

KNL
KNLS
LK
LKS
LAND
LNDG
LN
LGT
LGTS
LF
LCK
LCKS
LDG
LOOP
MALL
MNR
MNRS
MDW
MDWS
MEWS
ML
MLS
MSN
MTWY
MT
MTN
MTNS
NCK
ORCH
OVAL
OPAS
PARK
PARK
PKWY
PKWY
PASS
PSGE
PATH
PIKE
PNE
PNES
PL
PLN
PLNS
PLZ
PT
PTS
PRT
PRTS
PR
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-3

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

RADIAL
RAMP
RANCH
RAPID
RAPIDS
REST
RIDGE
RIDGES
RIVER
ROAD
ROADS
ROUTE
ROW
RUE
RUN
SHOAL
SHOALS
SHORE
SHORES
SKYWAY
SPRING
SPRINGS
SPUR
SPURS
SQUARE
SQUARES
STATION
STRAVENUE
STREAM
STREET
STREETS
SUMMIT
TERRACE
THROUGHWAY
TRACE
TRACK
TRAFFICWAY
TRAIL
TRAILER
TUNNEL
TURNPIKE
UNDERPASS
UNION
UNIONS
VALLEY
VALLEYS
VIADUCT
VIEW
VIEWS
VILLAGE

RADL
RAMP
RNCH
RPD
RPDS
RST
RDG
RDGS
RIV
RD
RDS
RTE
ROW
RUE
RUN
SHL
SHLS
SHR
SHRS
SKWY
SPG
SPGS
SPUR
SPUR
SQ
SQS
STA
STRA
STRM
ST
STS
SMT
TER
TRWY
TRCE
TRAK
TRFY
TRL
TRLR
TUNL
TPKE
UPAS
UN
UNS
VLY
VLYS
VIA
VW
VWS
VLG
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-4

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

VILLAGES
VILLE
VISTA
WALK
WALKS
WALL
WAY
WAYS
WELL
WELLS

VLGS
VL
VIS
WALK
WALK
WALL
WAY
WAYS
WL
WLS

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-5

APPENDIX E GUPS TOOLS
E.1 Set Layer Symbology
GUPS loads a default layer symbology established for each Census Bureau geographic
partnership program. The default symbology can be changed to suit users’ preferences. To
change the default symbology for a layer in GUPS follow the instructions in Table 54.
Table 54: Reset Layer Symbology
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right-click on the layer in the Table of Contents (in this example, the Edges layer was selected). The
Layers drop-down menu opens.

Step 2

In the drop-down menu, choose ‘Properties’. The Layer Properties screen opens.

Step 3

In the left-hand pane, click on Style, then double-click the symbol to be edited in the layers list. In this
example, ‘Roads, substr (“MTFCC, 1,1) = S1100’ is selected.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-1

Step

Action and Result

The Rule Properties dialog box opens and the Label and Filter fields display the item chosen. The
Symbol pane shows the current symbology (yellow line).

Step 4

U.S. Census Bureau

Choose a new color from the Color drop-down menu, or select a different symbol for the layer
altogether by double-clicking any symbol in the Symbols in Group field. Click OK. The new symbology
will display in the Table of Contents and in Map View.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-2

Step

Action and Result

E.2 Change Label Display
To change the default labeling for a layer, follow the steps in Table 55.
Table 55: Change Default Labeling
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right click on the layer (the edges layer is being selected) in the Table of Contents. The Layers dropdown menu opens.

Step 2

In the drop-down menu, choose ‘Properties’. The Layer Properties dialog box opens.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-3

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

In the far left-hand pane, click Labels. The options to change the label display properties open in the
main window.

Step 4

To change the attribute field, click on the drop-down menu for ‘Label this layer with’ at the top of the
screen, and select the desired option.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-4

Step

Action and Result

Text style options allow the user to change the font, style, size, color, transparency, type case, and
spacing of layer labels. Shown below are the drop-down options for style.

E.3 Restoring Default Label Display Settings
To restore the default labeling for a layer, follow the steps in Table 56.
Table 56: Restoring Default Labeling
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right-click on the layer that was changed in the Table of Contents. The layer’s drop-down menu
opens.

Step 2

In this example, the Edges layer is selected. In the drop-down menu, click on the arrow to the right
of ‘GUPS Layer’. Four options appear: ‘Load default style’, ‘Load all default style’, ‘Load BBSP Edges
style’, and ‘Load Low profile Edges style’.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-5

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Select ‘Load default style’ to restore the selected layer’s original properties OR select ‘Load all
default style’ to reset ALL the layers to their original settings.

E.4 Using the Table of Contents Toolbar to Manage Layers
Using the buttons on the toolbar located at the top of the Table of Contents, users can add and
remove layers or groups, manage layer visibility, filter the legend by map content, expand or
contract all sections of the Table of Contents list at once, and group layers.
The Table of Contents Layers toolbar contains the items shown below in Figure 20.
Table 57: Table of Contents Layers Toolbar Buttons describes the function of each of the
buttons on the toolbar.

Figure 20. Table of Contents Layers Toolbar
Table 57: Table of Contents Layers Toolbar Buttons
Button

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

Add Group

Allows the user to organize layers in the Table of Contents
into groups.

Manage Layer
Visibility

Allows the user to preset views in the Table of Contents.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-6

Button

Name

Function/Description

Filter Legend by
Map Content

Removes from the Table of Contents display any layers that
are not currently in the Map View extent. This feature
ensures that the Table of Contents does not contain entries
for items not currently in the map view.

Expand All

Expands the Table of Contents menus (+) to display all layers
under each group’s menu.

Collapse All

Collapses the Table of Contents menus (-) to show only
groups.

Remove
Layer/Group

Allows the user to remove a layer or group from the Table of
Contents.

E.5 Preset Views in the Manage Layer Visibility Table of Contents
The user can add preset views
in the Table of Contents by clicking on the Manage Layer
Visibility button on the Table of Contents toolbar. One can choose to display a layer with
specific categorization and add this view to the Presets list.
To add a preset view, click on the Manage Layer Visibility button and choose ‘Add Preset…’
from the drop-down menu.

Figure 21. Add Preset Layer

When the Visibility Presets pop-up appears, enter the name of the new preset and click OK.

Figure 22. Visibility Presets Dialog Box

Note: A list of preset views can be seen by clicking on the Manage Layer Visibility button.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-7

Add a Layer
Clicking on the Add Vector Layer button on the Add Data toolbar adds shapefile and
geodatabase feature classes to the GUPS project. Instructions and accompanying graphics are
included in Section 5.7.1: The Add Data Toolbar.
Remove a Layer or Group
To remove a layer or group in the Table of Contents:


Left-click on the layer/group one wants to remove, hold down the CTRL key, and click the
Remove a Layer or Group button. The layer/group is removed.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-8

APPENDIX F MAF/TIGER FEATURE CLASSIFICATION
Table 58: MAF/TIGER Feature Classification
MTFCC

FEATURE NAME

S1100

Interstate Highway or Primary Road with limited access

S1200

Primary Road without limited access, US Highway, State Highway, or County Highway, Secondary and
connecting roads

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road, Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along a limited access highway

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

S1720

Stairway

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for service vehicles (logging, oil fields, ranches, etc.)

S1750

Private Driveway

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

R1011

Railroad Feature (Main, Spur, or Yard)

R1051

Carline, Streetcar Track, Monorail, Other Mass Transit Rail

R1052

Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail Line, Tram

P0001

Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Power Transmission Line

L4110

Fence Line

L4121

Ridge Line

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

K2451

Airport or Airfield

L4140

Property/Parcel Line

L4165

Ferry Crossing

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

F-1

APPENDIX G SHAPEFILE NAMES
State Shapefile Names - PVS_19_v2__.shp, where is the number
corresponding to the state, for example, “24” and is the abbreviation for the
shapefile layer, describe in detail below.
Table 59: State Shapefiles Names
Shapefile Layer
American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal
2010 American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal

aial
aial2010

American Indian Areas (AIA) – Statistical

aias

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Legal

aitsl

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Statistical

aitss

Block Area Group

bag

Metropolitan Statistical Area/Metropolitan Statistical Area
Congressional Districts

cbsa
cd

Census Designated Place

cdp

Counties and Equivalent Areas

county

2010 Counties and Equivalent Areas

county2010

Elementary School Districts

elsd

County Subdivisions - Legal

mcd

New England City and Town Areas

necta

Incorporated Places

place

2010 Public Use Microdata Areas

puma2010

Secondary School Districts

scsd

State Legislative Districts Lower

sldl

State Legislative District Upper Chambers

sldu

State

state

Tribal Block Groups

tbg

Tribal Census Tracts

tct

2010 Census Tracts

tracts2010

Urban Area

uac

Unified School District State-Based

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

unsd

G-1

County Shapefile Names - PVS_19_v2__.shp, where is the
number corresponding to the state and county, for example, “24001” and is the
abbreviation for the shapefile layer, describe in detail below.
Table 60: County Shapefiles Names
Shapefile Layer
American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal

aial

American Indian Areas (AIA) – Statistical

aias

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Legal

aitsl

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Statistical

aitss

Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANRC)

anrc

Area Landmark

arealm

Block Area Groups

bag

Block Groups

Metropolitan Statistical Area/Metropolitan Statistical Area

cbsa

Census County Division

ccd

Congressional Districts

Census Designated Place

cdp

Consolidated Cities

concity

Counties and Equivalent Areas

county

Census Tracts - Current

curtracts

All Lines

edges

Elementary School Districts

elsd

Hawaiian Home Lands (HHL)

hhl

County Subdivisions - Legal

mcd

New England City and Town Areas

necta

Offsets

offset

Incorporated Places

place

Point Landmarks

pointlm

2010 Public Use Microdata Areas
Secondary School Districts

puma2010
scsd

State Legislative Districts Lower

sldl

State Legislative Districts Upper

sldu

Subbarrios

submcd

Census Blocks - Current

tabblock

2010 Census Blocks

U.S. Census Bureau

tabblock2010

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

G-2

Shapefile Layer

2010 Traffic Analysis Delineation

tad2010

2010 Traffic Analysis Zones

taz2010

Tribal Block Groups

tbg

Tribal Census Tracts

tct

2010 Census Tracts

tracts2010

Census Urban Areas

uac

Urban Growth Area

uga

Hydrography - Area

water

Unified School Districts

unsd

Relationship Tables
Address Ranges

addr

Topological Faces (2-cells with all geocodes)

faces

Topological Faces - Area Landmark Relationship
Topological Faces - Area Hydrography Relationship
Linear Feature Names - Fielded

U.S. Census Bureau

areafaces
hydrofaces
allnames

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

G-3

APPENDIX H SHAPEFILE LAYOUTS
Table 61: Edges Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_edges)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

STATEFP

String

FIPS state code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

TLID

Double

Permanent edge ID

TFIDL

Double

Permanent face ID (left)

TFIDR

Double

Permanent face ID (right)

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FIDELITY

String

FULLNAME

String

SMID

String

Spatial Theta ID

SMIDTYPE

String

SMIDTYPE code

BBSPFLG

String

CBBFLG

String

BBSP_2020

String

New BBSP flag

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of linear feature update

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

LTOADD

String

Left To address

RTOADD

String

Right To address

LFROMADD

String

Left From address

RFROMADD

String

Right From address

ZIPL

String

Left zip code

ZIPR

String

Right zip code

EXTTYP

Char

Extension type

MTUPDATE

Date

Date of last update to the edge

Indication to a respondent when their entity boundary
has changed through spatial enhancement
Decoded feature name with abbreviated qualifier,
direction, and feature type

Redistricting data project participant’s submitted
request of an EDGE for selection as a block boundary
Indicates the status of an EDGE for a selection as a block
boundary

Table 62: Address Ranges Attribute File (PVS_19_v2_addr)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

OID

STRING

Object ID

TLID

Integer

TIGER Line ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

FROMHN

String

From House Number

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-1

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

TOHN

String

To House Number

SIDE

String

Side Indicator Flag

ZIP

String

5-digit ZIP Code

PLUS4

String

ZIP+4 Code

LFROMADD

String

Left From Address

LTOADD

String

Left To Address

RFROMADD

String

Right From Address

RTOADD

String

Right To Address

ZIPL

String

Left 5-digit ZIP Code

ZIPR

String

Right 5-digit ZIP Code

ZIP4L

String

Left ZIP+4 Code

ZIP4R

String

Right ZIP+4 Code

Table 63: Census Block Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_tabblock2010)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

BLKSZIND

String

Block Size Indicator

BLOCK

String

Block Number

BLOCKCE

String

Tabulation Block Number

BLOCKID

String

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract Code,
Block Number
Census County FIPS code

COUNTYFP10

String

FIPS County Code

FID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

NCELIGBLE

String

New Construction Program eligible

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

Shape

String

Type of shape

STATEFP

String

Census state FIPS code

STATEFP10

String

FIPS State Code

SUFFIX1CE

String

Census Block Suffix 1

SUFFIX2CE

String

Census Block Suffix 2

TRACTCE10

String

Census tract code

Table 64: Census Tract Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_curtracts)
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-2

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

FID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

NEW_CODE

String

New Congressional District Code

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

Shape

String

Type of shape

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

TRACTCE

String

Census Tract Code

TRACTID

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract Code

TRACTLABEL

String

Tract number used for LUCA geocoding

TRACTTYP

String

Tract Characteristic Flag

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Table 65: American Indian Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_aial)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag Indicating Level of Recognition of an AIA

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIA areas

AREA

Double

Acreage of Area Update

String

Authorization Type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

AUTHTYPE

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code Describing an Entity

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if Reservation, Trust Land, or both are Present

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective Date

FID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

FORM_ID

String

(MTPS and Web BAS Only)

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-3

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

NAME

100

String

AIA name

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with Translated LSAD

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

Shape

String

Type of shape

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the Data

Table 66: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_county)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

STATEFP

String

FIPS state code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

COUNTYNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county or equivalent feature

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD code

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description code

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

Table 67: County Subdivisions Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_mcd)
Attribute Field
STATEFP

U.S. Census Bureau

Length
2

Type
String

Description
FIPS state code

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-4

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS 55 county subdivision code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

COUSUBNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county subdivision

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

Table 68: Incorporated Place Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_place)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

STATEFP

String

FIPS state code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

PLACEFP

String

FIPS 55 place code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

PLACENS

String

ANSI feature code for the place

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing and entity

PARTFLG

String

Indicates if only part of a feature is represented

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-5

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-6

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) Respondent Guide: Digital Quick Start
Initial Steps
1) Report if making updates by one of the following methods:
 Completing the Annual Response Form on the BAS Web site

 Call (800) 972-5651
 Email geo.bas@census.gov
2) Obtain the following materials from the BAS Web site or DVD (if requested):
 BAS Respondent Guide: Digital
 BAS Respondent Guide: Digital BAS Quick Start
 BAS Partnership Shapefiles:

3) Review respondent guides and training videos
 Review the BAS Respondent Guides: Digital and Digital BAS Quick Start,
along with the training videos on the BAS website before beginning any
boundary or linear feature updates.

Boundary Review

Linear Feature Changes

CHNG_TYPE

Add Feature

Delete Feature

Rename/Recode Feature

Point Landmark Changes

CHNG_TYPE

New Landmark

Change Landmark Name

Delete Landmark

Geographic Area Changes

CHNG_TYPE

Annexation

Boundary Correction
1) Compare the Census Bureau’s representation of the participating government’s
Geographic Corridor
boundary with the local representation of the boundary, and extract the
differences (change polygons). The differences can be extracted using one of the
Deannexation
sample methods in the BAS Respondent Guide: Digital, or using other GIS
methods.
New Incorporation
2) Populate the applicable mandatory fields for each change polygon. The Census
Geographic Offset
Bureau may not be able to accept changes without the appropriate attribution
or documentation.
Disincorporation
 NAME: Entity name (all changes)
Authorization Types
 CHNG_TYPE: Type of area update; see tables (all changes)
 AUTHTYPE: Authorization type; see tables (all legal changes – annexations,
Ordinance
deannexations, new incorporations, disincorporations)
Resolution
 DOCU: Supporting documentation (all legal changes)
 EFF_DATE: Effective date; if after Jan 1, changes will not be included in this
Local Law
year’s American Community Survey (ACS) or Population Estimates Program
State Level Action
(PEP) data estimates (all legal changes).
 RELATE: Relationship description; IN or OUT (all boundary corrections)
Other
3) BAS participants have the option to return linear feature (road, railroad, hydro)
and landmark updates. Review BAS Respondent Guide: Digital for more information on these types of changes.

B
C
D
E
F
X
AUTHTYPE
O
R
L
S
X

Boundary Review – Quality Control
1) Verify that all mandatory fields are populated.
2) Verify that all legal changes (annexations, deannexations, new incorporations, and disincorporations) have appropriate legal
documentation, authorization types, and effective dates.
3) Verify that all boundary corrections less than thirty feet are not dissolving boundary to feature relationships (with roads,
railroads, hydrography, etc.)
4) Verify that all boundary changes are greater than thirty feet, unless they include housing units.

File Naming Conventions and Submission Prep
1) Name all return files (change polygons, linear feature updates, whole entity files, etc.) using the file naming conventions
outlined in the BAS Respondent Guide: Digital. The table below contains examples of the file naming conventions.
2) Include important metadata information. It is critical that all return files have *.prj files.
3) Include a text file with the BAS and HEO contact information, or update the contact information using the online Annual
Response Form.
4) Zip all return files together and name the file bas19__return.zip. should be replaced with the eleven-digit BAS
ID code (e.g. bas19_20100100000_return.zip).

Changes Submitted For

Change Shapefile Naming Conventions

Whole Entity Shapefile Naming Conventions

County

bas19__changes_county

bas19__WholeEntity_county

Minor Civil Division

bas19__changes_cousub

bas19__WholeEntity_cousub

Incorporated Place

bas19__changes_incplace

bas19__WholeEntity_incplace

Consolidated City

bas19__changes_concity

bas19__WholeEntity_concity

Edges

bas19__LN_Changes

N/A

Area/Hydro Landmarks

bas19__Alndk_Changes

N/A

Point Landmarks

bas19__Plndk_Changes

N/A

Return Updates Using the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM)
1) Open a browser window and enter the SWIM URL: .
2) Participants who already have a SWIM account should enter their Email address and Password - Skip to Step 4).
3) Participants who do not have a SWIM account click ‘Register Account’:
 Enter the 12-digit token provided by Census
Note: SWIM email and passwords are case
 Create a password following the five criteria below:
sensitive.
1) It must be 8 characters in length
2) It must have at least one upper case character
Forgot your password?
3) It must have at least one lower case character
Participants may reset their password
4) It must have at least one number
using the “Forgot your password?” link on
5) It must have at least one special character (valid
the login page. Once selected, follow the
characters are: #, !, $, &, ?, ~). Do not use commas since
prompts to enter the case-sensitive email
they are for spacing purposes only
address and provide the security answer.
 Complete the registration information form
If the security answer is correct, the
4) Login to SWIM:
SWIM system sends a password reset link
 Select Start New Upload button
to the email account for use in resetting
 Select BAS radio Button
the password. Once logged into SWIM,
 Select the entity type (State, Place, County, County Subdivision,
users can modify their password and
Tribal Area, or Concity)
security answer by selecting the ‘Change
 Select the state and county
Security’ link at the top, right-hand side of
 Select the Zip file to upload
the page.
 Click the + Add File button
 Double-click on the file to upload
 [Add additional files in the same manner]
 Add any additional information to the Comments field
 Logout

BAS Schedule and Deadlines





January 1 – Boundary changes must be legally in effect on or
before this date to be reported in the current survey year.
March 1 – Boundary updates returned by this date will be
reflected in the ACS and PEP data estimates, and in next year’s
BAS materials.
May 31 – Boundary updates returned by this date will be
reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

Contact Information
Please contact the U.S. Census Bureau for questions:
 Email: geo.bas@census.gov
 Phone: (800) 972-5651
 FAX: (800) 972-5652

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) Respondent Guide: GUPS Quick Start
Initial Steps
1)

Report if making updates by one of the following methods:
 Completing the Annual Response Form on the BAS website:
 Call (800) 972-5651
 Email: geo.bas@census.gov
Obtain the following materials from the BAS website or DVD (if requested):
 BAS Respondent Guide: GUPS
 BAS Respondent Guide: GUPS Quick Start
 GUPS Software: .
Note: Those requesting the GUPS tool and data on DVD will receive a software and data disc in the mail.
Review respondent guides and training videos:
 Review the BAS Respondent Guides: GUPS and GUPS Quick Start along with the training videos on the BAS website
before beginning any boundary or linear feature updates.

Download and Install GUPS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

7)
8)

Download the GUPS tool from the BAS website to the computer.
Unzip the file and extract all contents of the unzipped package to a
folder on the computer.
Click the Setup X.X.X-X.bat to start the installation.
When the installer opens, the Welcome to the QGIS GUPS Setup
Wizard screen will appear. Follow the instructions on the Wizard and
click the Next button.
The License Agreement screen will appear. Review the License
Agreement and click I Agree button to continue the install process.
The Choose Install Location screen will appear. Click the Browse button
to choose the location where GUPS will be installed. It is recommended
to install the application at the default location shown (C:\Program
Files\QGIS GUPS). Click Next to continue the install process.
The Choose Components screen will appear. The Select Components to
Install box will be grayed out as it is the default. Click Install to continue.
The software should take 5 to 10 minutes to complete the install. When the install is complete, the Completing the QGIS
GUPS Setup Wizard screen will appear. To complete the install, click the Finish button at the bottom of the screen.
Note: The software should run automatically for those requesting a DVD. If it does not, please navigate to the DVD drive
and begin with Step 3, above).

Start New BAS Project
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Double-click the QGIS icon on the desktop [QGIS splash screen appears].
Click Close (X) on QGIS Tips screen.
[Map Management dialog page opens].
Use dropdown box for Program to select Boundary and Annexation Survey.
Use State dropdown box to select the state to update.
Use Working County dropdown box to select the county to update.
Use the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location dropdown box to select the location from which to pull the county’s
shapefiles (Options: Census-provided CD/DVD, My Computer or Census Web).
From the Entity Type dropdown box select the entity represented (County, MCD, Place or State).
Once selected, a list of adjacent counties will appear highlighted (Uncheck any counties not wanted on the Map View)
 If adjacent counties are selected, load their shapefiles from the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location dropdown box.
 Files load and BAS is ready to make updates.

Perform Geographic Review/Updates
1)

Use the BAS Module in GUPS to:
 Add, delete, and modify legal entities (Counties [and equivalent areas], Minor Civil Divisions, Incorporated Places, and
Consolidated Cities);
 Add, delete, and modify linear features (Roads, Railroads, and Hydrology);
 Add, delete, and modify area landmarks and hydrographic areas;
 Add, delete, and modify point landmarks; and
 Provide address data for newly annexed areas.

Perform Quality Control
1)

Use the validation tools provided in GUPS to review changes before returning updates to the Census Bureau:
 Review Change Polygon Tool.
 Geography Review Tool.

Create Return Zip Files
1)
2)
3)
4)

Select Export to Zip icon on the BAS Toolbar.
From the Select Output Type dialog box, select Export for Census button to create a file to return to the Census Bureau.
Click the Share with Another Participant button if preferred.
Click OK.
A window opens showing the location of the of the output file on the local system. This is the file to be returned to the
Census Bureau in the next steps.

Return Updates Using the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM)
1)
2)
3)

Open a browser window and enter the SWIM URL:
Participants who already have a SWIM account should enter their Email address and Password - Skip to Step 4)
Participants who do not have a SWIM account click ‘Register Account’:
 Enter the 12-digit token provided by the Census Bureau
Note: SWIM email and passwords are case
 Create a password following the five criteria below:
sensitive.
1) It must be 8 characters in length
2) It must have at least one upper case character
Forgot your password?
3) It must have at least one lower case character
Participants may reset their password
4) It must have at least one number
using the “Forgot your password?” link on
5) It must have at least one special character (valid characters
the login page. Once selected, follow the
are: #, !, $, &, ?, ~). Do not use commas since they are for
prompts to enter the case-sensitive email
spacing purposes only
address and provide the security answer.
 Complete the registration information form
If the security answer is correct, the
Login to SWIM:
SWIM system sends a password reset link
 Select Start New Upload button
to the email account for use in resetting
 Select BAS radio Button
the password. Once logged into SWIM,
 Select the entity type (State, Place, County, County Subdivision,
users can modify their password and
Tribal Area, or Concity)
security answer by selecting the ‘Change
 Select the state and county
Security’ link at the top, right-hand side of
 Select the Zip file to upload
the page.
 Click the + Add File button
 Double-click on the file to want to upload
 [Add additional files in the same manner]
 Add any additional information to the Comments field
 Logout

BAS Schedule and Deadlines




January 1 – Boundary changes must be legally in effect on or before
this date to be reported in the current survey year.
March 1 – Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected
in the American Community Survey and Population Estimates
Program data estimates and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31 – Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in
next year’s BAS materials.

Contact Information
Please contact the U.S. Census Bureau for questions:
 Email: geo.bas@census.gov
 Phone: (800) 972-5651
 FAX: (800) 972-5652

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
Respondent Guide: Paper
Instructions for Participating in the 2019 Boundary and Annexation Survey
Revised as of November 20. 2018

This page intentionally left blank

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... i
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... v
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey ................................................................................................................ v

What’s New for the 2019 BAS? ........................................................................................................................... v

Key Dates for BAS Respondents ......................................................................................................................... vi

BAS State Agreements ....................................................................................................................................... vi

Legal Disputes .................................................................................................................................................... vi

Part 1: Completing the BAS Forms ........................................................................................ 1
1.1

Forms Included in the BAS Package ....................................................................................................................1

1.2

Name or Type Changes .......................................................................................................................................1

1.3

Contact Information............................................................................................................................................1

1.4

Legal Boundary Changes .....................................................................................................................................1

1.5

Other Changes ....................................................................................................................................................1

Part 2: Census Bureau Geocoding ......................................................................................... 2
2.1

Getting Started with TIGERweb ..........................................................................................................................2

2.2

Address Range Geocoding ..................................................................................................................................2

2.3

Completing a BAS Submission Using the Centerline of the Road .......................................................................3

Part 3: Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps ........................................................................... 4
3.1

Maps Included in the BAS Package .....................................................................................................................4

3.2

Requesting Additional Maps ...............................................................................................................................4

3.3

Reviewing Boundaries with Imagery in TIGERweb .............................................................................................4

3.4

General Guidelines for Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps ...............................................................................4

3.5

Legal Boundary Changes .....................................................................................................................................5

3.5.1 How to Draw Legal Boundary Changes ...............................................................................................................5
3.5.2 Boundary Changes Involving Coincident Features ..............................................................................................6
3.5.3 Boundary Corrections .........................................................................................................................................7
3.5.4 Geographic Corridors and Offsets.......................................................................................................................8
3.5.4.1

Geographic Corridors ....................................................................................................................................8

3.5.4.2

Geographic Offsets ......................................................................................................................................10

3.5.5 New Incorporations ..........................................................................................................................................11
3.5.6 Disincorporations ..............................................................................................................................................11
3.5.7 Tribal Subdivisions ............................................................................................................................................11
3.5.7.1

Tribal Subdivision Program Procedures .......................................................................................................12

3.5.7.2

Updating Existing Tribal Subdivisions ..........................................................................................................13

3.5.7.3

Tribal Subdivision Documentation ..............................................................................................................13

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3.5.8 County Review and Consolidations ...................................................................................................................14
3.5.9 Public Land Survey System ................................................................................................................................14

Part 4: Feature Modifications ............................................................................................. 15
4.1

Modifying Locations of Streets .........................................................................................................................15

4.1.1 Adding Streets ...................................................................................................................................................16
4.1.2 Adding Street Names in a Congested Area .......................................................................................................16
4.1.3 Correcting Street Names ...................................................................................................................................17
4.1.4 Deleting Streets ................................................................................................................................................17
4.1.5 Labeling Unnamed Streets ................................................................................................................................17
4.1.6 Adding Cul-De-Sacs or Circles ...........................................................................................................................18
4.2

Annotating Address Range ................................................................................................................................18

4.2.1 When Adding Address Ranges ..........................................................................................................................18
4.3

Point Landmarks ...............................................................................................................................................19

4.4

Area Landmarks ................................................................................................................................................19

Part 5: Signing Updated Maps and Returning BAS Materials ............................................... 20
Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 21
Appendix A.

Additional Documentation of Changes Forms ............................................. A-1

A.1 Places ........................................................................................................................ A-1
A.2 Counties and Equivalent Areas ................................................................................... A-2
A.3 Minor Civil Divisions ................................................................................................... A-3
A.4 Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Land ............................................................. A-4
Appendix B.

MTFCC Descriptions ................................................................................... B-1

Appendix C.

Reading a Map ........................................................................................... C-1

C.1 Scales......................................................................................................................... C-1
C.2 Compass Rose ............................................................................................................ C-2
C.3 Legend ....................................................................................................................... C-2
C.4 Index Maps ................................................................................................................ C-3
C.5 Inset Maps ................................................................................................................. C-4
C.6 Parent Maps .............................................................................................................. C-5

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. GPS Method of Geocoding............................................................................................... 2
Figure 2. Address Range Method of Geocoding ............................................................................. 3
Figure 3. Shared Boundary.............................................................................................................. 4
Figure 4. Correctly Annotating a Legal Boundary Change .............................................................. 5
Figure 5. Correctly Annotating an AIA Trust Land .......................................................................... 6
Figure 6. Annotating a Legal Boundary Change .............................................................................. 7
Figure 7. Annotating a Legal Change to an Incorporated Place ..................................................... 7
Figure 8. Annotating a Boundary Correction to an Incorporated Place Boundary ....................... 8
Figure 9. Geographic Corridor and Geographic Offset ................................................................... 8
Figure 10. Where the Right-of-way Belongs in the Unincorporated Area ..................................... 9
Figure 11. Housing Units in the Unincorporated Area ................................................................... 9
Figure 12. Indicating a Geographic Corridor by Using a Red Pencil ............................................... 9
Figure 13. The Place Boundary is Along the Front Lot Line .......................................................... 10
Figure 14. The Place Boundary is on the Rear Lot Line................................................................. 10
Figure 15. Depicting a Geographic Offset on a Paper Submission ............................................... 11
Figure 16. Recording New Tribal Subdivision Information ........................................................... 13
Figure 17. Modifying a Street Feature, No Boundary Movement ................................................ 15
Figure 18. Modifying a Street Feature with Boundary Movement .............................................. 15
Figure 19. Adding an MTFCC Code When Adding a New Street ................................................... 16
Figure 20. Adding Street Name Features in a Congested Area When Adding Streets ................. 16
Figure 21. Correcting a Street Name ............................................................................................ 17
Figure 22. Deleting a Street Feature ............................................................................................. 17
Figure 23. Adding Unnamed Road Features ................................................................................. 17
Figure 24. Adding Cul-de-sac and Circle Features ........................................................................ 18
Figure 25. Adding Street Feature/Annotating with Name and Address Breaks .......................... 18
Figure 26. Adding a Point Landmark ............................................................................................. 19
Figure 27. Adding an Area Landmark............................................................................................ 19
Figure 28. BAS Paper Map Signature Box ..................................................................................... 20
Figure 29. Bar Scale ...................................................................................................................... C-1

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Figure 30. Large Scale Map .......................................................................................................... C-1
Figure 31. Compass Rose ............................................................................................................. C-2
Figure 32. Legend Describing What Each Symbol Means ............................................................ C-2
Figure 33. Map Depicting Multiple Features Concurrently ......................................................... C-3
Figure 34. Index Map ................................................................................................................... C-4
Figure 35. An Inset Map as it is Displayed on the Index Map...................................................... C-5
Figure 36. Inset Maps................................................................................................................... C-5
Figure 37. The Parent Map .......................................................................................................... C-6
Figure 38. The Key to Adjacent Sheets ........................................................................................ C-6
Figure 39. The Sheet Location within Entity key ......................................................................... C-7

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INTRODUCTION
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey

What’s New for the 2019 BAS?
1. The Census Bureau developed a BAS Partner Toolbox for ArcGIS users. This toolbox is designed
to standardize and simplify the BAS updating process by making many updating actions easy
with the click of a button. See the BAS Respondent Guide: Digital or BAS Tribal Respondent
Guide: Digital for more information.
2. The GUPS help videos previously embedded in the software are relocated to the BAS website.
3. Redistricting data contacts participating in the Voting District Project verification phase may
submit boundary updates for reconciliation with BAS contacts.
4. Website revisions.

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Key Dates for BAS Respondents

January 1—Boundary changes must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in
the current survey year.
March 1— Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS and PEP data
estimates, and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

BAS State Agreements

Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of land is in dispute between two or more
jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come
to a written agreement, or there is a documented final court decision regarding the dispute.
To learn more, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at (301) 763-9844.
For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at
the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an
extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the
current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor's office.

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PART 1: COMPLETING THE BAS FORMS
1.1

Forms Included in the BAS Package

The forms in the BAS package should be used to verify legal names, legal status, contact
information, previous legal boundary changes submitted to the Census Bureau, and to
document any recent or missing legal boundary changes. There are four types of forms:
1.
2.
3.
4.

1.2

BAS-1 for Incorporated Places
BAS-2 for Counties and Equivalent Areas
BAS-3 for Minor Civil Divisions (MCD)
BAS-5 for American Indian Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Land

Name or Type Changes

Please verify that the legal names and legal status of the GU or AIA are accurate. Make any
necessary corrections by crossing out the error and clearly printing the correct information.
Provide an effective date for name, type, or status changes. County participants should verify
the list of active and inactive entities within their counties.

1.3

Contact Information

Please verify that the Census Bureau has the most recent BAS, Highest Elected Official (HEO), or
Tribal Chair (TC) contact information for the GU or AIA. Fill in any missing or incorrect
information, especially blank e-mails. If the primary address of the BAS contact, HEO, or TC is a
PO Box, provide the Census Bureau with a physical address that can be used for the delivery of
maps. Contact changes or updates may also be provided to the Census Bureau throughout the
year by e-mail to geo.bas@census.gov.

1.4

Legal Boundary Changes

Please record all legal boundary changes in the Documentation of Changes section of the BAS
form. Include legal boundary changes that occurred prior to January 1 of the current survey
year if they do not appear on the current BAS maps. Please include legal authorization, such as
a local ordinance or resolution number, and the effective date of the legal action. If additional
pages are needed to record legal changes, a copy of the Documentation of Changes is provided
in the appendix.

1.5

Other Changes

Please indicate if there are any boundary corrections or feature updates that need to be made
on the BAS maps. This will assist the Census Bureau in identifying and accounting for any
updates made to the maps.

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PART 2: CENSUS BUREAU GEOCODING
Geocoding is how the Census Bureau codes population to geographic entities. There are two
primary methods of geocoding used by the Census Bureau, and both of these involve coding an
address to a spatial polygon. One uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to create a
Master Address File (MAF) structure point (MSP) and the other uses address ranges for
geocoding.

2.1

Getting Started with TIGERweb

A field worker stands in front of a house or living quarters, and records the physical location
with a GPS device (Figure 1). Usually, the GPS point should fall very close to the front door of
the house. However, since this is a field operation, real-world obstacles like locked fences, poor
satellite reception, or even aggressive dogs might sometimes prevent the worker from gaining
access to the front door. In these circumstances, the worker may have to take the GPS
coordinate from the sidewalk or side of the road.

Figure 1. GPS Method of Geocoding
Notice that it is occasionally not possible for the field worker to go all
the way to the front door, due to unforeseen circumstances, like the
fence or the dog shown above. Thus, the MSP (represented by the red
pins) can sometimes fall within the road or the road right-of-way.

2.2

Address Range Geocoding

When no MSP is available, the Census Bureau codes houses and living quarters according to a
potential range of addresses associated with the adjacent stretch of road (Figure 2).

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Figure 2. Address Range Method of Geocoding
When it is not possible to collect an MSP, houses are geocoded according
to their placement along a range of potential addresses along that road.
Since the address has a relationship with the road, boundaries placed on
front lot lines will lead to mis-geocoding unless an offset flag is used.

While the two methods of geocoding differ greatly, both rely heavily on the integrated nature
of the MAF/Topologically Integrated Geographic encoding and Referencing (TIGER) System. The
representation of streets and boundaries relative to one another impacts these geocoding
methods. This interdependence between streets, boundaries, and geocoding means that
Census Bureau representations of legal boundaries occasionally differ from other
representations (e.g., in local or state GIS). This is especially true regarding geographic corridors
and offsets that follow road right of ways (or the front lot lines of parcels). In both of the
examples above, delineating a boundary along the front lot line will tend to increase the risk of
incorrect geocoding. Using the road centerline as a boundary eliminates these potential errors,
improving accuracy.

2.3

Completing a BAS Submission Using the Centerline of the Road

When completing a BAS submission in which a road or road right-of-way is owned or
maintained by a place or AIA but the adjacent housing is not, the respondent should use the
centerline of the road (not the front lot-line) as the boundary whenever possible. If local or
state law requires the use of the front lot line boundary, the respondent must explicitly
designate the polygon(s) between the road centerline and the front-lot boundary as a corridor
or an offset (see Section 3.5.4 of this document for more details).

