Most efficient way to create and maintain shared maps containing shapefiles

Brian_Steiner

My map will contain shapefiles. I will share it with colleagues. More shapefiles will be added continuously in the future. Which is the most efficient way to create and maintain such a map? I assume that ArcGIS Online is recommendable. Probably maintenance may be done with a Python script for sporadic integration of new shapefiles. Before I start I want to ask whether this is a recommendable approach. Are there better ones?

AdamEversole1

I'm Assuming when you say shapefile its starts as one geographic area, then you will be adding other areas with each new shapefile.  This sounds like a job for the Append tool.

If you wanted the target of the append to be an ArcGIS online as a Hosted Feature Layer, it's totally possible. You could efficiently update this data by using ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online together.

Something like so:

1) Open the first shapefile in ArcGIS Pro.
2) Publish it as Hosted Feature layer.
3) When New shapefiles become available, Append it to the Hosted Feature layer. Repeat step 3

The result will be a single table that consolidates each shape that was gathered and then appended.

Other things you can do with a Hosted Feature layer is share them to member of your organization so they can add or edit the features with Collector for ArcGIS. 

Some Supporting Documentation:

Use web feature layers—Services | ArcGIS Desktop