User can't see surveys in survey123.arcgis.com but can in app

DavidPike

Hi,

We have a bird sighting survey built from 123Connect.  Each of those surveys is shared to 5 different groups and restricted so that only editors can see their submissions.  From the source hosted feature layer for each survey, a view has been created for each group - so that a group member can see submissions from their own group members in a WebMap, App etc. and an admin group where all submissions are visible in an app.

The group they belong to is posted as a hidden question which the view definition uses e.g. Field = North ensures only North group members can see those submissions via the view.

So:

Bird Sighting - Survey from

Bird_Sightings - feature layer used by the Bird Sighting Survey

Bird Sightings Admin  - Hosted feature layer view (all features visible)

Bird Sightings North  - Hosted feature layer view shared to North Group

Bird Sightings East - Hosted feature layer view shared to East Group

Bird Sightings South - Hosted feature layer view shared to South Group

Bird Sightings West - Hosted feature layer view shared to West Group

 

A user in for example the East group can download the survey form in the Survey123 Mobile App and submit data.  The same user when they go into the Survey123.arcgis.com website can't see any surveys at all.

Strangely, a member of the admin group (user is not an AGOL admin, only Mobile User - Data Editor) going to the Survey123.arcgis.com website can see all the forms and submissions.

I'm a bit confused as to what the reason is.

 

Thanks

ChristopherCounsell

I would have assumed that the Survey123 'Data' tab would look at the target layer as identified in the submission URL and Item Details. 

i.e. if you target a view, it would try to request data from the view using the itemid or service URL of the view layer.

However looking at a survey we have that targets an existing View Layer not created by publish:

• The survey item points to the View Layer we targeted
• The browser network traffic in the Survey123 website 'Data' tab makes requests to the underlying feature service.

Searching network traffic for the view itemid or service URL, no requests are made against the view. We also see 'all' features returned, including those that were meant to be filtered out. I imagine if you opened the network console you might see 403 permission errors for those that don't have access to the source FS via sharing/admin rights.

The user in the admin group can see it as it sounds like you've the source layer, or view created on publish, to that group.

I imagine it works correctly for a Survey that uses the View created by default on publish. But if you've adjusted the user controlled access methods (editing settings) to not let see features created by other users, that would impact it.

I'm not 100% sure what's going on with your setup (you mention one form and multiple forms) but hope the above helps. Other tips depend on your workflows, like do you allow inbox/sent folder edits. What you could consider:

• Have one form that allows one way submission (no sent/inbox, users can't see any features but those they submitted)
  • You could pass the group name in via URL parameter, open the question up, geofence it, or have a csv pulldata expression to get group based on username
• Don't use the Survey123 website at all:
  • Design options are limited
  • Forms use web app; field-app specific functionality doesn't work
• Use apps with Views
• Create multiple surveys, and then bring the layers together in the map (separate your data sources)

Personally I always target an existing service, so we can break the publishing connection between the original survey form and layer. We delete the original form and move the layer outside of the folder. Then use views. This stops accidents like sharing the original FS, or deleting/updating the original survey = bye bye data. Then we use web apps. The only challenge is tying the Reports back through apps.