# Upload Data

## Upload Data

​ Click "Upload Data" to launch the uploading window.&#x20;

![](https://1290289219-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MJsnHHmk9OWLYxtvEU3%2F-MJx62aZEhuMo0hrW6Ut%2F-MJx6b3SexylbDveCP6_%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=ed2271cc-538a-4536-a6c1-763cb1b86afe)

Then drag or select the data and follow the instructions on the screen. You can upload the shapefile or geojson file. <mark style="color:orange;">Please make sure to zip the shapfile without using a folder.</mark>

![](https://1290289219-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MJsnHHmk9OWLYxtvEU3%2F-MJx62aZEhuMo0hrW6Ut%2F-MJx6kK2dZH2sdCe98yO%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=022490d1-6f07-4503-97fd-54b633d0481f)

Uploaded data is shown in My Data list.&#x20;

![](https://1290289219-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MJsnHHmk9OWLYxtvEU3%2F-MJx7ywdB5vqU5NlviXg%2F-MJx8pEdN6NZdzC5u70Q%2FScreen%20Shot%202020-10-18%20at%203.19.08%20PM.png?alt=media\&token=264eaf92-3cba-414e-8a8b-5d81c252bdbe)

**iRedistrict without Site** requires only one layer to be uploaded, the polygon layer with population attribute. Depending on your scenario, this attribute may not be called population. It could be workloads, if your goal is to balance the workloads in each district.

**iRedistrict for Site** requires at least two files to be uploaded. One is the unit layer (the polygon layer with population attribute). The other one is the site layer, e.g. the school layer. The site layer must have the capacity attribute.

**It's highly recommended to simplify the unit layer** to improve the performance on both the server side and the client side. On the server side, it helps to reduce the server resources consumption and make the calculation faster. On the client side, it helps to make the map rendering faster. You can use [QGIS](https://qgis.org/en/site/forusers/download.html) to simplify the data. QGIS is a free and open source cross platform GIS desktop software.

## Walkaround the 10-character limitation on attribute name in shapefile

Attribute data in shapefile is saved in .dbf file. The .dbf file has a limitation on the length of the attribute name. The length cannot be longer than 10 characters. To walk around this issue, we allow the user to add a .csv file in the shapefile collection. When there is a .csv file included, the system will read the .csv file instead of the dbf file.&#x20;

In the utah-county shapefile below, utah-county.csv file is added. Standard shapefile doesn't have .csv file in it.

![](https://1290289219-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MJsnHHmk9OWLYxtvEU3%2F-MJx2Ye4DtY6OrYbYFT3%2F-MJx5B5WU4G4mZ0w2Twd%2FScreen%20Shot%202020-10-18%20at%203.02.41%20PM.png?alt=media\&token=c7e4fdd8-29f6-4c1e-b5d8-bc2c844d1bdb)

When .csv file is used, the attribute name can be longer than 10-character and be more descriptive.

![](https://1290289219-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MJsnHHmk9OWLYxtvEU3%2F-MJx2Ye4DtY6OrYbYFT3%2F-MJx5VsBstzIIQelg-G6%2FScreen%20Shot%202020-10-18%20at%203.03.29%20PM.png?alt=media\&token=67258ee1-a3d6-4cfa-a775-420b722afeaa)