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PART 3: REVIEWING AND UPDATING BAS MAPS
3.1

Maps Included in the BAS Package

The Census Bureau mails an index map showing the entire GU or AIA, along with more detailed
individual map sheets. Index maps are provided as a reference to help locate a map sheet. GUs
and AIAs with more than 30 map sheets receive only an index map and the map sheets that
show the boundary ring. Entities that require more than 30 boundary ring map sheets receive
only the index map. Please review Appendix C. for a further description of the map types.

3.2

Requesting Additional Maps

If an individual map sheet or full set of maps was not provided for a county, incorporated place,
minor civil division (MCD), or AIA where boundary changes or feature updates need to be
made, please call (800) 972-5651 or e-mail geo.bas@census.gov to request the additional
materials. Do not make updates on the index map.

3.3

Reviewing Boundaries with Imagery in TIGERweb

Governments that have requested paper maps can use the TIGERweb
for a more detailed
version of their boundaries with imagery before annotating the paper maps. Instructions for
using BAS TIGERweb can be found on the BAS TIGERweb website at
.

3.4

General Guidelines for Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps
1. Colored pencils are provided in the package. The red pencil should be used to indicate legal
boundary changes and non-legal boundary corrections for all counties, places, MCDs, and AIAs.
The purple pencil should be used to indicate feature changes or corrections. The blue pencil
should be used by AIAs to add or modify tribal subdivisions.
2. Compare the BAS maps to a local source for an entity (e.g., a local plat map, or a county
assessor’s dataset). Update the map(s) if the boundaries shown do not correctly depict the
boundaries in effect as of January 1 of the current survey year.
3. Annexations and deannexations from previous years may be provided in addition to updates as
of January 1. However, the Census Bureau does require legal documentation when submitting
these vintage legal updates.
4. The maps show boundaries for multiple legal and statistical boundaries. If an entity’s legal
boundaries are coextensive with another boundary, the symbols on the map will alternate. In
the figure below, the county shares a boundary with an incorporated place and Census
Designated Place (CDP); therefore, the symbols on the map alternate between county,
incorporated place, and CDP.

Figure 3. Shared Boundary
The combined line represents a county, incorporated place, and CDP
boundary.
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3.5

Legal Boundary Changes

Legal boundary changes are the result of legal actions (e.g., annexations), and documenting
such changes is the primary goal of the BAS. AIA legal documentation (e.g., statute, federal
court decision, trust deed) must accompany all AIA legal boundary changes, while legal
boundary change submissions from incorporated places, MCDs, and counties must provide an
authorization number, such as a resolution or ordinance number1.Level Change
A level change occurs when a school district changes classification; for example, changing from
elementary to unified. Contact the Census Bureau for assistance in documenting this change.

3.5.1

How to Draw Legal Boundary Changes

The following figures illustrate the correct way to draw legal boundary changes on BAS maps.


Using the red pencil provided, cross out the portion of the boundary that is no longer
current with a string of “Xs”.



Draw the new boundary line(s) ensuring the boundary is closed.



Add the ordinance number or other legal identifier of the action authorizing the change,
along with the effective date of each annexation or deannexation that is drawn on the map.



Record all legal changes in the Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form.

Figure 4. Correctly Annotating a Legal Boundary Change
Draw “Xs” with the red pencil and record the changes in the
Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form.

Legal boundary changes from the State of Georgia are the exception: a state statute requires participants to include acreage, and
the Census requests that the respondent includes an authorization number.
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Figure 5. Correctly Annotating an AIA Trust Land
Correctly annotate an AIA trust land and record the change in the
Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form. The original
reservation is not deleted and therefore does not require a string of
“Xs”.

3.5.2

Boundary Changes Involving Coincident Features

The following figures illustrate how to adjust a boundary that is coincident with
(i.e., follows exactly) a feature, such as a river or street. In this case, the feature location is
correct, but the boundary location is incorrect.


Using the red pencil, cross out the portion of the boundary that is no longer current using a
string of “Xs” inside circles.



Draw the updated boundary.



Add the authorization number or other identifier of the action authorizing the change along
with the effective date of each addition or deletion.



Record all legal changes in the Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form.

If both the boundary and feature need to be moved, cross out the incorrect boundary with a
string of red “Xs” and then draw a red line representing the new location of the boundary and
road.
Figure 6 shows a change to the boundary where only the boundary moves as well as the
accompanying Documentation of Changes. Similarly, the left image of Figure 7 illustrates a
change where only the boundary moves, but the right image shows a boundary change where
the associated feature moves along with the boundary. If these changes are the result of an
annexation or deannexation, include the authorization number and effective date.

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Figure 6. Annotating a Legal Boundary Change
Annotating a legal boundary change coincident with a river feature,
where the river location does not change, but the boundary does. The
legal change is also recorded in the Documentation of Changes.

Figure 7. Annotating a Legal Change to an Incorporated Place
Annotating a legal change to an incorporated place boundary
coincident with a road feature. The legal change is recorded in the
Documentation of Changes. Left: Only the boundary moves to the new
location. The street feature location is correct, but the boundary
location is incorrect. Right: Both the boundary and the street feature
move to a new location. Both the boundary and the street feature
location are incorrect.

3.5.3

Boundary Corrections

A boundary correction is the adjustment of a boundary to correct an error in how the Census
Bureau depicts an existing boundary. Boundary corrections should follow the general shape of
the existing boundary. Legal documentation is not required when submitting a boundary
correction to the Census Bureau. Boundary corrections also do not need to be reported on the
BAS form.
Figure 8 illustrates how to complete a boundary correction.


Using the red pencil, cross out the incorrect boundary with a string of “Xs”.



Add a line showing the correct boundary.



Print the letters BC inside the change to identify the update as a boundary correction rather
than a legal change.

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Figure 8. Annotating a Boundary Correction to an
Incorporated Place Boundary

3.5.4

Geographic Corridors and Offsets

A geographic corridor is an area that only includes road surface and right-of-way and does not
contain any structures addressed to either side of the street. A geographic offset is an area
claimed by a geographic entity that is only on one side of a road and does not include structures
addressed to that side of the road.

Figure 9. Geographic Corridor and Geographic Offset
The image on the left illustrates a geographic corridor (Co Rd, south of Samples Rd) and
a geographic offset (Co Rd, north of Samples Rd). The geographic corridor and offset
are both part of the incorporated place (yellow area), but dwelling units are not. The
image on the right illustrates a geographic offset, designated by red diagonal lines. The
offset is part of the incorporated place (green area). However, the dwelling units are
counted outside of the incorporated place.

3.5.4.1 Geographic Corridors
Figure 9 shows a corridor that has been created where the incorporated place or AIA owns the
right-of-way, and wishes for that ownership to be displayed on the Census Bureau’s maps, but
the housing units are not included in the incorporated place or AIA (shown in color). Without a
corridor, the housing units along this road would be incorrectly geocoded into the incorporated
place or AIA. Thus, if it is important to the place or AIA that its ownership and/or maintenance
of the road and/or its rights-of-way be displayed on Census’ maps, a geographic corridor should
be created. However, the Census does not require places and AIAs to report rights-of-way:
maintaining geographic corridors in a nationwide database is not essential to the mission of the
Census Bureau and the right-of-way should only be included if it is crucial to the place or AIA, or
if state or local laws require it.
Figure 10 below shows a case where the right-of-way belongs in the unincorporated area, while
the housing units in Figure 11 are included in the incorporated place (shown in color). While
depicting this corridor may be important for local purposes, it is not relevant for Census Bureau
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tabulations because no house can be built in a road right-of-way. This type of corridor should
not be included in a BAS response.
Please note that the Census Bureau does not require places or AIAs to display rights-of-way or
road maintenance corridors that do not contain or potentially contain housing or population. If
local or state law does not require depiction of these geographic features, the Census Bureau
prefers that they be left off BAS submissions. If it is necessary for the place or AIA to depict
them, they must be submitted as a geographic corridor.

Figure 10. Where the Right-of-way Belongs in the Unincorporated Area
Figure 11. Housing Units in the Unincorporated Area

Geographic corridors can be provided to the Census Bureau if the centerline representation
results in addresses being assigned to the wrong entity. However, geographic corridors should
only be created if the addresses along the street do not belong to the participant’s
governmental unit. To indicate a geographic corridor on the map, use the red pencil to draw a
line on each side of the road. Mark the beginning and end of each line with perpendicular hatch
(//) marks. Write the letters “GC” beside each line (Figure 12). To remove a geographic corridor
or offset, use the red pencil to mark the beginning and end of the corridor or offset with
perpendicular hatch (//) marks and write “remove GC.”

Figure 12. Indicating a Geographic Corridor by Using a Red Pencil
To indicate a geographic corridor on the BAS return, use the red pencil
to draw a line on each side of the road. Mark the beginning and end of
each line with perpendicular hatch (//) marks. Write the letters “GC”
beside each line.

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3.5.4.2 Geographic Offsets
The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their legal boundaries on cadastral
(parcel-based) right-of-way mapping. The Census Bureau bases its maps on spatial data that is
topologically integrated. This makes the maintenance of geographic offsets inefficient.
Delineating an entity boundary on the centerline wherever applicable will help to establish
more accurate population counts. If a boundary is on the front lot line adjacent to a road on the
map, the Census Bureau strongly prefers that the boundary be delineated on the road
centerline already shown on the map. If a boundary is on the rear or side lot line, then it should
be depicted as such. If it is unclear whether a particular line is a front lot line or something else,
please contact the BAS team for assistance. Generally, if a house or other building could not
conceivably be built in the area between the potential line and the centerline of the road, then
the line can be considered a front lot line.
Figure 13 shows a situation in which the place boundary is along the front lot line. In this
example, the respondent must either delineate the boundary on the road centerline, or create
an offset. In Figure 14, the place boundary is on the rear lot line, so the respondent should not
delineate it on the road centerline or create an offset; instead, the respondent should delineate
a new edge that actually follows the rear lot line.

Figure 13. The Place Boundary is Along the Front Lot Line
Figure 14. The Place Boundary is on the Rear Lot Line

To indicate a geographic offset on the map, use the red pencil to draw a line parallel to the
road, along which the offset will be created. Mark the beginning and end of the line with
perpendicular hatch (//) marks. Write the letters “OFF” on the side of the road where the
geographic offset exists (Figure 15).

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Figure 15. Depicting a Geographic Offset on a Paper Submission

3.5.5

New Incorporations

Newly incorporated places should provide the Census Bureau with:


A copy of the official new incorporation papers, including date of incorporation;



A map indicating the boundaries of the new incorporation; and



Contact information for the highest elected official and a contact for the BAS.

3.5.6

Disincorporations

Disincorporated entities should provide the Census Bureau with a copy of the official papers of
disincorporation, including the effective date.

3.5.7

Tribal Subdivisions

The Census Bureau considers any type of unit of self-government or administration in tribal
areas as a tribal subdivision. A tribe may submit only one type of subdivision, even if it has
more than one type of distinct administrative area that could qualify as a tribal subdivision
(e.g., tribal election districts, tribal water districts, or health service areas with different
boundaries). The Census Bureau recognizes two types of tribal subdivisions, active (A) or
inactive (I):


Active subdivisions are defined as having a functioning government, with elected officials,
that provides programs and services.



Inactive subdivisions have no functioning government or elected officials and receive
services solely from the tribe.

a) Some examples of areas submitted as tribal subdivisions are:
 Areas used by a tribe for the election of tribal government officials (e.g., districts or
precincts used for the election of tribal council members).
 Areas used by a tribal government for tax purposes.
 Areas used by a tribal government for the provision of general services or specified
services, such as:
o Water districts;
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


o Health service areas;
o Emergency service delivery areas (911, fire, and/or police); or
o Grazing districts or range units.
Historical or traditional areas recognized by a tribal government.
Sub-reservation tribal community governments.

b) Keep the following criteria in mind when defining tribal subdivisions:
 Tribal subdivisions should cover all, or most, of a tribe’s land base.
 The delineation of tribal subdivisions is restricted to the area contained within
reservations and/or associated off-reservation trust lands.
 There is no minimum population threshold for a tribal subdivision.
 A tribal subdivision may be noncontiguous.
 Tribes may designate only one type of tribal subdivision. If a tribe has more than one
level of tribal subdivision within its land base, the Census Bureau recommends
delineating subdivisions corresponding to the lowest geographic level (those geographic
areas containing the smallest area) of the tribe’s administrative hierarchy.
 Tribal subdivisions should not be based solely on land ownership or other cadastral
areas, nor should they consist of divisions based on the U.S. public land survey system of
townships, ranges, and sections, if these areas have no governmental or administrative
function for a tribe.
 The following descriptions can be appended to chosen subdivision names (e.g., Red
Rock Community):
o District;
o Community;
o Area;
o Chapter;
o Segment;
o Administrative Area;
o Addition; or
o County District.

3.5.7.1 Tribal Subdivision Program Procedures
If this is the first time that tribal subdivisions are being provided to Census:


Using the blue pencil, please add the boundaries on the BAS map(s).

Note: If a full set of BAS maps has not been sent, please request them by calling the Census Bureaus’
BAS team at (800) 972-5651.


Please note: each tribal subdivision must be labeled on each map sheet with its name (e.g.,
“District 3,” “Arlee District,” “White Rock Chapter,” “Parmelee Community”).



Record the names, type, and status of each subdivision in the Tribal Names and Status
Documentation section of the BAS-5 form.



If a tribal subdivision boundary follows a visible feature such as a stream, road, or fence line,
please be sure to indicate that on the BAS map. Add the visible feature the boundary follows
if it is not already shown on the map.

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Figure 16. Recording New Tribal Subdivision Information
Depicting a new tribal subdivision and recording the information in the
Tribal Names and Status Documentation section of the BAS form.

3.5.7.2 Updating Existing Tribal Subdivisions
If tribal subdivisions were delineated during a prior survey, they are symbolized on the enclosed
BAS maps by a dashed pentagon-shaped gold line.
Before adding/or revising tribal subdivision boundaries on the enclosed map(s):


Using the red pencil, please note any changes to the boundary of the land base on the
map(s).



Using the blue pencil, please add and/or revise the boundaries of the tribal subdivisions on
the enclosed BAS map(s).

Note: The names and types (active or inactive) of tribal subdivisions are listed in the Tribal Names and
Status Documentation section of the BAS-5 form. This information should be reviewed and
updated.

3.5.7.3 Tribal Subdivision Documentation
New tribal subdivisions and name changes to existing tribal subdivisions require
documentation, regardless of whether they are being delineated for the first time, or being
added to those previously reported. This documentation should be in the form of a tribal
resolution or a tribal constitution. Include a copy of this documentation with the BAS maps and
BAS-5 form when returning these materials to the Census Bureau.
Corrections to the Census Bureau’s depiction of tribal subdivision boundaries or names do not
require documentation. If there are any questions or if additional maps are needed, please
contact the Census Bureau’s BAS team at the telephone number shown on the enclosed BAS-5
form.

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3.5.8

County Review and Consolidations

Counties receive boundary information from the Census Bureau for all governmental units
within their county boundary. Counties should review the names and legal status of active and
inactive incorporated places and MCDs found on page 3 of the BAS-2 form.


Active entities are defined as having a functioning government, with elected officials, that
provides programs and services.



Inactive entities have no functioning government or elected officials, receive services solely
from the county, and should be reviewed by the county during BAS.

Although it is not required, counties may update boundaries for incorporated places and MCDs
on the county BAS maps. The Census Bureau encourages counties to establish Consolidated BAS
agreements with local governments in order to consolidate resources, reduce the burden on
local governments, and avoid duplication of work. Under a Consolidated BAS agreement, the
county is responsible for reporting boundary changes to the Census Bureau. Participating local
governments would no longer receive an annual BAS package. One hundred percent
participation is not required and governments may opt out of the agreement at any time.
Contact the Census Bureau at geo.bas@census.gov for more information on participating in a
Consolidated BAS (CBAS) agreement or visit the Consolidated BAS website at
.

3.5.9

Public Land Survey System

Boundaries are often based on nonvisible features, such as Public Land Survey System (PLSS)
lines (i.e. township, section, range lines, etc.). The Census Bureau is currently working on a
program through which PLSS lines can be incorporated into the MAF/TIGER System. If any of
the entity’s existing or new boundaries are known to follow PLSS lines, this should be
designated on the BAS submission by writing “PLSS” in red pencil next to (and parallel to) the
appropriate boundary segments. In areas where the Census Bureau has obtained accurate PLSS
shapefiles, the Census Bureau will then be able to compare these lines to those shapefiles and
ensure accurate placement of the boundary.

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PART 4: FEATURE MODIFICATIONS
The primary purpose of the BAS is to collect legal boundary information. However, please also
submit feature (e.g. streets, rivers) updates and modifications occurring near or coincident with
a legal boundary through the BAS. Feature modifications that are internal to the boundary of an
incorporated place, county or MCD will be accepted, but are not required as part of the BAS.

4.1

Modifying Locations of Streets

The following figures illustrate how to correct the location of a street feature:


Using the purple pencil, please cross out the incorrect feature location with “Xs”.



Please draw the feature in the correct location.



Please print the name of the feature along the length of the feature (as shown in the Figure
17 and Figure 18).

Figure 17. Modifying a Street Feature, No Boundary Movement
In this example the street location moves, but the boundary does not.

Figure 18. Modifying a Street Feature with Boundary Movement
In this example both the street location and the boundary move.

The Census Bureau recently completed a nationwide program to improve the positional
accuracy of all streets and other features that appear in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER
System. It is not necessary to make small positional corrections on the BAS maps; correct only
those streets that are incorrectly located, mislabeled or distorted. Additionally, new streets
may be added, and nonexistent streets may be deleted.

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Page 15

4.1.1 Adding Streets


Using the purple pencil, please draw the feature and its name on the map.



Where possible, please provide the address range for any new streets.



Please provide the MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code (MTFCC) (See Error! Reference source n
ot found..) for all new streets (Figure 19).



Alternate street names may be written in parentheses below the primary street name.

Figure 19. Adding an MTFCC Code When Adding a New Street

Note: Due to the difficulty of showing multiple names for the same street, only the primary street name
is shown on BAS maps. Please note that, even though alternate street names are not shown on
the maps, they do exist in our database. For example, US Hwy 30 may be locally known as Main
St., but on the BAS map, only US Hwy 30 will be displayed; however, within our MAF/TIGER
System, both names are listed. If an alternate street name has been reported in the past, it does
not have to be reported to the Census Bureau again.

4.1.2 Adding Street Names in a Congested Area


If an area of the map is too congested to add all feature names, using the purple
pencil, please number each feature and list this number and the corresponding
feature name in the map margin or in an uncongested spot close to the feature’s
actual location (Figure 20).



Do not repeat numbers on a map sheet.

Figure 20. Adding Street Name Features in a Congested Area When Adding Streets

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Page 16

4.1.3 Correcting Street Names


Using the purple pencil, please draw a line through the incorrect street name.



Please print the correct street name along the feature.

Figure 21. Correcting a Street Name

4.1.4 Deleting Streets


Delete street features only if they are nonexistent, or impassable. Do not delete a street
because the local jurisdiction is not responsible for maintaining it.



Using the purple pencil, please mark the beginning and end of the base feature to be
deleted with hatch (//) marks perpendicular to the feature as shown below.



Cross-out what is to be removed using a string of “Xs”.

Figure 22. Deleting a Street Feature

4.1.5 Labeling Unnamed Streets


Using the purple pencil, please label any unnamed streets on the maps.



Label any unnamed private roads with “PR”. Examples of private roads are driveways and
unnamed roads in commercial or industrial parks.

Figure 23. Adding Unnamed Road Features
U.S. Census Bureau

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Page 17

4.1.6 Adding Cul-De-Sacs or Circles


Using the purple pencil, please draw the feature as follows:
o Cul-de-sacs are entirely paved, and should be drawn as a solid dot; and
o Circles have an area of unpaved ground within them, and should be drawn as an unfilled
circle.



Print the name of the associated street leading to the cul-de-sac or circle.

Figure 24. Adding Cul-de-sac and Circle Features

4.2

Annotating Address Range

Addresses are stored in the Census Bureau spatial database as potential address ranges. The
BAS maps show the break in the potential address range created where a street is bisected by a
boundary. These address range breaks are shown because it is important that the Census
Bureau assign the correct addresses to each governmental unit.
Note: Some streets on the BAS maps do not display address breaks due to space considerations.

Add address ranges on both ends of the street only if one of the following circumstances exists:
1. A road where house numbers, street names and/or addresses were added or deleted;
2. A street was added that crosses a boundary; or
3. The address ranges created by a boundary are incorrect on the map.

4.2.1 When Adding Address Ranges
Using the purple pencil, please add in the address ranges, providing the lowest and/or highest
possible addresses where the road intersects a boundary (Figure 25).

Figure 25. Adding Street Feature/Annotating with Name and
Address Breaks
U.S. Census Bureau

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Page 18

4.3

Point Landmarks

BAS maps display a select number of point landmarks (e.g., mountain peaks). Point landmarks
can be updated through the BAS, but are not required.
Acceptable point landmark feature updates include mountain peaks or summits, libraries, city
halls, community centers and police stations. Airports, parks, schools, golf courses, museums,
and cemeteries may be submitted as point landmarks or area landmarks.
Features that contain residences or private business should not be added as point landmarks or
area features (e.g. hotels, campgrounds, retirement homes, farms).
The BAS maps also include select point landmarks (e.g. airports, cemeteries, summits) taken
from USGS topography maps and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. These
landmarks represent the official federally recognized name and will not be removed or updated
without USGS verification.
When adding a point landmark:



Using the purple pencil, place a solid dot at the location of the point landmark.
Print the name of the landmark next to the dot.

Figure 26. Adding a Point Landmark

4.4

Area Landmarks

The BAS maps display a select number of area landmarks (e.g., lakes). Like point landmarks,
area features can be updated through the BAS, but are not required.
Acceptable area landmark updates include water bodies, swamps, quarries, national parks or
forests. Airports, parks, schools, golf courses, museums, and cemeteries may be submitted as
area landmarks or point landmarks.
Features that contain residences or private business should not be added as point landmarks or
area features (e.g. hotels, campgrounds, retirement homes, farms).
When adding an area landmark:



Using the purple pencil, draw the area landmark boundary in the correct location.
Print the name of the landmark inside or next to the feature.

Figure 27. Adding an Area Landmark
U.S. Census Bureau

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Page 19

PART 5: SIGNING UPDATED MAPS AND RETURNING BAS
MATERIALS
For each map sheet that has changes, fill in the Signature Box on one copy of the map:

Figure 28. BAS Paper Map Signature Box

Return the set of signed maps and the BAS form to the Census Bureau by using the postagepaid envelope, by sending an e-mail to geo.bas@census.gov, or by filling out the Annual
Response form located at the following address
.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION OF CHANGES FORMS
A.1

PLACES

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A.2

COUNTIES AND EQUIVALENT AREAS

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A.3

MINOR CIVIL DIVISIONS

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A.4

RESERVATIONS AND OFF-RESERVATION TRUST LAND

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APPENDIX B. MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS
The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a 5-digit code assigned by the Census
Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census Bureau MAF/TIGER
products.
MTFCC
C3022

Feature Class
Mountain Peak or Summit

C3023

Island

C3024

Levee

C3026
C3027

Quarry (not water-filled),
Open Pit Mine or Mine
Dam

C3061

Cul-de-sac

C3062

Traffic Circle

C3066
C3067
C3071
C3074

Gate
Toll Booth
Lookout Tower
Lighthouse Beacon

C3075

Tank/Tank Farm

C3076

Windmill Farm

C3077

Solar Farm

C3078

Monument or Memorial

C3079
C3080

Boundary Monument
Point
Survey Control Point

C3081

Locality Point

C3085

Alaska Native Village
Official Point
American Indian Area

G2100
G2120
G2130

Hawaiian Home Land
Alaska Native Village
Statistical Area

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical
Area

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
A prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the Earth’s
surface.
An area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low
wetland [including archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock, isla,
isle, key, moku and rock].
An embankment flanking a stream or other flowing water feature to
prevent overflow.
An area from which commercial minerals are or were removed from
the Earth; not including an oilfield or gas field.
A barrier built across the course of a stream to impound water and/or
control water flow.
An expanded paved area at the end of a street used by vehicles for
turning around. For mapping purposes, the Census Bureau maps it only
as a point feature.
A circular intersection allowing for continuous movement of traffic at
the meeting of roadways.
A movable barrier across a road.
A structure or barrier where a fee is collected for using a road.
A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for observation.
A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for transmission
of light and possibly sound generally to aid in navigation.
One or more manmade structures, each higher than its diameter, used
for liquid (other than water) or gas storage or for distribution activities.
One or more manmade structures used to generate power from the
wind.
One or more manmade structures used to generate power from the
sun.
A manmade structure to educate, commemorate, or memorialize an
event, person, or feature.
A material object placed on or near a boundary line to preserve and
identify the location of the boundary line on the ground.
A point on the ground whose position (horizontal or vertical) is known
and can be used as a base for additional survey work.
A point that identifies the location and name of an unbounded locality
(e.g., crossroad, community, populated place or locale).
A point that serves as the core of an Alaska Native village and is used in
defining Alaska Native village statistical areas.
A legally defined state- or federally recognized reservation and/or offreservation trust land (excludes statistical American Indian areas).
A legal area held in trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.
A statistical geographic entity that represents the residences,
permanent and/or seasonal, for Alaska Natives who are members of or
receiving governmental services from the defining legal Alaska Native
Village corporation.
A statistical entity identified and delineated by the Census Bureau in
consultation with federally recognized American Indian tribes that have

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MTFCC

Feature Class

G2150

State-designated Tribal
Statistical Area

G2160

Tribal Designated
Statistical Area

G2170

American Indian Joint Use
Area
Alaska Native Regional
Corporation

G2200

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

G2400

Tribal Census Tract

G2410

Tribal Block Group

G3100

Combined Statistical Area

G3110

Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area

G3120

Metropolitan Division

G3200

Combined New England
City and Town Area
New England City and
Town Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area
New England City and
Town Division

G3210

G3220

G3500

U.S. Census Bureau

Urban Area

Feature Class Description
no current reservation, but had a former reservation in Oklahoma.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a state-appointed liaison for a state-recognized American
Indian tribe that does not currently have a reservation and/or lands in
trust.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe that does not
currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation trust land.
An area administered jointly and/or claimed by two or more American
Indian tribes.
Corporate entities established to conduct both business and nonprofit
affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-203). There are twelve
geographically defined ANRCs and they are all within and cover most of
the State of Alaska (the Annette Island Reserve-an American Indian
reservation-is excluded from any ANRC). The boundaries of ANRCs
have been legally established.
Administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American Indian
reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or Oklahoma tribal statistical
areas (OTSAs). These entities are internal units of self-government or
administration that serve social, cultural, and/or economic purposes
for the American Indians on the reservations, off-reservation trust
lands, or OTSAs.
A relatively small and permanent statistical subdivision of a federally
recognized American Indian reservation and/or off-reservation trust
land, delineated by American Indian tribal participants or the Census
Bureau for the purpose of presenting demographic data.
A cluster of census blocks within a single tribal census tract delineated
by American Indian tribal participants or the Census Bureau for the
purpose of presenting demographic data.
A grouping of adjacent metropolitan and/or micropolitan statistical
areas that have a degree of economic and social integration, as
measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
whole counties and equivalents.
A county or grouping of counties that is a subdivision of a Metropolitan
Statistical Area containing an urbanized area with a population of 2.5
million or more.
A grouping of adjacent New England city and town areas that have a
degree of economic and social integration, as measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) in New England.
A grouping of cities and towns in New England that is a subdivision of a
New England City and Town Area containing an urbanized area with a
population of 2.5 million or more.
Densely settled territory that contains at least 2,500 people. The
subtypes of this feature are Urbanized Area (UA), which consists of
50,000 + people and Urban Cluster, which ranges between 2,500 and
49,999 people.

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MTFCC
G4000

Feature Class
State or Equivalent
Feature

G4020

County or Equivalent
Feature

G4040

County Subdivision

G4050

Estate

G4060
G4110

Subbarrio (Subminor Civil
Division)
Incorporated Place

G4120

Consolidated City

G4210

Census Designated Place

G4300

Economic Census Place

G5020

Census Tract

G5030

Block Group

G5035

Block Area Grouping

G5040

Tabulation Block

G5200

Congressional District

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
The primary governmental divisions of the United States. The District of
Columbia is treated as a statistical equivalent of a state for census
purposes, as is Puerto Rico.
The primary division of a state or state equivalent area. The primary
divisions of 48 states are termed County, but other terms are used such
as Borough in Alaska, Parish in Louisiana, and Municipio in Puerto Rico.
This feature includes independent cities, which are incorporated places
that are not part of any county.
The primary divisions of counties and equivalent features for the
reporting of Census Bureau data. The subtypes of this feature are
Minor Civil Division, Census County Division/Census Subarea, and
Unorganized Territory. This feature includes independent places, which
are incorporated places that are not part of any county subdivision.
Estates are subdivisions of the three major islands in the United States
Virgin Islands (USVI).
Legally defined divisions (subbarrios) of minor civil divisions (barriospueblo and barrios) in Puerto Rico.
A legal entity incorporated under state law to provide general-purpose
governmental services to a concentration of population. Incorporated
places are generally designated as a city, borough, municipality, town,
village, or, in a few instances, have no legal description.
An incorporated place that has merged governmentally with a county
or minor civil division, but one or more of the incorporated places
continues to function within the consolidation. It is a place that
contains additional separately incorporated places.
A statistical area defined for a named concentration of population and
the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place.
The lowest level of geographic area for presentation of some types of
Economic Census data. It includes incorporated places, consolidated
cities, census designated places (CDPs), minor civil divisions (MCDs) in
selected states, and balances of MCDs or counties. An incorporated
place, CDP, MCD, or balance of MCD qualifies as an economic census
place if it contains 5,000 or more residents, or 5,000 or more jobs,
according to the most current data available.
Relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a County or equivalent
feature delineated by local participants as part of the Census Bureau’s
Participant Statistical Areas Program.
A cluster of census blocks having the same first digit of their four-digit
identifying numbers within a Census Tract. For example, block group 3
(BG 3) within a Census Tract includes all blocks numbered from 3000 to
3999.
A user-defined group of islands forming a single census tabulation
block. A BAG must: (1) consist of two or more islands, (2) have a
perimeter entirely over water, (3) not overlap, and (4) not cross the
boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county or
incorporated place boundaries.
The lowest-order census defined statistical area. It is an area, such as a
city block, bounded primarily by physical features but sometimes by
invisible city or property boundaries. A tabulation block boundary does
not cross the boundary of any other geographic area for which the
Census Bureau tabulates data. The subtypes of this feature are Count
Question Resolution (CQR), current, and census.
The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of

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MTFCC

Feature Class

G5210

State Legislative District
(Upper Chamber

G5220

State Legislative District
(Lower Chamber)

G5240

Voting District

G5400

Elementary School District

G5410

Secondary School District

G5420

Unified School District

G6120

Public-Use Microdata Area

G6300

Traffic Analysis District

G6320

Traffic Analysis Zone

G6330

Urban Growth Area

G6350
G6400

ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(Five-Digit)
Commercial Region

H1100

Connector

H2025

Swamp/Marsh

H2030
H2040
H2041
H2051

Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

H2053
H2060

Ocean/Sea
Gravel Pit/Quarry filled
with water
Glacier

H2081
U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist for state
equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no representative. The
subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 111th
Congressional Districts, plus subsequent Congresses.
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the upper or unicameral chamber of a state
governing body. The upper chamber is the senate in a bicameral
legislature, and the unicameral case is a single house legislature
(Nebraska).
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the lower chamber of a state governing body.
The lower chamber is the House of Representatives in a bicameral
legislature.
The generic name for the geographic features, such as precincts,
wards, and election districts, established by state, local, and tribal
governments for the purpose of conducting elections.
A geographic area within which officials provide public elementary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public secondary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public educational
services for all grade levels for residents.
A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 or more
persons for which the Census Bureau provides selected extracts of
household-level data that are screened to protect confidentiality.
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic Analysis District
(TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs).
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data.
An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization that the
Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® System in agreement with
the state.
An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.
For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data, municipios in
Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.
A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between two
nonadjacent water features.
A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy,
possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, marais and
pocosin].
A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.
An artificially impounded body of water.
An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.
A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight, cove
and inlet].
The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.
A body of water in a place or area from which commercial minerals
were removed from the Earth.
A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of

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MTFCC

Feature Class

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

K1225

Crew-of-Vessel Location

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent
Care Facility
Juvenile Institution

K1235

K1236

Local Jail or Detention
Center

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State
Prison, or Prison Farm

K1238

Other Correctional
Institution

K1239

K1246
K2110

Convent, Monastery,
Rectory, Other Religious
Group Quarters
Community Center
Military Installation

K2165

Government Center

K2167

Convention Center

K2180

Park

K2181

National Park Service Land

K2182

National Forest or Other
Federal Land

K2183

Tribal Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2184

State Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2185

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top
or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice field and ice
patch].
A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, branch,
brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].
A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of interlacing
channels.
An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate or
drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as a
waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].
A point or area in which the population of military or merchant marine
vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near the home port pier.
One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive medical
or surgical attention [including infirmary].
A facility (correctional and non-correctional) where groups of juveniles
reside; this includes training schools, detention centers, residential
treatment centers and orphanages.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, administered by a local (county,
municipal, etc.) government.
An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult
persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal government
or a state government.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere classified or
administered by a government of unknown jurisdiction.
One or more structures intended for use as a residence for those
having a religious vocation.
Community Center.
An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense for use
by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned area for the use of the
National Guard.
A place used by members of government (either federal, state, local, or
tribal) for administration and public business.
An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space to host
public and private business and social events.
Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local
governments.
Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—under the
jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
Land under the management and jurisdiction of the federal
government, specifically including areas designated as National Forest,
and excluding areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of an American Indian
tribe.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a state government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a regional
government.

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MTFCC
K2186

Feature Class
County Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2187

County Subdivision Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2188

Incorporated Place Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2189

K2191

Private Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Other Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area (quasipublic, independent park,
commission, etc.)
Post Office

K2193
K2194
K2195
K2196
K2400

Fire Department
Police Station
Library
City/Town Hall
Transportation Terminal

K2424
K2432

Marina
Pier/Dock

K2451

Airport or Airfield

K2452
K2453

Train Station, Trolley or
Mass Transit Rail Station
Bus Terminal

K2454

Marine Terminal

K2455

Seaplane Anchorage

K2456

K2459

Airport—Intermodal
Transportation
Hub/Terminal
Airport—Statistical
Representation
Park and Ride
Facility/Parking Lot
Runway/Taxiway

K2460

Helicopter Landing Pad

K2540

University or College

K2190

K2457
K2458

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a county
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a minor civil division
(town/township) government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a municipal
government.
A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or preservation
of a cultural or natural resource.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of some other type of
government or agency such as an independent park authority or
commission.
An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and
distributing mail and other postal material.
Fire Department.
Police Station.
Library.
City/Town Hall.
A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be accessed
by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of such a facility
include marine terminal, bus station, train station, airport and truck
warehouse.
A place where privately owned, light-craft are moored.
A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by
piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, or it may be
used for recreational purposes.
A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including
airstrip, landing field and landing strip].
A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines, including
associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle transit,
including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or where
cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, and other
commercial offices.
A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or taking
off from a body of water can debark and load.
A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and exit
airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of transportation.
The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census blocks
used for the delineation of urban areas.
A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to other
modes of transportation.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for taking off
and landing at an airport.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for taking
off and landing.
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].

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MTFCC
K2543

Feature Class
School or Academy

K2545

K2561
K2582

Museum, Visitor Center,
Cultural Center, or Tourist
Attraction
Golf Course
Cemetery

K2586

Zoo

K3544

Place of Worship

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Powerline

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

L4110

Fence Line

L4121
L4125

Ridge Line
Cliff/Escarpment

L4130

Point-to-Point Line

L4140

Property/Parcel Line
(Including PLSS)

L4150

Coastline

L4165

Ferry Crossing

P0001
P0002

Nonvisible Linear
Legal/Statistical Boundary
Perennial Shoreline

P0003

Intermittent Shoreline

P0004

Other non-visible
bounding Edge (e.g.,
Census water boundary,
boundary of an aerial
feature)
Railroad Feature (Main,
Spur, or Yard)

R1011

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for preschool,
elementary or secondary study, teaching, and learning [including
elementary school and high school].
An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest that
provides information or displays artifacts.
A place designed for playing golf.
A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground and
memorial garden].
A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined within
enclosures and displayed to the public for educational, preservation,
and research purposes.
A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious
worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and mosque.
A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with
pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid (e.g., crude
oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.
One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for conducting
high-voltage electric power.
A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers
suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.
A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually
made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine,
or to mark a boundary.
The line of highest elevation along a ridge.
A very steep or vertical slope [including bluff, crag, head, headland,
nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and rimrock].
A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at
another, both of which are in sight.
This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either public or
private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote a Public Land
Survey System or equivalent survey line.
The line that separates either land or Inland water from Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly borders Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline represents the Coastline.
Where Inland water (such as a river) flows into Coastal, Territorial or
Great Lakes water, the closure line separating the Inland water from
the other class of water represents the Coastline.
The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and forth over
a waterbody in a boat.
A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a
shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.
The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water for a
water feature that exists year-round.
The boundary between land and water (when water is present) for a
water feature that does not exist year-round.
A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical boundary,
and does not correspond to a shoreline or other visible feature on the
ground. Many such Edges bound area landmarks, while many others
separate water features from each other (e.g., where a bay meets the
ocean).
A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad traffic.
Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of a rail yard.

