Multi-user editing in ArcGIS Pro

[RaulRodriguez1]

I would like to set up multi-user editing in ArcGIS Pro, where multiple users edit different feature classes in the same file geodatabase. Are there specific settings to allow this capability?

Currently, we are using ArcGIS Pro 3.2.1, and when one user opens a map and begins editing, all of the feature classes are locked preventing other users from editing.

How do we resolve this? Please let me know if more information is needed.

Thank you!

[George_Thompson · Accepted solution]

Some of the locks may be expected, especially if they are related or in the same feature dataset.. Here is some additional information related to locks: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/manage-file-gdb/file-geodatabases-an...

If you really need to have multiple editors, you may want to look at using an Enterprise Geodatabase to manage this.

[RichardHowe]

You're asking for a world of pain. File geodatabases are not designed to be used like that. Either split the feature classes out to a unique geodatabase per user then recombine post edits, or as George suggests look at an enterprise solution.

[RaulRodriguez1]

Thank you, for the responses. We have tried each feature class in its own file geodatabase and a single geodatabase with multiple feature classes. However, ArcGIS Pro seems to lock all the layers once editing begins, and secondary users cannot edit different feature classes. Is there a global edit setting that can be adjusted? Or is there a patch or bug fix that resolves this?

Thanks!

[Scott_Harris]

@RaulRodriguez1

Editing workflows on one machine should not lock out other editors on a different machine as long as the data is in a different feature dataset. If the data resides in different File Geodatabases, I especially would not expect any conflicts.

I would contact  Esri Technical Support and make sure something else isn't causing the locking that you see. Some examples:

• one machine has a schema lock on the data because they added a new field
• backup software has the files within the FGDB in read-only mode at the OS level (your IT department could help with that)

If you see behavior that is not described in the documentation here, then you have good reason to call Esri Support for help:  https://support.esri.com/en-us/contact

[RichardHowe]

Sorry, I don't think perhaps I was clear. So once again File Geodatabases are not designed to enable multi-user editing. It's not a bug or something that requires a patch. When you are editing within a geodatabase you have edit locks on all the feature classes by design as there are edit functions where you can interact with more than one feature class at once.

How would you reconcile the changes if two users changed the same thing at the same time? That is what the lock is there to prevent. In a past life I worked in an organisation that refused to accept this and all it did was leave us with lots of corrupt data and edits "going missing" etc. which were a painf for the GIS team.

My suggested workaround was to have a single master geodatabase that nobody edits directly into, then each user has their own local geodatabase. When they want to edit some data, copy out the feature class to their local gdb, (deleting the copy from the master) perform their edits then paste it back when they're done. This requires some level of communication amongst the team and some oversight by you as a data manager. It also prevents anybody from viewing the data whilst it's being edited.

If what you actually want is the ability for one user to view data and another to be editing at the same time, your only seamless (and correct) option is to go down the Enterprise GDB route

[RaulRodriguez1]

Hi Richard, thank you for taking the time to reply and provide some valuable feedback. I really appreciate it! This helps, as now we can explore a different workflow that will meet our needs and / or begin justifying our upgrade to an Enterprise solution.

Thank you, again!

[RichardHowe]

No problems 🙂

[RaulRodriguez1]

As a follow-up to this topic, we are testing a workaround with the edit settings in ArcGIS Pro. Below is a snapshot of the edit options dialog box, and the yellow highlights are the two settings we have changed (single workspace edit session and make newly added layers editing by default - off. This appears to allow multiple users to edit and save different feature classes, which are in different geodatabases. Is anyone aware of negative impacts of working this way?

[RichardHowe]

As I said to you before, this isn't what this is designed for, and I would make it standard practice at your peril. This simply replicates the old behaviour or ArcMap in requiring the need to "start" an editing session.

When I used to warn people off multi-user editing in a shared file geodatabase they would often say "But it lets me do it"...my analogy was always that a small family car would probably drive off-road for a while and you could get so far, but it's not what it's designed for, and when it does breakdown or get stuck you can't really have any complaints.