Annotation

[#1]

Recently some users have reported incompatibility between annotation created in ArcGIS Pro 2.x and ArcGIS Pro 3.x.   This document explains what is supported at the different releases of ArcGIS.  

Compatibility of Annotation between ArcGIS Pro 2.x and 3.x

Those that are maintaining annotation should be aware of the incompatibility between ArcGIS Pro 2.x and ArcGIS Pro 3.x.  Note that this is true for both standard and feature-linked annotation.

Annotation is a feature, stored within an annotation feature class within the Geodatabase.  As with other feature classes, an annotation feature class stores the geographic location and attributes.  Beginning with ArcGIS Pro 3.0, the storage of annotation has been modified to support the full cartographic model of ArcGIS Pro. 

If you are maintaining an ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and have upgraded to ArcGIS Pro 3.0.x, or 3.1.x, you will be able to edit the annotation created with ArcGIS Pro 2.x.  Newer properties of the ArcGIS Pro 3.x annotation are relatively minor and will be downgraded to the ArcGIS Pro 2.x version when written to the geodatabase.   

Once Upgraded, you cannot go back. 

Once the annotation feature class that was created in ArcGIS Pro 2.x is upgraded to ArcGIS Pro 3.x, it will no longer be compatible with Pre-3.0 version of ArcGIS Pro.    Once upgraded, the annotation feature class is no longer usable in previous versions. Feature classes linked to the annotation are read-only in previous versions. Feature classes in the same feature dataset as the upgraded annotation are also read-only in previous versions.

Refer to the annotation compatibility table in the documentation to understand the different versions of annotation. 

In Summary

If you have users that will continue to use, access, and edit annotation created with ArcGIS pro 2.x, you can continue to publish from ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1, 11.0, or 11.1 while accessing it from ArcGIS Pro 3.x.  However, once the annotation is upgraded (using the Upgrade Dataset Tool), it will no longer be available for use in previous versions.     

[-_Ashley-B-Potter_-]

I have heard on numerous accounts annotation will be phased out. I have been working with my department on transitioning to labeling to prepare for future endeavors. Does ESRI foresee this happening in the future?

[CraigWilliams]

Annotation isn't going anywhere. We have numerous users in the parcel community who are successfully working with annotation. We also have users who are successful with just labeling. Both workflows or a mix are supported.

We're continuing to grow both annotation and labeling capabilities in ArcGIS Pro and across the ArcGIS product suite.

Craig Williams | Product Engineering Director, Mapping & Cartography | Esri

[AmirBar-Maor]

@-_Ashley-B-Potter_- 
Annotations are not being phased out. 
Could this confusion have been caused by the requirement to upgrade the annotation from ArcMap to the new format in order to edit them using feature services and branch versioning?

Although there is a trend in the land records sector to shift from annotation to labeling, there is no plan to phase annotation out, as Craig pointed out.

[-_Ashley-B-Potter_-]

Thank you for the update. I had heard this even when I was in the gas industry. We were started moving towards labeling. I do agree with you that the trend in the land records is shifting from anno to labeling. Personally, I think it is a good thing. It removes a lot of redundancy. 

@CraigWilliams Do you have any courses that you recommend for webapps and annotation or on that lines?