Most efficient way to create and maintain shared maps containing shapefiles

[BrianSteiner1]

My map will contain shapefiles. I will share it with colleagues. More shapefiles will be added continuously in the future. Which is the most efficient way to create and maintain such a map? I assume that ArcGIS Online is recommendable. Probably maintenance may be done with a Python script for sporadic integration of new shapefiles. Before I start I want to ask whether this is a recommendable approach. Are there better ones?

[AdamEversole1 · Accepted solution]

I'm Assuming when you say shapefile its starts as one geographic area, then you will be adding other areas with each new shapefile.  This sounds like a job for the Append tool.

If you wanted the target of the append to be an ArcGIS online as a Hosted Feature Layer, it's totally possible. You could efficiently update this data by using ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online together.

Something like so:

1) Open the first shapefile in ArcGIS Pro.
2) Publish it as Hosted Feature layer.
3) When New shapefiles become available, Append it to the Hosted Feature layer. Repeat step 3

The result will be a single table that consolidates each shape that was gathered and then appended.

Other things you can do with a Hosted Feature layer is share them to member of your organization so they can add or edit the features with Collector for ArcGIS. 

Some Supporting Documentation:

Use web feature layers—Services | ArcGIS Desktop