Live Training Seminar - Metadata Essentials for AI-Ready GIS

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Live Training Seminar recording is now available on Esri Academy!
Check out - Metadata Essentials for AI-Ready GIS

Missed the live Metadata Essentials for AI‑Ready GIS training or want a refresher? Good news: the full recording is now available on Esri Academy. During the seminar, we worked to capture the questions that came up, and I’m excited to keep the conversation going. If you have additional questions or need clarification, feel free to jump into the discussion by posting in Esri Community—I’d love to keep the conversation going!

Metadata creation, editing, and flow questions..

Question: Where can metadata be edited in ArcGIS (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise)?

Answer: Metadata can be authored and edited in the metadata editor across the foundational ArcGIS products - ArcGIS Pro, Online, Enterprise. There are other places where metadata can be edited for example, adding an alias for a feature class in a geodatabase or editing metadata directly on the item page in ArcGIS Online/Enterprise.

Question: Where should metadata be maintained?

Answer: Most of the time metadata should be maintained wherever the source of the data is maintained. Clearly defining your data management workflows helps align your metadata workflows by clarifying where the data lives, how it changes over time, and when and where metadata should be updated throughout the data's lifecycle.

Question: Should the metadata source reside in the geodatabase or the hosted feature layer?

Answer: The answer depends on your organization’s needs and data-management workflows. Because metadata is stored with the hosted feature layer and not linked to the original data source after publishing, maintaining metadata in multiple locations increases maintenance overhead. If data changes only at the hosted feature layer, that is where metadata should be maintained.

Question: When creating or editing data, when should I start thinking about inputting or editing metadata?

Answer:

It is best to input metadata from the beginning of your project and then to continue updating the metadata as you create, edit, and update your data.
It is recommended that your organization develop a metadata plan. Some key questions to ask to help establish a plan could include the following:

Does your data-management workflow align with your metadata-management workflow to ensure that metadata is appropriately updated as data is created and evolves?
Which metadata style is appropriate for your organization?

Will you follow a metadata standard or profile? If so, do you require metadata to be valid for that standard or profile?
Which metadata elements are important for meeting your organization’s needs?

Which content can be standardized in a metadata template?
Will you be sharing authoritative content and data across your organization (or organizations) or publicly?

Will you publish metadata to a separate metadata catalog or website? If so, does that catalog or site have requirements? Is specific content required to support searches on that catalog or site?
What information is already available on a website that can be referenced, such as contact and download or ordering instructions? Reference the online content instead of adding a static copy of it to the metadata.
What legal information is required to be included in the metadata?

Question: Is metadata retained when layers and services are published to ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online?

Answer:

Yes, metadata is retained when the data is published; however, how the metadata is maintained depends on where the data and metadata are stored
When you publish to ArcGIS Online, the data is copied and becomes hosted in ArcGIS Online, meaning that the metadata is as well.

What would happen if you went back to edit the metadata of the original data source in ArcGIS Pro?
You would not see the web layer metadata update, because it no longer has a connection there, like the data.
You would now have metadata for the original data source that you would maintain in ArcGIS Pro, but you would also have metadata for the hosted web layer.

When you publish to ArcGIS Enterprise, you have options. In ArcGIS Enterprise, you can copy the data and metadata or you can reference the data and metadata in place.

When referenced, the data is maintained in its original location, data store (for example, folder, Enterprise geodatabase), and so is the metadata.
When referencing the data in place, the metadata can only be maintained at the data source. So, in this case, you would maintain the metadata at the source location (for example, folder, Enterprise geodatabase) using ArcGIS Pro.

Question: You can add metadata for various items, including layers, maps, and apps. What are the pros and cons of completing the metadata at different levels? Which should you prioritize? Is it possible to have metadata sync between items?

