Prevent a user from editing a record in a feature layer if it is already being edited by someone else

[DerekPhyn]

Problem:

There appears to be no function that will prevent one user from starting to edit a record in a feature layer if it is already being edited by another user. This risks wasting users time or overwriting or losing data.

Use case:

e.g. 1. An operator calls a welfare registrant to update some information in a Survey123 web form. After the call they continue to work on the form. Whilst they are still working on the form another operator from another call centre calls the same welfare registrant and repeats the process as they are unaware that anyone is already working on the record.

e.g. 2. Several volunteers from all over a country (or even the world) are remotely supporting an emergency operation by helping to update the status of roads using the same hosted feature layer and an editor widget in web appbuilder. The volunteers are privy to the same intelligence telling them which roads are impacted. One volunteer opens a road link and starts editing the impact status along with some other attributes and changes. At the same time another volunteer somewhere else coincidentally does the same. It appears the first volunteer to hit save will have their edits saved while the second volunteer will have wasted their time filling out the form. Messaging around parallel editing is obscure when this happens leaving the users confused.

Work-arounds:

Versioning using Enterprise Portal appears to be an option but the reconciliation process is too complicated and lengthy for emergency management professionals to use in the middle of a time-critical emergency. Versioning does not appear to be available in ArcGIS Online?

Solution:

An optional function (can be activated or not) in all ArcGIS Products (desktop, enterprise and online) and all products within (e.g. Survey123, Collector, Field Maps, Web AppBuilder, Map Viewer, Experience Builder) that will immediately generate a warning message for a user if they open a record for editing but it is already being edited by another user. The message would say something like:

"This record is currently being edited by arcgisonline_username. Do you wish to continue?" followed by a "Yes" and "No" button.

Note this is not about preventing multiple users from editing the same feature layer at the same time. Just the same record.