Enterprise GIS

An enterprise GIS is a geographic information system that is integrated throughout an entire organization. This intergration allows for a large number of users to manage, share, and use spatial data and related information to address a variety of needs, including data creation, modification, visualization, analysis, and dissemination. An enterprise GIS is a long-term or permanent creation in contrast to a Project GIS, which is a specially designed GIS that is used for a single project.

There are four general steps to building an enterprise GIS:

1. Determine the needs of the organization

2. Decide on data design such as organization, layout, metadata, etc.

3. Acquire the necessary data. This can be done through gathering in-situ data or copying the data others have compiled.

4. Building applications for and maintaining the database.

Enterprise GIS model also differs from Project GIS in data structure.