Software Use & Access
ArcGIS Pro is installed on all Science Center computers, including the SAL (SR104), and Neilson Digital Media Hub Computer Lab (Neilson 012D). The SAL labs are open and available for use when classes are not scheduled in the room. View the SALendar (the SAL Calendar) here.
You can access ArcGIS Online (link goes to https://smithcollege.maps.arcgis.com/) through our organizational license using your Smith credentials.
If you have general questions about software access, contact us at sal@smith.edu. If you have questions about remotely accessing a Smith computer, contact CATS at cats-s@smith.edu.
Anytime you’re presented with the login page, expand Your ArcGIS organization's URL and type in smithcollege. Use your Smith credentials when prompted and authenticate using DUO.
If you would like ArcGIS Pro on your personal computer for Academic purposes, please reach out to sal@smith.edu sharing how the software will be used in the anticipated class or project. Please be aware that ArcGIS Pro only runs on Windows operating systems.
Another alternative is downloading QGIS, a free and open source software, direct from their website here. We recommend the Long Term Version for your operating system.
| ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Online | |
| Description | ArcPro is the latest desktop GIS program that has enhanced 3D and graphic capabilities, more interactive geoprocessing, and integration with ArcGIS Online. | ArcGIS Online is a collaborative web GIS where you can use, create, and share maps, 3D scenes, web applications, and data layers. |
| Platform | Desktop | Web |
| Interface | Ribbon | Toolbar |
| Integration with ArcGIS Online | Complete | n/a |
| Companion Applications | None, it's integrated | Commonly used: StoryMaps, Survey123 |
| Layout | Multiple | Single |
| 3D | 3D Scene | 3D web Scene |
| Analysis Capacity | No limit | Consumes credits by capability (except for: create viewshed, create watersheds, trace downstream). There are finite credits allotted and each analysis/hosting consumes credits proportional to the magnitude of the datasets |
| Analysis Capabilities | Robust | Limited |
| User account | License tied to user; account generated by Organizational login | Account tied to user; generated by Organizational login |
| User privileges | Unrestricted | Default is Publisher - can create maps, perform analysis, add items, share content, create groups, and publish features/map tiles as hosted web layers |
| Map file | Projects (.aprx) - which can include multiple maps. Note: remember to save! The program does not save automatically. | Cloud-hosted web map. Note: remember to save! The program does not save automatically. |
| Data Sharing | Local and cloud-hosted (edit feature services on-the-fly) | Cloud hosted - can set access to individual, a group within Smith, Smith, or public |
You can sign in to ArcGIS Online through the Organizational login using your Smith credentials. Then, open the application you want to use.
This is not an active bug, but should it happen again, here's what to do:
- OpenArcGIS Pro
- Expand the drop down menu “Your ArcGIS organization’s URL”, type smithcollege as shown below, and click continue
- Check the box in the bottom left hand corner and then click "Sign in using browser"
- If prompted with this pop up, select "Yes"
- After signing in with your Smith credentials and authenticating with DUO, choose "Open ArcGIS Pro"
- You will need to repeat this process and authenticate each time you open ArcGIS Pro on a new computer
If you continue to have issues, reach out to Kala'i (lellis@smith.edu) for more help.
We have an Esri Education Institution License that covers college-related academic purposes like teaching and research (restrictive if administrative), including installation on personal devices, as long as you use it for learning purposes. Here’s the rubric for determining permitted uses under the Esri Education Institution License Program. If you have further clarifying questions, please contact Heather (hrosenfeld@smith.edu) or Kala'i (lellis@smith.edu).
To collaborate outside of Smith with another organization that has an ArcGIS Online account, we can set up a Collaboration space for two organizations to edit content. Please contact Kala'i (lellis@smith.edu) with the following:
- A brief description/purpose of the project, who’s involved, the duration
- The other organization’s URL (for example, Smith’s organization URL is https://smithcollege.maps.arcgis.com/)
- What kinds of materials do you anticipate sharing – StoryMaps, data layers?
- Transfer collaborative content to a current user – if you own the content that was created as part of a collaboration (e.g. group project, faculty research), please organize items that need to be transferred in folders, and contact the SAL general account (sal@smith.edu) with the folder name and whom to transfer to.
- Transfer to your ArcGIS for Personal Use subscription – once you have your personal account, you can migrate the content using ArcGIS Online Assistant. For items that can’t be transferred with AGOL Assistant (such as StoryMaps) or if you need help, please contact the SAL general account (sal@smith.edu).
- Transfer to another ArcGIS Online organization – if your future employer or institution has an ArcGIS Online account and allows your content to be transferred there, you can migrate the content using ArcGIS Online Assistant. For items that can’t be transferred with AGOL Assistant (such as StoryMaps) or if you need help, please contact the SAL general account (sal@smith.edu).
