topic Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information? in ArcGIS Online Questions

Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

RobertAnderson3 — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 12:09:10 GMT

This may be a bit of a silly ask, but I have a few Survey123 layers that we grab the information from to update our work management database. We are in the process of updating our approach, and I needed to add a field to flag rows that had already been entered. This means I have to update all of the existing data to flag them as already uploaded, which would overwrite the editor tracking information.

Is there a process to bulk update like this that can avoid changing the editor tracking information? This could be useful in a few different contexts for administrating datasets I feel like. I understand why this isn't preferred, but also it can remove the 'meaningful' editor tracking information in some cases.

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

J_DavidMacLean — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 14:24:37 GMT

Hello Robert - I hope all is fine with *you*!
The idea I’d try is opening the layer in Pro; select the rows to update (I’d try on 2 or 5 at first!), then edit (or calculate field).

I’m also interested in additional ideas that you get, especially for only-AGO techniques.
All the best - Dave

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 07:01:14 GMT

I don't have experience with AGOL. But I'll ask a couple of uneducated questions anyway:

Could you temporarily disable editor tracking while batch populating the field?
Or could you store this information in a related table that does not have editor tracking enabled?

For anyone who's using an enterprise geodatabase, not ArcGIS Online, this related question might be of interest: ApplyEdits without firing immediate attribute rules and editor tracking, is it possible?

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 15:17:21 GMT

I assume I could temporarily turn off the editor tracking, though I can't remember if that removes/resets that field anyways, I'll have to look or try on a test layer.

The related tables and the main layer share the editor tracking settings so I don't think this will work.

That other post could be handy for the near future when we move to Enterprise, though our Survey123 stuff is going to remain in AGOL.

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

RobertAnderson3 — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 15:22:44 GMT

Oh hello stranger! All is good with me, just working away with everything I learned, I gotta get back out there to visit sometime soon!

I'm definitely thinking I will do the update in Pro as it is a way easier process, but in Pro the Editor tracking does update when you edit or calculate field I'm curious if there is a way to avoid that because I want to save the previous editor tracking information, not my bulk edit.

Finding ways to edit in bulk like this in AGO specifically would be cool as well!

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 17:37:04 GMT

I have the same question for my hosted layer. As the GIS staff fixing data that is collected in survey123 by field workers I would really prefer to keep myself from overwriting them as the last editor when I have to calculate a field for the entire layer.

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 17:47:16 GMT

Are you able to temporarily disable editor tracking to perform your field calculation?

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:03:23 GMT

I haven't tested out that option, but I have considered testing it out soon. It's not my ideal solution as the inspectors make edits to the data anytime over their work day and work week, meaning that turning it off would stop tracking of anything they happened to edit during that same time.

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:08:08 GMT

For what it's worth, I tried doing this with a test layer and it didn't seem to cause any issues turning the tracking off and back on.

That said, I don't know if because it's a Survey123 layer if it will cause unforeseen headaches.

I am going to attempt this with my data shortly, after the crews are all done for the day, just in case it messes something up.

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:35:14 GMT

@RobertAnderson3 Would there be a benefit in sharing your backup strategy here so that others can see it? Backing up the data in case something goes wrong...

Re: Is there a way to do a Bulk Attribute Update and avoid updating the LastEdited Editor Tracking Information?

ShareUser — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:44:37 GMT

To back up the data in my surveys I just download a copy of it, usually as a GDB. I will admit this time I did not, this data feeds directly into another system and then just kind of sits in Survey123, so all but a handful of records from today are basically the archive already.

After looking at this data I discovered because of the workflow almost all of the data had the same edit and created date info so I wasn't too worried, but I was curious about the potential process.

I just did this process turning the editor tracking off and back on for the survey in question, updated the field using the field calculator in Pro, then turned the editor tracking back on and everything seems to be working normally, so it is a viable strategy in the case of ArcGIS Online hosted feature layers.