Automatic metadata synchronization for referenced ArcGIS Online items.

JustinOdell — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:23:42 GMT

The Problem: Currently, when I add an authoritative public item from ArcGIS Online (e.g., the "World Database on Protected Areas " from the Living Atlas) to my ArcGIS Enterprise Portal, the item details (Title, Description, Access Constraints, Credits) are effectively a static snapshot taken at the moment I added it.

If the data provider (e.g., UNEP-WCMC or Esri) updates the description with critical new disclaimers or changes the "Terms of Use," my Enterprise Portal users are left seeing outdated information. To fix this today, I have to manually delete and re-add the item or write a custom Python script to scrape the AGOL metadata and push it to my Portal item.

The Proposed Solution: Please add a "Synchronize with Source" button (or a scheduled toggle) on the Item Details page for any item that references an ArcGIS Online URL.

Functionality: When clicked, it should query the original ArcGIS Online Item ID and pull the latest Title, Snippet, Description, License Info, and Tags, updating the local Portal item to match.
Automation: Ideally, this could be set to "Auto-Sync Weekly" so that authoritative datasets used in Enterprise always reflect the current status of the source data.

Benefits:

Data Governance: Ensures users are always seeing the latest disclaimers and usage constraints for external data.
Reduced Admin Overhead: Eliminates the need for custom Python scripts or manual monitoring of external items.
Trust: Increases user confidence that the external data they are using in Portal is accurately described.

Re: Automatic metadata synchronization for referenced ArcGIS Online items.

NicoleJohnson — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:38:56 GMT

I could use this, but with a slight modification: instead of a single "synchronize with source" button (or maybe "keep synchronized with source" setting), have that plus a "synchronize" button (or "keep synchronized" setting) for each metadata item (title, description, etc.). When I create an item from something from Living Atlas, I'm modifying it somehow (the pop-ups, the symbology, etc.)--otherwise, I'd just use it directly. Being able to still edit the description etc. would let me explain what I've done to the layer.

idea Automatic metadata synchronization for referenced ArcGIS Online items. in ArcGIS Enterprise Ideas

Automatic metadata synchronization for referenced ArcGIS Online items.

Re: Automatic metadata synchronization for referenced ArcGIS Online items.