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Workforce Project Sync Delay & Ongoing Issues

ModernGIS

Greetings:

This has been an ongoing issue and looks like there are similar issues/complaints from other Workforce Users/Admins. Want to provide new information and see if anyone has any insight

Mobile Device for mobile worker has solid internet connection, either thru mobile network or office Wifi Connection. The app/project is set to auto-sync, but does not regularly do that.

Forman has to hit the sync now (manual sync). However, it goes for a long period of time (almost 10 minutes) and does not finish.

Only solution we have found is to Log-out of the Android Workforce App, re-log in and do a force sync. Most of the time, this works. However, this is very inconvenient for our field crew(s), since they cannot stop of (5) minutes to manually sync the project to get new assignments from the office.

Would like to find a way to resolve this if anyone has any feedback (current workforce users/admins, ESRI programmers, etc). Our department supervisors and crew foreman are constantly complaining to me and I have no solutions or work-arounds.

Thank You

@LizArmstrong

@CraigGillgrass

@ShawnDerrington

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Accepted answers

PiyaliKundu2

Hi @BigLouC - You can continue to leverage and integrate with Survey123 when using tasks with Field Maps. Tasks essentially allows you to add an integration link action to your task layout template (i.e., as a button) so it would operate in the same manner Workforce's integration with Survey123 did (i.e., a button to launch a survey). Furthermore, the nature of that survey can also be more dynamic, as the integration links in tasks can be configured with Arcade, and therefore, dynamically generated based on your other data/factors.

In terms of differences in UI/workflows between Survey123 and Field Maps, there are still quite a few differences between the two.

Field Maps supports Arcade, but not custom Javascript. So if your survey is pulling data from non-ArcGIS/third party sources, that could be a limitation. Field Maps's Arcade could pull data from other layers in the map or even feature services in the org (via FeatureSet functions), but not third party data sources.
Field Maps does not support grid UI, and is vertical scrolling only. It does support grouping of questions in the editable form which can be expanded/contracted and that setting can be set as default.
Field Maps currently does not yet have multiple-select question types; however, this is a feature we are working to implement in the future.
Field Maps currently does not support graphical signature UI question types, which could be a legal requirement for some forms.
The Field Maps UI cannot be custom colored.

In terms of the "nested question", I would need to understand that a bit better. Can you provide a screenshot or configuration XLSForm? You can use Arcade calculations to copy answers between form inputs in the editable form. And you could use the new tasks capability's action buttons to copy data from even a related record to a parent feature, but there could be some limitations here depending on more nuances of the nature of your form.

All-in-all, I imagine that Field Maps could easily replace Workforce in your situation, as being the means to view assigned tasks in a list, update the status of the task, and open a Survey123 survey. However, it's not clear yet to me if Field Maps could also replace Survey123 for your use case, and I would advise to initially keep the role of Survey123 as-is in your workflow until further testing and exploration could be done to identify any gaps or changes in functionality.

In terms of location updates - yes, workers can either opt to share their location or be required to share their location in Field Maps when opening a map - similar to Workforce. The one current difference in sharing location between Workforce and Field Maps is that workers cannot yet share their work status (i.e., Working, On break, Offline) using location sharing in Field Maps. This is something else that is currently under development as we understand this could be an important feature in users workflows.

I hope this helps!

All comments

ModernGIS

@PiyaliKundu2 @LizArmstrong

Wanted to revisit this threat with the recent updated announcement of Field Maps with Tasks. My plan is to use the feedback from this threat over the past year to prepare a proposal to transition from Workforce to Field Maps. A couple of things I would like clarified to assist with my write-up proposal:

Related to the ongoing Workforce Syn issue with Hosted Feature Layers created/updated from ArcGIS Pro - Is this also an on-going issue with the latest and future released of Field Maps?
At which time, will AGOL Workforce (both web browser and Android App) be completely unavailable and no longer usable by ESRI users?

Appreciate your ongoing assistance

ModernGIS

@PiyaliKundu2

Again, I appreciate you taking the time to write all this out and explain ESRI's purpose. What I will need to do is to continue to make sure our current Workforce and Survey123 platform is intact since it has become one of our main tools between our Operation's staff and the field crew(s). Honestly, they rely on it to be functional for all of the day-to-day tasks and activities.

I will start working on some additional research for transition, talk with my Operation's team and prepare a Project Plan to transition from Workforce to Field Maps.

I will reach out if there are any questions or concerns.

All the best.

PiyaliKundu2

Hi @ModernElectric - Completely understand the frustration with continually needing to replace solutions and re-train workers.

While Workforce is planned to be deprecated, as per our announcement , we have no plans to end support for Field Maps. In fact, the plan to integrate Workforce's capabilities into Field Maps has been in the roadmap for both products for over 6 years. It's taken several major updates on the Field Maps side - also hinging on the evolution of the Maps SDK - to reach this point in development.

