Provide a warning about dependent items when deleting an ArcGIS Online feature service

[ArthurButo]

Before you Delete a Feature Service, a warning box should pop up with a list of dependent Web Maps, so that you don't inadvertently delete something that's being used; or so that you can systematically delete those Web Maps as well. [As we create more and more maps, it's get harder and harder to keep track of what's dependent on what]. 

This is related to jesterjace's Idea, "Processing ArcGIS Online Service Updates More Effectively" (the ArcGIS Online proposal).

[Katie_Clark]

Thanks, Blake! I'll see if I can put together a cost/benefit analysis and present it to my manager....

[Joshua-Young]

I agree with Brian that there needs to be more than just a warning when trying to delete an item. The details page of any item should list all dependencies for the item in question for the owner and admins. Even better would be having this capability as a privilege that could be assigned to roles. I am glad to see that 3rd party vendors have stepped in to fill this gap created by Esri, but this is such a critical piece for long-term maintenance that it should be in the product by default.

I do not like the idea of having to risk deleting an item just to see what dependencies an item might have.

[BrittanyBurson]

Agree with the need for this and, as others have pointed out, also would like to view these dependencies in general and not only when at risk of deletion.

[MicheleH1_DNReply]

I'll preface this by saying I haven't used ArcGIS Knowledge or made any knowledge graphs (link charts?) but I have been thinking about it and wondering if it would be possible to use it to map all our feature classes, web layers, web maps, apps, groups etc. etc. so I could see what is affected if I change something in a layer or delete a service etc.

Then I fell down a rabbit hole in reddit and came across the following post:

I read this and went YES!!!!! This is what I want. (Just FYI above are not my words and I'm not commenting on the second paragraph at all). I have spent the last 2 years on and off looking for some sort of software that would do this.  Now I understand I can probably (and I will probably.... soon...ish...) try my hand at building something (I can't actually get a link chart to work at the moment - I'm guessing I need a licence?) but it would be the absolute best if this was something that was more or less automatic.

[xingchenc]

Great idea！ Probably should repost it in the ArcGIS Enterprise section?

[MicheleH1_DNReply]

Hmm - good point and if I could work out how to shift it I would.  I never seem to be able to post things in the right place.  Maybe someone at ESRI can move it....?