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MTFCC
R1051

R1052

Feature Class
Carline, Streetcar Track,
Monorail, Other Mass
Transit
Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail
Line, Tram

S1100

Primary Road

S1200

Secondary Road

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road,
Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along
a limited access highway

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

S1720

Stairway

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for service
vehicles (logging, oil fields,
ranches, etc.)
Internal U.S. Census
Bureau use
Parking Lot Road
Bike Path or Trail

S1750
S1780
S1820

Feature Class Description
Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, monorails,
streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically inaccessible to mainstream
railroad traffic and whose tracks are not part of a road right-of-way.
A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is typically
inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that aerial tramways
and streetcars (which may also be called “trams”) are accounted for by
other MTFCCs and do not belong in R1052.
Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways within the
interstate highway system or under state management, and are
distinguished by the presence of interchanges. These highways are
accessible by ramps and may include some toll highways.
Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. Highway, State
Highway or County Highway system. These roads have one or more
lanes of traffic in each direction, may or may not be divided, and
usually have at-grade intersections with many other roads and
driveways. They often have both a local name and a route number.
Generally, a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that usually has a
single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in this feature class may
be privately or publicly maintained. Scenic park roads would be
included in this feature class, as would (depending on the region of the
country) some unpaved roads.
An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is required.
These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in very rural areas.
Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars and trucks belong in the
S1400 category.
A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a limited
access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf interchange. These
roads are unaddressable and do not carry a name in the MAF/TIGER
System.
A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that provides
access to structures along the highway. These roads can be named and
may intersect with other roads.
A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.
A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series of
steps.
A service road that does not generally have associated addressed
structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at the rear of buildings
and properties and is used for deliveries.
A road within private property that is privately maintained for service,
extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often unnamed.
Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

U.S. Census Bureau

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APPENDIX C. READING A MAP
C.1

Scales

A map is a paper or digital representation of an area. Naturally, the map is always smaller than
the area it represents, so nearly all maps are equipped with a scale, which depicts the ratio of
distance on the map to the actual distance on land. The scale can be designed any number of
ways, but two of the most common scales are ratio scales (Figure 29), which describe a ratio
between the map and the real world (e.g., 1: 24,000), and bar scales, which depict that
relationship graphically by displaying how much a certain distance on the map represents in the
real world (Figure 29). In other words, if a map has a ratio scale of 1: 24,000, it means that one
inch on the map represents 24,000 inches on the ground. (This works with any unit of
measurement, so long as the unit being used on the map is the same as – or properly converted
from – the unit being depicted on the ground.) Often a map will have both types of scale.

Figure 29. Bar Scale
The map from which this scale was taken has a ratio scale of 1:12,500.
The bar scale shows distances in kilometers and miles.

A bar scale will often be a set length (e.g., one inch), and/or represent a set distance (e.g., one
mile). The bar scale is used to determine distance on the map by using a ruler. Simply place the
ruler on the map to determine the distance on the map; then place the ruler along the bar
scale, which will show how much that distance represents on the ground.
Maps that display a small area, but with a relatively large amount of detail, are considered
large-scale maps (see Figure 30). A map that displays a large area, but shows less detail, is
called a small-scale map. This is because the representative fraction of a large-scale map (e.g.,
1/7,500 or 1:7,500) is a larger fraction than that of a small-scale map (e.g., 1/250,000 or
1:250,000).

Figure 30. Large Scale Map
A large-scale map shows a greater amount of detail; this example
displays streets, parks, churches and restaurants.

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C.2

Compass Rose

All maps should have some sort of diagram depicting at least one – but sometimes all – of the
cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) that the map reader can use to orient the
map. This diagram is sometimes called a compass rose (see Figure 31). A compass rose can have
any number of designs, and north can be shown in any direction on the map, but most maps
are oriented with north at the top of the map. It is important to check the compass rose when
beginning to read a map, in order to determine the direction in which the map is oriented
(i.e., which direction is at the top of the map).

Figure 31. Compass Rose

C.3

Legend

Because a map is a graphic representation of a real-world area, naturally, it is necessary, and
convenient, to symbolize real world features with representative symbols. These symbols can
take any form, so long as they are consistent within any individual map. In order to describe
what each symbol means, most maps have a legend (see Figure 32). The legend is typically
located on the side or bottom of the map – they can be anywhere, so long as they do not
obstruct the integral parts of the map. Typically, the legend will have a small example of each
symbol (e.g. a line, or a picture of a tent), and next to the symbol, in text, a brief description of
what is being depicted (e.g. “road”, or “campground”).

Figure 32. Legend Describing What Each Symbol Means

Sometimes a map needs to depict multiple features concurrently. This is because some lines are
the boundaries of multiple geographies at the same time (i.e. a county boundary can also be a
city boundary, a voting district boundary, and even a highway or river). Such instances can be
depicted in various ways, but Census Bureau maps depict coincident lines by alternating the
symbols for each type of line as shown in Figure 33 below. In other words, if a line is both a
county boundary (symbolized by a series of squares) and a city boundary (a series of circles),
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that boundary will be depicted as a series of alternating squares and circles for the length of the
concurrency.

Figure 33. Map Depicting Multiple Features Concurrently
In this case, the city and the county boundaries are coincident, and run
through the middle of the river.

In situations where higher-level geographies (e.g. national, state, county, or county
subdivisions) coincide, the Census Bureau’s maps display only the symbol of the highest-ranking
of these boundaries. In other words, if a particular boundary is shared by both a state and
county, only the symbol representing the state boundary will be displayed.

C.4

Index Maps

In order to decide what map to use for the BAS submission, it is necessary to view the entity as
a whole, and choose the correct parent map sheet based on its location within the entity. Do
this by referring to the index map (Figure 34), a relatively small-scale map that shows the entire
entity, and the location and number of all parent map sheets within that entity. Each parent
map sheet has a numerical locator which differentiates it from the other parent map sheets
associated with that entity. The numbering begins with the northern and western-most parent
map sheets, and continues left-to-right, in much the same pattern as words in a book. By
referring to the index map, determine which parent map sheet(s) to use for the BAS
submission, and then access it based on its number on the index map.

U.S. Census Bureau

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Page C-3

Figure 34. Index Map
The Index Map sheet shows the location of all parent map sheets and
inset map sheets within an entity.

The index map is not appropriate for BAS submissions. Its purpose is as a reference or index of
parent maps, and it will not be accepted as a BAS submission.

C.5

Inset Maps

In some instances, in highly congested areas, even a parent map sheet provides insufficient
detail for BAS purposes. In such cases, rather than using a parent map, the area is depicted
within an inset map (Figure 36). This refers to a map with a very large scale, so that it displays a
smaller area than the parent map sheet, but with greater detail. On the index map, an inset
map is represented by a green outline, and is assigned a number preceded by a letter (i.e. A1,
A2, B1, etc.), as shown in Figure 35 on the next page. Inset maps are only found in areas with a
large number of features, and as such are used less often than parent maps.

U.S. Census Bureau

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Page C-4

Figure 35. An Inset Map as it is Displayed on the Index Map

Figure 36. Inset Maps
Inset maps show areas of relative congestion at a large scale, allowing a
greater amount of detail.

C.6

Parent Maps

Many entities2, such as incorporated places and counties, are too large to be shown on a single
map; that is, the scale is too small to allow the necessary details for BAS updates. Thus, it is
necessary to separate the entity into sections, each of which has its own map, called the parent
map sheet3 (Figure 37). Thus, a single entity is often represented with numerous map sheets,
with each parent map sheet showing a small section of the entity. Each parent map is assigned
a number, beginning with the number one and increasing progressively for each additional
parent map sheet (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). In this way, viewing and editing map sheets becomes
2

Entity refers to any local governmental unit, e.g. a county, incorporated place, or minor civil division.

Within the scope of BAS, the terms ‘map’ and ‘map sheet’ have the same meaning, and they are used interchangeably throughout
this document.
U.S. Census Bureau

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more manageable, and it becomes possible to depict an area with the level of detail necessary
to make changes or challenges. In most instances, the parent map is the one that should be
used for BAS submissions.

Figure 37. The Parent Map
The parent map sheet shows a section of an entity at a relatively large
scale.

In the bottom right-hand corner of the parent map sheet, there is a key to the parent map
sheet’s location in relation to adjacent map sheets as shown in Figure 37 above. A larger

example of this key is shown in
Figure 38. This key helps the user quickly determine which adjacent map sheet to use.

Figure 38. The Key to Adjacent Sheets
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper

Page C-6

The key to adjacent sheets shows where the parent map sheet lies in
relation to adjacent sheets.

Next to the key to adjacent sheets, there is a small outline of the entire entity (the inside of
which is colored yellow), and a blue outline of the parent map sheet. This key displays the
location of the map sheet in relation to the entity as a whole as is shown in Figure 39 below.

Figure 39. The Sheet Location within Entity key
The sheet location with entity key shows where the parent map sheet is
located within the entity to which it belongs.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper

Page C-7

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) Tribal
Respondent Guide: GUPS
Instructions for Using the Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS)
Revised as of November 20, 2018

This page intentionally left blank

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................viii
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Section 1.
1.1
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2

Section 2.
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8

Quality Control and File Submission .............................................................. 8

Section 4.
4.1
4.2

Reviewing BAS Data ...................................................................................... 1

Boundary Corrections ................................................................................................................... 1
Legal Boundary Changes............................................................................................................... 1
Reviewing Legal Boundaries ......................................................................................................... 1
Submitting Acceptable Documentation ....................................................................................... 2
Legal Disputes ............................................................................................................................... 3
Reviewing Linear Features ............................................................................................................ 3
Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas ................................................................... 4
Reviewing Point Landmarks .......................................................................................................... 6

Section 3.
3.1
3.2
3.3

Process and Workflow .................................................................................. 1

Requirements and Installation .................................................................... 10

Getting Started ........................................................................................................................... 16
How to Install GUPS .................................................................................................................... 17

Section 5.

Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management) ................................................ 22

5.1 How to Access BAS Shapefiles .................................................................................................... 22
5.2 Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website ................................................................ 23
5.3 Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website.............................................................................. 32
5.4 Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site ............................................................ 34
5.5 Using GUPS Interface .................................................................................................................. 36
5.5.1 GUPS Main Page ......................................................................................................................... 36
5.5.2 Table of Contents and Map View ............................................................................................... 38
5.5.3 Managing the Map View from Within the Table of Contents .................................................... 39
5.5.3.1 Manage Layer Visibility .......................................................................................................... 39
5.5.3.2 Reorder Data Layers .............................................................................................................. 39
5.5.3.3 Expand/Contract Table of Contents Menus .......................................................................... 39
5.6 Menu & Toolbars ........................................................................................................................ 40
5.6.1 Menu Tabs .................................................................................................................................. 40
5.6.2 Standard Toolbar Buttons........................................................................................................... 45
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

5.6.2.1 Identify a Feature Using the Identify Features Button .......................................................... 46
5.6.2.2 Select/Deselect Features Using the Select Features and Deselect Features Buttons ........... 48
5.6.2.3 View an Attribute Table for a Layer on the Map ................................................................... 50
5.6.2.4 Determine Distance, Area, and Angles on the Map .............................................................. 51
5.6.2.5 Save Locations on a Map Using the Bookmark Button.......................................................... 53
5.6.3 BAS Toolbar Buttons ................................................................................................................... 54
5.6.4 Status Bar .................................................................................................................................... 55
5.7 How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS........................................................................... 56
5.7.1 The Add Data Toolbar ................................................................................................................. 56
5.7.2 How to Upload User-Provided Data Layers ................................................................................ 56
5.7.3 How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile........................................................................................ 58

Section 6.

Making BAS Updates in GUPS ..................................................................... 60

6.1 How to Update Legal Boundaries ............................................................................................... 60
6.1.1 Adding Land Area as Reservation or Trust Lands for the First Time .......................................... 60
6.1.2 Adding (or Deleting) Land Area to an Existing Reservation or Existing Off-Reservation Trust
Land
...................................................................................................................................... 68
6.1.1 Make a Boundary Correction (Add Area/Remove Area) ...........................................................................73

6.1.3
6.2
6.2.1
6.2.2
6.2.3
6.2.4
6.3
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.3.3
6.3.4
6.4
6.4.1
6.4.2
6.4.3
6.5
6.5.1
6.5.2
6.6
6.6.1
6.6.2
6.6.3

Adding a Geographic Offset........................................................................................................ 76
How to Update Linear Features.................................................................................................. 82
Adding a Linear Feature.............................................................................................................. 82
Deleting a Linear Feature ........................................................................................................... 84
Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature ............................................................................................ 85
Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature .............................................................................. 85
How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas ......................................................... 87
Adding a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area .................................................................... 87
Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ........................................................................ 90
Adding Area to an Area Landmark or Hydrographic Area .......................................................... 92
Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area..................................................... 94
How to Update Point Landmarks................................................................................................ 96
Adding a Point Landmark............................................................................................................ 96
Deleting a Point Landmark ......................................................................................................... 97
Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark ............................................................................ 98
How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools ......................................................................... 99
Geography Review Tool .............................................................................................................. 99
Review Change Polygons Tool .................................................................................................. 103
Exporting a Printable Map ........................................................................................................ 110
How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit.................................................................................. 112
Exporting a File to Share ........................................................................................................... 113
Exporting a File to Submit to the Census Bureau ..................................................................... 114

Section 7.

Submitting Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM ............................... 117

Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 122
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
U.S. Census Bureau

BAS Contact Information and Resources ........................................................ A-1
TERMS ........................................................................................................... B-1
MTFCC Descriptions ....................................................................................... C-1
Standard Street Type Abbreviations ............................................................... D-1
GUPS Tools .................................................................................................... E-1
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

iii

E.1
E.2
E.3
E.4
E.5

Set Layer Symbology .................................................................................................................. E-1
Change Label Display ................................................................................................................. E-3
Restoring Default Label Display Settings ................................................................................... E-5
Using the Table of Contents Toolbar to Manage Layers ........................................................... E-6
Preset Views in the Manage Layer Visibility Table of Contents ................................................ E-6

Appendix F MAF/TIGER Feature Classification .................................................................. F-1
Appendix G Shapefile Names ............................................................................................ G-1
Appendix H Shapefile Layouts .......................................................................................... H-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Tribal BAS Workflow .......................................................................................................................................1
Figure 2. GUPS Main Page Layout................................................................................................................................36
Figure 3. Close Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................38
Figure 4. Restore the Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................38
Figure 5. Managing Layer Visibility ..............................................................................................................................39
Figure 6. Menu and Toolbars .......................................................................................................................................40
Figure 7. Manage Layer Toolbar ..................................................................................................................................40
Figure 8. Standard Toolbar ..........................................................................................................................................45
Figure 9. Sub-tool Markers ..........................................................................................................................................45
Figure 10. BAS Toolbar.................................................................................................................................................54
Figure 11. Status Bar ....................................................................................................................................................55
Figure 12. Add Data Toolbar ........................................................................................................................................56
Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated Area ................................................................................... B-2
Figure 14. Incorporated Area and Unincorporated Area ........................................................................................... B-2
Figure 15. Participant Responses ............................................................................................................................... B-2
Figure 16. A Cadastral (Parcel-Based) Boundary Map ............................................................................................... B-3
Figure 17. How a Boundary Should be Represented When Sent to the Census Bureau ........................................... B-3
Figure 18. Place Boundary – Front-Lot-Line .............................................................................................................. B-4
Figure 19. Place Boundary – Rear-Lot-Line ................................................................................................................ B-4
Figure 20. Table of Contents Layers Toolbar ............................................................................................................. E-6
Figure 21. Add Preset Layer ....................................................................................................................................... E-7
Figure 22. Visibility Presets Dialog Box ...................................................................................................................... E-7

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Available Change Types by Entity Type ............................................................................................................2
Table 2: Acceptable MTFCCs for New Area Landmarks / Hydrographic Areas ..............................................................5
Table 3: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCCs .................................................................................................................6
Table 4: Record an Addition ........................................................................................................................................10
Table 5: GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements................................................................................................17
Table 6: Install the GUPS Application ..........................................................................................................................18
Table 7: Start a New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS Website ........................................................................23
Table 8: Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website to a Hard Drive ........................................................................32
Table 9: Download Shapefiles from ftp2 Site to a Hard Drive (State Users) ...............................................................34
Table 10: GUPS Main Page Elements ...........................................................................................................................37
Table 11: Menu Tabs and Their Functions ...................................................................................................................41
Table 12: Adjust Snapping Tolerances .........................................................................................................................44
Table 13: Standard Toolbar Buttons ............................................................................................................................45
Table 14: Identify a Feature on the Map .....................................................................................................................46
Table 15: Select/Deselect Features on the Map ..........................................................................................................48
Table 16: View Layer Attributes Using the Attributes Table........................................................................................51
Table 17: Measure Distances, Area, and Angles on a Map ..........................................................................................52
Table 18: Bookmark Locations on a Map.....................................................................................................................53
Table 19: BAS Toolbar Buttons ....................................................................................................................................54
Table 20: Status Bar Elements .....................................................................................................................................55
Table 21: Add Data Toolbar Buttons............................................................................................................................56
Table 22: Load Shapefiles/Geodatabase Layers ..........................................................................................................57
Table 23: Load Data from a Web Mapping Service .....................................................................................................57
Table 24: Add Imagery Files .........................................................................................................................................58
Table 25: Import a ZIP File Shared by Another User ....................................................................................................58
Table 26: Add Land Area as Reservation or Off-reservation Trust Land......................................................................60
Table 27: Record an Addition ......................................................................................................................................68
Table 28: Make a Boundary Correction .......................................................................................................................74
Table 29: Add a Geographic Offset ..............................................................................................................................76
Table 30: Adding a Linear Feature ...............................................................................................................................82
Table 31: Deleting a Linear Feature .............................................................................................................................84
Table 32: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature .............................................................................................................85
Table 33: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature ................................................................................................85
Table 34: Creating a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ....................................................................................87
Table 35: Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ..........................................................................................90
Table 36: Adding Area to an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ...............................................................................92
Table 37: Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ......................................................................94
Table 38: Adding a Point Landmark .............................................................................................................................96
Table 39: Deleting a Point Landmark ...........................................................................................................................97
Table 40: Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark ..............................................................................................98
Table 41: Using the Geography Review Tool ...............................................................................................................99
Table 42: Reviewing Change Polygons.......................................................................................................................103
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

Table 43: Exporting a Printable Map .........................................................................................................................110
Table 44: Exporting Files to Share with Another User ...............................................................................................113
Table 45: Exporting Files for Submission to the Census Bureau ................................................................................115
Table 46: Transmitting Files to the Census Bureau Using SWIM ...............................................................................117
Table 47: BAS Contact Information and Resources ................................................................................................... A-1
Table 48: MTFCC Descriptions ................................................................................................................................... C-1
Table 49: Standard Street Type Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... D-1
Table 50: Reset Layer Symbology .............................................................................................................................. E-1
Table 51: Change Default Labeling ............................................................................................................................ E-3
Table 52: Restoring Default Labeling ......................................................................................................................... E-5
Table 53: Table of Contents Layers Toolbar Buttons ................................................................................................. E-6
Table 54: MAF/TIGER Feature Classification ..............................................................................................................F-1
Table 55: State Shapefiles Names.............................................................................................................................. G-1
Table 56: County Shapefiles Names .......................................................................................................................... G-2
Table 57: Edges Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_edges) ......................................................................................................... H-1
Table 58: Address Ranges Attribute File (PVS_19_v2_addr) ..................................................................................... H-2
Table 59: Census Block Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_tabblock2010) ................................................................................. H-2
Table 60: Census Tract Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_curtracts).......................................................................................... H-3
Table 61: American Indian Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_aial) .................................................................................. H-3
Table 62: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_county) ................................................................... H-4
Table 63: County Subdivisions Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_mcd) ..................................................................................... H-4
Table 64: Incorporated Place Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_place) ..................................................................................... H-5

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vii

INTRODUCTION
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) annually to collect
information about selected legally defined geographic areas, such as counties (and equivalent
areas), incorporated places, minor civil divisions (MCDs), federally recognized American Indian
Areas (AIAs) — including reservations, off-reservation trust lands and tribal subdivisions, and
Hawaiian Homelands. BAS also provides an opportunity for participants to review the names
and geographic relationships for these areas. Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 6,
authorizes this survey.
The Census Bureau uses the boundary information collected during BAS to tabulate data for the
decennial and economic censuses, and to support the yearly deliver of the Population Estimates
Program (PEP) and the American Community Survey (ACS) data. Maintaining correct boundaries
and boundary-to-feature relationships through BAS helps ensure that the Census Bureau
assigns the appropriate housing and population counts to each governmental unit (GU).
In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16, BAS supports the
Census Bureau’s spatial data steward responsibilities for the Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) and the Geospatial One-Stop by updating the inventory and boundaries of
GUs.
In addition, BAS is the source of up-to-date information on changes to the boundaries, codes
and names of incorporated places, MCDs, counties (and equivalent areas), Hawaiian
Homelands, and federally recognized AIAs, which include reservations and off-reservation trust
lands used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS), the National Map, and the Geographic
Names Information System (GNIS).
Please visit the BAS program website at .
For more information on BAS, please view the “Introduction to BAS” video series on the Census
Bureau’s BAS website at .

What's New for the 2019 BAS?
1. The Census Bureau developed a BAS Partner Toolbox for ArcGIS users. This toolbox is designed
to simplify and standardize the BAS update process.
2. The GUPS help videos previously embedded in the software are relocated to the BAS website.
3. Redistricting data contacts participating in the Voting District Project verification phase may
submit boundary updates for reconciliation with BAS contacts.
4. Website revisions.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

viii

Key Dates for BAS Respondents

January 1—Boundary updates must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in
the current survey year.
March 1—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS data estimates
and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

BAS State Agreements

Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of land is in dispute between two or more
jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come
to a written agreement or there is a documented final court decision regarding the dispute.
To learn more, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at (301) 763-9844.
For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at
the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an
extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the
current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor's office.

Respondent Guide Organization

This guide has been created for those who choose to participate in the survey using GUPS.
Those using their own GIS should consult the Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal
Respondent Guide: Digital available on the BAS website: . Those using paper maps should
consult the Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper. This guide is equipped
with shortcuts to subjects that respondents may want to jump to directly. To move directly to
one of these sections, click on the linked text.
This guide contains two parts:
Part 1: Provides an overview of BAS. It specifies the:





Process and Workflow;
Receiving the GUPS Application and Shapefiles;
GUPS Help;
BAS Help;

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS








Reviewing BAS Data (Information specific to the review and update of each type of geographic
entity);
Boundary Corrections (Including Legal Boundary Changes and Reviewing Legal Boundaries);
Submitting Acceptable Documentation;
Reviewing Linear Features (Including Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas and
Reviewing Point Landmarks);
Validating Updates; and
Submitting Files through SWIM and Submitting Files on DVD.

Part 2: Describes GUPS and gives step-by-step instructions (Action/Result in table format) for:










Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management)
Requirements and Installation;
How to Access BAS Shapefiles;
Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website ;
Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site;
How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS;
How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools;
How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit; and
Submitting Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM.

Note: In all the Action/Result tables, the action is usually a command or action the participant needs to
perform and the Result(s) of the action will be shown in italics. For example: if the participant
clicks the GUPS icon on the desktop, the software should begin to run automatically.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
SECTION 1. PROCESS AND WORKFLOW
Figure 1 below illustrates the three phases of the work to be completed for Tribal BAS. The first
section in the diagram includes initial steps. The second section indicates the types of
geographic data that should be reviewed and updated. The last section lists the final steps to
validate and submit changes.

Figure 1. Tribal BAS Workflow

The sections of this guide are organized around the topical areas in the diagram and provide
needed program information and procedures, as well as relevant deadlines. See Appendix A :
BAS Contact Information and Resources for a list of contacts and helpful program links.

1.1

Receiving the GUPS Application and Shapefiles

GUPS is available for installation two ways. GUPS software is available for download directly
from the BAS website . Participants can also request to receive GUPS software
on DVD, which will be shipped in a package containing the GUPS DVD, respondent guide, and a
read me text file.
Once GUPS is installed, the BAS shapefiles can be imported from the BAS website directly to the
GUPS application. Instructions on how to load data into GUPS appears in Section 5.2.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
If a participant does not have Internet access, they may request shapefiles on DVD. To request a
data DVD, call (800) 972-5651 or email geo.bas@census.gov.

1.2

Getting Help

Part 2: How to Use GUPS of this guide contains directions for how to use the tools available
within the GUPS application, as well as step-by-step instructions for how to carry out specific
shapefile updates (e.g., additions and deletions of tribal areas, adding and deleting features and
landmarks, etc.).

1.2.2 BAS Help
BAS participants may find the Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital
helpful. Although designed for experienced GIS users, it provides important information on
geocoding, topological relationships, and spatial accuracy relevant to Census Bureau shapefiles.
This guide can be downloaded at: .
The Census Bureau has also created a number of other BAS-related videos, including a helpful
one on the subject of topology and why topology is important to BAS. To view these videos, go
to: .

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
SECTION 2. REVIEWING BAS DATA
The Census Bureau requests that participants review and update all legal entities and
boundaries within their reservation/trust lands/tribal subdivisions, including the additions and
deletions of land area and boundary corrections. They may also update linear features and
landmarks, including area landmarks, hydrographic areas, and point landmarks, although
review of these is optional.
To help conduct the review, the GUPS application allows participants to import and overlay
their own geospatial data layers with the Census Bureau shapefiles. Image files may be
imported from web mapping services, geodatabases, and other file types. Steps to import the
most common types of user-provided data are provided in Section 5.7 How to Import UserProvided Data into GUPS.

2.1

Boundary Corrections

2.2

Legal Boundary Changes

Legal boundary changes are the result of legal actions (e.g., additions), and documenting such
changes is the primary goal of BAS. AIA Legal documentation (e.g., statute, federal court
decision, trust deed) must accompany all AIA legal boundary changes, while legal boundary
change submissions from incorporated places, MCDs, and counties must provide an
authorization number, such as a resolution or ordinance number.

2.3

Reviewing Legal Boundaries

The following can be updated through Tribal BAS:


Federal American Indian Reservations are areas that have been set aside by the United States
for the use of tribes, the exterior boundaries of which are more particularly defined in the final
tribal treaties, agreements, executive orders, federal statutes, secretarial orders, or judicial
determinations.

Trust lands may be located on or off a reservation; however, the Census Bureau tabulates data
only for off-reservation trust lands. Please do not submit on-reservation trust land because the
Census Bureau can only show the exterior reservation boundary.


Federal Off-Reservation Trust Lands are areas for which the United States holds title in trust for
the benefit of a tribe (tribal trust land) or for an individual American Indian (individual trust
land).

The Census Bureau does not identify fee land (or land in fee simple status) or restricted fee
lands as specific geographic areas.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW




Tribal Subdivisions are legal administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American Indian
reservations and off-reservation trust lands and are described as additions, administrative areas,
areas, chapters, county districts, communities, districts, or segments. These entities are internal
units of self-government or administration that serve social, cultural, and/or economic purposes
for the American Indians on the reservations and off-reservation trust lands.
Hawaiian Homelands are areas held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii,
pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended.

Table 1 shows the specific changes allowed for each legal entity type.
Table 1: Available Change Types by Entity Type
Entity Type

Available Change Types

Hawaiian Home Land
(HHL)

Reservation / Trust Land















Tribal Subdivision

2.4











New Entity
Deleted Entity
Addition
Deletion
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)
Geographic Corridor
Geographic Offset
New Entity (No Land previously; Have
Reservation land and adding Trust Lands for
first time, or Have Trust land and are adding
Reservation for first time)
Deleted Entity (changing from Reservation to
Trust land or Trust Land to Reservation)
Addition (adding to type of geography that
already exists)
Deletion (Deleting a portion of Reservation or
Trust Land)
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)
Geographic Offset
Adding tribal subdivisions for first time
Deleting tribal subdivisions all together
Addition
Deletion
Boundary Correction (add)
Boundary Correction (remove)

Submitting Acceptable Documentation

The Census Bureau is responsible for depicting reservation and off-reservation trust land
boundaries, but because the Census Bureau is not the authority on the boundaries,
documentation is required to update reservation and off-reservation trust land boundaries.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
The following changes require documentation:







New off-reservation trust land;
New reservation land;
Changes from off-reservation trust land to reservation land and changes from reservation land
to off-reservation trust land;
Large changes to existing off-reservation trust land;
Large changes to existing reservation land; and
Boundary corrections to off-reservation trust land or reservation land that do not follow the
general shape of the boundary.

For off-reservation trust land, the most common documentation is a trust deed or a letter from
the BIA. Documents should state that the land is “in trust” for the tribe.
For reservation land, documentation examples include (but are not limited to) federal register
notice, Act of Congress, Executive Order, or a new legal opinion issued by the BIA. When
submitting large boundary corrections to an existing reservation, please submit the reservation
document.
If no documentation is available, please contact the tribe’s regional BIA office to obtain
documentation. The Census Bureau will treat legal opinions issued in writing from the BIA as
documentation since the BIA is the authority on reservation and off-reservation trust land
boundaries. If the Census Bureau cannot interpret a document, such as a treaty, the Census
Bureau will contact the BIA for assistance.
For questions about documentation, please call the Census Bureau at (800) 972-5651 or email
geo.bas@census.gov. To contact the BIA, please see
for regional office contact
information.

2.5

Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of tribal land is in dispute between two or more
jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come
to a written agreement, or there is a documented final court decision regarding the
matter/dispute. For further information, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at
(301) 763-9844.
For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at
the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an
extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the
current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor’s office.

2.6

Reviewing Linear Features

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
have experienced recent population growth or construction activities, as these are the most
likely to possess new or altered linear features (e.g., new subdivisions, traffic circles converted
to straight ways, or privately maintained roads that serve as public streets, but exclude private
driveways).
Attribute updates (e.g., name, class code, and address ranges) may also be added for selected
features. For a complete list of MAF/TIGER Feature Class Codes (MTFCCs), review Appendix C :
MTFCC Descriptions.
To aid in the review of linear features, GUPS allows users to import local street centerline files,
hydrography layers, imagery, and other user-provided geospatial data for reference and
comparison against the Census Bureau data.
In the review, please note:





2.7

Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas

Add new area landmark or hydrographic area;
Remove area landmark or hydrographic area;
Change or add landmark name; and
Boundary corrections (add and remove area).

If adding a new area landmark or hydrographic area, please add only:







Water bodies;
Glaciers;
Airports;
Cemeteries;
Golf courses; and
Parks.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
The Census Bureau cannot add other types of area landmark / hydrographic areas to the
MAF/TIGER System at this time (even though others may already exist in the database).
Table 2 shows the acceptable MTFCCs for new area landmarks or hydrographic areas.
Table 2: Acceptable MTFCCs for New Area Landmarks / Hydrographic Areas
MTFCC
H2030
H2040
H2041
H2051
H2081
C3023
K1231
K1235
K1236
K1237
K2110
K2180
K2181
K2182
K2183
K2184
K2185
K2186
K2187
K2188
K2189
K2190
K2424
K2540
K2457
K2561
K2582

Description
Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound
Glacier
Island
Hospital/Hospice/Urgent Care Facility
Juvenile Institution
Local Jail or Detention Center
Federal Penitentiary, State Prison, or Prison Farm
Military Installation
Park
National Park Service Land
National Forest or Other Federal Land
Tribal Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
State Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
County Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
County Subdivision Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Incorporated Place Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Private Park, Forest, or Recreation Area
Other Park, Forest, or Recreation Area (quasi-public, independent park,
commission, etc.)
Marina
University or College
Airport – Area Representation
Golf Course
Cemetery

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
Area Landmark/Hydro Area Changes May Be Delayed
The Census Bureau prioritizes boundary changes to legal areas to meet ACS, PEP, and BAS deadlines.
Therefore, there may be delays in incorporating area landmark and hydrographic area changes to the
MAF/TIGER System. Please do not resubmit any changes that were sent during the previous year’s BAS.
The Census Bureau are working on incorporating those changes, and they will be reflected in the next
year’s BAS materials.

2.8

Reviewing Point Landmarks

K2451 (Airport or Airfield);
K2582 (Cemetery);
C3022 (Summit or Pillar); and
C3081 (Locale or Populated Place).

U.S. Census Bureau

MTFCC
K1100

Description
Housing Unit Location

K1121

Apartment Building or Complex

K1122

Rooming or Boarding House

K1223

Trailer Court or Mobile Home Park

K1226

Housing Facility/Dormitory for Workers

K1227

Hotel, Motel, Resort, Spa, Hostel, YMCA, or YWCA

K1228

Campground

K1229

Shelter or Mission

K1232

Halfway House/Group Home

K1233

Nursing Home, Retirement Home, or Home for the Aged

K1234

County Home or Poor Farm

K1235

Juvenile Institution

K1241

Sorority, Fraternity, or College Dormitory

K1251

Military Group Quarters
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
MTFCC
K1299

Description
Other Group Quarters Location

K2100

Governmental

K2197

Mixed Use/Other Non-residential

K2300

Commercial Workplace

K2361

Shopping Center or Major Retail Center

K2362

Industrial Building or Industrial Park

K2363

Office Building or Office Park

K2364

Farm/Vineyard/Winery/Orchard

K2366

Other Employment Center

K2424

Marina

K2500

Other Workplace

K2564

Amusement Center

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
SECTION 3. QUALITY CONTROL AND FILE SUBMISSION
3.1

Validating Updates

Once BAS updates are complete, please conduct a review of the change polygons to ensure
that:
1. The polygons have no unintended holes (e.g., several faces were annexed but missing a traffic
circle or small pond).
2. All boundary corrections meet a minimum size threshold (very small corrections cannot be
processed).
Validate Often
Validation tools in GUPS can be accessed at any time while working in the application. For best results,
utilize the tools while working to identify errors early and avoid extensive rework. Steps to use the
Geographic Review tool and the Review Change Polygons tool are included in Section 6.5, How to Use
GUPS Review and Validation Tools.

3.2

Submitting Files through SWIM

For step-by-step instructions to submit files through the SWIM, refer to Table 46. For those
without Internet access, see Section 3.3 below.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 1: BAS OVERVIEW
3.3

Submitting Files on DVD

If internet access is unavailable, please copy the ZIP file(s) to DVD for submission. The DVD
should be mailed to:
U.S. Census Bureau
National Processing Center
ATTN: BAS Returns, Bldg 63E
1201 East 10th Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47132

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
SECTION 4. REQUIREMENTS AND INSTALLATION
This section includes information needed to use GUPS. It offers a description of the GUPS
application and gives specific instructions (in the form of Step/Action tables) for how to use
GUPS to make BAS updates. Reminder: this guide is equipped with shortcuts to subjects that
respondents may want to jump to directly. To move directly to one of these sections, click on
the linked text.
Section 4. Requirements and Installation
 Getting Started - Lists the hardware and software requirements for GUPS and SWIM; and


How to Install GUPS - Provides instructions for installing the application.

Section 5 Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management)
 How to Access BAS Shapefiles - Provides instructions to load shapefiles;





Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website;
Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website ;

Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site;
Using GUPS Interface - Including the Menu, Toolbars, Table of Contents or Map Legend, and
the Map View area;



Menu & Toolbars - Offers instructions for using the tools available through the menu and





toolbars;
How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS;
How to Upload User-Provided Data Layers; and
How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile.

Section 6 Making BAS Updates in GUPS
 How to Update Legal Boundaries - Gives instructions to make required and optional updates


in the application; and
Adding (or Deleting) Land Area to an Existing Reservation or Existing Off-Reservation Trust
Land.

Section 7 Submitting Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM


Provides instructions to submit files to the Census Bureau through SWIM.

Follow the steps in Table 4 to record land being added to an existing reservation or existing offreservation trust lands. The fictitious example in the table looks at Kootenai Off-Reservation
Trust Lands.
Table 4: Record an Addition
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the entity. Be sure that all layers desired to be seen are checked in the Table of
Contents.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Click the drop-down area next to the Geography field, and select the entity type (here
‘Reservation/Trust Land’), from the drop-down menu. A list of available entities appears in the Info
list in the bottom portion of the dialog box.

Step 4

Click on the row in the list for the entity that is making the addition (here ‘Kootenai Off-Reservation
Trust Land’). (Note: The map zooms to the full extent of the entity selected when a row is clicked.)

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
Step

Action and Result

Step 5

Click on the Zoom in button on the Standard toolbar to zoom into the area where the addition is to
be made.

Step 6

To select the faces to be added to the off-reservation trust lands, click on the small down arrow next
to the Select Features button on the dialog box toolbar. The Select Features button drop-down menu
opens.
In this example the “polygon” method is used to select the faces to be added to Kootenai OffReservation Trust Lands. Click on ‘Select Features by Polygon’ in the menu.