The ultimate goal has been to bring all the capabilities of Collector, Explorer, Tracker, and Workforce into a single app, rather than siloing relatively related capabilities in singular "bite-sized" apps and complicating workflows. Moving forward, Field Maps will continue to be supported and updated regularly as Esri technology continues to evolve.

It is our hope that, with the way tasks in Field Maps has been designed, it will be relatively easy for users to transition their workflows over, take advantage of greater flexibility and more advanced capabilities, and make it an easier experience for their users to transition as well through intuitive design. Additionally, utilities users will be able to take advantage of all of Field Maps's support for Utility Network capabilities as well, all within a single app.

Should you need it, we are happy to schedule a call to discuss your concerns, workflows, and transition plans and help provide guidance through this process.

PiyaliKundu2

@ModernElectric Understood. Sync is a complicated process that involves many factors - connectivity and data integrity being among them.

Field Maps has a few advantages over Workforce in this regard, since it is not only built on the latest SDKs, but has been more updated on the web and mobile side.

In terms of configuring your map/data and ensuring it meets offline standards, Field Maps Designer's Offline tab includes a series of checks to ensure that your data/map meet the standards and requirements needed to take the maps offline. And we are constantly updating this series of checks to ensure we are catching all the potential problems (especially as Esri's APIs and SDKs evolve).
In terms of connectivity, Field Maps mobile app allows the user to also use both the online map and offline areas (preplanned and adhoc) in tandem rather than being limited to purely one or the other. Similarly, the map author can also prohibit users from these options as well to steer the configuration and user experience in the way that works best with your workflow.
Finally, Field Maps supports more methods of configuring your offline data workflows, including being able to configure and leverage multiple preplanned offline areas, using MMPKs for advanced disconnected workflows, sideloading or hosting a custom basemap v/tpks meant for offline use in your portal and reference them in the map so that they are downloaded automatically when the user takes the data offline - to name a few.

If issues arise with offline workflows, as always, we encourage users to log and escalate Support tickets so that problems can be assessed from multiple angles by multiple teams and we can identify the source of the issue, whether it is an issue with Field Maps, the environment performance, the data, or something else.

In general, I think the most powerful capability of Field Maps over Workforce is the simultaneous online map/offline areas options - therefore, if your worker has connectivity and runs into an offline sync issue, then they can switch to the online map and resume their work there.

In terms of resources, in addition to updated Field Maps documentation, you can check out:

What's new in ArcGIS Field Maps (25.2.0 release)
ArcGIS Field Maps: Introducing Tasks
Data Collection Techniques

We are also working on short tutorials on tasks as part of our Tips from the Team series. We are also working on crafting documentation and Python scripts specifically on migrating from Workforce to Field Maps.

Hope this helps!

PiyaliKundu2

In terms of differences in UI/workflows between Survey123 and Field Maps, there are still quite a few differences between the two.

Field Maps supports Arcade, but not custom Javascript. So if your survey is pulling data from non-ArcGIS/third party sources, that could be a limitation. Field Maps's Arcade could pull data from other layers in the map or even feature services in the org (via FeatureSet functions), but not third party data sources.
Field Maps does not support grid UI, and is vertical scrolling only. It does support grouping of questions in the editable form which can be expanded/contracted and that setting can be set as default.
Field Maps currently does not yet have multiple-select question types; however, this is a feature we are working to implement in the future.
Field Maps currently does not support graphical signature UI question types, which could be a legal requirement for some forms.
The Field Maps UI cannot be custom colored.

I hope this helps!

ModernGIS

@PiyaliKundu2

Thank you for the update.

The biggest question I have is the functionality and collaboration efforts more stable with the updated release of ArcGIS Field Maps with Tasks versus ArcGIS Workforce? I am specifically referring to the sync issues that the ESRI User community has been having issues with.

There are many times that our field locators and crew foreman need to receive time sensitive documents and service orders on their field tablet(s) while in the field.

With everything I am responsible for creating, maintaining and updating, I have not had the opportunity to explore the new features. Is there anything published you can refer me to in the line of a tutorial?

Appreciate it.

PiyaliKundu2

Hello @ModernElectric - Just a quick update that tasks has now been fully released as part of the latest Field Maps update, so it is currently out of beta, in case that helps with testing and implementation.

Yes, you're correct - Tasks is a feature in ArcGIS Field Maps mobile app, therefore you would have to change your workflows over to Field Maps. I will note that Workforce is planned for deprecation in Q1 2026 and is planned for retirement in Q3 2026 (link to deprecation notice).

Your mobile crews can do most everything that Workforce mobile app can do using the new Field Maps tasks capability including:

Updating statuses using a simple button UI;
Receive notifications for newly assigned tasks;
Link to Survey123 surveys, or other third party systems (using an enhanced and more flexible integration mechanism);
Navigate to tasks using ArcGIS Navigator or other navigation apps;
Leverage location sharing to track worker locations and even notify them (using Field Maps geofences) when they are close to a new task feature.

