BAS GUPS Respondent Guide

21_BASRespondent Guide_Digital_GUPS_508.pdf

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

BAS GUPS Respondent Guide

OMB: 0607-0151

⚠️ Notice: This form may be outdated.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

2023-10-24 - No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection
2022-10-14 - No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection

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Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
Respondent Guide: GUPS
Instructions for using the Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS)
Revised as of November 12, 2020

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U.S. Census Bureau

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ............................................................................................................................xi
A.

The Boundary and Annexation Survey .......................................................................... xi

Key Dates for BAS Respondents .................................................................................... xi

BAS State Agreements.................................................................................................. xii

Legal Disputes .............................................................................................................. xii

Respondent Guide Organization .................................................................................. xii

Part 1

BAS Overview ....................................................................................................... 1
Process and Workflow .......................................................................................... 1

1.1

Receiving the GUPS Application and Shapefiles ............................................................. 1

1.2

Getting Help ................................................................................................................... 2

1.2.1 GUPS Help.................................................................................................................. 2
1.2.2 BAS Help .................................................................................................................... 2
Reviewing BAS Data .............................................................................................. 3
2.1

Boundary Corrections .................................................................................................... 3

2.2

Legal Boundary Changes ................................................................................................ 3

2.3

Reviewing Legal Boundaries ........................................................................................... 3

2.4

Requirements for Legal Boundary Changes.................................................................... 5

2.4.1 Boundary Changes to Legal Government................................................................... 5
2.4.2 Boundary Changes to Legal Governments in Georgia and Indiana ............................ 5
2.5

Reviewing Linear Features ............................................................................................. 5

2.6

Reviewing Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas ..................................................... 6

2.7

Reviewing Point Landmarks ........................................................................................... 8
Quality Control and File Submission .................................................................... 10

3.1

Validating Updates ....................................................................................................... 10

3.2

Submitting Files through the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) .......................... 10

3.3

Submitting Files on DVD ............................................................................................... 11

Part 2

How to Use GUPS ................................................................................................ 12
Requirements and Installation ............................................................................ 12

4.1

Getting Started ............................................................................................................. 12

4.2

How to Install GUPS ..................................................................................................... 13

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Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management) ........................................................ 19
5.1

How to Access BAS Shapefiles ...................................................................................... 19

5.2

Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website ................................................... 20

5.3

Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website ................................................................ 30

5.4

Download Shapefiles from the Census Bureau ftp2 Site .............................................. 32

5.5

Using the GUPS Interface ............................................................................................. 35

5.5.1 GUPS Main Page ...................................................................................................... 35
5.5.2 Layers Panel and Map View ..................................................................................... 37
5.5.3 Managing the Map View from Within the Layers Panel .......................................... 38
Manage Layer Visibility ................................................................................................................................. 38
Reorder Data Layers ...................................................................................................................................... 39
Expand/Contract Layers Panel Menus .......................................................................................................... 39

5.6

Menu & Toolbars ......................................................................................................... 40

5.6.1 Menu Tabs ............................................................................................................... 40
5.6.3 Standard Toolbar Buttons ........................................................................................ 46
Identify a Feature Using the Identify Features Button .................................................................................. 48
Select/Deselect Features Using the Select Features and Deselect Features Buttons ................................... 49
Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table .......................................................................................... 52
View an Attribute Table for a Layer on the Map ........................................................................................... 54
Determine Distance, Area, and Angles on the Map ...................................................................................... 56
Save Locations on a Map Using the Bookmark Button ................................................................................. 57

5.6.4 BAS Toolbar Buttons ................................................................................................ 58
5.6.5 Status Bar................................................................................................................. 60
5.7

How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS ............................................................. 60

5.7.1 The Add Data Toolbar .............................................................................................. 60
5.7.2 How to Upload User-Provided Data Layers.............................................................. 61
5.7.3 How to Import a Shared ZIP Shapefile ..................................................................... 63
Making BAS Updates in GUPS ............................................................................. 65
6.1

How to Update Legal Boundaries ................................................................................. 65

6.1.1 Recording an Annexation ......................................................................................... 65
6.1.2 Recording a Deannexation ....................................................................................... 71
6.1.3 Adding a New Legal Government (New Incorporation) ........................................... 77
6.1.4 Deleting a Government (Disincorporation) .............................................................. 82
6.1.5 Making a Boundary Update on a County Line .......................................................... 84
U.S. Census Bureau

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

6.1.6 Making a Legal Boundary Change for a Consolidated City ....................................... 92
6.1.6.1 Making a Boundary Correction (Add Area/Remove Area) .............................................................. 92

6.1.7 Adding a Geographic Corridor ................................................................................. 94
6.1.8 Adding a Geographic Offset ................................................................................... 101
6.2

How to Update Linear Features ................................................................................. 101

6.2.1 Adding a Linear Feature ......................................................................................... 101
6.2.2 Deleting a Linear Feature ....................................................................................... 104
6.2.3 Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature ....................................................................... 104
6.2.4 Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature .......................................................... 105
6.3

How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas ......................................... 107

6.3.1 Adding a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ................................................ 107
6.3.2 Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area .................................................... 110
6.3.3 Adding Area to an Area Landmark or Hydrographic Area ...................................... 112
6.3.4 Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area................................. 115
6.4

How to Update Point Landmarks ............................................................................... 117

6.4.1 Adding a Point Landmark ....................................................................................... 117
6.4.2 Deleting a Point Landmark ..................................................................................... 118
6.4.3 Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark ........................................................ 118
6.5

How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools ......................................................... 119

6.5.1 Geography Review Tool ......................................................................................... 119
6.5.2 Review Change Polygons Tool ............................................................................... 124
6.6

Exporting a Printable Map .......................................................................................... 131

6.6.1 How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit ............................................................... 134
6.6.2 Exporting a File to Share ........................................................................................ 134
6.6.3 Exporting a File to Submit to the Census Bureau ................................................... 136
Submitting Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM ...................................... 139
Appendix A

Appendix Item ............................................................................................... A-1

Appendix B

Terms............................................................................................................. B-1

Appendix C

MTFCC Descriptions ....................................................................................... C-5

Appendix D

Standard Street Type Abbreviations .............................................................. D-1

Appendix E

GUPS Tools .................................................................................................... E-1

Set Layer Symbology ................................................................................................... E-1

Change Label Display................................................................................................... E-3

U.S. Census Bureau

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

Restoring Default Label Display Settings ..................................................................... E-6

Using the Layers Panel Toolbar to Manage Layers ...................................................... 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