Step 7

Next, go to the map and place the cursor where the faces should be added.
To select a single face, simply drag the cursor outward in the center of the face. To select multiple
faces, drag the cursor across the edges that separate the faces. In this example, select seven faces.
The faces selected turn cyan (color may vary).

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
Step

Action and Result

Because all geographic areas consist of faces, it may be necessary to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary.
To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (see Table 29 for
instructions on how to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the
original face into two faces. The new face can now be added to the new entity.
If a face is selected by accident, use the Deselect Features from All Layers option in the Select
Feature(s) drop-down menu to clear the selected faces from the screen and start over.

Step 8

Click the Add Area button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box appears, and asks to choose the change
type.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
Step

Action and Result

Step 9

Since this is an addition (not a boundary correction), click the ‘Legal Change’ radio button, then click
OK. The Create Change Polygons dialog box opens.

Step 10

Click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to open the calendar, then click on the effective
date for the annexation.

The selected date will populate the EFF_DATE field.
Step 11

Select an authority type for the addition in the AUTHTYPE field drop-down menu.

Step 12

In the DOCU field, type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the
addition of the Off-Reservation Trust Lands or upload documentation for the change. To upload
documentation, click the folder icon next to the DOCU field.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
Step

Action and Result

The DOCU window opens.

Step 13

Click on the icon for My Computer (or simply Computer in some Windows versions) to open the
directory where documentation is saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Step 14

U.S. Census Bureau

Select the appropriate directory in the list and navigate to the file to be uploaded. Click the file, then
to upload it, click the Open button at the bottom of the DOCU window.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

PART 2: HOW TO USE GUPS
Step

Action and Result

The name of the document populates the DOCU field on the dialog box.

Step 15

Finally, select ‘Addition or Added Area’ in the drop-down menu for the CHNG_TYPE field.

Step 16

When finished, click OK. The added faces (once saved) turn green in color on the map (color may
vary).
If there is more than one census tract, block group or tribal subdivision, there are additional steps to
follow when adding area either as ‘reservation’ or ‘trust land’.
Instructions can be found beginning in Table 25 Step 15.

4.1

Getting Started

Download GUPS from the BAS website at: . If the GUPS package was
requested, it should include a DVD containing the GUPS software, respondent guides, and a
readme text file.
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Before beginning the installation, check that the computer has the capabilities needed to run
GUPS (using Table 5 below).
GUPS is based on QGIS (formerly known as Quantum GIS), a free and open-source desktop
geographic information system application. To learn more about QGIS, visit their website at
. The GUPS application was developed for use in a desktop PC
or a network environment.
Table 5 lists the hardware and software requirements to install and run GUPS. Also included are
the software requirements to submit files through the SWIM website.
Table 5: GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements
Hardware
Disk Space Needed to Run
GUPS:
3.3 GB
Disk Space Needed to Store
Shapefiles:
Shapefile sizes vary by state.
To view the size of the
shapefiles, right-click, and
choose Properties in the
drop-down menu. The Files
Properties box opens and
displays the folder size.
Select multiple files/folders
in the list to view their
properties via the same
method.
RAM:
4 GB minimum, 8 GB or
more recommended for
optimal performance

Operating System
Windows:
To run GUPS, users need one of the following
Windows operating systems:
 Windows 7
 Windows 8
 Windows 10
Apple Mac OS X:
Mac OS X users must secure a license for
Microsoft Windows and use a Windows bridge.
The suggested bridge software is Boot Camp,
which comes pre-installed on all Mac computers.
See instructions for using Boot Camp at:
.

Browser
Browsers supported by SWIM
(current version and one
previous version):
 Internet Explorer
 Google Chrome
 Mozilla Firefox
 Apple Safar
Important Note: SWIM
supports the two most recent
version of each of these major
browsers.

Important Note: Boot Camp requires the
computer to be restarted in order to set up the
bridge. Be sure to print the instructions provided
at the URL above before installing Boot Camp.

Depending on the Windows OS version, the GUPS dialog boxes may have a different
appearance than the screenshots contained in the user guide, although the content is the
same.

4.2

How to Install GUPS

To install the GUPS application users must have Administrator privileges for their computer. If
GUPS is already downloaded, please make sure to use the most current version. Compare the
currently installed version with the one provided on the Census Bureau’s installation DVD to
acquire the latest version. To complete the installation, follow the steps in Table 6: Install the
GUPS Application.

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Note: If a version of GUPS is already installed, please check that it is the latest version. Go to the GUPS
tab and click the About GUPS option in the drop-down menu to find the GUPS version number. If
it is not the latest version, download the most recent version and follow the setup instructions
below which will automatically uninstall the old version before it installs the latest GUPS version.
Table 6: Install the GUPS Application
Step
Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

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Action and Result
Click the direct download link or place the
installation DVD into the computer’s DVD drive. For some users, a Windows protected your PC
pop-up box may appear.

To continue, click ‘More info’, then select ‘Run anyway?’.
Other users may receive a user account control pop-up that asks, “Do you want to run this file?”,
“Do you want to allow the following program from an unknown publisher to make changes to this
computer?”, or a similar query. See an example below.

If this pop-up occurs, click Run, Yes, Allow, or an option that allows the installation to proceed. The
software should begin to run automatically.
If the software does not run automatically, open Windows Explorer, navigate to the DVD drive, and
double-click on the file named Setup-9.0-0.bat.
Note: The name of this file may vary slightly, but it will be the only setup .bat file available.

If the software still does not run properly, contact the local System Administrator for assistance.
When the installer opens, the Welcome to the QGIS Setup Wizard screen appears.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

Before proceeding, close all other programs or applications. Once other programs and applications
are closed click the Next button.
The License Agreement screen appears.

Step 6

Step 7

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Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree button to continue.
The Choose Install Location screen opens. It is recommended to install the application at the
default: (i.e., C:\Program files\QGISGUPS). Otherwise, use the Browse button to navigate to a
preferred location.

To begin the installation, click Next to continue.
The Choose Components screen opens.

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Step

Action and Result

‘QGIS’ in the Select components to install field is checked and grayed out since it is the default.
Simply click Install to continue.
To review a previous page or reread the license agreement, click the Back button (each screen
contains this button). This returns the screen to the previous page.
Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

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The software should take between 5 and 10 minutes to install. When it is finished, the Completing
the QGIS GUPS Setup Wizard screen opens.

Click the Finish button.
The GUPS Install Setup: Completed screen opens showing the status of the installation of GUPS.
When completed, click the Close button on the following screen.

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Step

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SECTION 5. USING GUPS (BASICS AND MAP MANAGEMENT)
After successfully installing GUPS, participants are ready to start their Tribal BAS updates. There
are three ways to retrieve shapefiles when starting a new project:




From the Census website (loads directly into GUPS);
From DVD (if one was requested); and
From My Computer (if the files have been downloaded to the hard drive).

5.1

How to Access BAS Shapefiles

BAS shapefiles from the BAS website can be pulled directly into the application when working in
GUPS by choosing the Census Web option during project setup. Users can load the shapefiles as
needed or load multiple county files at once. This is the preferred method for loading the
Census Bureau’s BAS Shapefiles into GUPS as it ensures that required files are placed in the
correct location for the application to access.
Another option for loading files is to download the shapefiles from the BAS website (or from
the Census Bureau ftp2 site), then import them into GUPS. BAS shapefiles are available for
download from the BAS website here: . Instructions for how to download Census
Bureau shapefiles appear in Table 7 and Table 8. Downloading files to the hard drive is not the
preferred method when working in GUPS, and should be used only when necessary (e.g., if
additional data layers that GUPS does not automatically load need to be pulled in as userprovided data).
If the shapefiles were requested to be received on a DVD, the files can be loaded directly into
GUPS from the DVD. Instructions for how to load shapefiles are contained in Table 7: Start a
New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS Website.
Whether the files are pulled from the BAS website or from the DVD, the GUPS application
unzips them and places them into a pre-established folder created on the computer’s home
directory during the installation process (C:\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\BAS2019\shape). It then
displays them in the application and manages the files. There is no need to take any further
action.
CAUTION!
Regardless of the source of the shapefiles, it is important NOT TO CHANGE any shapefile or folder name.
The files and folders must have the exact names given for the GUPS application to recognize and load
them.

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5.2

Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website

To open the GUPS application and begin Tribal BAS updates, follow the steps in Table 7 below.
Before beginning, note that:
1. To practice using GUPS without committing the changes made, simply exit the system without
saving. Before the system closes, it will give the option to discard the changes.
If comfortable with the system, but not all changes are completed in one session, simply save
the changes, then close the system. When opening GUPS later, reopen the project and continue
working.
Note: In all the Action/Result tables, the action is usually a command or action to be performed and the
Result(s) of the action will be shown in italics. For example: click the QGIS icon on the desktop,
the software should begin to run automatically.
Table 7: Start a New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS Website
Step

Action and Result
Select QGIS Desktop 2.18.15 from the All Programs Start Menu list.

Step 1

The QGIS splash screen appears. (Note: QGIS is the open-source platform for building GUPS.)

Step 2
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Wait until the application loads (this may require a few minutes on older computers). When the
GUPS application has loaded, the GUPS main page opens and the QGIS Tips! box appears.
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Step

Action and Result

Note: Since GUPS was built on the QGIS open-source platform, there may be references to QGIS
in several locations within the GUPS application.
Step 3

To view QGIS system tips, click the Next button to read the first tip. Thereafter use the Previous
and Next buttons to navigate within tips. To no longer see tips on startup, click the checkbox in
the bottom left-hand corner that reads ‘I’ve had enough tips, don’t show this on start up any
more!’

Step 4

To begin a GUPS project, close the QGIS Tips! box by clicking the OK button. The box closes and
the Map Management dialog box opens, as shown below.

Step 5

In the Map Management dialog box, use the drop-down menu next to the Program field to select
the program, ‘Tribal Boundary and Annexation Survey’. ‘Tribal Boundary and Annexation Survey’
populates the field.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 6

In the Sub Program field, select ‘Tribal Boundary and Annexation Survey’.

Step 7

In the Entity Type field drop-down menu, select the entity type represented by this submission.
The options are ‘Alaska Native Regional Corporation’, ‘Hawaiian Homeland’, and
Reservation/Trust Land’.

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Step

Action and Result

This example uses Reservation/Trust Land.
Step 8

Next, select the Entity Name field drop-down. Since the entity type ‘Reservation/Trust Land’ was
selected GUPS automatically provides a list of the Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Lands.
The scroll bar to the right allows users to move up and down the list of reservations/trust lands.

Step 9

Once the entity is selected from the drop-down menu, the Map Management screen will provide
users with a list of counties. The counties in which the selected entity already exists will be at the
top of the list and their corresponding check boxes will be ‘checked’. Adjacent counties (counties

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Step

Action and Result
whose borders touch the automatically selected county or counties) are highlighted in YELLOW.
Any previously selected counties will be highlighted in CYAN.
All checked counties will display in the Map View. Uncheck the box for any counties that do not
need to be seen.
To select additional counties to display (users may choose up to a total of 10 at once), check the
checkboxes next to them. Scroll down using the scroll bar to the right to see the full list of
counties.

1.
2.

Choose ‘Tribal Boundary and Annexation Survey’ from the Program drop-down menu.
Choose the Entity Type from the drop-down menu.

Choose the Entity Name to be updated from the drop-down menu.
Step 10

After selecting the working county or counties, GUPS asks to specify the location from which to
pull the county’s (or county equivalent’s) shapefile. The Select Data Folder, Directory or Location
box opens.

Step 11

In the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box drop-down menu, select the location from
which to pull the file. This example assumes the user is pulling the data from the BAS website, so
click on Census Web in the drop-down menu.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 12

When Census Web is chosen, the shapefile for the county begins to load and progress is displayed
by a blue striped bar (color may vary), with the percentage of the upload completed displayed to
the right.

Step 13

As GUPS loads the data, it unzips and copies the files to a folder that in the home directory
created during the installation process. The data is then loaded into the GUPS application.

Step 14

It then pulls the file into the GUPS application.

Step 15

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Step

Action and Result

Step 16

Click OK to return to the Map Management dialog box.

Step 17

Try loading the file(s) from another location. After reopening map management, reselect the
desired working county and pick another option for loading the files.

If loading shapefiles using the ‘Census Web’ and ‘CD/DVD’ options is not successful, follow the
instructions in Table 8 or Table 9 to download the files to the computer from the BAS website or
Census Bureau’s ftp2 site. Then pull them into GUPS using the ‘My Computer’ option in the Select
Data Folder, Directory or Location drop-down menu. When ‘My Computer’ is selected the Select
directory screen opens.

On this screen, click on the My Computer icon in the left-hand corner.
Navigate to the location of the files to be loaded, then select the files and click on the Select
button at the bottom of the Select directory screen. GUPS unzips and loads the files, then moves
them to the pre-established folder on the home directory.
Step 18

After working on a project, be sure to save before exiting. Otherwise the edits will be lost. To
save, click the Save icon on the Standard toolbar.

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Step

Action and Result
The Current edits pop-up box asks to save the changes for all layers.

Click OK. The changes are saved.
Step 19

Close the application to discard any changes (click the red X in the upper right-hand corner of the
main GUPS page). A Save? pop-up warning asks “Do you want to save the current project?”

Click Discard to not save the current project.
Step 20

To reopen a saved project, in the Map Management dialog box, click the down arrow next to the
Open Recent button. The drop-down menu opens with a list of current projects.

If sharing a computer with other GUPS users, multiple project files may appear in the drop-down
menu, as shown below. Here three separate users in Karuk Reservation have created projects on
the same computer.

To identify which of the entries in the list represents the project, look at its number string. This
string comprises the BAS ID. Each BAS ID is 11 digits. The first digit indicates the Entity Type (i.e.,
the user type) (4 = American Indian Area). The next two digits are the state FIPS code and 99 is
what BAS uses for all AIAs since they can cross state lines. The following four digits are the TR
code (the tribe code). The final four digits are the AIANNHCE/TA Code (the tribal area code).

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Step

Action and Result
The number string,
reflects a project created by the Karuk Tribal
participant, where 4 = American Indian Area; 99 = state FIPS code used for tribal areas; 0117 =
code for Karuk Tribe; and 1750 = Karuk Reservation/Trust Land.
The BAS ID information for a particular geography is available within the Map Management
dialog box. Below is an example for Karuk Tribe Karuk Reservation.

Step 21

After identifying the correct file to reopen, select it from the list. The map for the project
automatically loads and the layers show in the Table of Contents.
Census Bureau-defined default layers and view settings are loaded each time a new project is
started in GUPS. If these default settings have been changed and then are saved during a project,
reopening the project will load these saved changes rather than the Census Bureau-defined
default layers and view setting.
To restore the default settings for a layer:
 Click on the layer in the Table of Contents. A drop-down menu opens.
 In the drop-down menu, select ‘GUPS Layer’. A submenu opens.
 In the submenu, select ‘Load default style’ (see illustration below).

To reset the default settings for all layers, select ‘Load all default style.’

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Step

Action and Result
Loading Multiple Files at Once
The limit to how many county datasets can be loaded at once is 11 (the working county plus 10
other counties). To load shapefiles for additional counties, after the first 10 are loaded:
 Leave the same working county selected in the Working County field.
 Uncheck the already loaded counties in the Map Management dialog box list.
 Check the checkboxes for the additional counties (up to 10) that to be added. Click the
Open button and after the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box opens, use the
drop-down menu to select the source of the files. Repeat this process as many times as
needed.

5.3

Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website

Follow the steps in Table 8 to download the files from the BAS website to the hard drive. Please
note that images may vary slightly as website updates are made after this document is
published.
Table 8: Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website to a Hard Drive
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Enter the URL into the Internet browser. The Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
Partnership Shapefiles page opens.

Step 2

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Step

Step 3

Action and Result

To select the county(ies) or county equivalent(s) needed, click the box next to it. Select up to five
(5) counties at a time as needed. Once the necessary counties are selected, hit the Submit button
at the bottom left hand side of the page.

A prompt to save the file(s) appears.

Step 4

Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8

Step 9

U.S. Census Bureau

Click the down arrow next to Save and select ‘Save As’ in the drop-down list. The Save As dialog
box appears, with the file appearing in the File Name field. If more than one county was selected, a
single ZIP file containing the selected counties is saved.
In the Save As dialog box, select a location on the home directory to save the files.
Click the Save button. The file(s) are saved in the selected location.
To obtain shapefiles for additional counties, repeat the download process as needed.
When the geography is selected in GUPS, the application asks to specify the location (‘CD/DVD’,
‘My Computer’, or ‘Census Web’) of the files. When a selection is made, GUPS asks to select a
directory. Navigate to the location where the files were saved and select those to be uploaded.
GUPS unzips and loads the files, then moves them to the pre-established folder in the home
directory.
When the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box opens, use the drop-down menu to select
the location from which to pull the shapefiles. In this instance, this example loads them from a
Census Bureau-provided DVD. To do so, insert the DVD into the DVD drive, then select ‘CD/DVD’,
as shown below.

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Step

Action and Result
The files for Clark and Jennings Counties begin to load and progress is displayed by the blue striped
bar (color may vary), with the progress percentage noted to the right.

Step 10

5.4

Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site

Action and Result
Using Internet Explorer (IE) or another web browser navigate to . The ftp
root at ftp2.census.gov main page opens.

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

After the Census Bureau FTP site has been opened in file explorer, click the ‘geo’ folder.

Step 4

Within the ‘geo’ folder, click the ‘pvs’ folder (partnership verification files).

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Step
Step 5
Step 6

Step 7

5.5

Action and Result
Select the state folder that contains the county or counties for which data is downloading. The
state folders are represented using two-digit state FIPS codes.
There are several sets of shapefiles within each state directory. Download the most recent
partnership shapefiles. These shapefiles are contained within a zip file with the prefix
partnership_shapefiles_19v2. Each zip file ends with a five-digit state-county FIPS code (e.g.,
08051) which represents the county for which the data is downloading. Make sure to choose the
filename with “19v2”, because the “19v1” files are sometimes also available in the folders.
Select the county or counties that are to be downloaded to the local drive. These files may be
copied to any desired location. When selecting a geography in GUPS, the application asks to
specify the location (‘CD/DVD’, ‘My Computer’, or ‘Census Web’) of the files. When ‘My Computer’
is selected, GUPS asks to select a directory. Navigate to the location where the files will be saved
and select those that are to be uploaded. GUPS unzips and loads the files, then moves them to the
pre-established folder on the home directory.
If using an ftp client software such as winscp or FileZilla (or other) may be
connected to without a password. Participants should enter ‘anonymous’ as the user name and
their email address as the password.

Using GUPS Interface

Menu;
Table of Contents;
Map View (where the data display);
Toolbars (Standard toolbar, BAS toolbar, and Add Layers toolbar); and
Status Bar (at bottom of page).

Figure 2. GUPS Main Page Layout
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The purpose for each element on the main GUPS page is explained in Section 5.5.1 through
Section 5.7.1 which describe in detail the individual components and specific functions of each
element.
Table 10: GUPS Main Page Elements
Page Element
Menu

General Function
The menu offers basic features such as settings and help; tools to manage the map view and
import user-provided data; important calculation, measurement, and geoprocessing tools;
and tools needed to make shapefile updates. Note that almost all of the functions available
from the menu are also available in the application’s more conveniently located toolbars.

Table of Contents

Map View

The Map View displays the data for the county selected in the Map Management dialog
box.

Standard Toolbar

Provides the navigation and other tools needed to interact with the map and layers’
attribute tables.

BAS Toolbar

Gives the specific tools needed to make BAS updates, view linear feature attributes, review
and validate changes, import and export zipped files, and print maps.

Manage Layers
Toolbar

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Page Element

General Function

Status Bar

Displays information on the map scale, projection, and coordinates and allows adjusting of
the display.

5.5.2 Table of Contents and Map View
When choosing a program and geography in the Map Management dialog box, GUPS
automatically loads a set of default data layers (and default layer groups) defined by the Census
Bureau for the program specified. As the map opens in Map View, the list of the preset layers
(already grouped) appears in the Table of Contents.
Use the Table of Contents and the small toolbar appearing at its top to manage the map view.
Note that the Table of Contents and the Map View windows are interdependent. Selections
that are made in the Table of Contents are immediately reflected on the map display.
Close the Table of Contents at any time to see more of the map (just click on the small ‘x’ in the
upper right-hand corner).

Figure 3. Close Table of Contents

To restore the Table of Contents, click the View tab on the Menu, select ‘Panels’ in the
drop-down menu, click the arrow next to ‘Panel’ to open the submenu, then click on ‘Layers’.

Figure 4. Restore the Table of Contents
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The Table of Contents will then reopen and display in its default position on the page.

5.5.3 Managing the Map View from Within the Table of Contents
Within the Table of Contents, layer visibility can be managed (i.e., determine what layers
display on the map), data layers reordered, and new layer symbology set.
5.5.3.1 Manage Layer Visibility
To add or remove layers from the map view:
 Click the checkbox next to a layer to add it to the map view.
 Uncheck the checkbox next to a layer to remove it from the view.
OR, Right-click the name of the layer and select ‘Remove’ in the drop-down menu.

Figure 5. Managing Layer Visibility

5.5.3.2 Reorder Data Layers
In the Table of Contents, the order in which the layers are listed determines how the layers
display on the map. The layers at the top display on top of those below them. To change the
display order:
1. Left-click on the layer name.
2. Hold down the mouse button and drag the layer to the desired position in the list.
3. Release the mouse button to place the layer in its new position. The map display will then
reflect the new layer order in the Table of Contents.

5.5.3.3 Expand/Contract Table of Contents Menus
To expand or contract the menu for a layer or layer group:


Click on the ‘+’ sign to expand the group. When the ‘+’ sign next to the layer name
is clicked, the layer’s submenu opens:

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

5.6

Click the ‘-’ sign next to the layer name to close the submenu(s):

Menu & Toolbars

The main Menu, the Standard toolbar, and the BAS toolbar are located at the top of the GUPS
page. These toolbars offer general GIS and system tools used to make BAS updates.

Figure 6. Menu and Toolbars

The Manage Layer toolbar, the vertical toolbar located to the left of the Table of Contents
(shown here in a horizontal position) is used to import user-provided data.

Figure 7. Manage Layer Toolbar

While working with the toolbars, hover the mouse over any toolbar button to see the name of
the tool it represents. Resize and reposition the toolbars by dragging them.
The Menu, the Standard toolbar, and the BAS toolbar are described in the section below. The
Add Data toolbar is discussed in 5.7 How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS.

5.6.1 Menu Tabs
Table 11 below defines each of the tabs on the main Menu, provides an image of the
drop-down options for each, and describes each tab’s function.

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Table 11: Menu Tabs and Their Functions
Tab
Project

Edit

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description
From the Project tab, click on ‘Save’ to save the
project, click on ‘Save as Image’ to create an
image file of the map in Map View, or exit the
application.
When using ‘Save as Image’, GUPS provides
various image file type formats when exporting a
map view (.png, .jpg, .tif, etc.).
From the Edit tab, click ‘Undo’ to undo the last
action or ‘Redo’ to redo an undone action.
Note: For ‘Undo’ to work, the correct layer must be
selected in the Table of Contents. For example, if a
linear feature is added to the Edges layer, then the
layer is deselected by selecting the Area Landmarks
layer, ‘Undo’ will not delete the linear feature. The
Edges layer must be reselected to undo the linear
feature’s addition.
Note: Multiple actions can be undone on a single layer
(e.g., the addition of several linear features) if the
project has not been saved. If the project is saved, the
Undo option is disabled until more changes are made.

View

The View tab is used to complete several actions
also available on the Standard toolbar. Included
are options for navigating the map, identifying
feature attributes, measuring distance, and
creating spatial bookmarks to return to the same
map view at a later time.
This location also provides a way to:
 Set what toolbars display.
 Restore the Table of Contents if it has
been closed it (click ‘Panels’ in the dropdown menu, click the right arrow, click
‘Layers’ in the Layers down-menu).
 Refresh the map to restore it to the
original map extent.

Layer

The Layer tab provides access to adding and
removing layers from the map, opening the layer’s
attribute table, setting the map projection, or
Coordinate Reference System (CRS), and
displaying or hide layers.
Note: Many of these same functions are more
conveniently located on the Add Layers toolbar and the
small toolbar that sits at the top of the Table of
Contents.

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Tab
Settings

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description
The Settings tab provides access to custom CRS
and map display options, and can be used to set
snapping tolerances (see instructions below this
table).

Vector

Raster

The Raster tab provides access to a Raster
Calculator, which performs calculations on the
basis of existing raster pixel values. It includes a
Georeferencer tool, which can be used to assign
coordinates to the raster, and access to the
Terrain Analysis, Projection, Conversion,
Extraction, Analysis, and Miscellaneous Tools to
assist in drawing land detail
The MetaSearch is a QGIS plugin to interact with
metadata catalogue services, supporting the OGC
Catalogue Service for the Web (CSW) standard.
This plugin provides an easy and intuitive
approach and user-friendly interface to searching
metadata catalogues within QGIS.

Web

Processing

Help

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Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description

GUPS

The GUPS tab provides quick access to the key
tools also available on the Standard and BAS
toolbars, including those needed to manage
maps;

make linear changes;

change area features;
review and validate work;
import county ZIP files from other users, and
export maps;

and add imagery..
Note on Snapping Tolerances
Snapping tolerances in GUPS are pre-defined by layer (e.g., the default tolerance for edges is set to 15
pixels). When making boundary corrections, it may be beneficial to adjust the snapping tolerances for a
layer or layers. To do this, follow the steps in the table below.

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Table 12: Adjust Snapping Tolerances
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
In the Settings tab drop-down menu, click on ‘Snapping Options’.

The Snapping options dialog box opens.

Step 2

From the Snapping mode drop-down menu, select whether to apply the tolerance adjustment to
the current layer only or to all layers.

Step 3

From the Snap to drop-down menu, choose the snapping method.

Step 4

From the Tolerance drop-down menu, use the up and down arrows to select the value, and then
select the units (map units or pixels) in the drop-down to the right.

Step 5

To enable topological editing and/or snapping on an intersection, use the checkboxes next to each.

Step 6

Click OK. The new snapping tolerances are set.

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5.6.2 Standard Toolbar Buttons
The Standard toolbar provides the navigation tools to interact with the map and layers’
attribute tables.

Figure 8. Standard Toolbar

The Standard toolbar actually includes several smaller toolbars. Each sub-toolbar is identified
by a series of small parallel lines that precede it.

Figure 9. Sub-tool Markers

The first sub-toolbar contains the Save button, Map Management button (opens the Map
Management dialog box), and the Search button. The second sub-toolbar provides tools for
viewing and navigating the map in Map View, and the third sub-toolbar is used to identify,
select, and deselect features on the map, make measurements, create spatial bookmarks, and
work with the layers’ attribute tables.
The location of the sub-toolbars can be moved by simply left-clicking the parallel lines
preceding the sub-toolbar and while holding down the mouse, dragging the sub-toolbar to the
desired location.
Each button on the Standard toolbar and its purpose is defined in the table below.
Table 13: Standard Toolbar Buttons
Button

Name

Function/Description

Save

Map Management

GUPS Data Settings

Search
Touch Zoom and
Pan
Pan Map

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Button

Name

Function/Description

Pan Map to
Selection

Shifts the map in Map View to the rows selected in the
attribute table for a selected feature. After selecting a
feature(s), click the button to re-center the map based on the
selected feature(s).
Displays the map in Map View at a larger scale. Click the
button, then click on the map at the location to be zoomed.
Displays the map in Map View at a smaller scale.

Zoom In
Zoom Out
Zoom Full
Zoom to Selection

Zoom to Layer

Zoom Last
Zoom Next

Displays the map in Map View at a smaller scale and zooms the
map view to the full extent of the county.
Zooms the Map View to the rows selected by query in the
attribute table for a feature(s). After selecting a feature(s) on
the map, click the button to view the feature(s) at a greater
map scale.
Zooms the Map View to the layer selected in the Table of
Contents. After selecting the layer, click the button to zoom to
the layer’s extent.
Zooms the Map View to the previous map extent.
Zooms the Map View forward to the next map extent (only if a
previous extent is available).
Displays Map View to initial full display.

Refresh
Identify Features
Select Features by
Area or Single Click

Deselect Features
from All Layers
Select Features
Using an
Expression
Measure

Identifies geographic features. Click the button, then click on a
feature on the map to identify the feature at the location.
Allows the user to select layer features in the map window with
a single click, by dragging the cursor, or by drawing graphics on
the screen.

Deselects selected features from all layers.
Initiates an attribute table record request by querying the table
based on table fields and/or values in the fields.

New Bookmark

Provides options to measure linear distance, area, and angles
on the map.
Creates and names a spatial bookmark of the current map view.

Show Bookmarks

Display all bookmarks created by the user.

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Step
Step 1
Step 2

Action and Result
Click the Identify button on the Standard toolbar.
Then right-click on the feature. The results will display in drop-down menus on the map.

To see all attributes for the feature, select ‘Show attribute table’ in the faces drop-down menu.

Step 3

U.S. Census Bureau

Alternately, click the Identify button, then left-click on the feature. The feature turns red (color may
vary) and the Identify Results screen opens under the Table of Contents, showing the feature
attributes. (Note that here the screen was dragged from from beneath the Table of Contents so that
it sits over the map.)

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Step

Action and Result

5.6.2.2 Select/Deselect Features Using the Select Features and Deselect Features Buttons
The Select Features button provides several ways to select features on the map. The Deselect
Features from All Layers button will deselect previously selected features.
Table 15 describes each of the feature selection methods, discusses when one might be
preferable over another, and explains how to deselect features.
Table 15: Select/Deselect Features on the Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
To begin, click on a layer name in the Table of Contents. For example, to select a linear feature, click
on the ‘edges’ layer. To select faces, click on the ‘faces’ layer.

Step 2
Step 3

Step 4

U.S. Census Bureau

Click once on the Select Features button on the Standard Toolbar.
To select an edge or face on the map, click on it. In this example, select ‘faces’ in the Table of
Contents and click on a face. The face selected turns cyan blue (color may vary).

To select more than one face, hold down the CTRL key while clicking on the additional face(s). This
method is useful when selecting noncontiguous faces, as shown below.

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Step

Step 5

Step 6

Action and Result

To select multiple features, click the Select Feature button, then drag the cursor over the features on
the map. This method is useful when selecting a large number of contiguous faces or a large number
of nearby linear features without having to click each feature one by one.
A Note on GUPS Tools
GUPS tools remain active until a different tool is selected. For example, if the Select Features tool is
used to choose faces for a new area landmark, then in order to add a new linear feature instead, the
Add Linear Feature must be clicked before clicking on the map again. If note, the Select Features
tool, still active, selects a face.
To open other Select Features options, click on the down arrow to the right of the Select Features
button. The Select Features drop-down menu opens.

Note that when a menu option is selected, the button’s appearance changes.
The first option in the menu, ‘Select Feature(s)’, duplicates the functions made available in the Select
Features button on the main toolbar.

Step 7

The second option, ‘Select Features by Polygon’, selects features via a polygon drawn on the map .
To use this feature select it in the drop-down menu, then follow the steps below.

Step 8

Left-click on the map to begin the polygon. Drag the cursor to extend the line, left-click, and then
extend the line in a new direction. Finish by closing the polygon, as shown below.

Step 9

To complete the selection, right-click. All faces with an edge appearing within the polygon are

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Step

Step 10

Step 11

Step 12

Action and Result
highlighted in cyan blue.

The third option, ‘Select Features by Freehand’, selects features based on user-defined shapes drawn
on the map.

To use this tool, left-click on the map, then hold down the mouse and drag the cursor outward to
expand the circle. Release the mouse when done. The feature(s) selected is (are) highlighted in cyan
blue.
Polygons can be deselected by holding and using the same selection option to select by holding CTRL
and retracing over the polygons, or deselect a feature or features automatically by clicking the
Deselect Features from All Layers button once.

The selected features in all layers are deselected.

5.6.2.3 View an Attribute Table for a Layer on the Map
To view an attribute table for a map layer, follow the steps in Table 16.

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Table 16: View Layer Attributes Using the Attributes Table
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Right-click the layer in the Table of Contents. The drop-down menu opens.

Step 2

Step 3

To select a feature to view, click on the number on the far left of the row. To select multiple
features, click on the number of the row for the first feature, then press the CTRL key. While
holding the CTRL key down, click on the numbers for the other desired individual features. To
select a range of features, click on the number for the row showing the first feature, then press the
SHIFT key. While holding down the SHIFT key, click on the number for the last row to be selected.

5.6.2.4 Determine Distance, Area, and Angles on the Map
To measure the distance between two or more points, area, or an angle on a map, follow the
steps in Table 17.
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Table 17: Measure Distances, Area, and Angles on a Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Measure button on the Standard toolbar.
The Measure button drop-down menu opens.

Step 2

To measure the distance between two points on the map, select ‘Measure Line’ in the drop-down
menu. The Measure box opens.

Step 3

Zoom to the map location to be measured. Then click on the beginning point on the map and continue
clicking on points until reaching the final point. Right-click when finished. The length of each segment
of the line drawn, as well as the total length of the line between the beginning point and the ending
point, appear in the Measure box.

Step 4

To measure area on the map, select ‘Measure Area’ in the drop-down menu. The Measure box opens.
When the box opens, left-click on the map to begin drawing a polygon around the area to be
measured. Left-click at each vertex of the polygon. Right-click when finished. The area polygon
encompasses appears in the Total field. Use the drop-down to the right to see the area in other units of
measure.

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Step

Step 5

Action and Result

To begin a new measurement, click the New button.
To measure an angle on the map, first select the ‘Measure Angle’ option in the drop-down menu. Then
left-click on the map to begin drawing the angle. Drag the mouse (but do not hold down the mouse
button) to create the first side of the angle. Then left-click. Drag the mouse again (again without
holding down the mouse button) to draw the second leg. The Angle box opens showing the angle
measurement.

5.6.2.5 Save Locations on a Map Using the Bookmark Button
To save geographic locations on the map and view them later, follow the steps in Table 18.
Table 18: Bookmark Locations on a Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Zoom to the location on the map in Map View to be bookmarked and click on the New Bookmark
button on the Standard toolbar.

The Geospatial Bookmarks box opens.

Step 2

U.S. Census Bureau

Click on the row named ‘New bookmark’. Then backspace over ‘New bookmark’ and type in a
descriptive name for the bookmark (255-character limit). Click the Close button. The bookmark is
added.
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Step
Step 3

Action and Result
To view and manage spatial bookmarks, click on the Show Bookmarks button on the Standard
toolbar. The Geospatial Bookmarks dialog box again opens.
To zoom to a bookmark, click on a bookmark name in the dialog box and then click the Zoom to
button.
To delete a bookmark, click on the bookmark name, then press the Delete button.
Bookmark names and coordinates cannot be edited from the Geospatial Bookmarks dialog box.

5.6.3 BAS Toolbar Buttons
The BAS toolbar provides the BAS-specific functions needed to complete a participant’s review
and update activities, as well as to import and export zipped shapefiles.

Figure 10. BAS Toolbar

Each toolbar button is described in Table 19.
Table 19: BAS Toolbar Buttons
Button

Name

Function/Description

Add Linear
Feature

Add a new linear feature.

Delete Linear
feature

Delete an existing linear feature.

Split Linear
Feature

Split a linear feature. Splitting a linear feature may be necessary to accurately
reflect an entity’s location. This feature “splits” the original into two.

Display All
Names

Displays all names for a street with multiple names assigned in the MAF/TIGER
System.

User Address
List

Import an address list (.csv, .txt, etc.) into GUPS.

Modify Linear
Feature
Attributes

Edit attributes of a selected linear feature.

Modify Area
Feature

Make updates to legal area (additions, deletions, boundary corrections, etc.).

Show/Hide
Legend

Shows or hides the layer.

Geography
Review Tool
Review Change
Polygons

U.S. Census Bureau

Review the attribute table for a layer.
Review change polygons in a layer and make corrections (reviews change
polygons for holes and minimum size).

Import County
ZIP

Import zipped Census Bureau shapefiles shared by another GUPS user.

Export to ZIP

Create the ZIP file containing all required data and shapefiles to be submitted to
the Census Bureau.
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Button

Name
Print Map to
File
Internet Map
Service

Function/Description

Add Imagery

Add USGS or Esri imagery.

Add Point
Landmark

Add a new point landmark.

Edit Point
Landmark

Edit point landmark attributes.

Delete Point
Landmark

Delete an existing point landmark.

Export a printable map in .pdf, .png, .tif, or jpeg format.
Add imagery from Google Maps or Bing Maps.

5.6.4 Status Bar
The Status bar at the bottom of the GUPS main page displays information about the map. It
helps adjust the map scale and see the mouse cursor’s coordinates on the map.

Figure 11. Status Bar

Table 20 describes each element of the Status bar.
Table 20: Status Bar Elements
Item
Coordinate

Description
Shows the current position in map coordinates (default is decimal degrees for
GUPS) as the map cursor is moved across the map.
Toggles between the coordinate position of the mouse cursor or the map view
extents as the map is panned and zoomed.

