What is Portfolio?
If you were a fan of using the classic Map Series template for binder-style apps that group together a set of maps and apps, we recommend that you check out the new Portfolio app, which has just launched and is currently in beta.
Portfolio is a new Instant App that lets you showcase a set of maps and apps from ArcGIS Online. It's simple to configure and has a suite of helpful features like autoplay, a slick navigation bar, and the ability to set a common starting location for all maps. It has a modern design that looks and works great when used on smaller mobile device screens or when it's embedded in another website. And Portfolio is built on the latest ArcGIS web technology, which means it includes support for the latest mapping features available in the new Map Viewer.
These are all improvements over the beloved, but aging classic Map Series template, which will be entering extended support later this year.
For more information, see What’s new in ArcGIS Instant Apps (June 2021): Introducing Portfolio.
How does Portfolio compare with a StoryMap collection?
The primary purpose of a StoryMap collection is to showcase stories (both new and classic), so the features of a collection are, and will continue to be, focused on enhancing the experience of browsing and reading stories. A collection also provides the option to add other types of ArcGIS items, if needed, to compliment the set of stories, but there are, and will continue to be, only limited configuration options available for these other items.
Portfolio is designed primarily to create a showcase of maps and all kinds of apps. It has (and will gain more) features to allow for different interactions with, and display of, the maps and apps that it contains.
So, if you have a set of stories you want to present together it's usually a good choice to use a StoryMap collection. The collection also gives you the flexibility to include other types of items, if needed. However, if you need to share a set of maps and apps, which might include some stories, we'd recommend going with Portfolio.