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Available Change Types by Government Type ................................................................. 4
Table 2: Acceptable MTFCCs for New Area Landmarks/Hydrographic Areas ................................ 7
Table 3: Restricted Point Landmark MTFCCs ................................................................................. 8
Table 4: GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements................................................................ 13
Table 5: Install the GUPS Application .......................................................................................... 14
Table 6: Start a New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS website ......................................... 20
Table 7: Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website ................................................................. 30
Table 8: Download Shapefiles from ftp Site to a Hard Drive (State Users) .................................. 33
Table 9: GUPS Main Page Elements ............................................................................................ 35
Table 10: Menu Tabs and Their Functions .................................................................................. 40
Table 11: Adjust Snapping Tolerances......................................................................................... 44
Table 12: Standard Toolbar Buttons............................................................................................ 46
Table 13: Identify a Feature on the Map ..................................................................................... 48
Table 14: Select/Deselect Features on the Map.......................................................................... 49
Table 15: Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table ......................................................... 52
Table 16: View Layer Attributes Using the Attributes Table........................................................ 55
Table 17: Measure Distances, Area, and Angles on a Map .......................................................... 56
Table 18: Bookmark Locations on a Map .................................................................................... 58
Table 19: BAS Toolbar Buttons .................................................................................................... 58
Table 20: Status Bar Elements ..................................................................................................... 60
Table 21: Add Data Toolbar Buttons ........................................................................................... 61
Table 22: Load Shapefiles/Geodatabase Layers .......................................................................... 62
Table 23: Load Data from a Web Mapping Service ..................................................................... 62
Table 24: Add Imagery Files ........................................................................................................ 63
Table 25: Import a ZIP File Shared by Another User .................................................................... 63
Table 26: Record an Annexation ................................................................................................. 65
Table 27: Recording a Deannexation........................................................................................... 71
Table 28: Adding a New Legal Government ................................................................................ 77
Table 29: Record a Disincorporation ........................................................................................... 82
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2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

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Table 30: Record an Annexation in an Adjacent County ............................................................. 84
Table 31: Making a Boundary Correction .................................................................................... 92
Table 32: Adding a Geographic Corridor ..................................................................................... 94
Table 33: Adding a Linear Feature............................................................................................. 102
Table 34: Deleting a Linear Feature .......................................................................................... 104
Table 35: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature ........................................................................... 104
Table 36: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature .............................................................. 105
Table 37: Creating a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area .................................................. 107
Table 38: Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ........................................................ 110
Table 39: Adding Area to an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area ............................................. 112
Table 40: Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area .................................... 115
Table 41: Adding a Point Landmark........................................................................................... 117
Table 42: Deleting a Point Landmark ........................................................................................ 118
Table 43: Changing the Attributes of a Point Landmark ............................................................ 119
Table 44: Using the Geography Review Tool ............................................................................. 120
Table 45: Reviewing Change Polygons ...................................................................................... 124
Table 46: Export a Printable Map .............................................................................................. 131
Table 47: Exporting Files to Share with Another User ............................................................... 134
Table 48: Exporting Files for Submission to the Census Bureau ................................................ 136
Table 49: Transmitting Files to the Census Bureau Using SWIM ............................................... 139
Table 50: BAS Contact Information and Resources ................................................................... A-1
Table 51: MTFCC Descriptions....................................................................................................C-5
Table 52: Standard Street Type Abbreviations .......................................................................... D-1
Table 53: Reset Layer Symbology ............................................................................................... E-1
Table 54: Change Default Labeling ............................................................................................. E-3
Table 55: Restoring Default Labeling.......................................................................................... E-6
Table 56: Layers Panel Toolbar Buttons ..................................................................................... E-7
Table 57: MAF/TIGER Feature Classification .............................................................................. F-1
Table 58: State Shapefiles Names ............................................................................................. G-1
Table 59: County Shapefiles Names .......................................................................................... G-2
Table 60: Edges Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_edges) ......................................................................... H-1
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2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

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Table 61: Address Ranges Attribute File (PVS_20_v2_addr) ..................................................... H-1
Table 62: Census Block Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_tabblock2020) .................................................. H-2
Table 63: Census Tract Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_curtracts).......................................................... H-2
Table 64: American Indian Areas Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_aial) .................................................. H-3
Table 65: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_county) ................................... H-4
Table 66: County Subdivisions Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_mcd) ..................................................... H-4
Table 67: Incorporated Place Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_place) ..................................................... H-5

U.S. Census Bureau

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. BAS Workflow................................................................................................................. 1
Figure 2. GUPS Main Page Layout ............................................................................................... 35
Figure 3. Close Layers Panel ........................................................................................................ 37
Figure 4. Restore the Layers Panel .............................................................................................. 38
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 ................................................................................................................ 58
Figure 11. Status Bar ................................................................................................................... 60
Figure 12. Add Data Toolbar ....................................................................................................... 60
Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated Area ....................................................B-2
Figure 14. Incorporated Area and Unincorporated Area ............................................................B-2
Figure 15. Participant Responses ...............................................................................................B-3
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-4
Figure 18. Place Boundary – Front-Lot-Line ...............................................................................B-4
Figure 19. Place Boundary – Rear-Lot-Line.................................................................................B-4
Figure 20. Layers Panel Toolbar ................................................................................................. E-6

U.S. Census Bureau

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

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, Section 6, United States Code 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 government.
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
governments.
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 (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 BAS video series on the Census Bureau’s BAS
website at .

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
and in next year’s BAS materials.
May 31 – Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

U.S. Census Bureau

2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

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
1-800-972-5651 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 1-301-763-9844.
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 was 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 available on the BAS
website:.
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.
Reviewing BAS Data (Information specific to the review and update of each type of
geographic area).
Quality Control and File Submission.
Submitting Files through the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM).
Submitting Files on DVD.

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2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

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

Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management).
How to Install GUPS.
Using GUPS (Basics and Map Management).
How to Access BAS Shapefiles.
Import Data from the Census Bureau’s BAS Website.
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.
Making BAS Updates in GUPS.
How to Update Legal Boundaries.
How to Update Linear Features.
How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools.
Exporting a Printable Map.
How to Export ZIP Files to Share/Submit.
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 their desktop, the software should begin to run automatically.

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2020 Census: Document Name Respondent Guide

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PART 1

BAS OVERVIEW

PROCESS AND WORKFLOW

Figure 1 below illustrates the three phases of the work to be completed for BAS. The first
section of 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 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 that includes a DVD containing GUPS, this
respondent guide in portable document format (.pdf), and a read me text (.txt) file.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Once GUPS is installed, BAS shapefiles can be imported from the BAS website directly to the
GUPS application. Instructions on how to load data into GUPS appears in 5.2, Import Data from
the Census Bureau’s BAS Website. If a participant does not have internet access, they may
request shapefiles on DVD. To request a data DVD, call 1-800-972-5651 or email
.

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 508-compliant version of this guide is available at .
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 1-800-972-5651 and by email at .

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: .
Click here to enter text.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

REVIEWING BAS DATA
The Census Bureau requests that participants review and update all legal governments and
boundaries within their jurisdiction, including the new incorporation or disincorporation of legal
governments, 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 5.7 How to Import User-Provided
Data into GUPS.

2.1

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.

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 governments within their jurisdiction. These include:
•
•
•
•

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

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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 1: Available Change Types by Government Type
Entity Type
Incorporated Place

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

Minor Civil Division (MCD)

• New Entity
• Deleted Entity
• Addition or Annexation
• Deletion or Deannexation
• Boundary Correction (add)
• Boundary Correction (remove)
• Geographic Corridor
• Geographic Offset

County

• 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

Consolidated City

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

2.4
2.4.1

Requirements for Legal Boundary Changes
Boundary Changes to Legal Government

For a boundary change to an existing legal government (or the new incorporation or
disincorporation of a legal government) 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.

