Understanding spatial reference

When you create a new feature class or feature dataset, you need to set the spatial reference for the data it will contain. The spatial reference consists of the coordinate system, spatial extent, and precision of the data.

The spatial reference for a standalone feature class or feature dataset is composed of a coordinate system, the spatial extent, and a precision value.

You can create a new spatial reference or import one from another spatial dataset. When you import a spatial reference, you are provided with default values which will often meet the needs of your data. If they don't, you can modify the default values.

As you saw in a previous concept, you can also create a new geodatabase feature class by importing data stored in another spatial format. The spatial reference associated with the data you're importing also imports with default values that you can accept or modify.