ArcGIS Field Maps Web or Windows 10/11 Apps

[rsun_TQB]

Hi All,

I believe that we should have a web/Windows App version of ArcGIS Field Maps. New Web Map Viewer is too tedious to perform editing for non-GIS users in the organization. For field workers, they can use their work phones (on if your organization provides that), but for office workers... or workers prefer to do their edit/update using web browser. I know there is "Experience Builder" that has an editing widget to be added (not on my Enterprise 10.9.1 but only AGOL). Few suggestions here...

1. Make the new web map viewer editing as easy as Android/iOS ArcGIS Field Maps
   • Show relationship class links
   • Copy/paste attributes/geometry etc.
   • All other functionalities that mobile version has
   • Make UX as good as mobile ArcGIS Field Maps
2. Build web version of ArcGIS Field Maps (not just configuration) with same functionalities as Android/iOS ArcGIS Field Maps. It will make pushing out AGOL/Enterprise way easier for many organizations!
3. Please don't wait for Windows 11 or Microsoft's promising "android" app integration to do this. They may never do a good enough job on this, and ask people to use unnecessary "amazon" account... 

Thanks a lot,

Reno

[AlisonKeener]

Thanks! We are not yet on Windows 11 but will be soon. Does this software need to be downloaded from the Microsoft App Store?  Our IT department prohibits us from downloading applications in this way, unfortunately.

[JoFlo]

Same.  Want to echo the above comments. Amazon app store is not a viable solution.  Stating that there is now a beta Field Maps for Windows 11 is misleading.  I wish I could be an early adopter, but like others can't go through the hoops. 

Make the investment esri - you have a wide user base that needs this. 

[BrentPierce]

We appreciate the feedback on the limitations of the Amazon App Store approach. We are working closely with both Microsoft and Amazon and will certainly take this feedback to them. As of this writing the only way to get the Windows Subsystem for Android installed on a Windows 11 device is through the Amazon App Store but it is still very early days for this technology.

The hopes for this beta testing session is for those willing and/or able to install the Android Subsystem for Windows on their Windows 11 deployments they could give us feedback on how the Field Maps app meets their workflow needs. Still many details to be worked out so greatly appreciate the candid feedback.

[MelanieWawryk]

I completely appreciate your work on this. However, I think trying to create it as a subsystem app is the wrong direction to go. It should be a native windows app. It needs to be re-developed for windows,  not an android app in a container on windows. I understand that it would mean developing two similar but not identical apps which is way more development time on your end, but the way it is currently being developed leaves it out of reach for most customers. The important part is that the field map document on AGOL can be used by both the Windows desktop application and the android/iOS app.

[BigBry79]

I agree, we need a native windows app. There is no way sideloading a subsystem will be approved on our corporate network and I would assume this is the case for many users. This needs to be available from the Microsoft Store as a native app. 

[David_Tipping]

Agreed - in the way that Survey123 has a native Windows app. I would also suggest that Windows 10/11 compatibility is better as many larger organisations are slower to move the the latest versions of Windows. 

[ErikLash4]

We're a Windows shop, Microsoft through and through from the desktop to the enterprise. 

However, I'm going to be the contrary voice on this one. Microsoft abandoned its mobility product line.  After a painful several year transition off of Microsoft Mobile the GPS industry no longer builds for Microsoft. Why would any developer create deployable/installable mobile apps for Microsoft platforms anymore?  It doesn't seem like a workable business model. 

Personally, I'm using Field Maps via the Amazon AppStore on my Win 11 workstations without issue.  Easy setup and install on the most up to date Win 11 version.

ESRI is not unique in movement away from binary deployment for web products on Windows. Many mobile app developers are moving to a web wrapper model for Microsoft Windows instead of building a binary specific to Microsoft for installations. 

For those that like a button to push, an easy way to build a web application for any web end point is to use Edge to create a web application that opens in its own window and can be pinned to the Start Menu or Task Bar.  Can be created for Field Maps on the local Windows machine for sites or maps that are specific to a customers needs.  

The Windows app in that case is just a wrapper for what's available in a browser - this is how we are also making ChatGPT access available to our user community as a Windows application in-house. 

Only thing I wish is that our Microsoft G3 licensing integrated better with Amazon Marketplace so that we don't need multiple accounts to setup and work with the software. But we need multiple accounts to use Field Maps on iPads, so for us not so much of a difference to the end user regardless of platform.

Alongside the Windows Subsystem for Android we are also running the Windows Subsystem for Linux for any apps that function better with Bash than Windows command. Specifically, WSL for addressing Containerized GIS workflows as Docker Desktop licensing models changed and Microsoft and Docker Enterprise have recently parted ways, leaving another huge gap in GIS capabilities unfulfilled by Microsoft.

[rescuemap]

@rsun_TQB absolutely agree with your points above. You can't even add a related record in an experience builder app.... (sure, you can in the map viewer but it's unintuitive and not user friendly). I think it's absolutely insane the lack of feature parity across all of the various apps in regards to related records especially. Whoever is supposed to be coordinating across the teams (is there even someone??) is doing an abysmal job and should be replaced asap.

[BrettLessner]

We are also facing issues with this. As a company, we still run Windows 10 and my security team literally laughed when I asked about running Windows Subsystem for Android. It's an additional layer they would need to protect.

For us, we and our contractors were using ArcGIS Explorer on Windows to view mmpks offline and in the field (no collecting being done). We ran into a bug where the app would not download the updated mmpk consistently. Esri has stopped supporting  ArcGIS Explorer for Windows. That's fair, the goal is to consolidate into Field Maps - I can appreciate that. However, Esri provided a native Windows application and functionality that, clearly by all of the comments on this post, was and is still needed.

For people who would say this application and functionality can be created in-house, it doesn't seem fair for all of us to recreate something Esri already developed but took away access to.

Esri, we are your customers asking for something you had already supported. Until Windows is an extinct OS, we will be asking for this functionality to be brought back in a more accessible manner. 

- Brett

[BrettLessner]

There needs to be a native Windows installer, preferably for Windows 10 and 11 but just 11 seems reasonable. Windows Subsystem is prohibited at our company.