2.4.2

Boundary Changes to Legal Governments in Georgia and Indiana

For questions about required documentation for a particular jurisdiction, contact the
Geography Division by phone at 1-800-972-5651 or by email at .
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 government. 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 governments that reported boundary changes each year. Any legal boundary
changes to incorporated places not on this list will not be placed in the Master Address File and
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference (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

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 MTFCC, refer to Appendix C.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

To aid in the review of linear features, GUPS allows users to import local street centerline files,
hydrographic layers, imagery, and other user-provided geospatial data for reference and
comparison against the Census Bureau data.
In the review, please note:
•

•

2.6

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 governments, 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 hydrographic areas are not
legal governments, so no documentation or effective dates are required.
Allowable updates for area landmarks and hydrographic areas are:
•
•
•
•

Add new area landmark or hydrographic area.
Remove area landmark or hydrographic area.
Change or add landmark name.
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.
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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 2: Acceptable MTFCCs for New Area Landmarks/Hydrographic Areas
MTFCC

Description

H2030

Lake/Pond

H2040

Reservoir

H2041

Treatment Pond

H2051

Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

H2081

Glacier

C3023

Island

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent Care Facility

K1235

Juvenile Institution

K1236

Local Jail or Detention Center

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State Prison, or Prison Farm

K2110

Military Installation

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

K2185

Regional Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

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

K2190

Other Park, Forest, or Recreation Area (quasi-public, independent park,
commission, etc.)

K2424

Marina

K2540

University or College

K2457

Airport – Area Representation

K2561

Golf Course

K2582

Cemetery

Area Landmark/Hydrographic 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.

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.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

2.7

Reviewing Point Landmarks

Because many of the point landmarks contained in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER system
originate from the USGS 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).
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 area landmarks with these MTFCCs. Point 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
MTFCC

U.S. Census Bureau

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

MTFCC

Description

K2363

Office Building or Office Park

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

QUALITY CONTROL AND FILE SUBMISSION
3.1

Validating Updates

Once BAS updates are complete, please conduct a review of the change polygons using the
validation tools 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 are accessible 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 6.5, How to Use GUPS Review and Validation Tools.

3.2

Submitting Files through the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM)

Prompt submission of updates is welcome. 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 SWIM. Due to security
reasons, the Census Bureau cannot accept files sent via email or through its alternate File
Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites. For those without Internet access, see 3.3, Submitting Files on
DVD.
If participants indicated on their BAS Annual Response Form that they wished to receive or use
the GUPS application, they will automatically receive the SWIM URL and a registration token via
email. The email should arrive five days after completion of the Annual Response online (or five
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 or call 1-800972-5651. Once registered, the token will no longer be necessary to log into the system.
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.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

For step-by-step instructions to submit files through SWIM, refer to Table 49.

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 Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

PART 2

HOW TO USE GUPS

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.
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 the GUPS Interface - Including the Menu, Toolbars, Layers Panel 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.

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.
Exporting a Printable Map.

Section 7: Submitting Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM - Provides instructions to
submit files to the Census Bureau through SWIM.

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.
Before beginning the installation, check that the computer has the capabilities needed to run
GUPS (using Table 4).

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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 4 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 4: GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements
Hardware
Disk Space Needed to Run
GUPS:
4 GB
Disk Space Needed to Store
Shapefiles:
Shapefile sizes vary. To view
the size of the shapefiles,
right-click, and choose
Properties in the dropdown 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, Windows users need one of the
following operating systems:
•
•

Windows 8®
Windows 10®

Apple®:
0Mac 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.
Locate instructions for using Boot Camp at:
.

Supported Browser
SWIM runs on the two most
recent versions of each of
these major browsers:

•
•
•
•

Internet Explorer®
Google Chrome®
Mozilla Firefox®
Apple Safari®

IMPORTANT: Since Boot Camp requires a restart
of the computer to set up the bridge, be sure to
print the instructions provided at the URL above
before beginning installation.

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.
Note: GUPS continues to evolve through updates and revisions. As a result, some discrepancies
between the appearance of individual screens or buttons in this guide may differ from the actual
software received with the feedback materials. Other variations in color or styles may also exist.

4.2

How to Install GUPS

To install the GUPS application users must have Administrator privileges for their computer. If
an earlier installation of GUPS is present, please check that it is the correct version for this
year's BAS. Go to the GUPS tab and select the About GUPS option in the drop-down menu to
find the GUPS version number. If it is not GUPS Version 13.0.X-X or later, download the most
recent version and follow the setup instructions. Alternatively, compare the currently installed
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

version with the one provided on the Census Bureau’s installation DVD to ensure the latest
version. To complete the installation, follow the steps in Table 5.
Table 5: 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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 Setup.bat file.
Note: The name of this file will vary depending on the current GUPS version number, 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

A Welcome to QGIS 3.4.4-Madeira window pops up allowing users to import previous settings
used into the default profile. Users may choose to import their settings or to have a clean start.
Select the desired options and click “Let’s get started”.

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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 5

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

Note: The version needed for2021 BAS is QGIS 3.4.4 Madeira. If the exact same version of QGIS
exists on the computer, an instruction to uninstall and reinstall appears. Participants may retain
other versions of QGIS that may be in use for other programs but must reinstall if the same version
exists on the computer to ensure installation of the latest update.
Before proceeding with installation, close all other programs or applications. Once other programs
and applications are closed, click the Next button.
Step 6

The License Agreement screen appears.

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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 7

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.

The Browse button on this screen allows participants to browse the local computer for an
installation location. The Census Bureau recommends the installation of the GUPS application to
the default location: (e.g., C:\QGIS344) to prevent installation errors or issues. To begin the
installation, click the Next button.
Step 8

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result
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 9

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.
Step 10

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.

Step 11

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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).
From My Computer (if the files have been downloaded to the hard drive).

Table 6 shows the steps to open GUPS and start a new project using the Census Bureau
website. Table 7 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 6 and Table 7. 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
user-provided data).
If the shapefiles were received part of the GUPS package 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, Step 8.
Whether pulling the files 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\BAS2021\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.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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 6. 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.
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 perform and the
Result(s) of the action are in italics. For example, click the QGIS icon on the desktop, the software
should begin to run automatically.

Important:

X represents the current year in all images where 202x is used.
Table 6: Start a New Project Using Shapefiles from the BAS website

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Select QGIS Desktop 3.4.4 from the All Programs list in the Start Menu.

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

Step 2

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 is built on the QGIS open-source platform, there will be references to QGIS in
several locations within the GUPS application.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

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 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.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

Step 6

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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result
Independent City Users
Note that the Working County drop-down menu sorts 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 (an
example of this uses the State of Virginia) appears below, showing independent cities near the end of
the list because their FIPS codes are higher.

