topic Re: How to edit the current date and time in ArcGIS Field Maps Questions

How to edit the current date and time

RachelS — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:50:59 GMT

Hi,

I'm looking to have the current date in a form with also the option to click in to edit it.

I've been able to add the current date with now() expression however, in the form it won't allow me to click in to edit it if needed.

In the form properties if I tick 'Allow Editing' it says it must be disabled when there is a calculated expression.

Does anyone know of a way to have both, like it is in Survey123.

Thanks

Re: How to edit the current date and time

IssyAmis — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 14:10:55 GMT

Hi @RachelS

If you set up your date and time question without any default dates, it should automatically fill in with the current date when you click to answer the question. You will then either be able to keep the current date or change this.

Could you try this and let me know whether you experience the same behaviour and whether this is sufficient or you would like to achieve a different behaviour?

Thanks!

Issy

Re: How to edit the current date and time

RachelS — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:08:52 GMT

Hi @IssyAmis

The form currently has 'No Value' in the date field and staff have to click into the field then click ok for it to input the current date.

I'm trying to streamline the form with as few clicks as possible.

In Survey123 the current date appears in the field and users don't need to click near it unless they want to change it. I was hoping to have the same in FieldMaps.

Every Click counts!

Re: How to edit the current date and time

BrianBulla — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:24:07 GMT

For the date, just create an Arcade expression. One line is all you need:

return Now()

This will return the date/time in whatever format you have the field setup for, but it will populate as soon as the user opens the form. They can always just tap in and make any changes needed.

Re: How to edit the current date and time

RachelS — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 10:02:02 GMT

Hi @BrianBulla

This is the problem, it won't let you '....tap in and make any changes needed' if Now() expression is added.

Will it let you?

Thanks

Re: How to edit the current date and time

BrianBulla — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 13:03:11 GMT

Sorry...my bad. I do some work in VertiGIS too, and in it's mobile app it lets you go back and edit, even with it auto-populating when you load the form. I guess I mixed the two up.

Re: How to edit the current date and time

RachelS — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:11:28 GMT

Ah no worries @BrianBulla , just checking in case it was working for others.

You would expect this functionality to be there, hopefully someone from ESRI can say if it's in the pipeline.

Re: How to edit the current date and time

RachelS — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:55:14 GMT

I'm just looking at this almost 3 years on and it still seems to be the case the default won't let the user change it.

Re: How to edit the current date and time

BrianBulla — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:54:10 GMT

Are you surprised?? 😄

Re: How to edit the current date and time

MCostley — Wed, 13 May 2026 15:34:01 GMT

Same 😐

Re: How to edit the current date and time

JWatkins — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:07:57 GMT

@RachelS @MCostley @BrianBulla @IssyAmis

The workaround I use is the Editing expression:

if ($feature.event_date == null) {

return false // Initially make the field uneditable.

} else {

return true // Once a value is contained, make the field editable.

}

I then pair this with the calculation expression:

if ($feature.event_date == null) {

return Now() // Calculate current datetime.

} else {

return $feature.event_date // Preserve existing datetime.

}

You could probably get away with just using Now(), though I'm verging on the side of caution as my users are likely to be editing existing records.

The combination of these works wonders in ArcGIS Field Maps, but unfortunately this will cause the field to not calculate, and not be editable within the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer. Its frustrating that both systems are designed with the same input, but actually operate in different ways. Currently, I am still trying to work out a workaround for this.

The alternative I've seen is this blog post here (https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-online-blog/how-to-override-values-for-fields-with-calculated/bc-p/1400632), but that pollutes your schema with unnecessary fields. I'd be on the side of using this approach though if ESRI would consider adding null fields like they have done in Survey123. It would make field maps that much more powerful.

If anyone from ESRI is here, could you please consider adding a switch to arcade expressions for Run in Field Maps Only / Run in Map Viewer Only / Run in both Field Maps and Map Viewer? I think this would greatly improve the capabilities of your system by not having expressions defined for Field Maps populate incorrectly when used within Map Viewer (a similar thing could be useful for Survey123 as well, I've had numerous calculations break between the web interface and the mobile app because of differences in how the expressions are evaluated between the two apps).

Re: How to edit the current date and time

JWatkins — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:08:12 GMT

@RachelS @MCostley @BrianBulla @IssyAmis

Update: I worked on this a little more and I've figured out there's a difference in GlobalID format between ArcGIS Field Maps and ArcGIS Map Viewer. Below is the arcade function I've created to differentiate between the two, the only requirement of this function is that at least one layer in your map (or offline map area) already contains at least one feature and a GlobalID field.

/* DIFFERENTIATE IF USER IS USING ARCGIS FIELD MAPS OR ARCGIS MAP VIEWER The below function works because: - Field maps GlobalID's are always UPPERCASE format - Map Viewer GlobalID's are always lowercase format By exploiting the difference between these formats we can make an assumption as to which app is reading the arcade code. */ function check_app_client(layer_name, GID_field_name) { var temp_lyr = FeatureSetByName($map, layer_name, [GID_field_name], false); // Pull layer. var first_feat = First(temp_lyr); // Take the first feature. if (IsEmpty(first_feat)) { // Check if any features exist. return "Error: No features yet defined. Cannot check client."; // Return error message if no features exist. } else { if (first_feat[GID_field_name] == Upper(first_feat[GID_field_name])) { // Check if GID follows Field Maps format. return "Field Maps"; // Return "Field Maps" } else { return "Map Viewer"; // Otherwise return "Map Viewer" } } } // When defining your layer name, check the Arcade profile variables for the syntax to follow var client = check_app_client("Some layer name", "GlobalID");

While adding this function into my code doesn't allow Map Viewer to autopopulate the event date, it at least ensures it will still be editable on Map Viewer, while also preserving the autopopulate and editable functionality within Field Maps.

For the purpose of autopopulating a date field you can use the example below:

Editable expression:

Calculated expression: