topic Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps in ArcGIS Online Questions

Relationship Classes in Field Maps

AdminWPZ — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 10:06:08 GMT

Hi all

From the Field Maps resources: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/field-maps/faq/requirements.htm

Related records
"Feature-to-table relationships, feature-to-feature relationships, and table-to-table relationships (where the first table is accessed through a feature) are supported in Field Maps. For each, one-to-one and one-to-many relationships are supported. Relationships can be up to three levels deep. It is recommended that you use Global IDs when defining relationships. User-maintained relationships are not recommended."

The following case is described in the ArcGIS Pro Resources (https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/data-management/create-relationship-class.htm😞

"Simple or peer-to-peer relationships involve two or more objects in the database that exist independently of each other. For example, in a railroad network, you might have railroad crossings that have one or more related signal lamps. However, a railroad crossing can exist without a signal lamp, and signal lamps exist on the railroad network where there are no railroad crossings. Simple relationships can have one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many cardinality."

If I use a crossroad:signal lamp = 1:M cardinality Field Maps won't let me set points for independent signal lamps (the feature layer doesn't show up in the menu). How do I make this case with independent feature classes happen in Field Maps?

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

Stefan_Thorn — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 11:54:21 GMT

Hi @AdminWPZ ,

I have also a project with several related feature tables we used in Collector app. It also works as expected in Field Map.

I have saved all the feature layers and related feature layers/tables as a "group layer" to a hosted feature layer from Pro.

In Field Map, You first have to select the crossroad to which you want to relate the signal lamp.

1. select crossroad

2. scroll down and see which features are related

3. choose signal lamp > Add .

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

AdminWPZ — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 13:15:47 GMT

Hi Stefan,

The way you describe works for me as well, I can collect a crossroad and then link one or several signal lamps to it. My problem is that I'm not able to collect points for signal lamps that are not linked to a crossroad (i.e. they're independent). As soon as I mark the signal lamps layer as "destination feature class" in the Relationship Class defnition, the layer disappears from the available layer list in Field Maps.

According to the above thescription this should work in ArcGIS Pro, but for me it doesn't work in Field Maps.

Best,
Andrea

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 08:08:16 GMT

Hi Andrea,

This behavior is the same for me. Also in the collector app. In the related tables the attribute guid of parent table is 'allow null' which makes it possible to add new objects in those layers in Pro. but this seems to be ignored in Field map.

Maybe the layers should be published separate?

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

DuncanKinnear — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 10:59:31 GMT

Hi Andrea,

Following as I am experiencing the same problem. I want to be able to collect directly to 'sub-sites' without necessarily needing to create a 'master' site. I can't work out why it doesn't work in Field Maps. I am using a 'Simple' relationship and still no dice.

Cheers

Duncan

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

AdminWPZ — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:59:35 GMT

Thank you all for your inputs. I've tried everything I could think of and didn't manage to achieve a working configuration. I've now ended up

- using featureclasses for non-spatial sub-site data (because I can't add data entries to tables in field maps, or AGOL, for that matter)

- not defining any relationship classes (because it's not possible to collect data for independent 'sub-sites' if they're defined as sub-sites

- creating an additional attribute field in the sub-site featureclasses where I enter the 'master' IDs by hand.

- Our master IDs are also entered by hand. Since AGOL doesn't have attribute rules I've created a dashboard that shows the currently highest ID for each featureclass, so our fieldworkers can look up the newest ID in the dashboard and then enter the next higher ID in the fieldmaps.

Talk about smart automatization...

If anyone finds a better solution please let me know 🙂

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

DuncanKinnear — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 09:15:11 GMT

Hi guys,

I found the solution - a little unsure how it took so long to track it down as it is quite a simple fix!

Open up your map using Field Maps in the web browser:

Then click into collection settings, and make sure 'Show related types' is enabled. You should now be able to collect directly to the child feature class!

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

AdminWPZ — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 08:35:14 GMT

Hi Duncan,

Wow, this leaves me a bit speechless. Why would anyone even implement such a mean button, and on top of it deactivate the function by default and hide the button in the details?

Anyway, thank you so much for finding and posting the solution!

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

Caitlin_Todd_LCOR — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:24:59 GMT

Hi all,

Duncan, thank you for posting that solution! I never would've found that on my own since usually that functionality is configured within a web map.

I have a many-to-many relationship class I've published to AGOL and brought into Field Maps and I'm coming across a similar issue where my related records aren't showing in FieldMaps not even in the pop-up (even though it's set to show all related records), I tried implementing the solution above but it still didn't work.

Are Many-to-Many relationships not yet supported in FieldMaps?

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

AdminWPZ — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:02:01 GMT

Hi Caitlin,

This doc https://doc.arcgis.com/en/field-maps/faq/requirements.htm mentions 1:1 and 1:many relationships but not many:many.

I don't think many:many is implemented. I've tried as well and it never worked for me.

Best,
Andrea

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

DuncanKinnear — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:14:12 GMT

Yeah sorry Caitlin i'm not sure - I've never actually tried using a M-M relationship in AGOL.

Have you tried accessing your related records using an Arcade expression on the pop-up? i.e. https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-online-blog/show-related-data-or-tables-in-pop-ups-with-arcade/ba-p/890530

Again, I haven't actually done this with a M:M before, but it should be possible.

Cheers

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

Caitlin_Todd_LCOR — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 18:57:09 GMT

Hi Duncan and Andrea,

I believe Andrea is correct that it's not currently supported. I thought about going the route of using Arcade in the pop-up to show related records, but without the M:N support of a 3rd table housing the related unique IDs, it can't find which records are the related ones.

It is disappointing it's not supported at this time, but hopefully it will be soon!

Thank you both for your time and advice,

Have a great day!

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

Kieranmg — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 22:58:38 GMT

Boom! Thank you, this certainly wasn't obvious or easy to google.

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

Marcy_GIS — Wed, 21 May 2025 17:14:51 GMT

Years later and I've spent a couple days trying to fix this same problem only to find out that it is fixed with a toggle in Field Maps Designer... I've been working with an ESRI rep and everything. I sure do wish I came across this thread sooner haha.

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

MohamadChibli — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:53:47 GMT

For M:N this is a known issue in iOS. See BUG-000146019.

Re: Relationship Classes in Field Maps

BegumBolukbas — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:45:12 GMT

I just wanted to give this post a special thanks. I’ve been searching for this answer for a long time and was close to giving up. Thanks so much for sharing this, it really helped!!