Step 8

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 ask to specify a data download location once per project. When a project has been closed
and reopened, the shapefiles automatically load, even if there were no changes 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.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

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 dropdown menu, select the type of entity to update. 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 13

Action and Result
Since the entity type ‘County’ was the selection and Jefferson County is named as the working
county, GUPS automatically fills the Entity Name field with ‘Jefferson County.’

If selecting ‘Consolidated City’ as the Entity Type, the name of the consolidated city-county
government automatically fills the Entity Name field.
If selecting ‘Place’ 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 selecting ‘State’ 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) highlights in yellow and
may be checked if necessary.

Step 15

All checked counties display in the Map View. If not wanted in the display, uncheck the box for that
county. To select additional counties to display (up to 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

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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

button at the bottom of

Step
Step 18

Action and Result
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 Layers Panel 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 19

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 20

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

Step 21

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result
If loading shapefiles using the ‘Census Web’ and ‘CD/DVD’ options is not successful, follow the
instructions in Table 7 or Table 8 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 22

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.
Step 23

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 24

Action and Result
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
box. Below is an example for Hanover Township, an MCD in Jefferson County, Indiana.

Step 25

U.S. Census Bureau

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 Layers Panel.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result
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 Layers Panel. 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.’

Step 26

When a project is opened in Map Management, any previously selected adjacent (or other selected)
counties may appear in cyan 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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) 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.

5.3

Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website

Follow the steps in Table 7 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 7: Download Shapefiles from the BAS Website
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

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

Step 2

Under ‘2021 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 3

Action and Result
Select the county(ies) or county equivalent(s) needed by clicking the box next to it. Up to five (5)
counties may be selected at a time. Once the counties selection is complete, click the Submit
button at the bottom left hand side of the page.

A prompt to save the file(s) appears.

Step 4

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.

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 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result
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.

Step 9

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

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 8.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 8: Download Shapefiles from ftp Site to a Hard Drive (State Users)
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

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

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 FTP site, no login information is required.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

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

Step 4

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

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_20_v2. 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 “20_v2”, because the “20_v1” files are sometimes also available in the folders.

Step 7

Select the county or counties to download 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

5.5

Using the 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.
Layers Panel.
Map View (where the data displays).
Toolbars (Standard toolbar, BAS toolbar, and Add Layers toolbar).
Status Bar (at bottom of page).

Figure 2. GUPS Main Page Layout

The purpose for each element on the main GUPS page is explained in 5.5.1 through 5.7.1 which
describe in detail the individual components and specific functions of each element.
Table 9: GUPS Main Page Elements
Page Element
Menu

U.S. Census Bureau

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 the functions
available from the menu are also available in the application’s more conveniently located
toolbars.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Page Element

General Function

Layers Panel

The Layers Panel 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 Layers
toolbar.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Page Element

General Function

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 Layers Panel in the GUPS application.

Status Bar

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

5.5.2

Layers Panel 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 Layers Panel.
Use the Layers Panel and the small toolbar appearing at its top to manage the map view.
Note that the Layers Panel and the Map View windows are interdependent. Selections made in
the Layers Panel are immediately reflected on the map display.
Close the Layers Panel at any time to see more of the map (just click on the small ‘x’ in the
upper right-hand corner).

Figure 3. Close Layers Panel

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

To restore the Layers Panel, 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 Layers Panel

The Layers Panel will then reopen and display in its default position on the page.

5.5.3

Managing the Map View from Within the Layers Panel

Within the Layers Panel, layer visibility can be managed (i.e., determine what layers display on
the map), data layers reordered, and new layer symbology set.
Manage Layer Visibility
To add or remove layers from the map view:
•

Click the checkbox next to a layer to turn it on in the map view.

•

Uncheck the checkbox next to a layer to turn it off in the map view.

Note: To remove a layer from the map document right-click the name of the layer and select
‘Remove Layer’ in the drop-down menu. The layer will be removed from the map document.
After removal, the layer would need to be re-added if needed again.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Figure 5. Managing Layer Visibility

Reorder Data Layers
In the Layers Panel, 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 Layers Panel.

Expand/Contract Layers Panel Menus
To expand or contract the menu for a layer or layer group:
•

Click on the ‘
name

•

’ sign to expand the group. When the box shows a check mark next to the layer
, the layer’s submenu opens:

Click on the box and uncheck next to the layer to close the submenu(s).

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

5.6

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 Layers Panel (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 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 Layers Panel and Map View.

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 10 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 10: Menu Tabs and Their Functions
Tab
Project

U.S. Census Bureau

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description
From the Project tab, click on ‘Save’ to save the
project, click on ‘Import/Export’ to create an
image file of the map in Map View, or exit the
application. When using ‘Export Map to Image’
sub-menu under ‘Import/Export’, GUPS provides
various image file type formats when exporting a
map view (.png, .jpg, .tif, etc.).

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Tab
Edit

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description
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 Layers Panel. 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.

View

Layer

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 Layers Panel if it has been
closed it (click ‘Panels’ in the drop-down
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 on the Main menu toolbar allows
you to Add Layer, Add from Layer Definition File,
Paste Style, Remove Layer/Group, Set Scale
Visibility of Layer(s), set Coordinate Reference
System (CRS) of layer(s), and set project CRS from
layer.
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
Layers Panel.

Settings

U.S. Census Bureau

The Settings tab provides access to User Profiles,
Style Manager, Custom Projections, Interface
Customization, and General Options for QGIS.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description

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.

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

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function/Description
The GUPS tab provides quick access to Map
Management, Geographic Review, Point
Landmark, Quality Control (QC), Import/Export,
and Imagery drop-down screens.

GUPS

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 13.0.X-X
current_202x1008. The. The number that
appears may be more recent based on the
user’s computer and software.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 11: Adjust Snapping Tolerances
Step
Step 1

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

The Snapping Setting dialog box opens.

Step 2

U.S. Census Bureau

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Within the Layer window, you will need to expand the layer menu to see all the layers

Step 4

Check the box next to each layer to snap. 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 to avoid intersection.

Step 5

To enable topological editing and/or snapping on an intersection, select either box.

Step 6

Exit out of the window. The new snapping tolerances are set.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

5.6.3

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 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, Style Manager button, Map Management
button, GUPS Data Settings button, the Search button, and the Select Features button.
The second sub-toolbar provides tools for viewing, navigating the map and creating spatial
bookmarks in Map View, and the third sub-toolbar is used to identify, select features by value,
deselect all features on the map, access processing tools in the Toolbox, and make
measurements.
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 Table 12.
Table 12: Standard Toolbar Buttons
Button

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

Save

Saves the current GUPS project, including any user changes to
layer properties, projection, last viewed extent, and layers
added.

Style Manager

Allows customization of map symbology.

Map Management

Chooses a geographic participant program in GUPS and access
the automatically loaded default map display layers based on
the program chosen.

GUPS Data Settings

Warning! This tool deletes files and folders permanently!
Change GUPSGIS data working directory and clean GUPS project
data.