Answer:

The pro and con of completing metadata is similar for layers, maps, and apps: Completing metadata increases the discoverability and understanding of your content (humans and machines); not completing metadata makes it harder to discover your content and understand its intended use.
There is no single priority for where to add metadata; it should be created when an item is created and maintained throughout its lifecycle. Although priorities vary by organization, consider foundational item types like layers and tables. High‑quality metadata for these items helps inform and improve the metadata for the maps and applications in which they are used.
Metadata cannot be synced between the different item types because the metadata is unique to each item, whether it is a web map, app, or feature layer.

Question: Is metadata retained in downloads?

Answer: Yes, the metadata is retained. However, it’s important to note that when downloaded, the metadata that is included comes from the layer/sublayer, not the portal item‑level metadata, which is often what is expected.

Question: Is metadata retained when views of hosted feature layers are created?

Answer: Today, some item‑level metadata, such as tags and the summary, initially propagates to the view. From that point forward, it is edited and maintained independently for the view item. In contrast, layer and sublayer metadata is referenced directly from the originating hosted feature layer and is not independently maintained by the view.

Question: Is there a cheatsheet illustrating how metadata flows during publishing?

Answer: Not that I’m aware of, but it’s a great idea! We’ve been thinking about ways to make this information easier to digest. If you have suggestions, please share them in the Esri Community.

Question: Why do field descriptions appear in the metadata editor but not on the item page (Data → Fields)?

Answer: Currently, in ArcGIS Pro, attribute field descriptions cannot be created or maintained directly at the feature class or geodatabase level. At this time, they can only be authored and maintained using the metadata editor.

When data is published, attribute field metadata does flow into the metadata editor and into standards‑based metadata (depending on the selected metadata style—note that not all styles support attribute fields in the XML or HTML metadata view). However, today, this attribute field metadata is not carried over to the Data tab (Fields view) on the item’s page in the portal.

This is a known gap, and Esri is actively working toward resolving it. In the meantime, the workaround described in my previous blog post applies here.

Metadata standards, styles, and customization questions..

Question: Which metadata standards are supported in ArcGIS?

Answer:

Metadata standards are implemented through metadata styles in ArcGIS.

Esri supports the following metadata styles:

Dublin Core+ (default metadata style, based off Dublin Core standard)
FGDC CSDGM Metadata (FGDC CSDGM standard)
INSPIRE Metadata Directive (INSPIRE standard)
ISO 19139 Metadata Implementation Specification (ISO 19115 and ISO 19139 standard)
ISO 19139 Metadata Implementation Specification GML3.2 (ISO 19115 and ISO 19139 standard)
North American Profile of ISO19115 2003 (North American Profile of ISO 191153 standard)
ISO 19115-3 (ISO 19115-1 and ISO 19115-3 standard)

Question: Does the metadata editor cover all available elements for the metadata standards it supports?

Answer: The metadata editor determines the metadata elements required to create minimally compliant metadata based on the selected metadata style (that implements the metadata standard such as FGDC CSDGM or ISO).

As a result, some metadata elements may be available under All metadata if they are not required by the selected standard. If you notice a metadata element that is missing, please share that feedback and explain why it is important for your organization.

Question: Does changing metadata style affect existing metadata?

Answer: No that’s actually the great part! All metadata is stored in the ArcGIS Metadata XML, which is Esri’s internal storage format for storing and supporting metadata standards. This XML contains all metadata elements for all standards that Esri supports.

Because of this, it’s possible to maintain multiple metadata standards in parallel without worrying about losing information when you switch styles. You can safely move back and forth between metadata styles without losing metadata.

Question: Can organizations customize metadata styles or create hybrids?

Answer: At this time, it is not possible to create a custom metadata style in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. If this functionality would be useful for your organization, let us know in Esri Community.

Users with development expertise may utilize ArcGIS Pro Metadata Toolkit to create a custom metadata experience that aligns with their organization’s requirements. Note that ArcGIS Pro Metadata Toolkit is not compatible with the new metadata editor and the custom style sheets would not be able to be applied in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise.

