Models not appearing the same for different users/machines

[LindsayRaabe_FPCWA]

I've been investing a heap of time in building a new model to streamline a currently very manual data entry process - but have hit a HUGE road block. When I open the model on a different PC either as myself or as a different user, the field mappings in a number of Spatial Join and Export Feature tools constantly reset. 

To be clear, I edit the model on my PC and see customised field maps (i.e. Text Field length = 512) but then open the exact same model in the same toolbox on a different machine and the field map has changed (i.e. Text Field = 0)! This is driving me nuts!

I've tried the following to get around/fix this, all to no avail!

- Do a Save As on the model within the toolbox

- Do a Save As into a new toolbox

- Create a new blank model and copy/paste the steps across

- Give up with my PC and work on it using a remote server login. Even this isn't working as I got a colleague to open it and she isn't seeing the latest field mapping

Please please please can someone suggest something I can try to stop this happening! I've had this happen before, and have just given up and walked away and either it started working again or I started again from scratch (not something I want to have to do now). I suspect it's my user profile, but can't be sure. 

The below screenshots are of the same model but opened on my PC and opened on the remote server. 

 

 

[RhettZufelt]

Not sure if related, but I have seen similar when using joins and a different connection file on other machines.  Makes the prefix of the joined data different.

My workaround was to save the connection file on the network and use UNC path so that it is the same no matter what computer/user opens it.

R_

[LindsayRaabe_FPCWA]

I've just tried packaging a project with the tool in it and opening on another machine and it's just confirmed that the whole thing needs to be started from scratch. I went about cleanup up all the different copies I've generated trying to figure this out and toolbox corrupted and I lost the lot (except what was packaged). 

Starting from scratch now and looking at the silver linings where I can - at least now I can build in efficienies as I've done the workflow part previously, so I can go about getting from A to B to C in a more direct and cleaner manner than I had before. 

[LindsayRaabe_FPCWA · Accepted solution]

I think I've figured out where the problem was/is. The issue reared it's head again in my new model despite starting from scratch in a new model and toolbox. It occured after I finished building one of the large blocks of tools, which I would then copy and paste to use as the basis of the 2nd large block but with customisations to suit the different parameters. 

Instead, I put these large blocks into submodels (blue text in image below) and when I opened the model and submodels on my other machine and checked the field mapping, they were retained! 

Solution in short: Use submodels where possible for large blocks of tools (especially when copy/pasting those blocks).