Scale

Magnifier

Shows the current zoom level in the Map View. Can be changed by selecting one of
the predefined levels from the drop down, by typing in a new ratio, or using the
scroll wheel on the mouse.
Locks the scale to use the magnifier to zoom in or out.

Allows the map view to be set to a specific zoom level.

Rotation

Shows the map rotation.

Render

Temporarily prevent layers from drawing. Enable by clicking the checkbox
immediately to the left of “Render”.
Clicking on the icon opens the projection properties for the current map.
Displays system messages for the QGIS session.

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5.7

How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS

5.7.1 The Add Data Toolbar
To import one’s own imagery, geodatabase, shapefiles, web mapping service, or other data
layers into GUPS use the Add Data toolbar.

Figure 12. Add Data Toolbar

Name

Function/Description

Add Vector Layer

Add vector based shapefile and geodatabase files.

Add Raster Layer

Add raster based shapefile and geodatabase files.

Add PostGIS
Layer

Add PostGIS layer.

Add SpatialLite
Layer

Add data from a SpatialLite database.

Add MS SQL
Layer

Add MS SQL 2008 Spatial data.

Add Oracle
Spatial Layer

Add a spatial layer from an Oracle database.

Add
WMS/WM(T)S
Layer

Add Web Mapping Services and Web Mapping Tile Services. Publicly accessible
and secured WMS services are supported.

Add WCS Layer

Add Web Coverage Services, which provide access to raster data useful for
client-side map rendering.

Add WFS Layer

Add Web Feature Services.

New Shapefile
Layer
Add a new shapefile layer or new temporary scratch layer.

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SpatiaLite layers. Support for additional data types (e.g., delimited text) is provided by
additional data provider plugins.
Below are the steps to import the most commonly used data formats. To load shapefile or
geodatabase data layers into the map, follow the steps in the table below.
Note: Only one user-provided data layer may be uploaded at a time. If uploading multiple data layers,
note that GUPS will only allow upload one layer at a time.

Table 22: Load Shapefiles/Geodatabase Layers
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Begin the upload. Click the Add Vector Layer
Layer dialog box opens.

Step 2
Step 3
Step 4

button on the Add Data toolbar. The Add Vector

In the Encoding drop-down menu, the default value is ‘System’. If an error message appears when
opening the file, use the drop-down to select UTF-8. UTF-8 populates the Encoding field.
Click the Browse button and navigate to the folder where the shapefile or geodatabase is saved on the
computer.
Left-click the file to be uploaded, then click the Open button. The shapefile / geodatabase is added to
the Table of Contents and to the Map View window.

To load data from a web mapping service, follow the steps in Table 23 below.
Table 23: Load Data from a Web Mapping Service
Step
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Step 4

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result
Begin the upload. Click the Add WMS/WM(T)S Layer button
on the Add Data toolbar. The Add
Layers from a WM(T)S Server dialog box opens.
Select the web mapping service. Click the Layers tab, then click the New button under the tab. The
Create a new WMS Connection dialog box opens.
In the Name field, type a name for the web mapping imagery service. In the URL field, type the URL for
the service. If the service requires a user name and password, type them in the fields provided. Click
OK. The service will be added to the drop-down menu for web mapping services appearing just below
the Labels tab.
Note: If working inside a firewall, users may be prompted to enter a user name and password to
obtain resources from outside the firewall.
Select the imagery service added in the drop-down menu. The available layers appear in the
ID/Name/Title/Abstract box.
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Step
Step 5

Action and Result
Click on the layer to be displayed, then click the Add button. The WMS is added to the map showing in
Map View and to the Table of Contents.
When the WMS is added, it displays over the top of other layers selected for Map View. To make it
display below these layers, click on the WMS layer and, while holding down the mouse button, drag it
to the bottom of the Table of Contents.

If participants do not have access to a web mapping service, have a poor Internet connection,
or work under a restrictive firewall, they can still add other types of imagery files to GUPS (e.g.,
a county or state imagery dataset). One option for adding imagery may be the National
Agricultural Imagery Service (NAIP), supplied in web mapping service format by the U.S.
Geological Survey. To add imagery files, follow the steps in the Table 24.
Table 24: Add Imagery Files
Step
Step 1

Step 2
Step 3

Action and Result
Click the Add Raster Layer
button on the Add Data toolbar. The Open a GDAL Supported Raster
Data Source dialog box opens.
Navigate to the folder where the imagery file is stored.
Select the file, then click Open. The file loads into GUPS.

5.7.3 How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile
To import Census Bureau shapefiles already updated by another user, use the Import Project
ZIP File button (available both on the BAS toolbar and in the Map Management dialog box),
then follow the steps in Table 25 below.
Table 25: Import a ZIP File Shared by Another User
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Import Project ZIP File button in the upper left-hand corner of the Map Management dialog
box:

OR on the BAS toolbar:

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Step
Step 2

Action and Result
The Open window launches.

Step 3

From this window, click on the Computer icon (called My Computer in some versions of Windows)

Step 4

located in the far-left-hand pane.
When the list of directories opens, navigate to the location where the shared ZIP file is located.
Click once on the file, then click the Open button.

The file loads into Map View.

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SECTION 6. MAKING BAS UPDATES IN GUPS
The tables in this section provide step-by-step instructions for making BAS updates. The
examples assume participants have read and understood the directions for opening GUPS and
using Map Management. If not yet comfortable with Map Management, please review the
contents of Section 5 Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management) before making updates. It is
highly recommended to use a source of imagery data when making any BAS updates.

6.1

How to Update Legal Boundaries

All examples shown here, although using real data, are purely fictitious. They are employed for
purposes of illustration only and do not indicate any actual geographic changes.

6.1.1 Adding Land Area as Reservation or Trust Lands for the First Time
Follow the steps in the Table 26 to add land as reservation or off-reservation trust land(s). In
this example, a parcel of land is added as a fictitious newly acquired ‘off-reservation’ trust land
for the Spirit Lake Reservation (3935).
Table 26: Add Land Area as Reservation or Off-reservation Trust Land
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the entity where the new trust land(s) will be added. Be sure that all layers
desired to be seen are checked in the Table of Contents. It is recommended to check (turn on) all
Tribal Layers.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

U.S. Census Bureau

Click the drop-down area next to the Geography field, and select the entity type to be added from
the drop-down menu. In this example Off-Reservation trust land is being added, so
‘Reservation/Trust Land’ is selected.

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Step

Action and Result

Reservation/Trust Land appears in the Geography field and prior to any changes, Spirit Lake
Reservation will be the only file that becomes available.
Step 4

Double-click on the row in the list for the place that is making the annexation. (Note: The list of
places is short, but in some cases it can be long. Use the scroll bar to the right of the list to move up
and down the list, if needed.) The map zooms to the place selected upon double-clicking a row.

If the map does not zoom to a scale sufficient to make the changes, click on the Zoom in button on
the Standard toolbar.
Step 5

Then click on the map to select the face or faces.
If the entity includes only a single face, simply click once on the face to select it. If the entity includes
several contiguous faces, after clicking on the first face, depress the CTRL key and while holding it
down, left-click on each additional face to be added. The selected faces turn cyan (colors may vary).

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Step

Action and Result

Note: Faces may also be selected (after clicking the Select Features button) by simply dragging the
cursor over the edges that mark their boundaries. Additional means of selecting faces (by polygon
and by radius) are discussed in Section 1.
Because all geographic areas consist of faces, it may be necessary to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary.
To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (see Table 30 for
instructions on how to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the
original face into two faces. The new face can now be added to the new entity.
If a face is accidentally selected, it can be deselected with the Deselect Features from All Layers
option in the Select Feature(s) drop-down menu.

Step 6

To record a new entity, click the Add Entity button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature new entity dialog box opens.

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Step

Action and Result

A pop-up warning will appear if Add Entity is clicked before selecting the faces. Simply click OK and
add the faces.

Since faces were already selected, the pop-up warning does not appear.
Step 7

U.S. Census Bureau

In the new entity dialog box, select the LSAD (Legal/Statistical Area Description) from the drop-down
list available. This example indicates an ‘Off-Reservation Trust Land (suffix)’ since a reservation
already exists. If a reservation didn’t already exist, then the LSAD should be ‘Trust Land (suffix)’. The
term ‘Off-Reservation Trust Land’ or ‘Trust Land’ will be added to the Entity Name, in this example,
will be added to Spirit Lake Reservation.

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Step
Step 8

Action and Result
Next add the effective date for the legal change. Click on the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field
and, when the calendar opens, click on the effective date.

The date selected populates the EFF_DATE field.

Step 9

Next, add the authority type using the AUTHTYPE drop-down menu. This example indicates the
AUTHTYPE as a D-Deed.

Step 10

Finally, upload documentation for the change. For all changes that are more than cartographic
boundary corrections, documentation will need to be provided. To upload documentation, click the
folder icon next to the DOCU field.

The DOCU window opens.

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Step

Step 11

Action and Result

Click on the icon for My Computer (or simply Computer in some Windows versions) to open the
directory where documentation is saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Step 12

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Step
Step 13

Action and Result
Once the Open button has been clicked, the name of the document appears in the DOCU field.

Step 14

Click the OK button.
Note: Red asterisks indicate required fields. These required fields must be completed to move
forward. If OK is clicked before completing one or more required fields, GUPS will not move on. Any
required field not completed will highlight in red.
If the reservation and/or trust lands contain more than one census tract, or more than one block
group or more than one Tribal Subdivision – there are a few additional steps – continue on to Step
15 below.
If not, and all required fields have been completed, when OK is clicked, the faces for the new entity
turn green on the map (colors may vary) and the name of the new entity appears on the list in the
Modify Area Feature dialog box. Skip to Step 16.

Once the Census Bureau verifies the new Trust Lands, it will assign it the same FIPS code as the
Reservation.
Step 15

If there is more than one census tract, block group or tribal subdivision, there are additional steps to
follow when adding area either as ‘reservation’ or ‘trust land’.
After clicking OK (in Step 14) if there is currently more than one tribal subdivision defined for the
Entity, a pop-up window will appear with a drop down menu to select which Tribal subdivision (AITSL)
the new area should be assigned to. In this example, the new Off-Reservation Trust Land is being
assigned to Wood Lake District (800).

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Step

Action and Result

Once a selection is made, if there is more than one Tribal Block Group (TBG), a new pop-up window
will appear with a drop-down menu to select which Tribal Census Tract/Tribal Block Group to which
the new area should be assigned. In this example, it is being assigned to the adjacent area labeled
3935T00100B.

Once the selection is made, users are returned to the Modify Area Feature menu and can continue
with additional changes to the boundaries. (Step 16)

Step 16

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To make additional changes to the map, simply make a new selection in the Modify Area Feature
dialog box Geography field and continue work (refer back to Step 3 above). Changes may be saved
while working or once all the work is done, however, it is recommended to save changes as they are
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made to avoid losing work in the event of a power outage or system interruption. Changes can be
made to the reservation boundary, trust land boundaries and tribal subdivision boundaries.

6.1.2 Adding (or Deleting) Land Area to an Existing Reservation or Existing OffReservation Trust Land
Follow the steps in Table 27 to record land being added to an existing reservation or existing
off-reservation trust lands. The fictitious example in the table looks at Kootenai Off-Reservation
Trust Lands.
Table 27: Record an Addition
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the entity. Be sure that all layers desired to be seen are checked in the Table of
Contents.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

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Click on the row in the list for the entity that is making the addition (here ‘Kootenai Off-Reservation
Trust Land’). (Note: The map zooms to the full extent of the entity selected when a row is clicked.)

Step 5

Click on the Zoom in button on the Standard toolbar to zoom into the area where the addition is to
be made.

Step 6

Step 7

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Because all geographic areas consist of faces, it may be necessary to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary.
To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location (see Table 30 for
instructions on how to add a linear feature) and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This splits the
original face into two faces. The new face can now be added to the new entity.
If a face is selected by accident, use the Deselect Features from All Layers option in the Select
Feature(s) drop-down menu to clear the selected faces from the screen and start over.

Step 8

Click the Add Area button on the dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box appears, and asks to choose the change
type.

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Step 9

Since this is an addition (not a boundary correction), click the ‘Legal Change’ radio button, then click
OK. The Create Change Polygons dialog box opens.

Step 10

Click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to open the calendar, then click on the effective
date for the annexation.

The selected date will populate the EFF_DATE field.
Step 11

Select an authority type for the addition in the AUTHTYPE field drop-down menu.

Step 12

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The DOCU window opens.

Step 13

Click on the icon for My Computer (or simply Computer in some Windows versions) to open the
directory where documentation is saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Step 14

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Select the appropriate directory in the list and navigate to the file to be uploaded. Click the file, then
to upload it, click the Open button at the bottom of the DOCU window.

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The name of the document populates the DOCU field on the dialog box.

Step 15

Finally, select ‘Addition or Added Area’ in the drop-down menu for the CHNG_TYPE field.

Step 16

6.1.1

Make a Boundary Correction (Add Area/Remove Area)

To make a boundary correction that adds or removes area from an entity, follow the steps in
Table 28. In this fictitious example, a boundary correction is made to the Karuk Off-Reservation
Trust land.

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Table 28: Make a Boundary Correction
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the entity. Be sure that all layers desired to be seen are checked in the Table of
Contents.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

Click the arrow next to the Geography field, and select in the drop-down menu the entity type for
which are will be added or removed. In this example, ‘Reservation/Trust Land’ is selected. The Info
list populates with the entities for the geography that was chosen at the beginning of the project.

Step 4

Click on the row in the list for the area for which area is being added or removed (here Karuk offReservation trust land). The map zooms to the area selected.

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Step 5

Action and Result
Click the down arrow next to the Select Features button to select the face(s) to add or remove for
the boundary correction. The Select Features drop-down menu opens.

In this example, add two small faces that are difficult to select, so opt for ‘Select Features by
Freehand’. This method allows placing the cursor inside the first face and drawing a tiny line. The
selected face turns cyan (colors may vary).

To select the other face, press the CTRL key, and while holding it down, repeat the action for the
remaining face. Both faces turn cyan (colors may vary).

To add area, the area must be outside the selected entity. To remove area, the area must be within
the selected entity.
Step 6

On the Modify Area Feature toolbar, click on the Add button (to add area to the entity) or on the
Remove button (to remove area from the entity).

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box opens, and asks to choose the change
type.

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Action and Result

Since a boundary correction is being made, rather than a legal boundary change, click the radio
button next to ‘Boundary Correction’. Then click OK. The added faces turn green on the map (color
may vary) and are added to the legal entity boundary.

Removing area from a boundary is conducted following the same steps, the only difference being
that the Remove button is clicked on the Modify Area Feature toolbar. Once the faces are selected
and the Remove button clicked, the same Modify Area Feature Choose change type pop-up box
appears. Select ‘Boundary Correction’, and see the faces turn green.

6.1.3 Adding a Geographic Offset
The steps to add a geographic offset are shown in Table 29. The fictitious example provided
uses Karuk Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land. The steps in the table show how the
tribe would mark the addition of a geographic offset along Old Hwy 96 in order to ensure that
the houses that are addressed to the north side of that stretch of highway are not included
within the reservation/trust land boundary.
Table 29: Add a Geographic Offset
Step

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Action and Result
Creating a geographic offset requires two actions: first split the face (if an edge does not already
exist), then add the area.

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Load the data for the reservation (in this example, Karuk Reservation/Trust Land).

Step 2

Pan to the location of the geographic offset (here Old Hwy 96).

Step 3
Click the Add Linear Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
Step 4

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Left-click on the map at the beginning point of the first line and drag the cursor to create the line
marking the offset distance from the highway. Left-click at the end of the line, then right-click to tell
GUPS to finish drawing. The line appears on the map, and the Add Linear Feature dialog box opens.

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Action and Result

Type a name if desired in the Name field, then select the appropriate MTFCC code in the MTFCC
drop-down list. In this example, select ‘P0001 – Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary’.

The MTFCC field populates with the selection.
Step 6

Click the OK button.
The line turns from purple to dark green (colors may vary) and the name, if provided, is added to the
map.

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Action and Result
To add the area: click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 8

In the Geography field drop-down menu, select the entity type (in this case, ‘Reservation/Trust
Land’). A list of the available options populates the Info list at the bottom of the dialog box.

Step 9

Click on the row for Karuk Off-Reservation Trust Land in the list. The map zooms to the Karuk OffReservation Trust Land.

Step 10

Pan to the location of the new offset drawn on the map. Then click the Select Feature(s) button on
the small toolbar near the top of the Modify Area Feature dialog box.

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Action and Result
Left-click inside the offset face, then drag the cursor across the road. When the cursor is released the
face on the north side of the road will be selected and turn cyan or yellow (color may vary) to
highlight.

Step 12

To record the offset, click the Add button on the Modify Area Feature dialog box toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature Choose change type dialog box opens.

Step 13

Click the radio button next to Offset. A box opens giving an explanation of what a geographic offset is
and asking t to proceed.

Click Yes. The screen returns to the Modify Area Feature Choose change type box.
Step 14

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Click the OK button at the bottom of the box.

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Step 15

Action and Result
The Review Change Polygons pop-up box opens and asks whether this is a legal change.

Step 16

If the geographic offset is not part of a legal change, click No. The change is automatically added as a
boundary correction.
If the geographic offset is a legal change, click Yes. The Create Change Polygons dialog box opens.

Step 17

Click on the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to select an effective date for the change.

Step 18

Use the AUTHTYPE drop-down menu to select an authority type.

Step 19

In the DOCU field, either type in the documentation number, or upload legal documentation of the
change. To upload a document, click on the folder icon, navigate to the directory where the
document is stored, and double-click the file. The file uploads to GUPS and the name of the file
appears in the DOCU field.

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Step 20

In the CHNG_TYPE field, select ‘Offset’ in the drop-down list. offset fills the CHNG_TYPE field as
shown in the screenshot above.

Step 21

Click OK. The face marking the offset turns green on the map (color may vary). The offset has been
added.

6.2

How to Update Linear Features

6.2.1 Adding a Linear Feature
Follow the steps below to add a linear feature.
Table 30: Adding a Linear Feature
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the entity where the new linear feature will be added. Be sure that the edges
layer is checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the map where the feature
will be added.

Step 2
Click on the Add Linear Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
Step 3

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Left-click the mouse at the starting point of the line (A) and continue to left-click the mouse at each
vertex (shape) point of the line. Right-click the mouse (B) when the new line is completed. The rightclick tells GUPS to finish drawing.

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The Add Linear Feature dialog box opens.

Step 4

Step 5

In the MTFCC field drop-down menu, choose the appropriate code for the feature.

Step 6

Click the OK button
at the bottom of the Add Linear Feature dialog box. The added
linear feature and the assigned name appear on the map.

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pop-up box will warn ‘Added Line Overlays an Existing line’. If adding a linear feature coincident
with a boundary, follow the instructions for updating linear feature attributes instead (for
instructions click on Table 33). Once a street is added on a boundary edge, update the MTFCC in the
Update Attributes pop-up to one of the "S" class feature codes (e.g., S1400) and add a name in the
FULLNAME field.

6.2.2 Deleting a Linear Feature
To delete a linear feature, follow the steps below.
Table 31: Deleting a Linear Feature
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the entity where the linear feature will be deleted. Be sure that the edges layer
is checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the map where the feature will
be deleted.

Step 2
Click on the Delete Linear Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
Step 3

Step 4

Click OK. The line is deleted in the attribute table. The cyan blue color is removed from the line and
the line now looks as it did originally.
When a linear feature is deleted, it is not actually removed from the Census Bureau shapefile. GUPS
assigns a Delete Line flag to the feature in the attribute table, and the feature is later processed for
deletion when the Census Bureau receives the BAS file.
Note: If there are multiple linear features to delete, click the Delete Linear Feature button on the
toolbar once, then press CTRL and click each of the features to be deleted. GUPS will delete all of
the linear features selected. The cursor can also be dragged over multiple linear features to select
them.

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6.2.3 Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature
To restore a deleted linear feature, follow Table 32.
Table 32: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the county that contains the deleted linear feature. Be sure the edges layer is
checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the map where the deleted feature is
located.

Step 2

Left-click on the deleted feature. The deleted feature turns cyan blue (color may vary) and the Delete
Linear Feature dialog box opens. The box asks for confirmation to restore the line.

Step 3

To restore the linear feature, click the OK button.

The Delete Line flag is removed from the attribute table and the line is restored.

6.2.4 Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature
Follow the steps in Table 33 to change the attributes (e.g., the name, MTFCC, or address range)
of a linear feature.
Table 33: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
If planning on changing the name of a linear feature, check first to see if it has an alternate name.
To do this, click the Display All Names button on the BAS toolbar.
Then click on the linear feature on the map. The selected feature turns cyan blue (color may vary)
and the Display All Names dialog box opens, showing the primary name in the Prim. Name field and
the alternate name, if one is present, in the Alt. Name field.

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To see any additional alternate names, click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Alt. Name
field. If no alternate name exists, ‘NULL’ appears in the Alt. name field.
Step 2

Step 3
Click on the Modify Linear Feature Attributes button on the BAS toolbar.
Step 4

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Step 5

Step 6

If correcting the MTFCC, click on the down arrow to the right of the field to open the drop-down
menu and select the correct MTFCC from the menu.

Step 7

Step 8

6.3

How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas

Action and Result
Open in Map View the county where the new landmark or hydrographic area will be added. Be sure
the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents. Then zoom to the location on the
map where the landmark or hydrographic area will be added.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Step 3

Step 4

Click on the yellow Select Feature(s) button on the Modify Area Feature toolbar.

Step 5

Step 6

Click on the Add Entity button on the Modify Area Feature toolbar.

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The Modify Area Feature box opens.

Step 7

In the Modify Area Feature box, type in the name of the new area landmark in the Full name field.

Then select the appropriate code in the MTFCC field drop-down list, as shown below.

Step 8

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6.3.2 Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
To delete an area landmark or hydrographic area, follow the steps below.
Table 35: Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the county where the new landmark or hydrographic area will be deleted. Be sure
the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

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Hint

Step 4

In the Info list, click on the area landmark/hydrographic area to be deleted. The selected entry is
highlighted in the Info list and the map zooms directly to the selected feature.

Step 5

Click the Delete Area Feature button on the Modify Area Feature dialog toolbar.

A pop-up box opens and asks to confirm deleting the feature.

Step 6

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To delete the area landmark/area hydrography, click OK. The linear feature turns gray (color may vary)
on the map, and its name disappears from the Info list.
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Step 7

Action and Result
Not ready to delete? Click Cancel to be returned to the Modify Area Feature dialog.

Step 8

Once ready to delete the area landmark/area hydrography, click on the feature name in the Info list,
the buttons will reactivate, and click the Delete Area Feature button.

6.3.3 Adding Area to an Area Landmark or Hydrographic Area
Follow the steps in Table 36 to add area to an area landmark or hydrographic area.
Table 36: Adding Area to an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the county that contains the area landmark or hydrographic area to which area will
be added. Be sure the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

Step 4

Click the row in the list for the area landmark/area hydrography to which area will be added. The

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selected entity is highlighted in the Info list and the map zooms to its location.

Step 5

To select the face(s) to add to the area landmark, click the Select Feature button on the Modify Area
Feature toolbar.

Step 6

To add the face(s) selected, click the Add Area button on the Modify Area Feature dialog box toolbar.

The selected face is added to the area landmark and turns the same color as the other face(s) that
make up the area landmark. The map also now shows the full extent of the area landmark.

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6.3.4 Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Follow the steps in Table 37 to remove area from an area landmark or hydrographic area.
Table 37: Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open in Map View the county that contains the area landmark or hydrographic area from which
area will be removed. Be sure the ‘Area_Landmarks’ layer is checked in the Table of Contents.

Step 2
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Step 3

Action and Result
In the Geography field drop-down menu, select ‘Area Landmark/Area Hydrography’. ‘Area
Landmark/Area Hydrography’ populates the Geography field and a list of area landmarks and
hydrological features in the county appears in the Info list.

Step 4

Select the area landmark/hydrography area from which area will be removed. The selected entity is
highlighted in the Info list and the map zooms to its location. In this example, Indian Lake County
Park is chosen.

Step 5

To select the face(s) to remove from the area landmark, click the Select Feature button on the
Modify Area Feature dialog box toolbar.

Then click on the first face to remove. To select additional faces, depress the CTRL key, and while
holding it down, click the additional faces.
Step 6

To remove the face(s) selected, click the Remove Area button on the Modify Area Feature dialog
box’s internal toolbar.

The selected face turns light green (color may vary) on the map and is removed from the area
landmark.

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6.4

How to Update Point Landmarks

6.4.1 Adding a Point Landmark
To add a point landmark, follow the steps in Table 38.
Table 38: Adding a Point Landmark
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Open the project in Map View. Be sure the ‘Point Landmark’ layer is checked in the Table of
Contents (found under the ‘State_Level’ layer).

Step 2
Click the Add Point Landmark button on the BAS toolbar.

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Step 3

Click on the map where the point landmark will be added. The Add Point Landmark dialog box
opens and a red X marks the selected location.

Step 4

Type in the name for the new point landmark in the FULLNAME field. Then click the down arrow
next to the MTFCC field to open the drop-down menu.

Step 5

Select the MTFCC, then click the OK

button at the bottom of the box.

The map updates to show the added point landmark. In this case, a traffic circle was added and
named Buchanan Circle.

6.4.2 Deleting a Point Landmark
To delete a point landmark, follow the steps in Table 39.
Table 39: Deleting a Point Landmark
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Zoom to the area on the map where a point landmark will be deleted. In this example, the traffic circle
named Buchanan Circle will be deleted.

Step 2
Click the Delete Point Landmark button on the BAS toolbar.
Step 3

On the map, click on the point landmark to be deleted (Buchanan Circle). The Delete Point Landmark
dialog box opens, and asks to confirm the deletion of the point landmark.

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Step 4

Action and Result

Click OK. The point landmark disappears from the map and from the attribute table.

6.4.3 Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark
To change the attributes of a point landmark (e.g., its name, MTFCC), follow the steps in
Table 40.
Table 40: Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Zoom to the area on the map where the point landmark is located and click on the landmark. In this
example, the name of Buchanan Traffic Circle will be changed.

Step 2
Click on the Edit Point Landmark button on the BAS toolbar.
Step 3

On the map, click on Buchanan Circle. The Edit Point Landmark dialog box opens.

Step 4

To change the name, backspace over the name appearing in the FULLNAME: field, then type in the
new name. In this example, the name is changed to Marley Circle.

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Step 5

6.5

Action and Result
Click OK. The new name of the point landmark appears on the map.

How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools

GUPS provides two tools—the Geography Review tool and the Review Change Polygons tool to
help users review and validate the updates made in the system.

6.5.1 Geography Review Tool
The Geography Review tool filters the map layers based on various fields in the attribute table.
This tool can check the changes made to linear features, area landmarks, point landmarks, and
legal boundaries anywhere within a county. It can also be used to view the attributes of
entities, features, landmarks, and boundaries that were not changed. Note: Although this tool
allows users to review the changes, they cannot use it to edit them. Instructions for how to use
the Geography Review tool information appear below.
Table 41: Using the Geography Review Tool
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Geography Review button on the BAS toolbar.
The Geography Review Tool dialog box opens.

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Step 2

Action and Result
In the Layer Name: field drop-down menu, select the data layer to be viewed:

In this example, the file “bas18_49900250335_99_changes_aial” was selected. This is the
transaction data output file for the area landmark layer (note the word “changes” in the file name
to indicate the layer has been updated).
Step 3

Once the selection is made, the attribute table for the layer opens, with the attributes for each
area landmark changed displayed in a separate row.

If not all the columns in the attribute data table are visible, drag the edge of the dialog box
outward to widen the view. Users may also move the dialog box to another location by clicking
inside the box and dragging it.
Step 4

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To see a tribal area on the map, click its row in the attribute table, then click the Zoom button (the
row is highlighted and the map automatically zooms to the area selected, which is highlighted and
shows changes made in cyan – colors may vary).
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Step 5

To view other features listed in the table rows, use the Previous Zoom and Next Zoom buttons.
The previous or next row highlights and the system zooms to the map for that row.

Step 6

Use the Search feature at the bottom of the dialog box to filter the table layers by specific
attributes (e.g., full name, MTFCC, change type, etc.).

Step 7

First, select the layer to view (in this example, the AIAL (Tribal Area) layer is selected).

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For each feature changed for a Tribal area, the attributes of the changed feature display in the
table rows. Each column gives the name of the attribute.

Step 8

In the Column Name drop-down menu, select the attribute by which to filter.

In this example, change type (CHNG_TYPE) is selected.
Step 9

Finally, in the Select drop-down, select the attribute value by which to filter, then click the Search
button. In this example, ‘Boundary Correction’ is selected.

After clicking Search, the attribute table is filtered to show the rows for all boundary corrections
made in the AIAL (Tribal Area) layer.
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Step 10

To view an individual boundary correction, click on its row and click the Zoom button.

Step 11

To return to the attribute table to see the full (unfiltered) county subdivision layer, click the
Refresh button in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.
Note that when filtering the table by some attributes (e.g., state and county FIPS code or MTFCC),
no drop-down list appears from which to make a selection. This is because some attribute codes
are too numerous to make scrolling through a list practicable. Instead a blank box will appear in
which search values may be entered. For example, if filtering the area landmarks layer by MTFCC
to see hospitals, type in the MTFCC for hospitals (K1231), as shown below, then click Search.

6.5.2 Review Change Polygons Tool
The Review Change Polygons tool allows users to view the transactions created from the edits
made to legal entities, as well as to area landmarks and hydrographic areas. Users can review
the transaction polygons that represent boundary changes, as well as new incorporations and
disincorporations. The tool also allows users to make corrections to change polygons.
Notes on Reviewing Change Polygons
The Review Change Polygons tool must be run before GUPS will export a file.
The Review Change Polygons tool must be run for each county in which changes were made. For
example, if changes were made to the working county, but also to an adjacent county when annexing
land for the tribal area, the change polygon check must be run on both counties.

To use the Review Change Polygons tool, follow the steps in Table 42.
Table 42: Reviewing Change Polygons
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
In the Map Management dialog box, make sure the Tribal Area for which the check is to be run
appears in the Working County field.

Once the Open button at the bottom of the dialog box is clicked and the map opens in Map
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Step

Action and Result
View, the Review Change Polygons check may be run.

Step 2

Once the entity is loaded, the change polygons review may begin. Click on the Review Change
Polygons button on the BAS toolbar.

The Review Change Polygons dialog box opens just below the Table of Contents.

Note: This box can be dragged anywhere on the screen and docked.
Step 3

Use the Geography drop-down menu shown below to select the geography to review.

Step 4

After selecting an entity type, the Small Area Check and Find Holes buttons become active and
all change polygons for the entity type selected appear in the Info list at the bottom of the box.

Step 5

To check for small area change polygons, click the Small Area Check button. If all the change
polygons are of sufficient size, a pop-up box with this information appears.

Step 6

If there are small area polygons within the Reservation/Trust Land, they appear in the Info list
with their acreage noted in the Area in Acres column. The Display All Changes button also
becomes active (this button allows toggling back to see all change polygons in the list).

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Step

Action and Result

Step 7

To view a polygon on the map, click the row for the polygon in the Info list. The polygon is
highlighted and the map zooms to the location of the polygon.

Note in the illustration above, the Review Change Polygons box was moved to sit over the map.
As stated earlier, the box may be moved anywhere on the page and docked.
Step 8

To delete polygons that are too small (less than 500 square feet), click on the row for the change
polygon in the Info list. The Delete Change Polygon button appears.

Step 9

To delete the polygon, click the Delete Change Polygon button. A pop-up box asks for
confirmation to delete.

Step 10

Click the Yes button. The polygon is removed from the list, from the map, and from the attribute
table.

Step 11

Before the Small Area check is complete, repeat the steps above for each geography type for

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Step

Action and Result
which change polygons were created.

Step 12

Next, review the polygons for holes (that is, two or fewer small faces missed when creating a
change polygon). While still in the Review Change Polygons dialog box, select a geography type
from the Geography drop-down menu. For this example, ‘Reservation/Trust Lands’ is selected.
A list of change polygons for Reservations/Trust Lands populates the Info list and the Display All
Changes button replaces the Small Area button (since this check was already run). The Find
Holes button remains in its original location.

Step 13

Click on the row for the polygon in the Info list to see it on the map, then click the Find Holes
button. If no holes are present, a pop-up box with this information appears.

Step 14

If holes are found, a list of polygons with holes appears in the Holes Review box and the Fix
button activates at the bottom of the box.

Step 15

To correct a change polygon, click on its row to highlight it. The map zooms to its location and
displays all holes in cyan blue (color may vary).

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Step

Action and Result

Step 16

Click the Fix button to repair the hole. The change polygon is corrected and the correction
displays on the map (i.e., the hole is changed to the same color as the remainder of the polygon).

Step 17

Before the Find Holes check is complete, repeat the steps above for each geography type for
which change polygons were created.

Step 18

Step 19

Click on the row for each polygon to see it on the map and review the changes.
If there is a mistake on the map (e.g., a new incorporated place was created with five faces
rather than intended six), click on the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar and make
the correction.

Step 20

To review boundary changes, select the entity type to be reviewed in the Geography drop-down
menu at the top of the Review Change Polygons dialog box. In this example, ‘Reservation/Trust
Land’ is selected. All boundary change polygons for the entity type selected populate the Info
list.
To review a boundary change, click on the change polygon in the list, then click the Legal Entity
Change button at the bottom of the Review Change Polygons dialog box, shown below.

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Step

Action and Result

If this change was mistakenly coded as a boundary correction, and should have been a legal
change instead, correct the error here. In this example a change polygon mistakenly coded as a
boundary correction rather than an addition is corrected.
Step 21

Click the calendar icon next to the EFF_DATE field to select an effective date for the addition.

Step 22

Use the drop-down menu for the AUTHTYPE field to select the authority type for the change.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 23

In the DOCU field, type in the ordinance or other legal documentation number authorizing the
Addition, or upload legal documentation for the change. To upload documentation, click the
folder icon next to the DOCU field.

When the DOCU window opens, click on the icon for ‘My Computer’ (or simply ‘Computer’ in
some Windows versions) to open the directory where the documentation is saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Select the appropriate directory and navigate to the file to be uploaded. Click the file. Then, to
upload it, click the Open button at the bottom of the DOCU window.

GUPS uploads the file and the file name appears in the DOCU field.
Step 24

U.S. Census Bureau

Finally, in the CHNG_TYPE field drop-down menu, change ‘Boundary Correction’ to the correct
change type (‘Annexation’, ‘Corridor’, or ‘Offset’). Here ‘Annexation’ is selected.

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Step
Step 25

Action and Result

Step 26

When all reviews are completed (for small areas, holes, and boundary changes) for all entity

Click the OK

button. The correction is made.

types, and all needed corrections have been made, click the Save
button on the BAS
toolbar. All corrections are saved. The Review Change Polygons check is complete.

6.6

Exporting a Printable Map

GUPS allows users to generate printable maps in four formats (.pdf, .png., .tiff, and .jpeg). The
maps can be created in portrait or landscape view, on letter or ledger (legal) size paper, and at
various scales. To export a printable map from GUPS, follow the steps below.
Table 43: Exporting a Printable Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.
The Print Map to File dialog box opens.

Step 2

In the Desired Map Titles section, type in a map title and sub-title.

Step 3

Under Page Orientation, click the radio button next to ‘Portrait’ or ‘Landscape’ to select the map’s
orientation on the page when printed.

The map orientation in the preview pane to the right changes to reflect the selection.
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Step

Action and Result

Portrait View (left) and Landscape View (right)
Step 4

Under Map Scale, click the appropriate radio button to select the map scale (use the current map
extent or set a fixed scale). To select a fixed scale, click the radio button next to ‘Fixed Scale’, then
click the down arrow to open the drop-down menu. In the drop-down list, click on the desired scale.

Step 5

Under Desired Paper Size, click the radio button next to ‘Letter’ for 8½ by 11-inch paper or the
‘Ledger’ button for 11 by 17-inch paper.

Step 6

When ready to export the file, under Export File Format, click the radio button next to the desired
format. The file may be exported in .pdf, .png, .tiff, or .jpeg format.

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Step
Step 7

Action and Result
Click the Save button. The Map Export – Save Map As… window opens.

Note: GUPS automatically selected the “output” folder for BAS2019 as the save location. This folder
was created on the computer by the GUPS installer. To save the file to a different location, navigate
to the location first before saving.
Step 8

After selecting the location, type in the name to give the file, then click Save.

Step 9

The file is saved and a pop-up message appears confirming that the export is complete.

Step 10

To save the file, click OK. The file is saved either in the default BAS2019 output location or in the
alternate location specified. Here file is saved in the default location.

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automatically names the output ZIP file. It packages all the files required by the Census Bureau
(including any documentation uploaded) into the ZIP file and saves it in a preset location
created on the computer during the installation process.
Important Note
If changes were made to more than one working county, separate ZIP file must be exported for each
county.

6.6.2 Exporting a File to Share
To export a file to share with another user, follow the steps in Table 44.
Table 44: Exporting Files to Share with Another User
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.