Searches the map by place, landmark, or street name and zoom
automatically to the feature.

Pan Map

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.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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).

Zoom In

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.

Zoom Out

Displays the map in Map View at a smaller scale.

Zoom Full

Displays the map in Map View at a smaller scale and zooms the
map view to the full extent of the county.

Zoom to Selection

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
larger map scale.

Zoom to Layer

Zooms the Map View to the layer selected in the Layers Panel.
After selecting the layer, click the button to zoom to the layer’s
extent.

Zoom Last

Zooms the Map View to the previous map extent.

Zoom Next

Zooms the Map View forward to the next map extent (only if a
previous extent is available).

New Bookmark

Creates and names a spatial bookmark of the current map view.

Show Bookmarks

Displays all bookmarks created by the user.

Refresh

Displays Map View to initial full display.

Identify Features

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.

Select Features by Area or
Single Click

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Button

Name

Function/Description
Allows selection of features by value or expression.

Select Features by Value

Deselect Features from All
Layers

Deselects selected features from all layers.

Processing Toolbox

Displays list of processing tools available.

Measure

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.
Identify a Feature Using the Identify Features Button
To identify a feature on the map, follow the steps in Table 13.
Table 13: Identify a Feature on the Map
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 Identify all’ in the faces drop-down menu.
U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 3

Action and Result
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 Layers Panel, showing the feature attributes.
(Note that here the screen has been dragged from beneath the Layers Panel so that it sits over the
map.)

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 14 describes each of the feature selection methods, discusses when one might be
preferable over another, and explains how to deselect features.
Table 14: Select/Deselect Features on the Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
To begin, click on a layer name in the Layers Panel. 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

U.S. Census Bureau

To select an edge or face on the map, click on it. In this example, select ‘faces’ in the Layers Panel
and click on a face. The face selected turns cyan.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 4

Action and Result
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 several 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

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.
Step 6

U.S. Census Bureau

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

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.

Step 10

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. If the shape crosses several faces, all faces whose edges are crossed are selected and turn
cyan.
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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 11

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

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.
Step 12

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.

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 15. 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 15: Select Features by Querying the Attribute Table
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Select Features by Value button on the Standard toolbar.
In the drop-down menu, Select by Expression window opens. The window has two tabs: Expression
and Function Editor.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

Step 2

Under the Expressions tab, click the ‘
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.

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” =.

U.S. Census Bureau

’ symbol next to the items in the Functions field to display

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

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 on the map.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 16: View Layer Attributes Using the Attributes Table
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right-click the layer in the Layers Panel. 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.

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 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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.
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 one reaches 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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 4

Action and Result
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.
Step 5

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.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Table 18: Bookmark Locations on a Map
Step

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

Step 1

button on the Standard toolbar.
The Spatial 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). The bookmark is added.

Step 3

To view and manage spatial bookmarks, click on the Show Bookmarks button on the Standard
toolbar. The Spatial 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 bookmark button. To delete a
bookmark, click on the bookmark name, then press the Delete bookmark button.
Bookmark names and coordinates can be edited from the Geospatial Bookmarks dialog box.

5.6.4

BAS Toolbar Buttons

The BAS toolbar provides 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

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

Add Linear Feature

Add a new linear feature.

Delete/Restore
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.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Button

U.S. Census Bureau

Name

Function/Description

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.

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 Esri 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.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

5.6.5

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 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.
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
5.7.1

How to Import User-Provided Data into GUPS
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 Layers Panel in GUPS. Its buttons are described in Table 21.
U.S. Census Bureau

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Table 21: Add Data Toolbar Buttons
Button

Name

Function/Description

Add Vector Layer

Add vector-based shapefile and geodatabase files.

Add Raster Layer

Add raster-based shapefile and geodatabase files.

Add SpatialLite
Layer

Add data from a SpatialLite database.

Add/Edit Virtual
Layer

Add or Edit Virtual Layers.

Add PostGIS
Layer

Add PostGIS layer.

Add
WMS/WMTS
Layer

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

Add WCS Layer

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

Add WFS Layer

Add Web Feature Services (WFS).

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.

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Table 22: Load Shapefiles/Geodatabase Layers
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
Begin the upload. Click the Add Vector Layer
Source Manager dialog box opens.

button on the Add Data toolbar. The Data

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

To locate the vector dataset source, click the button with ellipses 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. Once the file is selected, click the Add button.
The shapefile/geodatabase is added to the Layers Panel 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

Action and Result

Step 1
Begin the upload. Click the Add WMS/WMTS Layer button
Source Manager dialog box opens.

on the Add Data toolbar. The Data

Step 2

Select the web mapping service. Click the Layers tab, then click the New button under the tab. The
Create a new WMS/WMTS 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

U.S. Census Bureau

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result
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 Layers Panel.

Step 5

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 Layers Panel.

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, follow the steps in Table 24.
Table 24: Add Imagery Files
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
Click the Add Raster Layer
box opens.

button on the Add Data toolbar. The Data Source Manager dialog

Step 2

Navigate to the folder where the imagery file is stored.

Step 3

Select the file, click Open and then click the Add button. 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

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, click the Open button.

The file loads into Map View.

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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 26 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 26: 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 Layers Panel.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Step

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 ‘Dupont Town’).
(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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

To select the faces to add to Dupont Town, 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 Dupont Town. Click on ‘Select
Features by Radius’ in the menu.

Step 6

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.

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 33 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.

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Step

Action and Result
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 7

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.

Since this is an annexation, click the ‘Legal Change’ radio button, then click OK.
Step 8

U.S. Census Bureau

The Create Change Polygons dialog box opens, with the State and County FIPS codes, and the place
name already populated.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

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.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

Step 15

6.1.2

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

Recording a Deannexation

Follow the steps in Table 27 to record a deannexation. The fictitious example in this table uses
Sayre City, an incorporated place in Oklahoma.
Table 27: 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 Layers Panel.

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.

Step 4

U.S. Census Bureau

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

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.

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 33 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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Step
Step 7

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

U.S. Census Bureau

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step
Step 9

Action and Result
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

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

Step 11

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.

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Step
Step 12

Action and Result
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.

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).

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6.1.3

Adding a New Legal Government (New Incorporation)

Follow the steps Table 28 to add a new legal government. In this example, a fictitious newly
incorporated place in Michigan is being added.
Table 28: Adding a New Legal Government
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 Layers Panel.

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 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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

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.

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.

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 14: 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 33 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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Step

Action and Result
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

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

Step 10

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.

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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 the documentation is saved.

The directories display, as shown below.

Step 12

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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 13

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

Step 14

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 a Government (Disincorporation)

Follow the steps in the table below to record a disincorporation. In this example, a fictitious
disincorporation for Minersville, Utah is shown.
Table 29: 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 Layers Panel.

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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Step

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 delete this Area feature?’

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.

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Step

Action and Result
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 30 provide an example for an annexation by a
place that crosses a county boundary. The fictitious example uses Brooklyn Village, in Dane
County, Wisconsin. It has annexed land in adjacent Rock County.
Table 30: 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

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
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.

