Why install Field Maps in Enterprise?

SteveWaldron

We have an ArcGIS Enterprise Portal (10.8.1) (testing environment) where we installed Field Maps and it shows up in the Apps Launcher. We can publish a hosted web layer and web map to the portal, call it up in Field Maps on a mobile device and edit data with the form. It looks like we can design a UI form for data collection when we use it = we see our form display when .

In our separate production environment (also 10.8.1) we have not installed Field Maps and it does not show up in the Apps Launcher. Yet, when we publish a hosted web layer and web map to the portal, call it up in Field Maps on a mobile device, we can edit data with a form display that we did not attempt to customize.

Question(s):

Why is it necessary to install Field Maps in ArcGIS Enterprise (AGE), if we can still edit/collect data housed in AGE without it being installed?

What is the purpose of installing Field Maps in AGE? 

jcarlson

I haven't lost any Dashboard functionality in 10.9.1, and Classic still works just fine if you need it.

But to @SteveWaldron 's question: In future versions of Portal, Field Maps should be built in. At 10.8.1, it was still an "extra" thing you needed to install. What you're installing when you install "Field Maps" isn't the same thing as the mobile app. It's simply a web-based management portal that allows you to further customize and manage the way mobile workers can interact with your maps.

As @RobertBorchert notes, this includes making the form more customized and specific to certain tasks, as opposed to the default form, which is converted from the popup. It also allows you to configure offline areas for users who may not have a data connection, as well as per-map settings for required GPS accuracy, snapping, batch editing, etc.