Best of all, tasks can be enabled on your existing data, can adjust to your schema and data structures with little tailoring and requirements, and can take advantage of all the new advancements in ArcGIS and Field Maps including using view layers, Arcade in calculations and popups/visualization, configurable popup elements and more.

BigLouC

@PiyaliKundu2

Good points @ModernElectric

Our current workflow uses Survey123 and WorkForce. As an inspector selects a request assigned in WF, it then opens in S123 pulling information from several sources using the javascript behind the scenes. We also take advantage of the nested question option in S123 XLSForm that allows users to see an answer, copy paste into another comments field, like a reference book. I have not seen these options or formatting options, templates in Field Maps.

Also does field maps allow to have user location updates like WF?

thanks

ModernGIS

@PiyaliKundu2

Thank you for the consideration and the provided information. I have been hearing alot about the new functionality within workforce (Tasks). Here is what I am unsure of:

Our current operation's staff and field crew(s) are highly involved in using Workforce for all daily activities (Dispatchers in the office on desktop computers and field crew(s) foremen as Field Workers on the android app). The way I am reading "enhanced version of Workfoce called Tasks within Field Maps" indicates to me that we will or may need to switch to using Field Maps to take advantage of these enhancements?? Is this correct? OR are these new enhancements in the actual Workforce App itself?

You also mentioned a Beta version. Is this something I can take advantage of to experiment and test with my own company data?

Please advise so I can be better educated.

Thank You

PiyaliKundu2

Hello @BigLouC @ModernElectric -

We understand that this experience with Workforce is frustrating and I will forward this BUG case to our product leads to consider.

We are also in the process of releasing an enhanced version of Workforce called Tasks within Field Maps with our next mobile release this fall, both of which are built on the latest SDKs.

Tasks will provide a far more improved experience and performance as it will be able to take advantage of both, the latest tech in the platform (e.g, view layers, Arcade, popup elements) and support a vastly simplified architecture which will allow users to configure and tailor tasks closer to their desired workflows (e.g., Status values, action buttons, symbology/labels/popups).

You can learn more about tasks in our latest blog article, and also join our Early Adopter Program to help beta test tasks before it releases. We definitely encourage all Workforce users to give tasks a try and start checking out the capabilities early, and many Workforce users are already in the beta. We look forward to hearing your feedback about this new capability.

BigLouC

Same here. I dont like throwing anyone under the bus, but I gets tiring repeating the same thing, "they are working on it"

ModernGIS

@BigLouC

Thank you for the update. This has been an on-going issue for us, and from the other posts on the community page by other users, it has been a struggle for them as well.

I have had our user(s) in the field re-download the map/project, un-install the android application, confirm a strong internet/wifi connection and still have issues with the data syncing. Me being the programmer/administrator for our GIS system, all questions/frustrations have been coming to me and I don't have any good answers.

BigLouC

Hi @ModernElectric

FYI

BUG-000176828 - ArcGIS Workforce App Sync keep pending on iOS devices upon clicking cancel sync.

Status: In Review
Alternate Solution:

Remove and re-add (re-downloading) the project as a mobile worker.

I cant see the information for it. I dont have admin rights, but they created this for me.

ModernGIS

@BigLouC

We have had on-going issues, but I have not really been able to identify any patterns to why and/or when the sync fails.

One of the things we also did was limit the number of features included in a project. Example: Doing our detail power pole inspection, has limited it to a feeder(s) versus large areas. This seems to help with the loading of data and sync.

However, it is also known that a constant internet connection is required. Our field tablets are on the Verizon network and with the area we are in, there is no lack of signal. The crew(s) always has full bars, so this is not a contributing factor.

We have started the same thing with the crew, that if they see syncing is not working, to log-out of workforce/field maps and relog-in to reestablish. Most of the time, this works, but is very inefficient since the foreman and/or service man cannot constantly check their tablet for new assignments. They rely on them auto-populating and being notified as designed and no log-out/log-in multiple times a day.

BigLouC

Hi @ModernElectric ,

Any news or updates regarding this issue? Were you able to get a ticket with them?

This issue continues on our end and tried all the workarounds:

reduce the number of records
make sure sync was on
log off at night and log back in the morning

On some of the users, the auto sync shows an error message. On others, the cancel sync never stops spinning.

They reload the map multiple times and nothing changes.

On some an message says that one sync will be lost if they reload the map.

I know that ESRI probably doesn't care about Workforce anymore since its moving to Field maps, but for the ones still using it, is there anyone still working on issues? @PiyaliKundu2

Thanks

PiyaliKundu2

Hello @ModernElectric,

My name is Piyali and I'm a Product Engineer on the Field Apps team, supporting ArcGIS Workforce. We're sorry to hear that you are experiencing these sync issues. Sync issues can occur for a number of different reasons, including underlying issues related to network, device, and data, so it would be great to better understand your specific implementation, workflows, devices, etc.

Have you been able to contact Esri Support and log a Tech Support Case as these sync issues are occurring? That would be the best first step so that we can gather these details and explore further and try to reproduce the issue on our end.

Thank you,

Piyali

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