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Step
Step 2

Action and Result
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.

Step 3

U.S. Census Bureau

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.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

Step

Action and Result

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 Layers Panel 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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Step
Step 6

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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Step
Step 8

Step 9

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

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 cyan.

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 33 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.

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Step 10

Action and Result
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, and name fields for Brooklyn Village.

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Step

Action and Result

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.

The directories display, as shown below.

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Step 15

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.

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 Dane County
map is reopened now, the faces will appear as part of Brooklyn Village.)

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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 30 in 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
government or governments with which it shares a government, proceed as any incorporated
place user would. That is, to annex land from another government within the consolidated
government area, treat it as one would any annexation within a county.
6.1.6.1 Making a Boundary Correction (Add Area/Remove Area)
To make a boundary correction that adds or removes area from a government, follow the steps
in Table 31. In this fictitious example, a boundary correction is made to the city limits of
Linwood, Kansas.
Table 31: 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 Layers Panel.

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 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.

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Step

Action and Result

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.

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.

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.

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Step

Action and Result
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).

Step 6

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

Step 7

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.

6.1.7

Adding a Geographic Corridor

The steps to add a geographic corridor are shown in the table below. The fictitious example
provided uses in 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 32: 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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Step

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.

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.

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Step
Step 5

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, ‘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

Action and Result

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.

Step 9

U.S. Census Bureau

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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 10

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

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.

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Step
Step 13

Action and Result
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.

Step 14

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.

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Step
Step 17

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

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Step

Action and Result

Step 20

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.

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.

6.1.8

Adding a Geographic Offset

To create a geographic offset, follow the same steps as for a corridor (Table 32). The only
difference is that geographic offsets are only on one side of the road.

6.2
6.2.1

How to Update Linear Features
Adding a Linear Feature

Follow the steps in Table 33 to add a linear feature.

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Table 33: 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 Layers Panel. 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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

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

Step 5

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.

Step 6

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 refer to Table 36). 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.

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6.2.2

Deleting a Linear Feature

To delete a linear feature, follow the steps in Table 34.
Table 34: 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 Layers Panel. Then zoom to the location on the map where
the feature will be deleted.

Step 2

Click on the Delete/Restore 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 and the Delete/Restore 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 color is removed from the line and the
line now appears with x’s through it.
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/Restore Linear Feature button
on the toolbar once, then press CTRL and click each of the features to delete. GUPS will delete all
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 the steps in Table 35.
Table 35: Restoring a Deleted Linear Feature
Step
Step 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result
Open in Map View the county that contains the deleted linear feature. Be sure the edges layer is
checked in the Layers Panel. Then zoom to the location on the map where the deleted feature is
located.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

Select the Delete/Restore Linear Feature Tool. Left click on the deleted feature. The deleted feature
turns cyan and the Delete Linear Feature dialog box opens. The box asks to confirm restoring the linear
feature.

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 36 to change the attributes (e.g., the name, MTFCC, or address range)
of a linear feature.
Table 36: Changing the Attributes of a Linear Feature
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
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 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.

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.
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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

If providing an address range for a linear feature, check the checkbox next to > Direction in the
Edges field in the Layers Panel. 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
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.

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Step

Action and Result

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 block sides, 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.

6.3
6.3.1

How to Update Area Landmarks and Hydrographic Areas
Adding a New Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area

To create a new landmark or hydrographic area, follow the steps in Table 37. In this fictitious
example, a golf course is added in Jefferson County, Indiana, located northwest of Dupont
Town.
Table 37: 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 ‘arealm’ layer is checked in the Layers Panel. 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.

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Step

Action and Result

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
hydrographic areas 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.

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Step
Step 6

Action and Result
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
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.

Step 8

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 33 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.

6.3.2

Deleting an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area

To delete an area landmark or hydrographic area, follow the steps in Table 38.
Table 38: 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 ‘arealm’ layer is checked in the Layers Panel.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

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
the top of the dialog box.

Step 4

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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.

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Step

Action and Result

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.

6.3.3

Adding Area to an Area Landmark or Hydrographic Area

Follow the steps in Table 39 to add area to an area landmark or hydrographic area.
Table 39: 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 ‘arealm layer is checked in the Layers Panel.

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BAS toolbar.

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

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/hydrographic areas in the county appears in the Info list.

Step 4

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

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Step
Step 5

Action and Result
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.
(Note: To select more than one face, depress the CTRL key, and while holding it down, click the other
faces.)

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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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 (see
Table 33 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.

6.3.4

Removing Area from an Area Landmark/Hydrographic Area

Follow the steps in Table 40 to remove area from an area landmark or hydrographic area.
Table 40: 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 ‘arealm’ layer is checked in the Layers Panel.

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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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Select the area landmark/hydrographic 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 or hydrographic area.

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 (refer to Table 33 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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6.4
6.4.1

How to Update Point Landmarks
Adding a Point Landmark

To add a point landmark, follow the steps in Table 41.
Table 41: 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 Layers Panel
(pointlm_18077 in this example).

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.

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Step

Action and Result

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 42.
Table 42: 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 shows a red x over it and marked in 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 43.

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Table 43: 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.

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
governments, features, landmarks, and boundaries not changed. Note: Although this tool
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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 44.
Table 44: 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.

Step 2

In the Layer Name: field drop-down menu, select the data layer to view:

In this example, the file “bas2x_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.

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.).

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Step
Step 7

Action and Result
First, select the layer to view (in this example, the county subdivision layer is selected).

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.

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Step
Step 9

Action and Result
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 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 governments, 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 45.
Table 45: Reviewing Change Polygons
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
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.

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Step
Step 2

Action and Result
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 Layers Panel.

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.

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Step

Action and Result

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.

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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 8

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 9

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 10

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 11

To correct a change polygon, click on its row to highlight it. The map zooms to its location and
displays all holes in cyan.

Step 12

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 13

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 14

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 15

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 16

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.
Step 17

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

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Step

Action and Result

Step 18

Use the drop-down menu for the AUTHTYPE field to select the authority type for the change.

Step 19

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.

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.

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Step
Step 20

Step 21
Step 22

Action and Result
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 23

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 46.
Table 46: Export a Printable Map
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Print Map to File button on the BAS toolbar.

The Print Map to File dialog box opens.

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Step

Action and Result

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.

Portrait View (left) and Landscape View (right)
Step 4

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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.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

Under Desired Page Size, click the radio button next to the desired page size.

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 BAS202x 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.
Step 8

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After selecting the location, type in a name for the file, then click Save.

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Step

Action and Result

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 BAS2021 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.
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 47.
Table 47: Exporting Files to Share with Another User
Step
Step 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result
Click on the Export to ZIP button on the BAS toolbar.

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Step
Step 2

Action and Result
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.
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.

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Step

Action and Result

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.

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 48.
Table 48: 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.