Question: Is there a resource to comparing the metadata standards Esri supports?

Answer: Yes. You can find a crosswalk that shows which metadata elements are supported in the ArcGIS Metadata XML and how those elements map to the different metadata standards here.

Question: Is there a tool to ingest and convert metadata standards?

Answer: At this time, only ArcGIS Pro can ingest standards‑based metadata into the ArcGIS Metadata XML, which is Esri’s internal storage format for supporting metadata standards. Learn more here.

Once metadata is stored in the ArcGIS Metadata XML, a metadata style is applied to implement a specific metadata standard within ArcGIS. The selected style determines how metadata is presented in the metadata editor and how it can be exported to support standards‑based metadata formats.

Dublin Core+ metadata style questions..

Question: If I am using an older version of ArcGIS Enterprise, like 11.3 or 11.5, can I still start documenting my metadata in Dublin Core+ style?

Answer:

Dublin Core+ is the newest and now default metadata style in ArcGIS Online and Enterprise, available in ArcGIS Online and in ArcGIS Enterprise starting at 12.0. It will also be available in an upcoming release of ArcGIS Pro 3.7.
If you are using an older version of ArcGIS Enterprise, you cannot document your metadata in Dublin Core+ style until you upgrade to ArcGIS Enterprise 12.0 or later.
You can document your metadata in ArcGIS using a different metadata style and then switch to Dublin Core+ once you have upgraded your ArcGIS Enterprise deployment.
Note that metadata is always stored in ArcGIS metadata format, which means that you will not lose any metadata if you switch the metadata style.

Question: What are the important components of Dublin Core+?

Answer: All of them! If you need to prioritize, start with the Item Details assistant (beta)—it gives you a strong baseline and an easy way to get started. The metadata is automatically synced into the standards-based metadata whether you are using Dublin Core+ or you have a different metadata style applied. *Note there is an exception for attribute field metadata that require manual synchronization, learn more here. From there, your organization can decide which additional Dublin Core+ elements to focus on next.

Tag questions..

Question: How do categories and tags differ, and when should each be used?

Answer: Categories are typically used when an organization needs structured, standardized grouping of items. Tags, on the other hand, are more free‑form and are best used to capture additional keywords, synonyms that search picks up!

Question: Can organizations clean up or control tags?

Answer: At this time, there is no out‑of‑the‑box way to define or control tags, such as automatically cleaning up misspellings or enforcing consistency. However, organizations can use the ArcGIS API for Python to support tag oversight and governance. Learn more here.

Attribute field metadata questions..

Question: Can attribute field descriptions be maintained for referenced layers?

Answer: When a web layer/service is referencing the data in place, the data is maintained in its original location, data store (for example, folder, Enterprise geodatabase), and so is the metadata. Currently, in ArcGIS Pro, attribute field descriptions cannot be created or maintained directly at the feature class or geodatabase level. At this time, they can only be authored and maintained using the metadata editor. When data is published, attribute field metadata does flow into the metadata editor and into standards‑based metadata (depending on the selected metadata style—note that not all styles support attribute fields in the XML or HTML metadata view). However, this attribute field metadata is not carried over to the Data tab (Fields view) on the item’s page in the portal. This is a known gap, and Esri is actively working toward resolving it.

Question: Are field aliases used in metadata search?

Answer: Field aliases (or field display names) are helpful for understanding the data and supporting AI readiness, but today they are not used for search or discovery in ArcGIS. If using field aliases for search would be valuable for your organization, please share that feedback on Esri Community.

Metadata best practices, governance, and automation questions..

Question: Can users be prevented from creating or sharing content without completing metadata?

