Edits Between ArcGIS Online and Desktop

[DougParent2]

I am a newbie in the GIS world just completing my GIS certificate at Oregon State University and I am working as an internship for a local government and I have been assigned to help improve their city website by providing useful interactive maps to the public using ArcGIS online. I have been asked to find an answer to whether or not data that is edited through the maps on ArcGIS online are also updated in ArcGIS desktop? If not, is there a way to link online and desktop files so when one is edited the other interface is as well?  It seems to me that there wouldn't be a way to do this, but in my very limited experience with these programs, I thought I would at least ask.

[MikeMinami]

The layers referenced in web maps of ArcGIS Online generally reference services, either running on arcgis server or hosted in ArcGIS Online. Because they are services, if they are updated, the updates will be reflected in all applications that access them.

Hope this helps,

Mike

[DougParent2]

Thanks for the reply and info:)