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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
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 upload to the Census Bureau through the SWIM. Refer to Section 7 Submitting
Files to the Census Bureau through SWIM

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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 SWIM, as shown in Table 49.
Note: Participants with existing SWIM accounts should use their user name (email address) and
password. If participants indicated on their BAS Annual Response Form that they wished to
receive or use the GUPS application, they automatically receive the SWIM URL and a registration
token via email. The email should arrive five days after the Annual Response is completed online
(or five business days after the Census Bureau receives the paper form. Participants without
existing SWIM accounts, should contact the Census Bureau at 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 49: 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 case sensitive email address and password.
Click the Login button. The Welcome screen opens. Go to Step 8.

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Step
Step 3

Action and Result
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 at least 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
Step 6

Action and Result
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.

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.

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Step
Step 13

Action and Result
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.

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.

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Step

Action and Result
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

APPENDIX ITEM
Table 50: BAS Contact Information and Resources

Action/Question

Resource

Contact

Request shapefiles on
DVD

Geography
Division

Call: 1-800-972-5651
Email:

BAS materials
questions

Geography
Division

Call: 1-800-972-5651
Email:

Legal boundary
questions

Geography
Division

Call: 1-301-763-1099
Email:
Fax: 1-800-972-5652

Ask guidance on areas
under legal dispute

Census Bureau
Legal Office

Call: 1-301-763-9844

GUPS technical support

Geography
Division

Call: 1-800-972-5651
Email:
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.

SWIM token questions

Geography
Division

Call: 1-800-972-5651
Email:

SWIM technical
support

Geography
Division

Submit output files on
DVD (if the participant
does not have Internet
access)

National
Processing
Center

Send to:
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 System:
• 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 (twodimensional 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 Corridor - 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 prefer that the area not be assigned to the
place.
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.

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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.

Figure 13. Annexed Area Corridor and Unincorporated Area
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
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), or include it in the place and
flag it as a corridor (Scenario C in Figure 15). What one should never do is include such areas
within the place boundary without flagging them as corridors
(Scenario B in Figure 15).

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Figure 15. Participant Responses
(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 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 area) 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 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

U.S. Census Bureau

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Figure 17. How a Boundary Should be Represented When Sent to the Census Bureau

Figure 18. Place Boundary – Front-Lot-Line
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
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_2021_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 Figure 17 and
Figure 18), 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.
U.S. Census Bureau

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APPENDIX C

MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS

The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a five-digit code assigned by the Census
Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census Bureau MAF/TIGER
products.
Table 51: 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.

C3070

Tower/Beacon

A manmade structure, higher than its diameter generally used for
observation, storage, or electronic transmission.

C3071

Lookout Tower

A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for observation.

C3072

Transmission Tower
including cell, radio and TV

A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for electronic
transmission.

C3073

Water Tower

A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for water
storage.

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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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.

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.

C3088

Landfill

A disposal facility at which solid waste is placed on or in the land.

G2100

American Indian Area

A legally defined state- or federally recognized reservation and/or offreservation trust land (excludes statistical American Indian areas).

G2101

American Indian Area
(Reservation Only)

American Indian Area (Reservation Only)

G2102

American Indian Area (OffReservation Trust Land
Only)

American Indian Area (Off-Reservation Trust Land Only)

G2120

Hawaiian Homeland

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

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.

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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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
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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

G3500

Urban Area

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.

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.

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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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.

G5040

Tabulation Block

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.

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.

G6100

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).

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MTFCC

Feature Class

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.

G6340

ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(Three-Digit)

An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) 3-digit ZIP Code service area.

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].

U.S. Census Bureau

Feature Class Description

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C-10

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

K1121

Apartment Building or
Complex

A building or group of buildings that contain multiple living quarters
generally for which rent is paid.

K1223

Trailer Court or Mobile
Home Park

An area in which parking space for house trailers is rented, usually
providing utilities and services.

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.

K1226

Housing Facility/Dormitory
for Workers

A structure providing housing for a number of persons employed as
semi-permanent or seasonal laborers.

K1227

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

A structure providing transient lodging or living quarters, generally for
some payment.

K1228

Campground

An area used for setting up mobile temporary living quarters (camp) or
holding a camp meeting, sometimes providing utilities and other
amenities.

K1229

Shelter or Mission

A structure providing low-cost or free-living quarters established by a
welfare or educational organization for the needy people of a district.

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent
Care Facility

One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive medical
or surgical attention [including infirmary].

K1233

Nursing Home, Retirement
Home, or Home for the
Aged

A structure to house and provide care for the elderly.

K1234

County Home or Poor
Farm

One or more structures administered by a local government that serve
as living quarters for the indigent.

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.

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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

K1241

Sorority, Fraternity, or
College Dormitory

One or more structures associated with a social or educational
organization that serve as living quarters for college students.

K2100

Governmental

A place where employees are employed in federal, state, local, or tribal
government.

K2146

Community Center

A meeting place used by members of a community for social, cultural,
or recreational purposes.

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

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.

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
Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or
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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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.

K2300

Commercial Workplace

A place of employment for wholesale, retail, or other trade

K2361

Shopping Center or Major
Retail Center

A group of retail establishments within a planned subdivision sharing a
common parking area.

K2362

Industrial Building or
Industrial Park

One or more manufacturing establishments within an area zoned for
fabrication, construction, or other similar trades.

K2363

Office Building or Office
Park

One or more structures housing employees performing business,
clerical, or professional services

K2364

Farm/Vineyard/Winery/Or
chard

An agricultural establishment where crops are grown and/or animals
are raised, usually for food.

K2366

Other Employment Center

A place of employments not elsewhere classified or of unknown type.

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.

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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
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.

K2564

Amusement Center

A facility that offers entertainment performances or sporting events.
Examples include arena, auditorium, theater, stadium, coliseum,
racecourse, theme park, fairgrounds, and shooting range.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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.

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).

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-15

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-16

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

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
Bureau use

Internal U.S. Census 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 2020.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

C-17

APPENDIX D

STANDARD STREET TYPE ABBREVIATIONS
Table 52: Standard Street Type Abbreviations
Street Name Type
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

U.S. Census Bureau

Standard Abbreviation
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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-1

Street Name Type
CREST
CROSSING
CROSSROAD
CROSSROADS
CURVE
DALE
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
U.S. Census Bureau

Standard Abbreviation
CRST
XING
XRD
XRDS
CURV
DL
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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-2

Street Name Type
HIGHWAY
HILL
HILLS
HOLLOW
INLET
ISLAND
ISLANDS
ISLE
JUNCTION
JUNCTIONS
KEY
KEYS
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
U.S. Census Bureau

Standard Abbreviation
HWY
HL
HLS
HOLW
INLT
IS
ISS
ISLE
JCT
JCTS
KY
KYS
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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-3

Street Name Type
PARKS
PARKWAY
PARKWAYS
PASS
PASSAGE
PATH
PIKE
PINE
PINES
PLACE
PLAIN
PLAINS
PLAZA
POINT
POINTS
PORT
PORTS
PRAIRIE
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
U.S. Census Bureau

Standard Abbreviation
PARK
PKWY
PKWY
PASS
PSGE
PATH
PIKE
PNE
PNES
PL
PLN
PLNS
PLZ
PT
PTS
PRT
PRTS
PR
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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-4

