Why install Field Maps in Enterprise?

[SteveWaldron]

We have an ArcGIS Enterprise Portal (10.8.1) (testing environment) where we installed Field Maps and it shows up in the Apps Launcher. We can publish a hosted web layer and web map to the portal, call it up in Field Maps on a mobile device and edit data with the form. It looks like we can design a UI form for data collection when we use it = we see our form display when .

In our separate production environment (also 10.8.1) we have not installed Field Maps and it does not show up in the Apps Launcher. Yet, when we publish a hosted web layer and web map to the portal, call it up in Field Maps on a mobile device, we can edit data with a form display that we did not attempt to customize.

Question(s):

Why is it necessary to install Field Maps in ArcGIS Enterprise (AGE), if we can still edit/collect data housed in AGE without it being installed?

What is the purpose of installing Field Maps in AGE? 

[RobertBorchert]

Because you can then edit a form for the Field Map app. Similar in nature to a Survey123 form where you can set contingent values.

However, I would encourage you to NOT upgrade to 10.9.1 as it takes away functionality of Dashboards and forces all our users to access them via Dashboards Classic

[jcarlson · Accepted solution]

I haven't lost any Dashboard functionality in 10.9.1, and Classic still works just fine if you need it.

But to @SteveWaldron 's question: In future versions of Portal, Field Maps should be built in. At 10.8.1, it was still an "extra" thing you needed to install. What you're installing when you install "Field Maps" isn't the same thing as the mobile app. It's simply a web-based management portal that allows you to further customize and manage the way mobile workers can interact with your maps.

As @RobertBorchert notes, this includes making the form more customized and specific to certain tasks, as opposed to the default form, which is converted from the popup. It also allows you to configure offline areas for users who may not have a data connection, as well as per-map settings for required GPS accuracy, snapping, batch editing, etc.

[RobertBorchert]

@jcarlson 

All of our 10.9.1 dashboards will not show thumbnails for attachments unless opened with Dashboard Classic.

I have tried republishing from brand new with the newest version of Pro.

Do you have the ability to see thumbnails of attachments?

[jcarlson]

Oh, you're right! I do remember hearing about that issue.

We don't use Dashboards in that way, so that's why I haven't run into it. We have plenty of services that use attachments, but we are usually accessing these through Experience Builder.

[RobertBorchert]

It is a pretty big issue for us.  One of our major apps allows field crews to submit drawing markups at the construction site by taking a photo.  The engineers can then see the markups in the dashboard and make changes to the AutoCAD drawings. 

I made a ticket to ESRI support and they filed it as a verified bug.  The answer from them was more deflection than answer.  Very frustrating.  

One of the more powerful upgrades with 10.9.1 Dashboard is the advanced formatting.  I have a building inspection Survey that has 145 contingent questions with allotment for 90 photos of issues.  With Advanced Formatting I can configure the results to show negative answers in red, but with out the ability to show the photos with them it does not do much good.

[CraigGillgrass]

I can confirm that with Enterprise 10.9, the Field Maps web app is installed by default.