Step 2

If this message appears, click the Cancel button and run the Review Change Polygons check. Then
repeat the initial export steps again.
Step 3

U.S. Census Bureau

If the Review Change Polygon check was already run, the Export to ZIP pop-up box displays the
status of the checks and the date and time they were made, as shown below.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Look carefully at the run times listed. If any additional changes were made after these times, click
Cancel and run the Review Change Polygons check again. Then repeat the export steps.

Step 5

The Select Output Type dialog box opens.

To prepare ZIP file to be shared with another user, select the “Share with Another Participant”
radio button. Click OK.
Step 6

The ZIP File Output dialog box opens. It informs that the ZIP file was created and asks “if you want
to view the folder”.

Step 7

Step 8

The file may now be shared with another user.

6.6.3 Exporting a File to Submit to the Census Bureau
To export a file to submit to the Census Bureau, follow the steps in Table 45.
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Table 45: Exporting Files for Submission to the Census Bureau
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.
The Select Output Type dialog box opens.

Click the Export for Census radio button. Then click OK.
Step 2

Step 3

If this message appears, click the Cancel button and run the Review Change Polygons check. Then
repeat the initial export steps again.

Step 4

If the Review Change Polygon check was already run, the Export to ZIP pop-up box displays the status
of the checks and the date and time they were made, as shown below.

Step 5

Look carefully at the run times listed. If any additional changes were made after these times, click
Cancel and run the Review Change Polygons check again. Then repeat the export steps.

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Step
Step 6

Action and Result
Otherwise, click OK. The GUPS User Contact Information dialog box opens up. Complete the required
fields and click OK.

The ZIP File Output dialog box opens. It informs the user that the ZIP file was created and asks if they
want to view the folder.

Step 7

If Yes is clicked, the directory opens and displays the folder location where GUPS placed the file. Note:
GUPS automatically saves the file to an output folder that the GUPS installer created during the
installation process.

Step 8

The file is now ready to be uploaded to the Census Bureau through SWIM. See Section 1 on the next
page.

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SECTION 7. SUBMITTING FILES TO THE CENSUS BUREAU THROUGH
SWIM
To upload and transmit update files to the Census Bureau, participants must access their
accounts in the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM), as shown in Table 46.
Note: Participants with existing SWIM accounts, should use their user name (email address) and
password. Participants without existing SWIM accounts, should contact the Census Bureau at
geo.school@census.gov to obtain a 12-digit registration token needed to create an account. Once a
token has been assigned, participants can create their SWIM accounts.
Table 46: Transmitting Files to the Census Bureau Using SWIM
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Open a new browser window and enter the URL . The SWIM login
screen opens.

Step 2

Users that already have a SWIM account should enter their email address and password. Click the
Login button. The Welcome screen opens. Go to Step 8.

Step 3

Users without a SWIM account must register. Click the Register Account button. The Account
Registration screen opens.

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Step

Action and Result

All fields on the Account Registration screen are required.
Step 4

On the Account Registration screen, first, enter the 12-digit token provided by the Census Bureau.
Then enter contact name, agency, and email in the appropriate fields.

Step 5

Create a password. The password must meet the five criteria below:
1.

It must be 8 characters in length

It must have at least one upper case character

It must have at least one lower case character

It must have at least one number

It must have at least one special character (valid special characters are: #, !, $, *, &, ?, ~).

Note: The commas shown immediately above are to separate the special characters listed. A comma
is not a valid character for the password.
Step 6

Set up a security question (click the arrow on the right of the Security Question box and select a
question in the drop-down list, then enter an answer in the Answer box). When finished, click the
Submit button. A screen opens to confirm that the account has been successfully registered.

On the Confirmation screen, click Login, and be returned to the Login screen.
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Step
Step 7

Action and Result
Login screen.

Step 8

On the Login screen, enter the email and password then click the green Login button. The Welcome
screen opens. A list of previously uploaded files is visible with the following information, the creation
date of the file, the name of the file, and its corresponding zip size. To make modifications, click on the
file to be edited then select the Start Now Upload button.

Step 9

To begin an upload, click the Start New Upload button. Select the Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS)
radio button, and then click Next at the bottom of the screen.

Step 10

A screen opens asking “What type of BAS are you reporting for?” Click the radio button next to the
governmental unit for which data is being reported, then click the Next button. In this example, Tribal
Area is selected.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 11

A screen opens that allows selection of the Tribal Area for which data is being reported. Scroll through
the drop-down menu and select the Tribal Area. Then click the Next button.

Step 12

Step 13

The Choose File to Upload window opens.

Locate the ZIP file to upload then double-click it. Note: Only one file can be added at a time.
Step 14

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Step

Action and Result

Step 15

After uploading the file(s), type any comments (including pertinent information about data projection
or supporting documentation for shapefiles) in the Comments field. Click Next.

Step 16

The Thank You screen appears and confirms the receipt of the submission.

Step 17

To submit files for a different entity, click on the ‘Upload Form’ link in the phrase “You may Log Out or
return to the upload form, to submit more files.” This choice returns to the Welcome screen.
To log out, click on Log Out. The Census Bureau will acknowledge the receipt of the uploaded file.
SWIM sessions deactivate after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Note: While working in SWIM, the participant may obtain help by clicking on the Help button on any
screen. After clicking the button, a screen opens with links to help resources.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A BAS CONTACT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Table 47: BAS Contact Information and Resources
Action/Question
Request shapefiles on
DVD

Resource
Geography
Division

Contact
Call: (800) 972-5651
Email: geo.bas@census.gov

BAS materials
questions

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651
Email: geo.bas@census.gov

Legal boundary
questions

Geography
Division

Ask guidance on areas
under legal dispute

Census Bureau
Legal Office

Call: (301) 763-1099
Email: geo.bas@census.gov
Fax: (800) 972-5652
Call: (301) 763-9844

GUPS technical support

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651
Email: geo.bas@census.gov
Be sure to have the number for the version of GUPS being run
ready. To find this number, go to the Help tab on the main Menu in
GUPS and click ‘About GUPS’ in the drop-down menu. A pop-up
box will provide the number.

SWIM token questions

Geography
Division

Call: (800) 972-5651
Email: geo.bas@census.gov

SWIM technical
support

Geography
Division

Email: geo.swim@census.gov

Submit output files on
DVD (if Internet access
is unavailable)

National
Processing
Center

Send to:

U.S. Census Bureau

U.S. Census Bureau
National Processing Center
ATTN: BAS Returns, Bldg 63E
1201 East 10th Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47132

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Represents an invisible boundary line for various geometry, geographic, and statistical data and
can stand alone.
 A linear feature always occupies the same space as an edge and there are attributes on an edge
that are lone relevant when a linear feature exists.
Face - is a two-dimensional object (legacy 2-cell) bounded by two or more edges. Its boundary includes
not only the edges that separate it from other faces, but also any interior edges (two-dimensional
topological primitives) contained within the area of the face.

Geographic Area - is a demarcated area used for the collection and/or tabulation of Census
Bureau data.
Geographic Corridors - is an area that includes only a road (or other feature’s) right-of-way and
does not contain any structures. Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated shows a
corridor that has been created where an incorporated place annexed the road right-of-way, but
not the housing units assigned to either side of the road (these belong instead to an
unincorporated area). If it is important to the incorporated place that its ownership and/or
maintenance of the road and/or its right-of-way be displayed on Census Bureau’s maps, a
geographic corridor should be created. However, the Census Bureau does not require places to
report rights-of-way: maintaining geographic corridors in a nationwide database is difficult and
impractical, and the right-of-way should only be included if it is crucial to the place, or if state or
local laws require it. The Census Bureau would actually prefer that the area simply not be
assigned to the place at all.
Figure 14. shows an example where the right-of-way belongs in an unincorporated area, while
the housing units along it are included in an incorporated place (shown in color). While
depicting this corridor may be important for local purposes, it is not relevant for Census Bureau
tabulations and is not easy to depict in the Census nationwide database. This type of corridor
should not be included in a BAS response.
Please note that the Census Bureau does not require places to display rights-of-way or road
maintenance corridors that do not contain or potentially contain housing or population. If local
or state law does not require depiction of these geographic features, the Census Bureau prefers
that they be left off BAS submissions. However, if it is necessary for the place to depict them,
then they must be submitted as a geographic corridor.
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Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated Area

Figure 13 - A corridor that has been created where an incorporated place annexed the road
right-of-way, but not the housing units assigned to either side of the road.

Figure 14. Incorporated Area and Unincorporated Area

Figure 14 - The right-of-way belongs in an unincorporated area, while the housing units along it
are included in an incorporated place.
To recap, when a participant has a case where a road right-of-way is legally included in the
boundary, but the adjacent parcels/houses are not, there are two options. Either do not include
the area in the place at all (Scenario A in Figure 15), or include it in the place and flag it as a
corridor (Scenario C in Figure 15). Nevers include such areas within the place boundary without
flagging them as corridors (Scenario B in Figure 15).

Figure 15. Participant Responses

Figure 15 – (A): The respondent did not include place ownership of the road or the right-of-way,
allowing houses along the road to be geocoded correctly. (B): The respondent chose to show
place ownership of the road, but did not flag it as a corridor, causing houses along the road to
be incorrectly geocoded. (C): The respondent chose to show place ownership of the road, and
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flagged that ownership as a corridor, allowing the houses to be geocoded correctly. Both A and
C are acceptable.
Geographic Offsets
A geographic offset is an area (either within or outside of a geographic entity) that is only on
one side of a road (unlike corridors, which involve both sides of the road) and does not include
structures addressed to that side of the road. Much of the same guidelines regarding corridors
also holds true for offsets.
The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their legal boundaries on cadastral
(parcel-based) right-of-way mapping. Census Bureau maps are based on spatial data that are
topologically integrated which makes maintenance of geographic offsets inefficient. Using the
road centerline wherever possible will help to establish more accurate population counts. If a
boundary follows a front-lot-line, the Census Bureau strongly prefers that the road centerline
be used as the boundary. If a boundary is at the rear of a lot, then it should be depicted as such.
If it is unclear whether a particular line is a front-lot line or something else, please contact the
BAS team for assistance. As a rule, if a house or building could not conceivably be built in the
area between the potential line and the centerline of the road, then the line can be considered
a front-lot line Figure 16 depicts a cadastral (parcel-based) boundary map and Figure 17 shows
how the boundary should be represented when it is sent to the Census Bureau.

Figure 16. A Cadastral (Parcel-Based) Boundary Map

Figure 17. How a Boundary Should be Represented When Sent to the Census Bureau

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Figure 18. Place Boundary – Front-Lot-Line
Figure 18 - Shows a situation in which the place boundary is along the frontlot-line. In this example, the respondent must either use the road centerline
as the boundary (preferred), or create an offset.

Figure 19. Place Boundary – Rear-Lot-Line
Figure 19- The place boundary is on the rear-lot-line, so the respondent
should of course not use the road centerline or create an offset, but should
rather digitize in a new boundary following the rear-lot-line.

The Census Bureau has included an “offset” shapefile in the BAS materials
(bas_2019_offset_.shp), so that the jurisdiction can be checked for any existing
corridors or offsets. While the Census Bureau prefers that new offsets are not created (see
above), this information can be helpful in determining if current boundaries are correct.
Linear Feature - is a single dimension feature (Road/Path, Hydro, Rail, or Miscellaneous) along
one or more edges.
Point Feature - is an isolated node not connected to an edge. The XY coordinate point is where
a structure resides. Point Feature structures include housing units and legacy point landmark of
public facilities such as libraries, police stations, schools, churches, malls, and some
monuments.

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Feature Class
Mountain Peak or Summit

C3023

Island

C3024

Levee

C3026
C3027

Quarry (not water-filled),
Open Pit Mine or Mine
Dam

C3061

Cul-de-sac

C3062

Traffic Circle

C3066
C3067
C3071
C3074

Gate
Toll Booth
Lookout Tower
Lighthouse Beacon

C3075

Tank/Tank Farm

C3076

Windmill Farm

C3077

Solar Farm

C3078

Monument or Memorial

C3079
C3080

Boundary Monument
Point
Survey Control Point

C3081

Locality Point

C3085

Alaska Native Village
Official Point
American Indian Area

G2100
G2120
G2130

Hawaiian Home Land
Alaska Native Village
Statistical Area

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical
Area

U.S. Census Bureau

C-1

MTFCC
G2150

Feature Class
State-designated Tribal
Statistical Area

G2160

Tribal Designated
Statistical Area

G2170

American Indian Joint Use
Area
Alaska Native Regional
Corporation

G2200

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

G2400

Tribal Census Tract

G2410

Tribal Block Group

G3100

Combined Statistical Area

G3110

Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area

G3120

Metropolitan Division

G3200

Combined New England
City and Town Area
New England City and
Town Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area
New England City and
Town Division

G3210

G3220

G3500

Urban Area

G4000

State or Equivalent
Feature

G4020

County or Equivalent

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a state-appointed liaison for a state-recognized American
Indian tribe that does not currently have a reservation and/or lands in
trust.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the Census
Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe that does not
currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation trust land.
An area administered jointly and/or claimed by two or more American
Indian tribes.
Corporate entities established to conduct both business and nonprofit
affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-203). There are twelve
geographically defined ANRCs and they are all within and cover most of
the State of Alaska (the Annette Island Reserve-an American Indian
reservation-is excluded from any ANRC). The boundaries of ANRCs
have been legally established.
Administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American Indian
reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or Oklahoma tribal statistical
areas (OTSAs). These entities are internal units of self-government or
administration that serve social, cultural, and/or economic purposes
for the American Indians on the reservations, off-reservation trust
lands, or OTSAs.
A relatively small and permanent statistical subdivision of a federally
recognized American Indian reservation and/or off-reservation trust
land, delineated by American Indian tribal participants or the Census
Bureau for the purpose of presenting demographic data.
A cluster of census blocks within a single tribal census tract delineated
by American Indian tribal participants or the Census Bureau for the
purpose of presenting demographic data.
A grouping of adjacent metropolitan and/or micropolitan statistical
areas that have a degree of economic and social integration, as
measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
whole counties and equivalents.
A county or grouping of counties that is a subdivision of a Metropolitan
Statistical Area containing an urbanized area with a population of 2.5
million or more.
A grouping of adjacent New England city and town areas that have a
degree of economic and social integration, as measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social
integration with that core, as measured by commuting. Defined using
Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) in New England.
A grouping of cities and towns in New England that is a subdivision of a
New England City and Town Area containing an urbanized area with a
population of 2.5 million or more.
Densely settled territory that contains at least 2,500 people. The
subtypes of this feature are Urbanized Area (UA), which consists of
50,000 + people and Urban Cluster, which ranges between 2,500 and
49,999 people.
The primary governmental divisions of the United States. The District of
Columbia is treated as a statistical equivalent of a state for census
purposes, as is Puerto Rico.
The primary division of a state or state equivalent area. The primary
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

C-2

MTFCC

Feature Class
Feature

G4040

County Subdivision

G4050

Estate

G4060
G4110

Subbarrio (Subminor Civil
Division)
Incorporated Place

G4120

Consolidated City

G4210

Census Designated Place

G4300

Economic Census Place

G5020

Census Tract

G5030

Block Group

G5035

Block Area Grouping

G5040

Tabulation Block

G5200

Congressional District

G5210

State Legislative District
(Upper Chamber

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
divisions of 48 states are termed County, but other terms are used such
as Borough in Alaska, Parish in Louisiana, and Municipio in Puerto Rico.
This feature includes independent cities, which are incorporated places
that are not part of any county.
The primary divisions of counties and equivalent features for the
reporting of Census Bureau data. The subtypes of this feature are
Minor Civil Division, Census County Division/Census Subarea, and
Unorganized Territory. This feature includes independent places, which
are incorporated places that are not part of any county subdivision.
Estates are subdivisions of the three major islands in the United States
Virgin Islands (USVI).
Legally defined divisions (subbarrios) of minor civil divisions (barriospueblo and barrios) in Puerto Rico.
A legal entity incorporated under state law to provide general-purpose
governmental services to a concentration of population. Incorporated
places are generally designated as a city, borough, municipality, town,
village, or, in a few instances, have no legal description.
An incorporated place that has merged governmentally with a county
or minor civil division, but one or more of the incorporated places
continues to function within the consolidation. It is a place that
contains additional separately incorporated places.
A statistical area defined for a named concentration of population and
the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place.
The lowest level of geographic area for presentation of some types of
Economic Census data. It includes incorporated places, consolidated
cities, census designated places (CDPs), minor civil divisions (MCDs) in
selected states, and balances of MCDs or counties. An incorporated
place, CDP, MCD, or balance of MCD qualifies as an economic census
place if it contains 5,000 or more residents, or 5,000 or more jobs,
according to the most current data available.
Relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a County or equivalent
feature delineated by local participants as part of the Census Bureau’s
Participant Statistical Areas Program.
A cluster of census blocks having the same first digit of their four-digit
identifying numbers within a Census Tract. For example, block group 3
(BG 3) within a Census Tract includes all blocks numbered from 3000 to
3999.
A user-defined group of islands forming a single census tabulation
block. A BAG must: (1) consist of two or more islands, (2) have a
perimeter entirely over water, (3) not overlap, and (4) not cross the
boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county or
incorporated place boundaries.
The lowest-order census defined statistical area. It is an area, such as a
city block, bounded primarily by physical features but sometimes by
invisible city or property boundaries. A tabulation block boundary does
not cross the boundary of any other geographic area for which the
Census Bureau tabulates data. The subtypes of this feature are Count
Question Resolution (CQR), current, and census.
The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist for state
equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no representative. The
subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 111th
Congressional Districts, plus subsequent Congresses.
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the upper or unicameral chamber of a state
governing body. The upper chamber is the senate in a bicameral
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

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MTFCC

Feature Class

G5220

State Legislative District
(Lower Chamber)

G5240

Voting District

G5400

Elementary School District

G5410

Secondary School District

G5420

Unified School District

G6120

Public-Use Microdata Area

G6300

Traffic Analysis District

G6320

Traffic Analysis Zone

G6330

Urban Growth Area

G6350
G6400

ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(Five-Digit)
Commercial Region

H1100

Connector

H2025

Swamp/Marsh

H2030
H2040
H2041
H2051

Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

H2053
H2060
H2081

Ocean/Sea
Gravel Pit/Quarry filled
with water
Glacier

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
legislature, and the unicameral case is a single house legislature
(Nebraska).
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the lower chamber of a state governing body.
The lower chamber is the House of Representatives in a bicameral
legislature.
The generic name for the geographic features, such as precincts,
wards, and election districts, established by state, local, and tribal
governments for the purpose of conducting elections.
A geographic area within which officials provide public elementary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public secondary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public educational
services for all grade levels for residents.
A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 or more
persons for which the Census Bureau provides selected extracts of
household-level data that are screened to protect confidentiality.
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic Analysis District
(TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs).
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data.
An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization that the
Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® System in agreement with
the state.
An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.
For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data, municipios in
Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.
A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between two
nonadjacent water features.
A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy,
possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, marais and
pocosin].
A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.
An artificially impounded body of water.
An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.
A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight, cove
and inlet].
The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.
A body of water in a place or area from which commercial minerals
were removed from the Earth.
A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of
accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top
or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice field and ice
patch].
A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, branch,
brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].
A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of interlacing
channels.
An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate or
drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as a
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

C-4

MTFCC

Feature Class

K1225

Crew-of-Vessel Location

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent
Care Facility
Juvenile Institution

K1235

K1236

Local Jail or Detention
Center

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State
Prison, or Prison Farm

K1238

Other Correctional
Institution

K1239

K1246
K2110

Convent, Monastery,
Rectory, Other Religious
Group Quarters
Community Center
Military Installation

K2165

Government Center

K2167

Convention Center

K2180

Park

K2181

National Park Service Land

K2182

National Forest or Other
Federal Land

K2183

Tribal Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2184

State Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2185

K2186

County Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2187

County Subdivision Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2188

Incorporated Place Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2189

Private Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].
A point or area in which the population of military or merchant marine
vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near the home port pier.
One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive medical
or surgical attention [including infirmary].
A facility (correctional and non-correctional) where groups of juveniles
reside; this includes training schools, detention centers, residential
treatment centers and orphanages.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, administered by a local (county,
municipal, etc.) government.
An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult
persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal government
or a state government.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere classified or
administered by a government of unknown jurisdiction.
One or more structures intended for use as a residence for those
having a religious vocation.
Community Center.
An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense for use
by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned area for the use of the
National Guard.
A place used by members of government (either federal, state, local, or
tribal) for administration and public business.
An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space to host
public and private business and social events.
Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local
governments.
Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—under the
jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
Land under the management and jurisdiction of the federal
government, specifically including areas designated as National Forest,
and excluding areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of an American Indian
tribe.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a state government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a regional
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a county
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a minor civil division
(town/township) government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a municipal
government.
A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or preservation
of a cultural or natural resource.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

C-5

MTFCC
K2190

K2191

Feature Class
Other Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area (quasipublic, independent park,
commission, etc.)
Post Office

K2193
K2194
K2195
K2196
K2400

Fire Department
Police Station
Library
City/Town Hall
Transportation Terminal

K2424
K2432

Marina
Pier/Dock

K2451

Airport or Airfield

K2452
K2453

Train Station, Trolley or
Mass Transit Rail Station
Bus Terminal

K2454

Marine Terminal

K2455

Seaplane Anchorage

K2456

K2459

Airport—Intermodal
Transportation
Hub/Terminal
Airport—Statistical
Representation
Park and Ride
Facility/Parking Lot
Runway/Taxiway

K2460

Helicopter Landing Pad

K2540

University or College

K2543

School or Academy

K2545

K2561
K2582

Museum, Visitor Center,
Cultural Center, or Tourist
Attraction
Golf Course
Cemetery

K2586

Zoo

K2457
K2458

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of some other type of
government or agency such as an independent park authority or
commission.
An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and
distributing mail and other postal material.
Fire Department.
Police Station.
Library.
City/Town Hall.
A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be accessed
by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of such a facility
include marine terminal, bus station, train station, airport and truck
warehouse.
A place where privately owned, light-craft are moored.
A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by
piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, or it may be
used for recreational purposes.
A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including
airstrip, landing field and landing strip].
A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines, including
associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle transit,
including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or where
cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, and other
commercial offices.
A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or taking
off from a body of water can debark and load.
A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and exit
airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of transportation.
The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census blocks
used for the delineation of urban areas.
A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to other
modes of transportation.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for taking off
and landing at an airport.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for taking
off and landing.
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for preschool,
elementary or secondary study, teaching, and learning [including
elementary school and high school].
An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest that
provides information or displays artifacts.
A place designed for playing golf.
A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground and
memorial garden].
A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined within
enclosures and displayed to the public for educational, preservation,
and research purposes.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

C-6

MTFCC
K3544

Feature Class
Place of Worship

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Powerline

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

L4110

Fence Line

L4121
L4125

Ridge Line
Cliff/Escarpment

L4130

Point-to-Point Line

L4140

Property/Parcel Line
(Including PLSS)

L4150

Coastline

L4165

Ferry Crossing

P0001
P0002

Nonvisible Linear
Legal/Statistical Boundary
Perennial Shoreline

P0003

Intermittent Shoreline

P0004

R1011
R1051

R1052

S1100

Primary Road

S1200

Secondary Road

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description
A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious
worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and mosque.
A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with
pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid (e.g., crude
oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.
One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for conducting
high-voltage electric power.
A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers
suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.
A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually
made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine,
or to mark a boundary.
The line of highest elevation along a ridge.
A very steep or vertical slope [including bluff, crag, head, headland,
nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and rimrock].
A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at
another, both of which are in sight.
This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either public or
private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote a Public Land
Survey System or equivalent survey line.
The line that separates either land or Inland water from Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly borders Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline represents the Coastline.
Where Inland water (such as a river) flows into Coastal, Territorial or
Great Lakes water, the closure line separating the Inland water from
the other class of water represents the Coastline.
The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and forth over
a waterbody in a boat.
A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a
shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.
The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water for a
water feature that exists year-round.
The boundary between land and water (when water is present) for a
water feature that does not exist year-round.
A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical boundary,
and does not correspond to a shoreline or other visible feature on the
ground. Many such Edges bound area landmarks, while many others
separate water features from each other (e.g., where a bay meets the
ocean).
A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad traffic.
Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of a rail yard.
Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, monorails,
streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically inaccessible to mainstream
railroad traffic and whose tracks are not part of a road right-of-way.
A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is typically
inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that aerial tramways
and streetcars (which may also be called “trams”) are accounted for by
other MTFCCs and do not belong in R1052.
Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways within the
interstate highway system or under state management, and are
distinguished by the presence of interchanges. These highways are
accessible by ramps and may include some toll highways.
Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. Highway, State
Highway or County Highway system. These roads have one or more
lanes of traffic in each direction, may or may not be divided, and
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

C-7

MTFCC

Feature Class

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road,
Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along
a limited access highway

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

S1720

Stairway

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for service
vehicles (logging, oil fields,
ranches, etc.)
Internal U.S. Census
Bureau use
Parking Lot Road
Bike Path or Trail

S1750
S1780
S1820

Feature Class Description
usually have at-grade intersections with many other roads and
driveways. They often have both a local name and a route number.
Generally, a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that usually has a
single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in this feature class may
be privately or publicly maintained. Scenic park roads would be
included in this feature class, as would (depending on the region of the
country) some unpaved roads.
An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is required.
These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in very rural areas.
Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars and trucks belong in the
S1400 category.
A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a limited
access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf interchange. These
roads are unaddressable and do not carry a name in the MAF/TIGER
System.
A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that provides
access to structures along the highway. These roads can be named and
may intersect with other roads.
A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.
A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series of
steps.
A service road that does not generally have associated addressed
structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at the rear of buildings
and properties and is used for deliveries.
A road within private property that is privately maintained for service,
extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often unnamed.
Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

C-8

APPENDIX D STANDARD STREET TYPE ABBREVIATIONS
Table 49: Standard Street Type Abbreviations

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

D-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

D-2

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

D-3

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

D-4

U.S. Census Bureau

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

VILLAGES
VILLE
VISTA
WALK
WALKS
WALL
WAY
WAYS
WELL
WELLS

VLGS
VL
VIS
WALK
WALK
WALL
WAY
WAYS
WL
WLS

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

D-5

APPENDIX E GUPS TOOLS
E.1

Set Layer Symbology

GUPS loads a default layer symbology established for each Census Bureau geographic
partnership program. The default symbology can be changed to suit users’ preferences. To
change the default symbology for a layer in GUPS, follow the instructions in Table 50.
Table 50: Reset Layer Symbology
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Right-click on the layer in the Table of Contents (in this example, the Edges layer is selected). The
Layers drop-down menu opens.

Step 2

In the drop-down menu, choose ‘Properties’. The Layer Properties screen opens.

Step 3

In the left-hand pane, click on Style, then double-click the symbol to be edited in the layers list. In this
example, ‘Roads, substr (“MTFCC, 1,1) = S1100’ is selected.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-1

Step

Action and Result

The Rule Properties dialog box opens and the Label and Filter fields display the item chosen. The
Symbol pane shows the current symbology (yellow line).

Step 4

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-2

Step

E.2

Action and Result

Change Label Display

To change the default labeling for a layer, follow the steps in Table 51.
Table 51: Change Default Labeling
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Right click on the layer (the edges layer is selected) in the Table of Contents. The Layers drop-down
menu opens.

Step 2

In the drop-down menu, choose ‘Properties’. The Layer Properties dialog box opens.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-3

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

In the far left-hand pane, click Labels. The options to change the label display properties open in the
main window.

Step 4

To change the attribute field, click on the drop-down menu for ‘Label this layer with’ at the top of the
screen, and select the desired option.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-4

Step

Action and Result

Text style options change the font, style, size, color, transparency, type case, and spacing of layer
labels. Shown below are the drop-down options for style.

E.3

Restoring Default Label Display Settings

To restore the default labeling for a layer, follow the steps in Table 52.
Table 52: Restoring Default Labeling
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Right-click on the layer that was changed in the Table of Contents. The layer’s drop-down menu
opens.

Step 2

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-5

Step
Step 3

E.4

Action and Result
Select ‘Load default style’ to restore the selected layer’s original properties OR select ‘Load all
default style’ to reset ALL the layers to their original settings.

Using the Table of Contents Toolbar to Manage Layers

Using the buttons on the toolbar located at the top of the Table of Contents, users can add and
remove layers or groups, manage layer visibility, filter the legend by map content, expand or
contract all sections of the Table of Contents list at once, and group layers.
The Table of Contents Layers toolbar contains the items shown below in Figure 20.
Table 53: Table of Contents Layers Toolbar Buttons describes the function of each of the
buttons on the toolbar.

Figure 20. Table of Contents Layers Toolbar
Table 53: Table of Contents Layers Toolbar Buttons
Button

E.5

Name
Add Group

Function/Description
Organize layers in the Table of Contents into groups.

Manage Layer
Visibility

Preset views in the Table of Contents.

Filter Legend by
Map Content

Expand All

Expands the Table of Contents menus (+) to display all layers
under each group’s menu.

Collapse All

Collapses the Table of Contents menus (-) to show only
groups.

Remove
Layer/Group

Remove a layer or group from the Table of Contents.

Preset Views in the Manage Layer Visibility Table of Contents

The user can add preset views
in the Table of Contents by clicking on the Manage Layer
Visibility button on the Table of Contents toolbar. Layers can be displayed with specific
categorization and added as a view potion to the Presets list.
To add a preset view, click on the Manage Layer Visibility button and choose ‘Add Preset…’
from the drop-down menu.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-6

Figure 21. Add Preset Layer

When the Visibility Presets pop-up appears, enter the name of the new preset and click OK.

Figure 22. Visibility Presets Dialog Box

Note: A list of all preset views can be seen by clicking on the Manage Layer Visibility button.

Left-click on the layer/group to be removed, hold down the CTRL key, and click the Remove a
Layer or Group button. The layer/group is removed.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

E-7

APPENDIX F MAF/TIGER FEATURE CLASSIFICATION
Table 54: MAF/TIGER Feature Classification
MTFCC

FEATURE NAME

S1100

Interstate Highway or Primary Road with limited access

S1200

Primary Road without limited access, US Highway, State Highway, or County Highway, Secondary and
connecting roads

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road, Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along a limited access highway

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

S1720

Stairway

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for service vehicles (logging, oil fields, ranches, etc.)

S1750

Private Driveway

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

R1011

Railroad Feature (Main, Spur, or Yard)

R1051

Carline, Streetcar Track, Monorail, Other Mass Transit Rail

R1052

Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail Line, Tram

P0001

Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Power Transmission Line

L4110

Fence Line

L4121

Ridge Line

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

K2451

Airport or Airfield

L4140

Property/Parcel Line

L4165

Ferry Crossing

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

F-1

APPENDIX G SHAPEFILE NAMES
State Shapefile Names - PVS_19_v2__.shp, where is the number
corresponding to the state, for example, “24” and is the abbreviation for the
shapefile layer, describe in detail below.
Table 55: State Shapefiles Names
Shapefile Layer
American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal
2010 American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal

aial
aial2010

American Indian Areas (AIA) – Statistical

aias

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Legal

aitsl

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Statistical

aitss

Block Area Group

bag

Metropolitan Statistical Area/Metropolitan Statistical Area
Congressional Districts

cbsa
cd

Census Designated Place

cdp

Counties and Equivalent Areas

county

2010 Counties and Equivalent Areas

county2010

Elementary School Districts

elsd

County Subdivisions - Legal

mcd

New England City and Town Areas

necta

Incorporated Places

place

2010 Public Use Microdata Areas

puma2010

Secondary School Districts

scsd

State Legislative Districts Lower

sldl

State Legislative District Upper Chambers

sldu

State

state

Tribal Block Groups

tbg

Tribal Census Tracts

tct

2010 Census Tracts

tracts2010

Urban Area

uac

Unified School District State-Based

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

unsd

G-1

County Shapefile Names - PVS_19_v2__.shp, where is the
number corresponding to the state and county, for example, “24001” and is the
abbreviation for the shapefile layer, describe in detail below.
Table 56: County Shapefiles Names
Shapefile Layer
American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal

aial

American Indian Areas (AIA) – Statistical

aias

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Legal

aitsl

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Statistical

aitss

Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANRC)

anrc

Area Landmark

arealm

Block Area Groups

bag

Block Groups

Metropolitan Statistical Area/Metropolitan Statistical Area

cbsa

Census County Division

ccd

Congressional Districts

Census Designated Place

cdp

Consolidated Cities

concity

Counties and Equivalent Areas

county

Census Tracts - Current

curtracts

All Lines

edges

Elementary School Districts

elsd

Hawaiian Home Lands (HHL)

hhl

County Subdivisions - Legal

mcd

New England City and Town Areas

necta

Offsets

offset

Incorporated Places

place

Point Landmarks

pointlm

2010 Public Use Microdata Areas
Secondary School Districts

puma2010
scsd

State Legislative Districts Lower

sldl

State Legislative Districts Upper

sldu

Subbarrios

submcd

Census Blocks - Current

tabblock

2010 Census Blocks

U.S. Census Bureau

tabblock2010

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

G-2

Shapefile Layer

2010 Traffic Analysis Delineation

tad2010

2010 Traffic Analysis Zones

taz2010

Tribal Block Groups

tbg

Tribal Census Tracts

tct

2010 Census Tracts

tracts2010

Census Urban Areas

uac

Urban Growth Area

uga

Hydrography - Area

water

Unified School Districts

unsd

Relationship Tables
Address Ranges

addr

Topological Faces (2-cells with all geocodes)

faces

Topological Faces - Area Landmark Relationship
Topological Faces - Area Hydrography Relationship
Linear Feature Names - Fielded

U.S. Census Bureau

areafaces
hydrofaces
allnames

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

G-3

APPENDIX H SHAPEFILE LAYOUTS
Table 57: Edges Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_edges)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

STATEFP

String

FIPS state code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

TLID

Double

Permanent edge ID

TFIDL

Double

Permanent face ID (left)

TFIDR

Double

Permanent face ID (right)

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FIDELITY

String

FULLNAME

String

SMID

String

Spatial Theta ID

SMIDTYPE

String

SMIDTYPE code

BBSPFLG

String

CBBFLG

String

BBSP_2020

String

New BBSP flag

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of linear feature update

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

LTOADD

String

Left To address

RTOADD

String

Right To address

LFROMADD

String

Left From address

RFROMADD

String

Right From address

ZIPL

String

Left zip code

ZIPR

String

Right zip code

EXTTYP

Char

Extension type

MTUPDATE

Date

Date of last update to the edge

U.S. Census Bureau

Indication to a respondent when their entity boundary
has changed through spatial enhancement
Decoded feature name with abbreviated qualifier,
direction, and feature type

Redistricting data project participant’s submitted
request of an EDGE for selection as a block boundary
Indicates the status of an EDGE for a selection as a block
boundary

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

H-1

Table 58: Address Ranges Attribute File (PVS_19_v2_addr)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

OID

STRING

OBJECT ID

TLID

Integer

TIGER LINE ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS STATE CODE

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS COUNTY CODE

FROMHN

String

FROM HOUSE NUMBER

TOHN

String

TO HOUSE NUMBER

SIDE

String

SIDE INDICATOR FLAG

ZIP

String

5-DIGIT ZIP CODE

PLUS4

String

ZIP+4 CODE

LFROMADD

String

LEFT FROM ADDRESS

LTOADD

String

LEFT TO ADDRESS

RFROMADD

String

RIGHT FROM ADDRESS

RTOADD

String

RIGHT TO ADDRESS

ZIPL

String

LEFT 5-DIGIT ZIP CODE

ZIPR

String

RIGHT 5-DIGIT ZIP CODE

ZIP4L

String

LEFT ZIP+4 CODE

ZIP4R

String

RIGHT ZIP+4 CODE

Table 59: Census Block Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_tabblock2010)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

BLKSZIND

String

BLOCK SIZE INDICATOR

BLOCK

String

BLOCK NUMBER

BLOCKCE

String

TABULATION BLOCK NUMBER

BLOCKID

String

FIPS STATE CODE, FIPS COUNTY CODE, CENSUS TRACT
CODE, BLOCK NUMBER

COUNTYFP

String

CENSUS COUNTY FIPS CODE

COUNTYFP10

String

FIPS COUNTY CODE

FID

Integer

PERMANENT FACE ID

NCELIGBLE

String

NEW CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM ELIGIBLE

PARTFLG

String

PART FLAG INDICATOR

Shape

String

TYPE OF SHAPE

STATEFP

String

CENSUS STATE FIPS CODE

STATEFP10

String

FIPS STATE CODE

SUFFIX1CE

String

CENSUS BLOCK SUFFIX 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

H-2

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

SUFFIX2CE

String

CENSUS BLOCK SUFFIX 2

TRACTCE10

String

CENSUS TRACT CODE

Table 60: Census Tract Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_curtracts)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