Answer: At this time, there is no enforcement. Metadata can remain lightweight, especially when content is only shared within a small team. Metadata should add value without hindering productivity. When strict requirements are imposed, people may be inclined to enter incorrect or meaningless information just to get through the form. We want to better understand what tools are needed to make metadata a more useful and intuitive experience—one that helps you easily meet organizational requirements, not just fill out a text box. If you have ideas that would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Question: Terms of Use vs License Constraints?

Answer:

License constraints (data license): A formal, legal constraint that defines how data or content may be used, represented through recognized licenses (such as CC0 or organization‑specific licenses).
Terms of Use: Additional usage conditions or clarifications that guide how the data should be used; not a legal license.

Question: Can organizations bulk update metadata?

Answer: Yes, metadata can be updated in bulk.

See sample script Edit metadata for many ArcGIS items.
You can also metadata templates and automation with ArcPy or the ArcGIS API for Python. A sample script is available in this blog.

Question: Can you provide the Geospatial Advisory Committee paper, Advancing the Nation’s Geospatial Ecosystem: Guidance and Best Practices for Sharing Priority National Data?

Answer: Review paper here.

Question: Can extents be recalculated programmatically?

Answer:

Short answer, yes. Still short, lightly longer answer, there could be many extents (item extent, full extent, initial extent, layer extent)!

AI and metadata questions..

Question: Will Item Details assistant come to ArcGIS Pro?

Answer: Teams are scoping how this functionality will be brought into ArcGIS Pro. If this would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Question: Does the metadata assistant define or manage domain values?

Answer: At this time, no. If this functionality would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Question: Can AI tools run locally?

Answer: The Item Details assistant currently requires access to ArcGIS Online. However, Esri is actively exploring ways to remove this dependency and make it available in disconnected environments for future releases of ArcGIS Enterprise. If this would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Question: Can Item Details assistants reference internal vocabularies and policies?

Answer: At this time, no. If this would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Search, discovery, and multilingual metadata questions..

Question: Is searching for items in ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise case‑sensitive?

Answer: General item search in ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise is not case-sensitive. However, advanced search options allow you to perform case‑sensitive searches. Learn more here.

Question: Can metadata be searched in other languages?

Answer: ArcGIS does not currently support cross‑language queries. Support is planned through semantic search, which improves discovery by understanding user intent and enabling natural language and cross‑language results. If this would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Question: Are PIDs (Persistent File Identifiers) supported?

Answer: You can store a PID in the Metadata File Identifier metadata element using the metadata editor.

Question: What metadata standard for data.gov?

Answer: Standards (such as FGDC, ISO 19115, or Dublin Core) may be used, but metadata must be mapped to DCAT‑US for inclusion in Data.gov. DCAT‑US 1.1 is widely implemented and remains supported, while DCAT‑US 3.0 is the forward‑looking standard aligned with W3C DCAT v3 and backward‑compatible with 1.1. ArcGIS Hub currently supports DCAT‑AP 3 and has DCAT‑US 3 on its roadmap. DCAT‑US 3 is in Candidate Recommendation status, and once finalized, support is expected in ArcGIS Hub shortly thereafter. Metadata created today will automatically be transformed and ready when DCAT‑US 3 support becomes available. Learn more here.

ArcGIS Hub, ArcGIS Enterprise Sites, and Geoportal Server questions..

Question: What Hub level is required for Hub Assistant?

Answer: ArcGIS Hub Premium. Learn more here.

Question: Is Hub Assistant beta?

Answer: Yes, it is currently in beta. Join the Early Adopter Community, here.

Question: Is this available in Sites?

Answer: At this time, no. If this would be valuable for your organization, please share your feedback on Esri Community.

Question: Is Geoportal still supported?

Answer: Esri Geoportal Server is a free, open-source, standards-based metadata catalog management application that enables the discovery and use of geospatial and non-geospatial resources. However, it is not supported by Esri technical support. Learn more here. If you are currently using ArcGIS, Esri provides metadata management, data catalog tools, and search capabilities to share open and secure content in an integrated way with ArcGIS Hub. Learn more here.