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Change distance and bearing units when using 'Compass' tool to navigate to a feature in Field Maps

376
5
10-20-2025 02:32 PM
CaseyMcDonald
Emerging Contributor

It would be extremely helpful to be able to change the units displayed for distance and bearing when using the 'Compass' tool to navigate to a feature in Field Maps. It currently displays as decimal degrees and yards and I have confirmed with esri support that there is no way to change these units. You can change unit settings within the app but these changes don't apply to the 'Compass' tool.

For our workflow, we are working on making the switch from Carlson RT4 collectors to Field Maps and our guys often use the Carlson to place a point in a certain distance/direction from another point. Trying to recreate this in field maps, I have a calculated expression set up to kick out the correct bearing, hoping they could just use the 'Compass' to navigate to the bearing at the distance they need. But being unable to change it from yards adds another extra conversion step that our guys would have to do in the field and not only feels unnecessary but adds more room for human error.

It seems strange that there is already a Field Maps setting to change how units are displayed but it just doesn't apply to the 'Compass' tool specifically.

5 Comments
BrendonJoyce1

@CaseyMcDonald I was coming here to make a similar post. This is a new issue with the update. Before the update, it would show feet. This is quite an annoying change that I think nobody would want.

We often will use these numbers for as built swing ties with a GPS unit, stand on a point, select another point like a catch basin or utility pole, get the distance away IN FEET. Now above ~50ft it switches to yards, so out comes the calculator.

Please change this back!

ZacharyHart

yes!! This would be extremely helpful. In the world of field navigation, a lot of folks are carrying a quadrant bearing compass while the field maps compass displays in Azimuth (though that N/S designation that shows up is kinda misleading really). 

jmaxwell_braun

Yes, this seems to be a recent problem with the new version. I submitted a support case to Esri and I'll respond back with an update.

jmaxwell_braun

Esri has logged this as a bug (BUG-000180432). They suggested using the Measure tool as a workaround because it respects the units that are set.

CaseyMcDonald

@jmaxwell_braun @BrendonJoyce1 Good to know! I did not realize this was a bug, I've just started using the compass in the last few weeks so I never knew it worked any differently. Right now for me it only switches to feet at 10 yards or below, I'm curious how it worked before the bug? Does it normally switch automatically at a certain distance or does it respect the selected units?