CHNG_TYPE

String

TYPE OF AREA UPDATE

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS COUNTY CODE

EFF_DATE

String

EFFECTIVE DATE OR VINTAGE

FID

Integer

PERMANENT FACE ID

JUSTIFY

150

Char

JUSTIFICATION

NAME

100

String

NAME

NEW_CODE

String

NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CODE

RELATE

120

String

RELATIONSHIP DESCRIPTION

Shape

String

TYPE OF SHAPE

STATEFP

String

FIPS STATE CODE

TRACTCE

String

CENSUS TRACT CODE

TRACTID

String

FIPS STATE CODE, FIPS COUNTY CODE, CENSUS TRACT
CODE

TRACTLABEL

String

TRACT NUMBER USED FOR LUCA GEOCODING

TRACTTYP

String

TRACT CHARACTERISTIC FLAG

VINTAGE

String

VINTAGE UPDATED WITH RETURNED DATA

Table 61: American Indian Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_aial)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag Indicating Level of Recognition of an AIA

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIA areas

AREA

Double

Acreage of Area Update

AUTHTYPE

String

Authorization Type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code Describing an Entity

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if Reservation, Trust Land, or both are Present

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective Date

FID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

H-3

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

FORM_ID

String

(MTPS and Web BAS Only)

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

NAME

100

String

AIA name

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with Translated LSAD

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

Shape

String

Type of shape

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the Data

Table 62: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_county)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

STATEFP

String

FIPS state code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

COUNTYNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county or equivalent feature

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD code

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description code

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

Table 63: County Subdivisions Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_mcd)
Attribute Field
STATEFP
U.S. Census Bureau

Length
2

Type
String

Description
FIPS state code

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

H-4

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS 55 county subdivision code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

COUSUBNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county subdivision

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

Table 64: Incorporated Place Shapefile (PVS_19_v2_place)
Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

STATEFP

String

FIPS state code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS county code

PLACEFP

String

FIPS 55 place code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

PLACENS

String

ANSI feature code for the place

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 class code describing and entity

PARTFLG

String

Indicates if only part of a feature is represented

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

AUTHTYPE

String

DOCU

120

String

U.S. Census Bureau

Authorization type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L –
Local Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)
Supporting documentation

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

H-5

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

FORM_ID

String

Record ID (GUPS only)

AREA

Double

Area of update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

NAME

100

String

Entity name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the data

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: GUPS

H-6

Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital
Instructions for Participating in the 2019 Boundary and Annexation Survey
Revised as of November 20, 2018

This page intentionally left blank

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital i

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ........................................................................................................................viii
Section 1: Digital BAS Requirements .................................................................................... 1
1.1

Digital BAS Participation Requirements .................................................................................. 1

1.2

All Participants Must Use SWIM to Submit Their Changes to the Census Bureau .................. 1

1.3

Tribal Areas that can be Submitted through BAS .................................................................... 1

1.4

BAS Informational and Tutorial Videos.................................................................................... 2

Section 2: Topological Relationships and Spatial Accuracy ................................................... 3
2.1

Topological Relationships in MAF/TIGER ................................................................................. 3

2.2

GIS and Spatial Accuracy.......................................................................................................... 4

2.3

Census Bureau Topology Training Video ................................................................................. 5

Section 3: Census Bureau Provided Shapefiles ..................................................................... 6
Section 4: Census Bureau GeoCoding ................................................................................... 7
4.1

MAF Structure Point Geocoding (MSP) ................................................................................... 7

4.2

Address Range Geocoding ....................................................................................................... 8

Section 5: Updating the Census Bureau Shapefiles ............................................................... 9
5.1

General File Setup Guidelines .................................................................................................. 9

5.2

Changing the Map Projection .................................................................................................. 9

5.3

Boundary Changes ................................................................................................................... 9

5.3.1

Additions and Deletions......................................................................................................... 10

5.3.2

Boundary Corrections ............................................................................................................ 10

5.3.3

Tribal Subdivisions ................................................................................................................. 11

5.3.3.1 New Tribal Subdivisions ......................................................................................................... 11
5.3.3.2 Criteria for Defining Tribal Subdivisions ................................................................................ 12
5.3.3.3 Updating Tribal Subdivisions ................................................................................................. 12
5.3.4

Geographic Corridors ............................................................................................................. 13

5.3.5

Geographic Offsets ................................................................................................................ 14

5.4

Linear Feature Updates ......................................................................................................... 15

5.4.1

Adding, Deleting, Renaming, and Recoding Linear Features................................................. 15

5.4.2

Linear Feature Update Guidelines ......................................................................................... 15

5.4.3

Address Range Updates ......................................................................................................... 15

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital ii

5.5

Area Landmarks, Hydro Areas, and Point Landmarks ........................................................... 16

5.5.1

Area Landmark/Hydro Area Updates .......................................................................................................16

5.5.2

Point Landmark Updates..........................................................................................................................18

5.6

Reviewing Changes to the Census Bureau Shapefiles ........................................................... 19

5.6.1

Boundary-to-Feature Relationships .........................................................................................................19

5.6.2

Large Boundary Corrections.....................................................................................................................20

5.6.3

Including Required Attribute Information ...............................................................................................21

5.6.4

Including Appropriate Projection Information .........................................................................................21

5.6.5

Linear Feature Updates ............................................................................................................................21

5.7

Additional Review Information .............................................................................................. 22

5.7.1

Submitting Acceptable Documentation ................................................................................ 22

5.7.2

Submitting Digital Data .......................................................................................................... 23

5.7.3

Change Polygon Naming Conventions ................................................................................... 24

5.7.4

Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions .......................................................................... 24

5.7.5

Linear Feature, Area Landmark/Hydro Area, and Point Landmark Updates ......................... 24

5.7.6

Compressing the Digital Files ................................................................................................. 25

5.7.7

Submitting Digital Files via SWIM .......................................................................................... 26

5.7.8

Additional Information .......................................................................................................... 30

Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 31
APPENDIX A DATA DICTIONARY ................................................................................................. A-1
APPENDIX B 2019 DIGITAL BAS EXAMPLE PROCESS 1 .................................................................. B-1
B.1 PARTNERSHIP TOOLBOX QUICK START ................................................................................... B-1
B.2 TOOLS SETUP .................................................................................................................... B-1
B.3 RUN DATA DOWNLOAD ...................................................................................................... B-1
B.4 CREATE CHANGES .............................................................................................................. B-3
B.5 SLIVER BLASTER (OPTIONAL) ................................................................................................ B-4
B.6 FORMAT WORKING MXD (OPTIONAL) .................................................................................... B-5
B.7 ATTRIBUTE CHECK .............................................................................................................. B-6
B.8 EXPORT SUBMISSION .......................................................................................................... B-8
B.9 SUBMITTING TO SWIM ....................................................................................................... B-9

APPENDIX C 2019 DIGITAL BAS EXAMPLE PROCESS 2 .................................................................. C-1
C.1 REQUIRED CENSUS BUREAU SHAPEFILES ................................................................................................ C-1
C.2 TRIBAL DATA ............................................................................................................................................ C-1
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital iii

C.3 SYMBOLIZING LAYERS IN ARCGIS ...................................................................................... C-1
C.4 SYMBOLIZING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS .................................................................................. C-2
C.5 EXTRACTING AIA DATA FROM CENSUS SHAPEFILES............................................................ C-2
C.5.1

FILTERING THE DATA ................................................................................................... C-2

C.5.2

EXPORTING THE DATA TO A NEW SHAPEFILE ................................................................ C-3

C.6 MERGING MULTIPART AIA DATA ...................................................................................... C-4
C.7 CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS ........................................................................................ C-4
C.7.1

CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS USING SYMMETRICAL DIFFERENCE................................ C-4

C.7.2

CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS USING UNION .............................................................. C-5

C.8 REVIEWING AND ATTRIBUTING CHANGE POLYGONS ......................................................... C-7
C.9 EXAMPLES ....................................................................................................................... C-7
C.10 ATTRIBUTE INFORMATION ............................................................................................... C-8
C.11 RENAMING AND FINALIZING CHANGE POLYGONS ............................................................. C-9
APPENDIX D MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS .......................................................................................... DD-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital iv

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Road Representing Three Types of Boundaries............................................................... 3
Figure 2. Typological Integration of Four Classes ........................................................................... 4
Figure 3. Overlay of Four Feature Classes ...................................................................................... 5
Figure 4. GIS Place Boundary Does Not Follow Road Feature ........................................................ 5
Figure 5. MSP Method of Geocoding .............................................................................................. 7
Figure 6. Address Range Method of Geocoding ............................................................................. 8
Figure 7. Geographic Corridor Created ......................................................................................... 13
Figure 8. Geographic Corridor Not Created .................................................................................. 13
Figure 9. Cadastral Data ................................................................................................................ 14
Figure 10. Same Data Edited to Census Requirements ................................................................ 14
Figure 11. A Boundary Correction to Park A ................................................................................. 16
Figure 12. Boundary Corrections Not Snapped to Existing Linear Features................................. 20
Figure 13. Addition Created without Snapping to Centerlines ..................................................... 20
Figure 14. Small Spatial Correction Not Incorporated .................................................................. 20
Figure 15. Small Spatial Correction Not Accepted ........................................................................ 20
Figure 16. Large Boundary Corrections ........................................................................................ 21
Figure 17. New Road Features, Not Added to Existing Road........................................................ 22
Figure 18. New Road Features, Correctly Added .......................................................................... 22
Figure 19. Selecting and Zipping Return Files ............................................................................... 25
Figure 20. Naming the ZIP File ...................................................................................................... 26
Figure 21. SWIM Account Registration ......................................................................................... 27
Figure 22. SWIM Login Window.................................................................................................... 28
Figure 23. Welcome Screen with Upload History ......................................................................... 28
Figure 24. Geographic Partnership Program Selection Window .................................................. 28
Figure 25. Geographic Level Selection Window ........................................................................... 29
Figure 26. Geographic Entity Selection Window .......................................................................... 29
Figure 27. File Upload Screen ....................................................................................................... 29
Figure 28. File Browser Dialog Box ............................................................................................... 29
Figure 29. Entering Comments into the File Upload Window ...................................................... 30
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital v

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital vi

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: BAS Shapefile Naming Conventions .................................................................................. 6
Table 2: Additions and Deletions .................................................................................................. 10
Table 3: Boundary Corrections ..................................................................................................... 10
Table 4: New Entities .................................................................................................................... 12
Table 5: Geographic Corridors ...................................................................................................... 13
Table 6: Geographic Offsets .......................................................................................................... 14
Table 7: Linear Feature Updates ................................................................................................... 15
Table 8: Address Range Updates .................................................................................................. 15
Table 9: Landmarks and Hydro Areas ........................................................................................... 16
Table 10: Area Landmark MTFCC Codes ....................................................................................... 17
Table 11: Point Landmark Updates ............................................................................................... 18
Table 12: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCC Codes..................................................................... 18
Table 13: Change Polygons ........................................................................................................... 24
Table 14: Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions ................................................................. 24
Table 15: Optional Files................................................................................................................. 24
Table 16: American Indian Areas - Legal (AIAL) Shapefile ........................................................... A-1
Table 17: American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) Shapefile .................................................. A-1
Table 18: Edges Shapefile ............................................................................................................ A-2
Table 19: Area Landmark Shapefile ............................................................................................. A-3
Table 20: Hydro Area Shapefile ................................................................................................... A-3
Table 21: Point Landmark Shapefile ............................................................................................ A-3
Table 22: Geographic Offset Shapefile ........................................................................................ A-4
Table 23: Suggested MTFCC Symbolization ................................................................................. C-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital vii

INTRODUCTION
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau (Census Bureau) conducts the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
annually to collect information about selected legally defined geographic areas, such as
counties (and equivalent areas), incorporated places, minor civil divisions (MCDs), federally
recognized American Indian Areas (AIAs), including reservations, off-reservation trust lands and
tribal subdivisions, and Hawaiian Homelands. BAS also provides an opportunity for participants
to review the names and geographic relationships for these areas. Title 13, U.S.C., Section 6,
authorizes this survey.
The Census Bureau uses the boundary information collected during BAS to tabulate data
for the decennial and economic censuses, and to support the yearly deliver of the American
Community Survey (ACS) data. Maintaining correct boundaries and boundary-to-feature
relationships through BAS helps ensure that the Census Bureau assigns the appropriate housing
and population counts to each governmental unit (GU).
In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16, BAS supports the
Census Bureau’s spatial data steward responsibilities for the Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) and the Geospatial One-Stop by updating the inventory and boundaries of
GUs.
In addition, BAS is the source of up-to-date information on changes to the boundaries, codes
and names of incorporated places, MCDs, counties (and equivalent areas), Hawaiian
Homelands, and federally recognized AIAs, which include reservations and off-reservation trust
lands used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS), the National Map, and the Geographic
Names Information System (GNIS).
Please visit the BAS program website at .
For more information on BAS, please view the “Introduction to BAS” video series on the Census
Bureau’s BAS website at .

What's New for the 2019 BAS?
1. The Census Bureau developed a BAS Partner Toolbox for ArcGIS users. This toolbox is designed
to simplify and standardize the BAS update process. See Appendix B for a step-by-step guide to
using this new tool.
2. The GUPS help videos previously embedded in the software are relocated to the BAS website.
3. Redistricting data contacts participating in the Voting District Project verification phase may
submit boundary updates for reconciliation with BAS contacts.
4. Website revisions.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital viii

Key Dates for BAS Respondents

January 1—Boundary updates must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in
the current survey year.
March 1—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS data estimates
and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31—Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

BAS State Agreements

Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of land is in dispute between two or more
jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come
to a written agreement, or until there is a documented final court decision regarding the
dispute. To learn more, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at 301-763-9844.
For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at
the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an
extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the
current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor's office.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital ix

SECTION 1: DIGITAL BAS REQUIREMENTS
1.1

Digital BAS Participation Requirements
1. All participants must have the ability to edit a Census Bureau shapefile. The Census Bureau
requires that entities update Census Bureau shapefiles with boundary and feature changes,
rather than submitting a shapefile from a local Geographic Information System (GIS).
2. All participants must provide current information for the tribal BAS point of contact, the person
updating the shapefiles, and the tribal chair.
3. All participants must provide legal documentation (such as trust deeds and Federal Register
Notice) and effective dates for all legal boundary changes (new reservation land and/or offreservation trust lands).
4. Each non-legal boundary correction must contain proper update documentation according to
boundary correction guidelines listed below in Section 1.3 Tribal Areas that can be
Submitted through BAS, or the Census Bureau will not make the correction for this BAS cycle.

1.2

All Participants Must Use SWIM to Submit Their Changes to the Census
Bureau

Due to security requirements, the Census Bureau cannot accept submissions via FTP, email or
any protocol other than the SWIM site. For details on registering and using SWIM, please see
Section 5.12.7 Submitting Digital Files via SWIM. To access SWIM, enter the following URL in a
new browser window: .

1.3

Tribal Areas that can be Submitted through BAS

The following can be updated through Tribal BAS:


The Census Bureau does not identify fee land (or land in fee simple status) or restricted fee
lands as specific geographic areas.


U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 1



1.4

Hawaiian Homelands are areas held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii,
pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended.

BAS Informational and Tutorial Videos

The Census Bureau created training videos to give BAS participants detailed instructions and
information on how to report and submit BAS changes. These videos are available on the BAS
website at: .
If there are any questions or concerns about the participation requirements, contact the Census
Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.
For participants already familiar with GIS and BAS updating procedures, Appendix B and
Appendix C provide step-by-step guidelines for making updates.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 2

SECTION 2: TOPOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AND SPATIAL ACCURACY
The Geography Division of the Census Bureau is responsible for developing geographic
applications and executing related activities needed to support the Census Bureau in collecting
and disseminating census data. For more than twenty years, the Census Bureau’s Master
Address File and Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference (MAF/TIGER)
System has been a critical resource for supporting the Census Bureau Geographic Partnership
Programs.
The following section will describe how the Census Bureau uses a topologically integrated
system and how this differs from traditional GIS, which use separate layers of data.

2.1

Topological Relationships in MAF/TIGER

At the Census Bureau, topology is described as the relationship between different levels of
geography. MAF/TIGER is a geographic database in which the topological structures define the
location, connection, and relationships of streets, rivers, railroads, and other features. These
topological structures help define the geographic entities for which the Census Bureau
tabulates data.
Instead of having a separate layer for each feature class (roads, boundaries, etc.) all MAF/TIGER
information is stored in one layer or file. See Figure 1 and Figure 2 for samples of topologically
integrated files in MAF/TIGER.

Figure 1. Road Representing Three Types of Boundaries
This example shows how a road in MAF/TIGER can also represent a block
boundary, American Indian Areas (AIAs) boundary and a school district
boundary.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 3

Figure 2. Typological Integration of Four Classes
This example shows the topological integration of four different feature
classes into one layer. One road feature represents not only a road, but also
a block boundary, AIA boundary, and a school district boundary.

2.2

GIS and Spatial Accuracy

In a GIS, feature classes are often not topologically integrated; they are separated into
individual layers. When these layers are overlaid in a GIS, there may be boundary
misalignments due to the nature of the data. These non-topologically integrated layers could
cause issues in MAF/TIGER. Figure 3 and Figure 4 show how files that are not topologically
integrated might appear in a GIS when overlaid.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 4

Figure 3. Overlay of Four Feature Classes
This example shows an overlay of four different feature classes. Notice how
the topological relationship is compromised. The block, AIA, and school
district boundaries, which are supposed to follow the road feature, no
longer align with the road in several locations.

Figure 4. GIS Place Boundary Does Not Follow Road Feature
This example shows a situation where a local GIS AIA boundary does not
follow a road feature. Assuming that the boundary follows the road feature,
changing the AIA boundary to match the local file exactly and become
misaligned (see arrows) would dissolve the topological relationship in
MAF/TIGER.

The spatial differences between local GIS data and the Census Bureau’s topologically integrated
file are often very small (less than ten feet) and can create boundary-to-feature relationship
issues for the Census Bureau. Instructions are given in Section 5.6 Reviewing Changes to the
Census Bureau Shapefiles on how to review digital submissions for small spatial boundary
corrections. It also lists some of the potential consequences of making spatial boundary
corrections that dissolve the topological relationships present in MAF/TIGER.
To find examples of suggested methods for correctly making boundary changes, please see
Appendix B.

2.3

Census Bureau Topology Training Video

The Census Bureau created a video on the subject of topology and why topology is important to
the BAS. For more information, please go to
to watch the video.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 5

SECTION 3: CENSUS BUREAU PROVIDED SHAPEFILES
Please download shapefiles from the BAS website at:

in order to review the boundaries and submit changes.
The Census Bureau provides entity layers in ESRI shapefile format for download via the BAS
website. Regardless of the number of geographic entity polygon based shapefiles each
participant downloads and edits, there is only one shapefile for the linear feature network for
each county. See Table 1 for the names of the shapefiles.
Note: Shapefiles are ‘county’ based so it is necessary to download all the counties in which the tribe has
reservation and/or ORLTs.
Table 1: BAS Shapefile Naming Conventions
Geographic Entity Type

Shapefile Naming Convention

Federal Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Lands

PVS_18_v2_aial_.shp

Tribal Subdivision

PVS_18_v2_aitsl_.shp

Hawaiian Homeland

PVS_18_v2_hhl_.shp

Edges (Roads, Rail, Hydro, etc.)

PVS_18_v2_edges_.shp

Area Landmarks

PVS_18_v2_arealm_.shp

Point Landmarks

PVS_18_v2_pointlm_.shp

Hydro Area

PVS_18_v2_water_.shp

Geographic Offsets / Corridors

PVS_18_v2_offset_.shp

Note: represents the two-digit state code and three-digit county code.

All shapefiles provided by the Census Bureau are in the following unprojected geographic-based
coordinate system:









U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 6

SECTION 4: CENSUS BUREAU GEOCODING
Geocoding is how the Census Bureau codes population to geographic entities. There are two
primary methods of geocoding used by the Census Bureau. Both of these involve coding an
address to a spatial polygon, but one uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, while
the other uses address ranges.

4.1

MAF Structure Point Geocoding (MSP)

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 7

4.2

Address Range Geocoding

When no MSP is available, the Census Bureau codes houses and living quarters according to a
potential range of addresses associated with the adjacent stretch of road (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Address Range Method of Geocoding
When it is not possible to collect an MSP, houses are geocoded according to
their placement along a range of potential addresses along that road. Since
the address is being related to the road, boundaries placed on front-lot-lines
will lead to mis-geocoding unless an offset flag is used.

While the two methods of geocoding differ greatly, both rely heavily on the integrated nature
of MAF/TIGER. These geocoding methods are affected by the way streets and boundaries are
represented in relation to one another. This interdependence between streets, boundaries, and
geocoding means that Census Bureau representations of legal boundaries may sometimes
differ from other representations (e.g., in local or state GIS). This is especially true regarding
geographic corridors and offsets that follow road right of ways (or the front-lot-lines of parcels).
In both of the examples above, delineating a boundary along the front-lot-line will tend to
increase the risk of incorrect geocoding. As a result, using the road centerline as a boundary is
the safer method.
When completing a BAS submission in which a road or road right-of-way is owned or
maintained by a place or AIA but the adjacent housing is not, the respondent should use the
centerline of the road (not the front-lot-line) as the boundary whenever possible.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 8

SECTION 5: UPDATING THE CENSUS BUREAU SHAPEFILES
Census Bureau shapefiles can be updated to reflect boundary and/or linear feature changes
that have occurred since the last Tribal BAS survey. Examples of these procedures can be found
in Appendix B and Error! Reference source not found. and in the Digital BAS demonstration
video series at .
Note: If there are problems with the processing of returned files, the Census Bureau will email a
feedback document requesting clarification of any issues. If the problem cannot be resolved
before the project deadline, the changes in question will not be made during the current BAS.

5.1

General File Setup Guidelines

After downloading the shapefiles from the PVS (partnership verification shapefiles) download
page, follow these procedures before beginning actual updates:




5.2

Open the downloaded ZIP file to verify its contents.
Copy the shapefiles into a directory on a server/hard drive.
Open the shapefiles with GIS software.

Changing the Map Projection

5.3

Boundary Changes

In order to update MAF/TIGER, participants must create a separate change polygon layer for
each updated entity type (AIA, tribal subdivision, or Hawaiian Homeland). Please create change
polygons in relation to the current MAF/TIGER boundary.
Appendix B and Appendix C provide two examples for creating addition, deletion, boundary
correction, new incorporation, geographic corridor, and geographic offset change polygons.
Review any boundary change polygons before submitting them (Section 5.12 Additional
Review Information).
If additional shapefiles are needed, please contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or
geo.bas@census.gov.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 9

5.3.1 Additions and Deletions
The Census Bureau will accept additions and deletions from AIAs and Hawaiian Homelands,
such as new reservation lands and off-reservation trust lands. Each addition or deletion change
polygon must have the required attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen
in Table 2. The Census Bureau will snap any addition or deletion to a MAF/TIGER feature when
it exists within thirty feet of that feature.
Note: Enter the name of the jurisdiction (AIA or Hawaiian Homeland) adding or deleting the area in the
NAME field.
Table 2: Additions and Deletions
NAME

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

Addition

X(‘A’)

Deletion

X(‘D’)

RELATE

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

5.3.2 Boundary Corrections
The Census Bureau will also accept specific boundary corrections from AIAs and Hawaiian
Homelands. As with new reservation lands and off-reservation trust lands, the participant must
create individual change polygons for each boundary correction. Each boundary correction
must also have the required attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in
Table 3, or the Census Bureau will reject them.
Note: Enter the name of the jurisdiction the boundary correction is for in the NAME field.

Table 3: Boundary Corrections

Boundary Correction
(Add Area)
Boundary Correction
(Remove Area)
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

NAME

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

RELATE

X(‘B’)

X(‘IN’)

X(‘B’)

X(‘OUT’)

The Census Bureau uses a topologically integrated database. As a result, the Census Bureau
cannot process all types of boundary corrections for inclusion in MAF/TIGER. The following are
types of boundary corrections that the Census Bureau will accept, process, and update or reject
during the current BAS.
The Census Bureau will accept and process properly documented boundary corrections during
the current BAS cycle that spatially interact with (abut) other BAS legal changes (addition,
deletion, corridor, offset) and meet both of the following two conditions:

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 10




The Census Bureau will reject boundary corrections:




That dissolve boundary-to-feature relationships (roads, rivers, railroads, etc.) if the difference is
less than thirty feet;
Which are greater than one square mile, or not contiguous with the rest of the entity boundary.
These boundary corrections may be part of additions which were never reported to the Census
Bureau. If so, legal documentation should be provided; or
That have a width of less than thirty feet over the entire polygon.

Note: Remember that the Census Bureau will snap any entity boundary correction to a MAF/TIGER
feature when it exists within thirty feet of that feature.

5.3.3 Tribal Subdivisions
Tribes may submit the boundaries for one type of administrative area within their
reservation(s) and/or off-reservation trust lands (land base) for inclusion in MAF/TIGER. The
Census Bureau will consider any type of unit of self-government or administration as a “tribal
subdivision.” Tribal subdivisions should cover all, or most, of the tribe’s land base. If a tribe has
more than one type of distinct administrative area that could qualify as a tribal subdivision
(such as tribal election districts, tribal water districts, or health service areas with different
boundaries), the tribe may submit only one type of subdivision. Tribal subdivisions can be
considered either active (A) or inactive (I). Active subdivisions are defined as having a
functioning government with elected officials that provide programs and services. Inactive
subdivisions have no functioning government or elected officials and receive services solely
from the tribe. Some examples of areas submitted as tribal subdivisions are:







Areas used by a tribe for the election of tribal government officials (such as districts or precincts
used for the election of tribal council members).
Areas used by a tribal government for tax purposes.
Areas used by a tribal government for the provision of general services or specified services,
such as:
 Water districts;
 Health service areas;
 Emergency service delivery areas (such as 911, fire, and/or police); or
 Grazing districts or range units.
Historical or traditional areas recognized by a tribal government.
Local tribal community governments.

5.3.3.1 New Tribal Subdivisions
AIA participants may submit new entities (tribal subdivisions) through Tribal Digital BAS. As with
other change types, an individual change polygon must be created for each new entity and
possess the required attributes and the corresponding change type field must be populated
(see Table 4).
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 11

Note: Enter the name of the new jurisdiction in the NAME field.
Table 4: New Entities
NAME

New Entity

X
(subdivision
name)

CHNG_TYPE

EFF_DATE

X(‘E’)

X
(date of tribal
resolution)

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

X
(tribal resolution
number)

RELATE

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

5.3.3.2 Criteria for Defining Tribal Subdivisions








The delineation of tribal subdivisions is restricted to the area contained within reservation(s)
and/or associated off-reservation trust lands (land base).
There is no minimum population threshold for a tribal subdivision.
Tribal subdivisions should cover all, or most, of the tribe’s land base.
A tribal subdivision may be discontinuous.
A tribe may designate only ONE type of tribal subdivision. If a tribe has more than one level of
tribal subdivisions within its land base, the Census Bureau recommends delineating subdivisions
corresponding to the lowest geographic level (those geographic areas containing the smallest
area) of the tribe’s administrative hierarchy.
Tribal subdivisions should not be based solely on land ownership or other cadastral areas, nor
should they consist of divisions based on the U.S. Public Land Survey System (PLSS) of
townships, ranges, and sections, if these areas have no governmental or administrative function
for the tribe.
Some examples of descriptors for tribal subdivisions are:
 District;
 Community;
 Area;
 Chapter;
 Segment;
 Administrative Area;
 Addition; and
 County District.

5.3.3.3 Updating Tribal Subdivisions
Tribal Subdivisions are updated in a similar manner to boundary changes (such as additions or
deletions). In order to submit tribal subdivision updates, please create a separate tribal
subdivision change polygon layer. Updates that can be made to tribal subdivisions include
additions, deletions, boundary corrections (adding and removing area), and creating new tribal
subdivisions. Please note that all tribal subdivision updates (additions, deletions, name changes,
and new entities), with the exception of boundary corrections, require a tribal resolution.
Table 7, Table 8, and Table 9 displays the required attributes for each of the change types.
Review the example processes in Appendix B and Error! Reference source not found. for
information on how to create change polygons. Change polygons for tribal subdivisions may be
created in the same manner as for reservations and off-reservation trust lands.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 12

5.3.4 Geographic Corridors
The Census Bureau geocodes addresses based on the street centerline. If the geocoding of
these addresses would result in the assignment of population to the incorrect geographic
entity, participants should create a geographic corridor.
A geographic corridor is an area that includes only the road right-of-way and does not contain
any structures addressed to either side of the street. Figure 7 shows a corridor (shown in color)
created where the AIA owns the right-of-way but the housing units are not included within the
AIA. Without a corridor, the housing units along this road would be included in the AIA.
Figure 8 shows that the right-of-way belongs in the unincorporated area, while the housing
units are included in the AIA (shown in color). This is important for some entities because they
are portraying that the entity is not responsible for road maintenance. This is not relevant for
Census Bureau tabulations and is not easy to depict in the Census Bureau’s nationwide
database. This type of corridor should not be included in a BAS response.

The Census Bureau will accept new geographic corridors. Please create individual change
polygons for each new geographic corridor. Each change polygon must have the required
attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 5. In the NAME field,
enter the name of the jurisdiction. In the RELATE field, indicate whether the change is adding IN
or taking OUT (removing) the corridor.
Table 5: Geographic Corridors
NAME
Geographic
X
Corridor
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

U.S. Census Bureau

CHNG_TYPE
X(‘C’)

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

RELATE
X(‘IN’, ‘OUT’)

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 13

5.3.5 Geographic Offsets
A geographic offset is an area claimed by a geographic entity that is only on one side of a road
and does not include structures addressed to that side of the road.
The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their legal boundaries on cadastral
(parcel-based) right-of-way mapping. The Census Bureau bases their maps on spatial data that
is topologically integrated. This makes the maintenance of geographic offsets inefficient.
Snapping an entity boundary to the centerline wherever applicable will help to establish more
accurate population counts. If a boundary is the front lot line, Census Bureau strongly prefers
that the boundary be snapped to the road. If a boundary is at the rear of a lot, then please
depict it as such. Figure 9 depicts a cadastral (parcel-based) boundary map and Figure 10 shows
how the boundary should be reported when sent to the Census Bureau.

Geographic
X
Offset
(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

CHNG_TYPE

X(‘F’)

EFF_DATE

AUTHTYPE

DOCU

RELATE

X(’IN’, ‘OUT’)

The Census Bureau has included an “offset” shapefile in the BAS materials
(PVS_18_v2_offset_.shp), so that the jurisdiction can be checked for any existing
corridors or offsets. While the Census Bureau prefers that new offsets are not created, (see
above), this information can be helpful in determining if current boundaries are correct.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 14

5.4

Linear Feature Updates

5.4.1

Adding, Deleting, Renaming, and Recoding Linear Features

The Census Bureau will accept linear feature modifications when needed. Please submit linear
feature updates in a separate linear feature update layer. Each linear feature update must have
the required attributes and corresponding change type populated, as seen in Table 7. In the
TLID (TIGER/Line ID) field, preserve the existing TLID for the feature.
Table 7: Linear Feature Updates
CHNG_TYPE

TLID

Add Feature

X(‘AL’)

Delete Feature

X(‘DL’)

Rename Feature

X(‘CA’)

Recode Feature

X(‘CA’)

FULLNAME

MTFCC

X
X

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

Note: A list of MTFCC codes can be found in Appendix D.

5.4.2




5.4.3

Linear Feature Update Guidelines
If a road, subdivision, etc. is missing from the Census Bureau’s feature network, add the
feature(s) and provide the name and MTFCC.
If a feature does not exist and is in the Census Bureau’s feature network, delete the feature.
If a feature is in the incorrect location in the Census Bureau’s feature network, delete the
feature and re-add it in the correct location. Only do this if the feature is very far off or in the
wrong position relative to boundaries or other features.

Address Range Updates

The Census Bureau accepts address range data as part of the linear feature update layer. As
with other linear feature updates, address ranges must have the required attributes and
corresponding change type populated. As existing address ranges cannot be shown in the
Census Bureau’s outgoing shapefiles, it is recommend that participants generally only add
address ranges to new features (see Table 8).
Table 8: Address Range Updates
CHNG_TYPE
Address Ranges

X(‘CA’)

FULLNAME

MTFCC

LTOADD

RTOADD

LFROMADD

RFROMADD

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 15

5.5

Area Landmarks, Hydro Areas, and Point Landmarks

5.5.1

Area Landmark/Hydro Area Updates

The Census Bureau accepts updates to area landmarks and hydrographic areas in a similar
manner to legal boundary changes. However, area landmarks and hydro areas are not legal
entities, so no documentation or effective dates are required.
In order to submit area landmark and hydro area updates, create a separate change polygon
layer. Updates to area landmarks and hydro areas include:





Boundary corrections (adding and removing area);
Creating a new area landmark or hydro area;
Removing an area landmark or hydro area; and
Name changes.

Figure 11. A Boundary Correction to Park A

Each area landmark or hydro area update must have the required attributes and corresponding
change type populated. In the AREAID field, preserve the existing AREAID for the feature (refer
to Table 9).
Table 9: Landmarks and Hydro Areas
Boundary Correction
(Add Area)
Boundary Correction
(Remove Area)

FULLNAME

CHNG_TYPE

RELATE

X(‘B’)

X(‘IN’)

X(‘B’)

X(‘OUT’)

Delete Landmark

MTFCC

AREAID

X(‘D’)

X
X

Change Landmark Name

X(‘G’)

New Landmark

X(‘E’)

(Note: ‘X’ = Required Field)
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 16

The examples in Appendix B and Error! Reference source not found. provide information on
how to create change polygons. While the sample processes are written for legal boundary
changes, the same methods apply for creating change polygons for area landmarks and hydro
areas. When adding new area landmarks or hydro areas, only add the following types of areas:







Water bodies;
Glaciers;
Airports;
Cemeteries;
Golf courses; and
Parks.

The Census Bureau cannot add other types of areas at this time (although some may already
exist in the database). The following are acceptable MTFCC codes for new area landmarks or
hydro areas:
Table 10: Area Landmark MTFCC Codes
MTFCC

Description

H2030*
H2040*
H2041*
H2051*
H2081*
C3023
K1231
K1235
K1236
K1237
K2110
K2180*
K2181
K2182
K2183
K2184
K2185
K2186
K2187
K2188
K2189
K2190
K2424
K2540
K2457*
K2561
K2582*

*May not be edited.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 17

5.5.2

Point Landmark Updates

The Census Bureau accepts updates to point landmarks. Please submit point landmark updates
as a separate point landmark update layer. Updates to point landmarks include:




Adding a new point landmark;
Deleting an existing point landmark; and
Renaming a point landmark.

FULLNAME

CHNG_TYPE

MTFCC

X(‘E’)
X(‘D’)
X(‘G’)

POINTID
X
X

The Census Bureau cannot make the following point landmark changes due to Title 13 privacy
concerns. Do not include any of the following types of landmarks in the point landmark changes
file.
Table 12: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCC Codes
MTFCC
K1100
K1121
K1122
K1223
K1226
K1227
K1228
K1229
K1232
K1233
K1234
K1235
K1241
K1251
K1299
K2100
K2197
K2300
K2361
K2362
K2363
K2364
K2366
K2464
U.S. Census Bureau

Description
Housing Unit Location
Apartment Building or Complex
Rooming or Boarding House
Trailer Court or Mobile Home Park
Housing Facility/Dormitory for Workers
Hotel, Motel, Resort, Spa, Hostel, YMCA, or YWCA
Campground
Shelter or Mission
Halfway House/Group Home
Nursing Home, Retirement Home, or Home for the Aged
County Home or Poor Farm
Juvenile Institution
Sorority, Fraternity, or College Dormitory
Military Group Quarters
Other Group Quarters Location
Governmental
Mixed Use/Other Non-residential
Commercial Workplace
Shopping Center or Major Retail Center
Industrial Building or Industrial Park
Office Building or Office Park
Farm/Vineyard/Winery/Orchard
Other Employment Center
Marina
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 18

MTFCC
K2500
K2564

Description
Other Workplace
Amusement Center

K2451 (Airport);
K2582 (Cemetery);
C3022 (Summit or Pillar);
C3081 (Locale or Populated Place); and
C3061 (Cul-de-sacs).

5.6

Reviewing Changes to the Census Bureau Shapefiles

5.6.1

Boundary-to-Feature Relationships

Please review all changes to ensure that the correct boundary-to-feature relationships are
being created or maintained. The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their
legal boundaries on cadastral (parcel-based) right-of-way mapping; however, the Census
Bureau bases maps on spatial data that is topologically integrated. Therefore, snap boundaries
to street centerlines (or rivers, railroads, etc.) wherever applicable. This will help establish a
more accurate population count for tribal entities.
The following examples show situations where boundary changes should be snapped to existing
linear features. The Census Bureau will snap boundary changes to any linear feature within
thirty feet.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 19

Figure 12. Boundary Corrections Not Snapped to
Existing Linear Features
These boundary corrections are not snapped to
existing linear features in MAF/TIGER. Both
boundary corrections should be snapped to
centerlines or population may be assigned to
incorrect entities.

Figure 13. Addition Created without Snapping to
Centerlines
This is an example of an addition created without
snapping to existing centerlines in MAF/TIGER.
Unless the boundary is snapped to centerlines, some
of the population may be assigned to an incorrect
entity.

