topic Re: Location Sharing in ArcGIS Field Maps Questions

Location Sharing

ScottSweet — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 20:24:36 GMT

What ESRI has done for data collection in the field is the most regressive thing I’ve seen in GIS for the past 20 years. I need to go into the field myself, record where I’ve been walking/driving and collect point features at the same time. That should not be a difficult task to accomplish, but ESRI has made this a multi-step process involving different licenses, different settings to enable the functionality, more processing in the office to get those track features onto a map, etc. This is a huge step backwards for ESRI when it comes to collecting data in the field. As the GIS Professional/Administrator, if I wanted to use the ESRI environment we paid for, which I do, I would have to take up two licenses because I have to assign myself a Field Worker license to record tracks in order to do any field work myself. At this point it would be easier to take a garmin etrex out in the field, record my tracks and waypoints and then bring them back into the office to put on a map the way I did with ArcGIS 3.2 back in 1999. Does anyone have a better workflow for this than going through the trouble of setting up the location sharing feature to record tacks and then getting those tracks from ArcGIS Online into a geodatabase? I thought it would be easy to record a track while also recording points but in Field Maps you can only do one or the other, not both.

Re: Location Sharing

AndreasHall — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:29:33 GMT

You may want to look into ArcGIS QuickCapture, it might be a better fit for your workflow. In QuickCapture you can capture points at the same time as you are capturing a line.

Field Data Capture & GIS Data Collection App | ArcGIS QuickCapture (esri.com)

ArcGIS QuickCapture Q&A from the Esri UC 2020 - Esri Community

"Can I capture a point observation while a line button is active? Yes. You can in fact capture multiple lines at the same time and while they are active, you can capture additional points. This is known as nested field data capture. Say for example you want to map the condition of pedestrian trails within a park as well as park furniture. You can activate the Trail in Good Condition button to capture a line as you walk, and capture benches and other park furniture as you go."

Re: Location Sharing

SarahSaint-Ruth — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 08:22:27 GMT

Hi @ScottSweet

Thanks for the feedback. The change was made to location sharing so it was a capability that could scale across the system and provide updates simultaneously to the office. I appreciate this had added additional set up and in some cases licensing. The above post recommending nested field data collection is something we are considering for ArcGIS Field Maps. Is this the workflow you need as in capturing a feature as a line whilst capturing other observations? Or is it you would like to leverage location sharing with your current licensing - assuming you are using GIS Professional User Type?

Re: Location Sharing

ScottSweet — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 19:45:33 GMT

Thank you for the clarification SarahSaint-Ruth. Yes, I was looking for nested field data collection but I found ESRI's environment extremely user-unfriendly. In order to make it work in the Field Maps App was to remove a license from one of our field workers and assign it to myself. I also had to find a way to enable the functionality through a lot of wasted time searching through help documents, on youtube and in this community. I have collected tracks/points in the field since 1996 and the way ESRI has done it now is more cumbersome than even when I had to post process my GPS data because of selective availability. My final solution was to use QField and/or MapIt apps which work flawlessly. So yes, the nested field data collection capability, without having to shuffle licenses around would bring ESRI back on par with simple open source solutions. I also looked into quick capture, and that has potential, but there is still a lot setup online and using the app in the field only allowed me to see big buttons to click on for individual feature collection. I could not see those points on a background map or watch the tracks all in one screen. I understand the idea of making things available immediately through ArcGIS Online, but for regular field data collection, that system is way to bloated and not so user friendly. Its much easier to use Qfield and push my data from phone to PC using Google Cloud. Thank you again for the answer.

Re: Location Sharing

SarahSaint-Ruth — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:54:37 GMT

Sorry to hear of your experience and thank you for taking the time to detail that and your needs. I've added your use case to our requirement around supporting nested data collection.

Re: Location Sharing

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 05:24:16 GMT

As a GIS Professional and org admin, I too wish I could utilise the Location Tracking options in Field Maps, as part of my role does involve field work and fire work - we don't have a lot of room for handing out multiple licenses to users to facilitate both Mobile Work capabilities and Admin responsibilities. It seems illogical that a GIS Professional isn't considered equal to a Mobile Work in terms of capabilities in the mobile app. I find it hard to believe this isn't a commonplace situation.

Re: Location Sharing

AndreasHall — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 06:27:08 GMT

This is a misunderstanding. The GIS Professional user type license has all the capabilities that the Mobile Worker user type license has.

Re: Location Sharing

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 06:53:38 GMT

So then why would I not be able to see Location Sharing as an option in Field Maps? My user account is set to Creator - Administrator.

Re: Location Sharing

AndreasHall — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 07:15:19 GMT

Yes, you are right. The misunderstanding is on me. A GIS Professional user type needs the ArcGIS Location Sharing add on license to be able to use location sharing. I would agree that this is not in line with the general expectation that a GIS Professional user type is equal in capabilities with lower user types.

To enable location sharing, your organization must first purchase ArcGIS Location Sharing licenses. This license is included in the Mobile Worker user type and is available as an add-on for all other user types.
Enable location sharing—ArcGIS Online Help | Documentation

Re: Location Sharing

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 07:18:48 GMT

Glad I'm not going nuts! Any suggestions on who we should contact to "petition" that this be a standard inclusion? I don't believe it needs to be available for all user types, but definitely should be for anything "above" mobile worker. That shouldn't preclude the ability to select a purely "office-bound" role from existing as I'm sure that is a legitimate option for many.

Re: Location Sharing

TimothyKing2 — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 05:06:43 GMT

Getting ready to look into this so thanks for the heads up. It does sound a little convoluted to me, but if you are using an iPad with Quick Capture you may be able to see the map at the same time. I used the Road Management Solution and the included Quick Capture app on both an iPhone and an iPad and the iPad had enough screen space to show the map along with the buttons.

Re: Location Sharing

gonzalad348 — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 18:10:46 GMT

I too find this to be unnecessarily convoluted. I've search way too long (help pages, videos, etc.) just to see I'm not the only one who thinks location sharing should be bundled with the professional plus license. I still haven't figured out how to add the "add-on location sharing license" that the mobile worker page says is available. I've found that most ESRI help pages leave me with more questions than answers and point to capabilities, yet rarely provide a link to the resource. Ex: the add-on license for location sharing license. Still haven't figured out how to purchase, or enable this.

Re: Location Sharing

KirkMason — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:22:42 GMT

Hi Lindsay, I know this is very late, but I've run into the same issue nearly two years later. I've created a new post hoping that it receives more attention, please feel free to join in if you are still affected by this.

Best regards from another WA based GIS Officer.

Re: Location Sharing

KirkMason — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:23:41 GMT

Hi Timothy, I've created a new post about this issue hoping that it receives more attention, please feel free to join in if you are still affected by this.

Re: Location Sharing

KirkMason — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:24:03 GMT

Hi there, I've created a new post about this issue hoping that it receives more attention, please feel free to join in if you are still affected by this.

Re: Location Sharing

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:07:54 GMT

Thanks for the tip about the new post. Good to see another WA rep on board! Seems nothing has changed regarding the lack of tracking functionality for Administrators/Professional Plus users, or the lack of development around nested feature development. The latter being something our organisation would utilise!