In the last couple weeks, we have also been looking into using Collector for more for offline use (no cell or Internet). I'll share a few of our experiences....In particular, in the link Mark included, take notice of
Note:
Going offline requires using hosted data or data on ArcGIS 10.2.2 for Server or later.
But in another help doc which I read last week (but which I can't locate right now, of course)..
To use the sync capability, all the data in the feature service must be from an enterprise geodatabase. Also, you must prepare the data so it can be used offline and, if required, synchronized through the feature service when you have connectivity.
The data you use in a sync-enabled feature service can be either nonversioned with archiving enabled or, if your organization's data or workflows require it, the data can be versioned.
Be aware that you can only enable the sync capability when all the data in the map is configured exactly the same; you cannot have a mix of versioned and nonversioned data.
So, in not 100% sure whether whether AGOL hosted works or if it requires Enterprise SDE. However, in an initial test using hosted services and with sync enabled (as required) the download app button in Collector was disabled....so more testing for us.
For prepping basemaps for offline use, the fastest way to use our customer base maps was to use the Export Tile Cache—Help | ArcGIS Desktop with the source being a tile cache folder that already existed (not the actual ArcGIS Server service, but the cache for the service). Because the cache already existed, it only had to extract the tiles and package them into a .tpk which we could then "side load", in our case, to an iPad using iTunes.
Our customer rep also pointed our a fairly new tool from the Esri Labs (sample tools, not official and not fully supported) Tile Package Kreator | ArcGIS Blog This is a fairly easy to use tool that can help extract basemap tiles from AGOL basemaps. For us, the sample services did not give the detail we needed, but the tool was user friendly and has potential for us in the future.
Other pages of interest..
Tutorial: Configure feature service data for offline use—Documentation | ArcGIS Enterprise
Go offline—Collector for ArcGIS | ArcGIS (Has info for iOS, android and Windows )
Using your own Basemap layers with Collector for ArcGIS | ArcGIS Blog
Hope some of this helps.
FYI, we have had one gromp in our office successfully use Collector for some off line, ground-based surveys, but this survey will be conducted by air, which will have different requirements.