The Census Bureau will not accept boundary corrections that dissolve the current relationship
between an existing boundary and linear feature without specific instructions that the
relationship is incorrect. The Census Bureau will not incorporate any boundary corrections that
create thirty feet or less of gap or overlap between the existing linear feature and boundary
into MAF/TIGER. See below for examples of changes that will not be accepted.

Figure 14. Small Spatial Correction Not
Incorporated
Small spatial boundary corrections would
dissolve the relationship with the river. These
boundary corrections will not be incorporated
into MAF/TIGER.

5.6.2

Figure 15. Small Spatial Correction Not Accepted
Small spatial boundary corrections would
dissolve the boundary-to-feature relationship
with multiple streets have been created.
Incorporating these changes would affect the
population counts for the area. Therefore, the
Census Bureau will not accept these small
boundary corrections.

Large Boundary Corrections

The Census Bureau will not accept large boundary corrections to an entity without the
appropriate legal documentation (such as Trust Deed, Executive Order, new legal opinion, Act
of Congress or Federal Register Notice) and effective dates. These large boundary corrections
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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 20

may be legal boundary changes that occurred in the past and were never reported to the
Census Bureau. Please submit the appropriate legal documentation number and effective date
so that the changes may be incorporated into MAF/TIGER.

Figure 16. Large Boundary Corrections
Without the appropriate documentation, the Census Bureau will not accept
large boundary corrections.

5.6.3

Including Required Attribute Information

It is important to review each change polygon and confirm that the correct attribute
information is included. Without the correct attribute information, the Census Bureau will be
unable to process and incorporate the changes into MAF/TIGER. See Section 5.3 Boundary
Changes for the required attribute information and corresponding change type codes.

5.6.4

Including Appropriate Projection Information

It is important that the appropriate projection information is included. Each update layer
submitted should contain a *.prj file so that the Census Bureau can convert the projection back
to GCS_NAD83. If the GIS being used cannot create a *.prj file, include the projection
information in metadata. This is critical for the Census Bureau to be able to process the file and
incorporate the updates into MAF/TIGER.

5.6.5

Linear Feature Updates

Please review linear feature changes to ensure that they align with the features currently in
MAF/TIGER.
If linear feature changes do not align with current MAF/TIGER linear features, the Census
Bureau may not incorporate the submitted updates.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 21

5.7

Additional Review Information

The Census Bureau will not make any boundary change that affects adjacent legal entities
without the appropriate documentation. Please review any change polygons that affect
adjacent entities to determine if they are intentional legal changes.
Note: Census Bureau will snap any addition, deletion, or boundary correction to a MAF/TIGER feature
when it exists within thirty feet of that feature. This helps maintain the boundary-to-feature
relationships in MAF/TIGER and will ensure correct housing tabulation counts for entities.

5.7.1

Submitting Acceptable Documentation

The Census Bureau is responsible for depicting reservation and off-reservation trust land
boundaries but because the Census Bureau is not the authority on the boundaries, it requires
documentation to update reservation and off-reservation trust land boundaries.
The following changes require documentation:







For off-reservation trust land, the most common documentation is a trust deed or a letter from
the BIA. Documents should state that the land is “in trust” for the tribe.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 22

For reservation land, documentation examples include (but are not limited to) federal register
notice, Act of Congress, Executive Order, or a new legal opinion issued by the BIA. When
submitting large boundary corrections to an existing reservation, please submit the reservation
document.
If no documentation is available, please can contact the tribe’s regional BIA office to obtain
documentation. The Census Bureau will treat legal opinions issued in writing from the BIA as
documentation since the BIA is the authority on reservation and off-reservation trust land
boundaries. If the Census Bureau cannot interpret a document, such as a treaty, the Census
Bureau will contact the BIA for assistance.
For questions about documentation, please call the Census Bureau at
1-800-972-5651 or email geo.bas@census.gov. To contact the BIA, please reach out to the
nearest regional office, see .

5.7.2

Submitting Digital Data

If a participant is reporting changes to the BAS, the Census Bureau requires that each
participant submit at least one shapefile (change polygons). The total number of layers
submitted depends on what types of changes are reported. The following is a list of change files
that may need to be submitted:
1. Change Polygon Layers (AIA, Tribal Subdivisions, Hawaiian Homelands)
 These layers consist of the changes that the Census Bureau needs to make to entities; and
 A layer of change polygons should be created for each level of geography (AIA, Tribal
Subdivisions, etc.) for which polygons are created.
2. Whole Modified Entity Layer (AIA, Tribal Subdivisions, and Hawaiian Homelands)
 These layers should only contain the complete and current boundary for the entity being
updated; and
 A whole entity layer should be created for each level of geography for which polygons are
created.
3. Tribal Feature Network, Parcel and Boundary Layers (optional)
 These layers will help the Census Bureau resolve any questionable change polygons and
establish the correct boundary-to-feature relationships.
4. Feature Update Layer (only if there are feature (road, river, railroad, etc.) additions, deletions,
name changes, recodes, or address range updates)
 Include a linear feature update layer with only feature segments requiring a correction.
5. Area/Hydro Landmark Update Layer
 Only if there are area and/or hydro landmark updates.
6. Point Landmark Update Layer
 Only if there are point landmark updates.
7. BAS Contact Text File (if the BAS point of contact (the person that receives the BAS Annual
Response Email) has changed);
 This can be updated online at:
.
 This BAS Contact update should include this information:
o First Name;
o Last Name;
o Department;
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 23

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

5.7.3

Position;
Shipping Address;
City;
State;
ZIP Code;
Phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx;
FAX: xxx-xxx-xxxx;
Email;
Tribal Chair Term Expires: mm/yyyy; and
Tribal Chair Term Length: x years.

Change Polygon Naming Conventions

The following table provides change polygon naming conventions for AIAs and Hawaiian
Homelands. The change polygon layer naming conventions: represents the BAS entity
ID, found in the BAS Annual Response email or online from this:
.
Table 13: Change Polygons
Participant
AIA
AIA
Hawaiian Homelands

5.7.4

Changes Submitted For:
AIA
Tribal Subdivisions
Hawaiian Homelands

Shape file Naming Conventions
bas19__changes_aiannh
bas19__changes_tribalsub
bas19__changes_hhl

Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions

The following table provides the whole entity polygon naming conventions for AIAs and
Hawaiian Homelands. The whole entity polygon layer naming conventions: represents
the BAS entity ID, found on the BAS Annual Response email or online from this link:
.
Table 14: Whole Entity Polygon Naming Conventions
Participant
AIA
AIA
Hawaiian Homelands

5.7.5

Changes Submitted For:
AIA
Tribal Subdivision
Hawaiian Homelands

Shape file Naming Conventions
bas19__WholeEntity_aiannh
bas19__WholeEntity_trialsub
bas19__WholeEntity_hhl

Linear Feature, Area Landmark/Hydro Area, and Point Landmark Updates

The following table provides the update layer naming conventions for the edges, area
landmark, and point landmark update layers (not required). The naming conventions for the
edges, area landmark, and point landmark update layers: represents the participant’s
BAS entity ID found on the BAS Annual Response email or online from this link:
.
Table 15: Optional Files
Participant
All Participants
All Participants
All Participants
U.S. Census Bureau

Changes Submitted For:
Edges
Area / Hydro Landmarks
Point Landmarks

Shape file Naming Conventions
bas19__LN_Changes
bas19__Alndk_Changes
bas19__Plndk_Changes
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital 24

5.7.6

Compressing the Digital Files

SWIM requires all BAS returns to be zipped prior to submission. Please compress ALL update
materials (including change polygon shapefiles, whole entity shapefiles, linear feature updates,
landmark updates, local government feature network and boundary layers, any necessary
supporting documentation (e.g., trust deeds), and the text or other file with the participant’s
updated BAS contact information).
Note: Centerline files or any additional information that may be helpful for Census to process the
participant’s file is optional. One example where this would be helpful is if a particular polygon
was not snapped to a river or road because the boundary does not follow the river or road.
1. Navigate to the directory with the shapefiles.
2. Select all files and right click on the selection.
3. Select WinZip, and then Add to ZIP file.

Figure 19. Selecting and Zipping Return Files

Note: Versions of WinZip may vary so the interface may be slightly different. Software other than
WinZip (e.g., 7zip) may be used to zip the return files.

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Figure 20. Naming the ZIP File

5.7.7

Submitting Digital Files via SWIM

The Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) is a one-stop location for submitting geographic
program files to the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau now requires that all BAS participants
use the Census Bureau’s SWIM for submitting update materials.
Do not send submissions as an email attachment, as the Census Bureau cannot accept them
due to security policy.
The Census Bureau will email the BAS contact a SWIM registration token and digital submission
instructions five days after the BAS contact responds to the BAS Annual Response indicating
that they have changes to report. To respond online, please fill out the online form at
. The five-day waiting
period will give the Census Bureau staff time to update the BAS contact record if necessary so
that the email reaches the right person.
This token is good for one personal account within the SWIM. Once participants have registered
for an account in SWIM, they will no longer need the token to login into the system. If
participants require additional individual SWIM accounts within their organization, please
contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or email geo.bas@census.gov.

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Current SWIM Users
If participants are participating in other Census Bureau partnership programs, or participated in previous
BAS years, and already have SWIM accounts, they may use their current account to submit files for BAS.
They do not need to set up a new account.
Participants will not be able to upload a file larger than 250 MB.
SWIM blocks participants from uploading a ZIP file that contains another ZIP file.

Figure 21. SWIM Account Registration

b) Existing Users: If participants already have a registered account from a previous BAS year,
they should login with their user credentials.

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Figure 22. SWIM Login Window

3. If participants have submitted files before, SWIM lists them on the startup screen upon login.
Click 'Start New Upload' to continue.

Figure 23. Welcome Screen with Upload History

4. On the next screen, select the “Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS)” option as the geographic
partnership program, and click ‘Next’ to continue.

Figure 24. Geographic Partnership Program Selection Window

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5. On this screen, participants will select a geographic level. This is the geography type of their
agency. Select ‘Tribal Area’. Click 'Next' to continue.

Figure 25. Geographic Level Selection Window

Figure 26. Geographic Entity Selection Window

7. On the file upload screen, please click on the ‘+ Add file', and a file browser dialog will appear.

Figure 27. File Upload Screen

8. In the file browser dialog box, select the ZIP file that is to be uploaded. Please be aware that the
SWIM website only accepts ZIP files. Click 'Open' to continue.

Figure 28. File Browser Dialog Box

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9. At this time, participants may enter any comments that they wish to include with their file. Click
'Next' to upload the submission.

Figure 29. Entering Comments into the File Upload Window

10. The final screen will be a ‘Thank You’ screen confirming receipt of the file submission. If this
screen does not appear, or issues occur during this upload process, please contact the Census
Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.

Figure 30. Thank You Screen

5.7.8

Additional Information

The Census Bureau recommends using Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes
to identify entities such as counties, AIAs, etc. Using a standard coding scheme facilitates the
digital exchange of data.
The Census Bureau includes these codes are in the BAS shapefiles. Online, the codes can be
found at . If there are any
questions or problems, contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-972-5651 or geo.bas@census.gov.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A

DATA DICTIONARY
Table 16: American Indian Areas - Legal (AIAL) Shapefile

ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if Reservation, Trust Land, or both are Present

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag Indicating Level of Recognition of an AIA

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with Translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIA areas

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code Describing an Entity

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

AUTHTYPE

String

EFF_DATE

Date

Type of Area Update
Authorization Type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L – Local Law,
S – State Level Action, X – Other)
Effective Date

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

RECORD_ID

String

(GUPS Only)

AREA

Double

Acreage of Area Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of Change

NAME

100

String

AIA name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the Data

Table 17: American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

TRIBALSUBCE

String

Census Tribal Subdivision Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI Numeric Identifier for AIANNH Areas

LSAD

String

Legal / Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code Describing an Entity

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective Date

AUTHTYPE

String

Authorization Type (O – Ordinance, R – Resolution, L – Local

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ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION
Law, S – State Level Action, X – Other)

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

RECORD_ID

String

(GUPS Only)

AREA

Double

Acreage of Area Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of Change

NAME
VINTAGE
AIANNHFSR

100
2
1

String
String
String

Tribal subdivision name
Vintage of the Data
Flag Indicating Level of Recognition of an AIA

Table 18: Edges Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

TLID

Double

Permanent edge ID

TFIDL

Double

Permanent face ID (left)

TFIDR

Double

Permanent face ID (right)

MTFCC

String

FIDELITY

String

FULLNAME

String

SMID

String

SMIDTYPE

String

BBSPFLG

String

CBBFLG

String

BBSP_2020

String

SMIDTYPE Code
Redistricting data project participant’s submitted request of
an EDGE for selection as a block boundary
Indicates the status of an EDGE for a selection as a block
boundary
New BBSP flag

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of linear feature update

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

LTOADD

String

Left To Address

RTOADD

String

Right To Address

LFROMADD

String

Left From Address

RFROMADD

String

Right From Address

ZIPL

String

Left ZIP Code

ZIPR

String

Right ZIP Code

EXTTYP

Char

Extension type

MTUPDATE

Date

Date of last update to the edge

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Table 19: Area Landmark Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Area landmark name

PARTFLG

String

Indicates if only part of a feature is represented

AREAID

String

Object ID

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for area landmarks

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area landmark update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

BAG

String

Block area grouping

Table 20: Hydro Area Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for hydrography area

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Hydro landmark name

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of hydro area update

HYDROID

String

Object ID

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

Table 21: Point Landmark Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

POINTID

String

Object ID

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for point landmarks

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Point landmark name

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of point landmark update

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

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Table 22: Geographic Offset Shapefile
ATTRIBUTE FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

TFID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

OFFSET

String

Geographic Offset / Corridor Flag

ADDEXCLUDE

String

Address Exclusion Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

Date

Effective date or vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

String

Justification of change

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APPENDIX B
B.1

2019 DIGITAL BAS EXAMPLE PROCESS 1

PARTNERSHIP TOOLBOX QUICK START

In an effort to ease the burden of BAS updating for the Census Bureau’s partners, the Census
GEO BAS team developed a Toolbox for ArcMap and ArcGIS. This plug-in facilitates the updating
process by automating the process of downloading data, creating changes, removing slivers,
formatting, attribute checking, and preparing/exporting files for submission.

B.2

TOOLS SETUP

B.3

RUN DATA DOWNLOAD

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital B-1

1. Expand the DBAS folder and the setup subfolder. In the setup folder find the
Partnership toolbox. Expand the toolbox and double click on 1) Census Data Download.

2. In the User’s BASID field, enter the BASID for the entity to be processed.

3. When this tool is complete, there should now be a folder for the BASID in the projects
folder. Inside that folder, there will be a geodatabase with reference data in it and an

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital B-2

archive folder.

Note: The archive folder contains other Census data that may be useful as well.

B.4

CREATE CHANGES

Once the necessary Census data is obtained, run the 2) Create Changes tool to make the change
polygons.
1. Double click on 2) Create Changes.

2. In the Create Changes window:
 In the Local Boundary File field, enter the path to full boundary polygon
 Enter the 11 digit BAS ID in the BAS ID field
 Under Changes Being Processed, choose the type of changes to create from the
dropdown options:
a) Incplace
b) County
c) Cousub (county subdivisions)
d) Aiaanh (Tribal areas)
 For the Name Field in local data, the boundary file may need to be modified to
match a field in the Census Bureau’s data. Type the name of the field (as it
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3. Once the tool is complete, the output will be placed in the geodatabase under the
submission feature dataset.

B.5

SLIVER BLASTER (OPTIONAL)

The Sliver Blaster is a useful tool for entities that have many very small change polygons that
are time consuming to manually parse through for deletion. Since the Census Bureau cannot
guarantee inclusion of changes under 30ft, use this tool to get rid of changes that are lower
than that threshold. Participants can also change the tolerance for the sliver blaster if they
know there are small changes that need to be included.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital B-4

1. Double click on 3) Sliver Blaster.

2. In the Sliver Blaster window:
 The Changes File refers to the changes file created in the previous step, found in
the submission feature dataset.
 The Census Edges feature class is found in the benchmark feature dataset and is
called bas_edges
 The Buffer Distance is set to 30 feet by default, but this can be adjusted to
accommodate smaller changes

B.6

FORMAT WORKING MXD (OPTIONAL)

The intent of this tool is to create a map document (.mxd) for users containing their change file
and all of the other reference layers they will need to finalize a submission. If they would prefer
to use their own .mxd, this step is not required.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital B-5

1. Double click on 4) Format Working MXD.

2. The only input for this tool is the Working Folder, which is the folder with the
participants’ BAS ID as its name.

3. Open the new .mxd and begin working with the change polygons.

B.7

ATTRIBUTE CHECK

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital B-6

1. Double click on 5) Attribute Check.

2. In the Attribute Check window:
 The Change File should be the change file created in tool 2) Create Changes for
which to generate a report
 In Geography Type choose the type of geography being worked on from the
dropdown. The same options as the Create Changes tool are available here
 The last input is the optional check box for Includes Changes in Georgia. This box
only needs to be checked if responding in the state of Georgia

3. There should now be a text file in the working folder called
attribute_check_ containing all discrepancies identified in the change file
that still need to be fixed.

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B.8

EXPORT SUBMISSION

Upon review of the changes file and the attribute error report, the finalized changes can be
exported for submission to the Census Bureau. This tool can also be used to provided updated
contact information with the submission.
1. Double click on 6) Export Submission Files.

2. In the Export Submission Files window:
 Under Files to submit, add as many changes files as needed to update the
boundaries
 For BAS Contact, Entity Name, Contact Title or Department Name, Address,
Email, and Phone Number, please include any or all contact information updates
that are to be sent to the U.S. Census Bureau. These fields can be left blank if
there are no updates, though if someone other than the BAS contact prepared
the submission, they may want to include their information

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital B-8

B.9

SUBMITTING TO SWIM

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APPENDIX C
C.1

2019 DIGITAL BAS EXAMPLE PROCESS 2

REQUIRED CENSUS BUREAU SHAPEFILES

When downloading shapefiles for the 2019 BAS, shapefiles will begin with the prefix PVS
(e.g., PVS_18_v2_edges_.shp). Throughout this guide, Census Bureau uses the prefix of
bas_2019, but the PVS files are exactly the same.
Copy the data to a hard drive/server and unzip the data to ensure that the correct data was
downloaded. For an AIA, these layers are critical:



PVS_18_v2_aial_.shp
PVS_18_v2_edges_.shp

Note: represents the two-digit state code and three-digit county code.

The shapefiles should include the home county for all reservations and off-reservation trust
lands as well as all adjacent counties (if necessary).
Note: The Census Bureau suggests that participants make an extra copy of the data as an emergency
backup.

C.2

TRIBAL DATA

C.3

SYMBOLIZING LAYERS IN ARCGIS

U.S. Census Bureau

Linear Feature Type

Symbol

Hydrology

Non-Visible Feature (boundary)

Railroad

Road

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-1

C.4

SYMBOLIZING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

Symbolize the AIAL layer by “COMPTYP” field to show reservation and off-reservation trust
land.
Note: AIA participants working on changes for tribal subdivisions may want to use different colors to
distinguish one from another.

Figure 31. Suggested Map Symbolization

C.5

EXTRACTING AIA DATA FROM CENSUS SHAPEFILES

C.5.1 FILTERING THE DATA
1. In ArcMap, click Selection and then click Select by Attributes.
2. In the Select By Attributes window:
 From the Layer dropdown, select PVS_18_v2_aial_.shp.
 Double click “NAME”
 Left click the = button
 Click the Get Unique Values button
 In the list, locate and double click the name of the entity (It will appear in the formula).
 Click OK

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Figure 32. Filtering Data

C.5.2 EXPORTING THE DATA TO A NEW SHAPEFILE
1. In the Table of right click the AIA layer, select Data, and then click Export Data.
2. In the Export Data window:
 From the Export dropdown, choose Selected Features.
 In the Output shapefile or feature class field, enter a location to save the shapefile.
 Click OK.

Figure 33. Export Data Window

Note: If the AIA spans more than one county, it will need to be exported from each county’s AIA
shapefile and merged. Follow the instructions in Section C.6 Merging Multipart AIA Data if
the AIA needs to be merged, otherwise skip to Section C.7.1 Creating Change Polygons
Creating Change Polygons Using Symmetrical Difference.

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C.6

MERGING MULTIPART AIA DATA

1. In ArcToolbox, double-click Data Management Tools, then double-click General, and then
double-click Merge.
2. In the Merge window:
 Next to the Input Datasets field, click the arrow and select each layer. (or use the Browse
button to the right of the field to find the layers.)
 In the Output Dataset field, browse to and select a location to save the shapefile.
o Name the shapefile Export_Output_Final or Merged, or anything easy to
find/remember.
 Click OK.

Figure 34. Finalizing the Merge Process

C.7

CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS

C.7.1 CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS USING SYMMETRICAL DIFFERENCE
1. In ArcToolbox, double-click Analysis Tools, then double-click Overlay, and then double-click
Symmetrical Difference.
2. In the Symmetrical Difference window:
 In the Input Features field, click the arrow (or browse) and select the layer created in
Section C.5.
 In the Update Features field, click the arrow (or browse) and select the tribal government
boundary layer (the participant’s data).
 In the Output Feature Class field, browse to and select a location to save the shapefile.
o Name the shapefile Differences_between_BAS_tribal, Differences1, or anything easy
to find/remember.
 Click OK.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-4

Figure 35. Finalizing the Symmetrical Difference Process

Note: This process creates a layer that contains all of the differences between Census Bureau and local
boundaries. However, the Symmetrical Difference tool creates multipart polygons that need to
be broken up and individually coded.
1. Turn on Editing (using the Editing dropdown in the Editor toolbar). Select all of the records in
the layer that was created in the Symmetrical Difference step.
2. On the Advanced Editing toolbar, click the Explode tool
separate record for each change.

. The layer will now contain a

The created layer shows individual change polygons representing the differences between the
Census Bureau and tribal entity boundaries. These differences need to be reviewed and coded
appropriately.
Skip to Section C.8, Reviewing and Attributing Change Polygons.

C.7.2 CREATING CHANGE POLYGONS USING UNION
1. In ArcToolbox, double-click Analysis Tools, then double-click Overlay, and then double-click
Union.
2. In the Union window:
 In the Input Features field, click the arrow (or browse) and select PVS_18_v2_aial_,
and the tribe’s own layer.
 In the Output Feature Class, browse to and select a location to save the shapefile.
o Name the shapefile Export_Output_union, or Union, or anything easy to
find/remember.
 Click OK.

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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-5

Figure 36. Finalizing the Union Process

The union operation will create records that contain differences as well as areas that are in
common between the Census Bureau and local tribal boundary layers.
The next step is selecting and deleting the areas in common between the Census Bureau and
local tribal boundary layers.
1. On the Editor toolbar, click Editor, and then click Start Editing.
2. If a Start Editing window opens, in the top pane, click to highlight the union shapefile, and then
click OK.

Figure 37. Locating the Union Shapefile

1. In ArcMap, in the Tools toolbar, click the Select Features
button.
 Locate features on the map that the Census Bureau and the tribal layers have in common.
 Select each feature individually, or click and hold the left mouse button and drag a box to
highlight the common features.
 Press Delete.
 Repeat these steps until only the features that have changed are left in the map.
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Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-6

2. Once all of the areas in common have been removed from the union shapefile, on the Editor
toolbar, click Editor, and then click Save Edits.
3. Select all of the remaining records in the layer that was created in the Union step.
4. On the Advanced Editing toolbar, click the Explode tool
separate record for each change.

. The layer will now contain a

The new layer shows individual change polygons representing the differences between the
Census Bureau and the tribal government’s representation of the boundaries. Please review
these differences make sure they are coded appropriately. Continue to the next section for
instructions on reviewing and coding change polygons.

C.8

REVIEWING AND ATTRIBUTING CHANGE POLYGONS

C.9

EXAMPLES

Figure 38. Small Slivers That Should Be Deleted
Figure 38 shows examples of small slivers that should be deleted along
rivers (left) or roads (right).

Figure 39. Polygons That Should Be Snapped to Roads or Rivers
Figure 39 shows examples of polygons that should be snapped to rivers
(left) or roads (right).
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-7

C.10 ATTRIBUTE INFORMATION
Note: All updates MUST be attributed.

To begin updating attributes:


On the Editor Toolbar, click Editor, and then click Start Editing.
Additions


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for an addition:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, AUTHTYPE, DOCU and EFF_DATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for an addition is A.

button and select the addition polygon.

Deletions


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for a deletion:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, AUTHTYPE, DOCU and EFF_DATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for a deletion is D.

button and select the deletion polygon.

Geographic Corridors


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




button and select the corridor polygon.

Geographic Offsets


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for an offset:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, RELATE.
o The CHNG_TYPE for an offset change is F.
o In the RELATE field, enter IN if the change is adding offset area to the place or OUT if
the change is removing offset area.

button and select the offset polygon.

Boundary Corrections


On the Editor Toolbar, click the Edit Tool
polygon.




On the Editor Toolbar, click the Attributes
button.
In the Attributes window, fill out the mandatory fields required for a boundary correction:
o NAME, CHNG_TYPE, RELATE.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-8

button and select the boundary correction

o
o

The CHNG_TYPE for a boundary correction is B.
In the RELATE field, enter IN if the boundary correction is adding area or OUT if the
boundary correction is removing area.

Note: If a boundary correction to one tribal subdivision affects another, use RELATE = IN and NAME =
. This is due to the fact that RELATE = OUT leaves a question as to
whether or not there should be a gap between the two entities.

To finish updating attributes:


Once all of the attribute changes have been made, in the ArcMap menu, click Editor, and then
click Stop Editing. (In the Save window, click Yes.)

C.11 RENAMING AND FINALIZING CHANGE POLYGONS
Renaming the shapefile:
After creating and coding all change polygons, please rename the change polygon layer prior to
its submission to the Census Bureau. This process must be completed for each level of
geography (AIA, tribal subdivision) that has changes.

Note: See Section 5.7.6 Compressing the Digital Files for instructions on zipping updates.

Submitting the shapefile:
The Census Bureau requires participants submit BAS return ZIP files using the Census Bureau’s
SWIM site. Please submit only the ZIP file. The SWIM is located at
. For instructions on how to use SWIM, see Section 5.7.7
Submitting Digital Files via SWIM of the respondent guide.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital C-9

APPENDIX D

MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS

The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a 5-digit code assigned by the Census
Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census Bureau MAF/TIGER
products.
MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

C3022

Mountain Peak or Summit

C3023

Island

C3024

Levee

C3026
C3027

Quarry (not water-filled),
Open Pit Mine or Mine
Dam

C3061

Cul-de-sac

C3062

Traffic Circle

C3066
C3067
C3071
C3074

Gate
Toll Booth
Lookout Tower
Lighthouse Beacon

C3075

Tank/Tank Farm

C3076

Windmill Farm

C3077

Solar Farm

C3078

Monument or Memorial

C3079
C3080

Boundary Monument
Point
Survey Control Point

C3081

Locality Point

C3085

Alaska Native Village
Official Point
American Indian Area

G2100
G2120
G2130

U.S. Census Bureau

Hawaiian Home Land
Alaska Native Village
Statistical Area

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-1

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical
Area

G2150

State-designated Tribal
Statistical Area

G2160

Tribal Designated
Statistical Area

G2170

American Indian Joint Use
Area
Alaska Native Regional
Corporation

G2200

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

G2400

Tribal Census Tract

G2410

Tribal Block Group

G3100

Combined Statistical Area

G3110

Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area

G3120

Metropolitan Division

G3200

Combined New England
City and Town Area
New England City and
Town Metropolitan and
Micropolitan Statistical
Area
New England City and
Town Division

G3210

G3220

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-2

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G3500

Urban Area

G4000

State or Equivalent
Feature

G4020

County or Equivalent
Feature

G4040

County Subdivision

G4050

Estate

G4060
G4110

Subbarrio (Subminor Civil
Division)
Incorporated Place

G4120

Consolidated City

G4210

Census Designated Place

G4300

Economic Census Place

G5020

Census Tract

G5030

Block Group

G5035

Block Area Grouping

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-3

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G5040

Tabulation Block

G5200

Congressional District

G5210

State Legislative District
(Upper Chamber

G5220

State Legislative District
(Lower Chamber)

G5240

Voting District

G5400

Elementary School District

G5410

Secondary School District

G5420

Unified School District

G6120

Public-Use Microdata Area

G6300

Traffic Analysis District

G6320

Traffic Analysis Zone

G6330

Urban Growth Area

G6350
G6400

ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(Five-Digit)
Commercial Region

H1100

Connector

H2025

Swamp/Marsh

The lowest-order census defined statistical area. It is an area, such as a
city block, bounded primarily by physical features but sometimes by
invisible city or property boundaries. A tabulation block boundary does
not cross the boundary of any other geographic area for which the
Census Bureau tabulates data. The subtypes of this feature are Count
Question Resolution (CQR), current, and census.
The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist for state
equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no representative. The
subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 111th
Congressional Districts, plus subsequent Congresses.
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the upper or unicameral chamber of a state
governing body. The upper chamber is the senate in a bicameral
legislature, and the unicameral case is a single house legislature
(Nebraska).
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the lower chamber of a state governing body.
The lower chamber is the House of Representatives in a bicameral
legislature.
The generic name for the geographic features, such as precincts,
wards, and election districts, established by state, local, and tribal
governments for the purpose of conducting elections.
A geographic area within which officials provide public elementary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public secondary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public educational
services for all grade levels for residents.
A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 or more
persons for which the Census Bureau provides selected extracts of
household-level data that are screened to protect confidentiality.
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic Analysis District
(TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs).
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for tabulating
journey-to-work and place-of-work data.
An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization that the
Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® System in agreement with
the state.
An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.
For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data, municipios in
Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.
A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between two
nonadjacent water features.
A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy,
possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, marais and
pocosin].

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-4

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

H2030
H2040
H2041
H2051

Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

H2053
H2060
H2081

Ocean/Sea
Gravel Pit/Quarry filled
with water
Glacier

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct

K1225

Crew-of-Vessel Location

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent
Care Facility
Juvenile Institution

A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.
An artificially impounded body of water.
An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.
A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight, cove
and inlet].
The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.
A body of water in a place or area from which commercial minerals
were removed from the Earth.
A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of
accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top
or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice field and ice
patch].
A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, branch,
brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].
A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of interlacing
channels.
An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate or
drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as a
waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].
A point or area in which the population of military or merchant marine
vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near the home port pier.
One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive medical
or surgical attention [including infirmary].
A facility (correctional and non-correctional) where groups of juveniles
reside; this includes training schools, detention centers, residential
treatment centers and orphanages.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, administered by a local (county,
municipal, etc.) government.
An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult
persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal government
or a state government.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement of
adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere classified or
administered by a government of unknown jurisdiction.
One or more structures intended for use as a residence for those
having a religious vocation.

K1235

K1236

Local Jail or Detention
Center

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State
Prison, or Prison Farm

K1238

Other Correctional
Institution

K1239

K1246
K2110

Convent, Monastery,
Rectory, Other Religious
Group Quarters
Community Center
Military Installation

K2165

Government Center

K2167

Convention Center

K2180

Park

K2181

National Park Service Land

U.S. Census Bureau

Community Center.
An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense for use
by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned area for the use of the
National Guard.
A place used by members of government (either federal, state, local, or
tribal) for administration and public business.
An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space to host
public and private business and social events.
Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local
governments.
Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—under the
jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-5

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

K2182

National Forest or Other
Federal Land

K2183

Tribal Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2184

State Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Regional Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

Land under the management and jurisdiction of the federal
government, specifically including areas designated as National Forest,
and excluding areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of an American Indian
tribe.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a state government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a regional
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a county
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a minor civil division
(town/township) government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of a municipal
government.
A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or preservation
of a cultural or natural resource.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
natural resource and under the administration of some other type of
government or agency such as an independent park authority or
commission.
An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and
distributing mail and other postal material.
Fire Department.
Police Station.
Library.
City/Town Hall.
A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be accessed
by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of such a facility
include marine terminal, bus station, train station, airport and truck
warehouse.
A place where privately owned, light-craft are moored.
A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by
piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, or it may be
used for recreational purposes.
A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including
airstrip, landing field and landing strip].
A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines, including
associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle transit,
including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or where
cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, and other
commercial offices.
A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or taking
off from a body of water can debark and load.

K2185

K2186

County Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area

K2187

County Subdivision Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2188

Incorporated Place Park,
Forest, or Recreation Area

K2189

K2191

Private Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area
Other Park, Forest, or
Recreation Area (quasipublic, independent park,
commission, etc.)
Post Office

K2193
K2194
K2195
K2196
K2400

Fire Department
Police Station
Library
City/Town Hall
Transportation Terminal

K2424
K2432

Marina
Pier/Dock

K2451

Airport or Airfield

K2452
K2453

Train Station, Trolley or
Mass Transit Rail Station
Bus Terminal

K2454

Marine Terminal

K2455

Seaplane Anchorage

K2190

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-6

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

K2456

A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and exit
airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of transportation.

K2459

Airport—Intermodal
Transportation
Hub/Terminal
Airport—Statistical
Representation
Park and Ride
Facility/Parking Lot
Runway/Taxiway

K2460

Helicopter Landing Pad

K2540

University or College

K2543

School or Academy

K2545

K2561
K2582

Museum, Visitor Center,
Cultural Center, or Tourist
Attraction
Golf Course
Cemetery

K2586

Zoo

K3544

Place of Worship

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Powerline

L4031

Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift

L4110

Fence Line

L4121
L4125

Ridge Line
Cliff/Escarpment

L4130

Point-to-Point Line

L4140

Property/Parcel Line
(Including PLSS)

L4150

Coastline

K2457
K2458

U.S. Census Bureau

The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census blocks
used for the delineation of urban areas
A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to other
modes of transportation.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for taking off
and landing at an airport.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for taking
off and landing.
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for preschool,
elementary or secondary study, teaching, and learning [including
elementary school and high school].
An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest that
provides information or displays artifacts.
A place designed for playing golf.
A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground and
memorial garden].
A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined within
enclosures and displayed to the public for educational, preservation,
and research purposes.
A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious
worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and mosque.
A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with
pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid (e.g., crude
oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.
One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for conducting
high-voltage electric power.
A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers
suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.
A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually
made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine,
or to mark a boundary.
The line of highest elevation along a ridge.
A very steep or vertical slope [including bluff, crag, head, headland,
nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and rimrock].
A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at
another, both of which are in sight.
This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either public or
private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote a Public Land
Survey System or equivalent survey line.
The line that separates either land or Inland water from Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly borders Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline represents the Coastline.
Where Inland water (such as a river) flows into Coastal, Territorial or
Great Lakes water, the closure line separating the Inland water from
the other class of water represents the Coastline.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-7

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

L4165

Ferry Crossing

P0001
P0002

Nonvisible Linear
Legal/Statistical Boundary
Perennial Shoreline

P0003

Intermittent Shoreline

P0004

The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and forth over
a waterbody in a boat.
A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a
shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.
The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water for a
water feature that exists year-round.
The boundary between land and water (when water is present) for a
water feature that does not exist year-round.
A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical boundary,
and does not correspond to a shoreline or other visible feature on the
ground. Many such Edges bound area landmarks, while many others
separate water features from each other (e.g., where a bay meets the
ocean).
A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad traffic.
Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of a rail yard.
Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, monorails,
streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically inaccessible to mainstream
railroad traffic and whose tracks are not part of a road right-of-way.
A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is typically
inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that aerial tramways
and streetcars (which may also be called “trams”) are accounted for by
other MTFCCs and do not belong in R1052.
Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways within the
interstate highway system or under state management, and are
distinguished by the presence of interchanges. These highways are
accessible by ramps and may include some toll highways.
Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. Highway, State
Highway or County Highway system. These roads have one or more
lanes of traffic in each direction, may or may not be divided, and
usually have at-grade intersections with many other roads and
driveways. They often have both a local name and a route number.
Generally, a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that usually has a
single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in this feature class may
be privately or publicly maintained. Scenic park roads would be
included in this feature class, as would (depending on the region of the
country) some unpaved roads.
An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is required.
These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in very rural areas.
Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars and trucks belong in the
S1400 category.
A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a limited
access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf interchange. These
roads are unaddressable and do not carry a name in the MAF/TIGER
System.
A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that provides
access to structures along the highway. These roads can be named and
may intersect with other roads.
A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.
A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series of
steps.

R1011
R1051

R1052

S1100

Primary Road

S1200

Secondary Road

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road,
Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along
a limited access highway

S1710

Walkway/Pedestrian Trail

S1720

Stairway

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-8

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for service
vehicles (logging, oil fields,
ranches, etc.)
Internal U.S. Census
Bureau use
Parking Lot Road
Bike Path or Trail

A service road that does not generally have associated addressed
structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at the rear of buildings
and properties and is used for deliveries.
A road within private property that is privately maintained for service,
extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often unnamed.

S1750
S1780
S1820

Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Tribal Respondent Guide: Digital D-9

File Type	application/pdf
Author	Jessie Files (CENSUS/GEO FED)
File Modified	2018-12-20
File Created	2018-12-20