Street Name Type
STATION
STRAVENUE
STREAM
STREET
STREETS
SUMMIT
TERRACE
THROUGHWAY
TRACE
TRACK
TRAFFICWAY
TRAIL
TRAILER
TUNNEL
TURNPIKE
UNDERPASS
UNION
UNIONS
VALLEY
VALLEYS
VIADUCT
VIEW
VIEWS
VILLAGE
VILLAGES
VILLE
VISTA
WALK
WALKS
WALL
WAY
WAYS
WELL
WELLS

U.S. Census Bureau

Standard Abbreviation
STA
STRA
STRM
ST
STS
SMT
TER
TRWY
TRCE
TRAK
TRFY
TRL
TRLR
TUNL
TPKE
UPAS
UN
UNS
VLY
VLYS
VIA
VW
VWS
VLG
VLGS
VL
VIS
WALK
WALK
WALL
WAY
WAYS
WL
WLS

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

D-5

APPENDIX E
E1

GUPS TOOLS

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 53.
Table 53: Reset Layer Symbology
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right-click on the layer in the Layers Panel (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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-1

Step
Step 3

Action and Result
In the left-hand pane, click on Symbology, then double-click the symbol to be edited in the layers list.
In this example, ‘Roads, substr (“MTFCC, 1,1) = S1100’ is selected.

The Edit Rule dialog box opens and the Label and Filter fields display the item chosen. The Symbol
pane shows the current symbology (yellow line).

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-2

Step
Step 4

Action and Result
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 field. Click OK. The new symbology will
display in the Layers Panel and in Map View.

Change Label Display

To change the default labeling for a layer, follow the steps in Table 54.
Table 54: Change Default Labeling
Step
Step 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Action and Result
Right click on the layer (the edges layer is being selected) in the Layers Panel. The Layers drop-down
menu opens.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-3

Step

Action and Result

Step 2

In the drop-down menu, choose ‘Properties’. The Layer Properties dialog box opens.

Step 3

In the far left-hand pane, click Labels. The options to change the label display properties open in the
main window.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-4

Step
Step 4

Action and Result
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.

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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-5

Restoring Default Label Display Settings

To restore the default labeling for a layer, follow the steps in Table 55.
Table 55: Restoring Default Labeling
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right-click on the layer that was changed in the Layers Panel. 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 styles’, ‘Load BBSP
Edges style’, ‘Load Low profile Edges style’.

Step 3

Select ‘Load default style’ to restore the selected layer’s original properties OR select ‘Load all
default styles’ to reset ALL the layers to their original settings.

Using the Layers Panel Toolbar to Manage Layers

Using the buttons on the toolbar located at the top of the Layers Panel, users can add and
remove layers or groups, manage layer visibility, filter the legend by map content, expand or
contract all sections of the Layers Panel list at once, and group layers.
The Layers Panel toolbar is shown below in Figure 20. The function of each of the buttons on
the toolbar is described in Table 56.

Figure 20. Layers Panel Toolbar

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-6

Table 56: Layers Panel Toolbar Buttons
Button

Name
Open the Layer
Styling Panel

Customize symbology and labels of a selected layer.

Add Group

Allows the user to organize layers in the Layers Panel into
groups.

Manage Map
Themes

U.S. Census Bureau

Function/Description

Allows the user various view options
for Layers.

Filter Legend by
Map Content

Removes from the Layers Panel display any layers that are not
currently in the Map View extent. This feature ensures that
the Layers Panel does not contain entries for items not
currently in the map view.

Filter Legend by
Expression

Provides functions
which aggregate values
over layers and fields.

Expand All

Expands the Layers Panel menus (+) to display all layers under
each group’s menu.

Collapse All

Collapses the Layers Panel menus (-) to show only groups.

Remove
Layer/Group

Allows the user to remove a layer or group from the Layers
Panel.

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

E-7

APPENDIX F

MAF/TIGER FEATURE CLASSIFICATION
Table 57: MAF/TIGER Feature Classification

MTFCC

FEATURE NAME

S1100
S1200

Interstate Highway or Primary Road with limited access
Primary Road without limited access, US Highway, State Highway, or County Highway, Secondary and
connecting roads
Local Neighborhood Road, Rural Road, City Street
Vehicular Trail (4WD)
Ramp
Service Drive usually along a limited access highway
Walkway/Pedestrian Trail
Stairway
Alley
Private Road for service vehicles (logging, oil fields, ranches, etc.)
Private Driveway
Stream/River
Braided Stream
Canal, Ditch or Aqueduct
Railroad Feature (Main, Spur, or Yard)
Carline, Streetcar Track, Monorail, Other Mass Transit Rail
Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail Line, Tram
Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary
Pipeline
Power Transmission Line
Fence Line
Ridge Line
Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift
Airport or Airfield
Property/Parcel Line
Ferry Crossing

S1400
S1500
S1630
S1640
S1710
S1720
S1730
S1740
S1750
H3010
H3013
H3020
R1011
R1051
R1052
P0001
L4010
L4020
L4110
L4121
L4031
K2451
L4140
L4165

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

F-1

APPENDIX G

SHAPEFILE NAMES

State Shapefile Names - PVS_20_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 58: State Shapefiles Names
Shapefile Layer

American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal

aial

2010 American Indian Areas (AIA) – Legal

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

cbsa

Congressional Districts

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

unsd

County Shapefile Names - PVS_20_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.

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

G-1

Table 59: 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 Homelands (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

puma2010

Secondary School Districts

scsd

State Legislative Districts Lower

sldl

State Legislative Districts Upper

sldu

Subbarrios

submcd

Census Blocks - Current

tabblock

2010 Census Blocks

tabblock2010

2010 Traffic Analysis Delineation

tad2010

2010 Traffic Analysis Zones

taz2010

Tribal Block Groups

tbg

Tribal Census Tracts

tct

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

G-2

Shapefile Layer

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

areafaces

Topological Faces - Area Hydrography Relationship

hydrofaces

Linear Feature Names - Fielded

allnames

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

G-3

APPENDIX H

SHAPEFILE LAYOUTS
Table 60: Edges Shapefile (PVS_20_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_2010

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 61: Address Ranges Attribute File (PVS_20_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 62: Census Block Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_tabblock2020)
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 63: Census Tract Shapefile (PVS_20_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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-2

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

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 64: American Indian Areas Shapefile (PVS_20_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

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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-3

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

Shape

String

Type of shape

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

VINTAGE

String

Vintage of the Data

Table 65: County and Equivalent Areas Shapefile (PVS_20_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 66: County Subdivisions Shapefile (PVS_20_v2_mcd)
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

U.S. Census Bureau

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-4

Attribute Field

Length

Type

Description

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: Incorporated Place Shapefile (PVS_20_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

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

Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Digital GUPS

H-5

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) Respondent Guide: GUPS
Author	Robert S Thompson (CENSUS/GEO FED)
File Modified	2020-12-04
File Created	2020-12-04