What's the difference between Map Viewer and Field Maps Designer?

[MrRamonG]

When building maps to be used in Field Maps, what is the difference if you use Map Viewer or Field Maps Designer to build the map?

Currently I've built our maps, to be used in Field Maps, using Map Viewer and I'm wondering if that was a mistake. Our field teams sometimes report performance issues and I'm wondering if using Field Maps Designer would make a difference.

[AustinAverill]

Field maps designer is generally a more streamlined editor for data collection forms and what-not. It additionally allows you to create off-line areas and set up geofences for you maps as they appear in the mobile application. You still use Map Viewer for everything else though. 

TL;DR: They are two separate tools meant to be used together.

[AustinAverill]

Additional note - I think the Field Maps Designer application displays the actual field maps Arcade profile instead of the map viewer one when configuring calculated fields.

[marksm_macomb]

I typically also do most of my Field Maps using Map Viewer because I just need the form functionality. There are just some bits of functionality that exist in Designer that don't in Map Viewer like feature templates and geo fences. I recently had a case where I built everything in Map Viewer, then realized I need to change the template for one feature (uncommon for my workflow), so I did that in Designer but it still retained my forms that I created in Map Viewer. In my experience it has been okay to use them in tandem but you never know what bugs people run into with that sort of thing. As far as performance, I'm not sure if creating forms is more beneficial in one versus the other. It seems to me that it wouldn't make much of a difference, because you're using Map Viewer regardless to create the initial map.

[MrRamonG]

Thanks @AustinAverill  and @marksm_macomb for your replies. From what I can gather from your posts is that in order to build a map for use in Field Maps, you must first build it in Map Viewer. And then you can build forms in either Map Viewer or Field Maps Designer? And FMD provides some form-building functionality that does not exist in Map Viewer? Is that about right?

[marksm_macomb · Accepted solution]

I was incorrect in that you HAVE to create your initial map in Map Viewer (that is just what I am used to since FMD is pretty new and I have an established routine with Map Viewer). Review documentation here: Create a map—ArcGIS Field Maps | Documentation

But the same still stands that Map Viewer and FMD are able to work in tandem. Seems like a situation where there are many tools and methods available to accomplish the same task.

[AustinAverill · Accepted solution]

Update - with the Feb 2025 AGOL update it appears that feature templates are now also available in MapViewer. So at this point, the biggest advantage of FMD is going to be the ability to control collection settings, offline areas, and verify the arcade you use in calculations.