topic Re: Intersect two feature layers in Experience Builder? in ArcGIS Experience Builder Questions

Intersect two feature layers in Experience Builder?

ZenMasterZeke — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:57:07 GMT

I have an Arcade expression in AGOL Experience Builder where I'm trying to intersect two layers: a point layer named sites and a polygon layer named counties. I want to get the count of counties that have a site in them.

I retrieve each layer using FeatureSetByPortalItem (since apparently ExB has no profile variables like $map) and include geometry. This works fine for both layers. But the code

var result = Count(Intersects(counties, sites));

gives the error "Test execution error: Execution error - Invalid parameter. Verify test data.". What is the problem here, and is there a way to fix or get around it? Thanks!

Re: Intersect two feature layers in Experience Builder?

EMani — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:07:23 GMT

Hi @ZenMasterZeke

I had a similar case with Field Maps, where geometry needed to be set to false, so this might also work for you with Experience Builder...

If you ask Field Maps to load geometry (true), it often FAILS.
This is a known Field Maps issue with FeatureSetByPortalItem.
When geometry fails to load, Field Maps gives you an empty layer → Intersects finds nothing.

If you don’t ask for geometry (false), Field Maps works.
Field Maps can fetch the geometry when needed.

So:

includeGeometry = true → Field Maps breaks
includeGeometry = false → Field Maps handles geometry itself → works

Why this happens:

Map Viewer runs Arcade on Esri’s servers.
Because it runs on the server, it can automatically access full geometry from any layer, even if you set:

includeGeometry = false

Intersects belongs to a group of functions that can fetch geometry later, during the calculation. Because of this, both Map Viewer and Field Maps can run:

Intersects($feature, FeatureSetByPortalItem(..., false))

without needing geometry upfront.

Re: Intersect two feature layers in Experience Builder?

ZenMasterZeke — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:28:05 GMT

Thanks @EMani , but that didn't work in ExB. Same error. Full code in expression, if helpful:

// Counties var counties = FeatureSetByPortalItem( Portal('https://www.arcgis.com'), '12345089c11a4913b0768381fa012345', 0, ['Name'], false ); // Resource sites var sites = FeatureSetByPortalItem( Portal('https://www.arcgis.com'), '12345e6579894e739285f626c7e12345', 1, ['Name'], false ); return Count(Intersects(counties, sites));

Re: Intersect two feature layers in Experience Builder?

EMani — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:38:26 GMT

@ZenMasterZeke

You might need to replace the last line with:

return Count(Intersects($feature, sites));

This is what worked for me:

Re: Intersect two feature layers in Experience Builder?

ZenMasterZeke — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 18:33:55 GMT

@EMani

Thanks again. Unfortunately, the error popping up with that is that it doesn't recognize $feature. There are no profile variables in the ExB Arcade profile. Documentation does say it includes the Geometry function bundle, which includes Intersects. It's a mystery!