- Delete – you can delete any content that you no longer need, and others are not dependent on (e.g. a web map that’s part of a StoryMap or web app).
Spatial Data
Please contact Heather (hrosenfeld@smith.edu) to be added to the GIS users group. To connect to Q and J drives:
- On a PC: File Explorer >> This PC >> Map Network Drive. Copy and paste \\ad.smith.edu\files\Academic\GIS\GISData for Q and \\ad.smith.edu\files\Academic\GIS\GISHome\username for J (replacing username with your username)
- On a Mac: In Finder >> Go >> Connect to Server or use the shortcut command + k. Copy and paste smb://ad.smith.edu/files/Academic/GIS/GISData to connect to Q or smb://ad.smith.edu/files/Academic/GIS/GISHome/username for J
By default, ArcGIS saves your work on the local desktop (C:/). You should always indicate the output location of your files to be your personal workspace (J:/ drive) so that you can access your work from any computer on the campus network.
Accidentally saving in your downloads folder or anywhere else in your C drive is the number one way folks lose track of files and maps! So, please reach out early and often if you have any questions about saving to J:/.
As long as you save your work in your personal workspace (J:/ drive), your work will be preserved until you graduate (and indefinitely if you deposit your data). Your ArcGIS Online content is guaranteed to be saved while you’re at Smith, but not indefinitely after you graduate or otherwise leave (reference above section for transferring your content).
Good sources to get started are Esri’s Living Atlas for the World, MassGIS for Massachusetts, the Data folder in the Q:\ drive, and data curated by sal_shared in ArcGIS Online. You can reference Data page for a lot more information, and consult with Heather (hrosenfeld@smith.edu), Kala'i (lellis@smith.edu), or the SAL Associates for help as well.
Please fill out this metadata form and contact Heather (hrosenfeld@smith.edu) for help preparing your data. Sharing data with future students is a great way to enable your work to live on.
Learning Resources
The SAL is accessible during the Clark Science Center hours – generally Monday-Friday 7am-6pm. Any Smith student, staff, or faculty with a valid OneCard has card access Monday-Friday 6pm-11pm and weekends 8am-10pm. The Lab is available for use whenever there isn’t a class (please check our SALendar). Heather, Kala'i, and student associates have regular drop-in help hours and are also available by appointment.
You can sign up to receive the SAL’s listserv, mapmonsters, for upcoming workshops and events. These are also posted on the SALendar.
Check our courses page!
tl;dr: At Smith, we offer GEO/ENV 150: Mapping Our World: Introduction to GIS each fall, and (new!) LSS 220: GIS for Landscape & Urban Studies, generally offered every spring. There's also a one credit IDP 109: Intro to GIS offered during some Interterm (J-term) sessions that's taught with QGIS.
To learn more about aerial imagery, including connections to GIS, we offer a two credit class, IDP 109: Aerial Imagery and Cinematography, every fall.
You can also cross-register within the Five Colleges, which offers introductory, intermediate, and advanced spatial analysis courses.
For ArcGIS/ESRI products, check out the ESRI tutorial gallery or one of their MOOCs. For QGIS, try their Training Manual or Gentle Introduction to QGIS in their Resources Hub. Brown University also has some excellent GIS tutorials. For more tailored recommendations, contact us.
StoryMaps
For ESRI materials, here's a step-by-step tutorial to get started with StoryMaps. Check the general FAQ for questions, and explore Esri resources and their StoryMap gallery for inspiration.
Former SAL Associate Lily Gould ('26) also created an excellent video tutorial for making StoryMaps.
The Classic format was phased out entirely in early 2026. If you have an older StoryMap and can no longer open it, that probably means it used the Classic format. Another sign is that the URL contains /apps/.
Contact sal@smith.edu for support on this. Depending on the data that went into your Classic StoryMap, we can probably help you access your materials and recreate your Classic StoryMaps in the now-standard ArcGIS StoryMaps format.
An express map is a simple locator/distribution map that you can create within the StoryMap builder that you can draw features and annotate. It only exists within the StoryMap you’re working in, as opposed to a web map that can be used in other StoryMaps and web apps. A web map is created in ArcGIS Online and then brought into StoryMaps. It can house layers, perform analysis, visualize, and prompt interactions with your narrative.
An express map is generally good for a simple sketch or helping your reader find a few locations without additional data, but a web map is better for most other uses.
Contact Heather (hrosenfeld@smith.edu) to set up a Shared Update Group, and then ensure that your StoryMaps or other projects are added to it.