Allow publishers in my organization to create new surveys from a shared survey I own?

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08-23-2019 02:48 PM
JoeBryant1
Occasional Contributor III

Hello, I administer an ArcGIS Online organization for my company. I recently created a Survey123 survey (form, feature class, web map and dashboard) for a field workflow we use on multiple projects for multiple clients. I would like to allow other members of our organization (Project Managers with publishing rights) to create a new Survey (along with the empty feature services) from a Survey that I own that could functionally be a template.

I don't see an option to create a new survey from an existing survey in the web browser. There is an option to create a new survey from an existing survey in the Survey123 Connect software. But this application only lists the "My Surveys" owned by the user and saved to their local machine.

My goal is to enable project managers to quickly spin up a new survey for their project without having to get me involved to make a copy for them. What is the workflow to create these items in a way that they can be easily replicated?

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LanceCole
MVP Regular Contributor

If they have access to Survey123 Connect for ArcGIS you can simply share your XLSForm file on a nework share and they can use this to create a new survey using the "File" option.  The Network share could even be set to read only so they cannot edit your original file without making a local copy. They can also create a new survey from an existing published survey using the "My Organization" option.

If you really want to use the web browser version and the original survey was created with the web browser there is an option. 

  1. Publish your blank survey to AGOL
  2. Under Collaborate > Viewer,  check "Following Groups" and select group your publishers belong, click Save.  Do not set anything under "Submitter"
  3. The survey will now appear and the users in this group will have the option to "Save As" a copy the survey from their "My Surveys" by clicking the three ellipses "..." in the bottom corner of the listed survey .  They will not be able to edit the original or even add data but can do anything on the copy. 

AGAIN - This will only work for surveys created using the web browser version not those created from Survey123 Connect for ArcGIS 

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LanceCole
MVP Regular Contributor

If they have access to Survey123 Connect for ArcGIS you can simply share your XLSForm file on a nework share and they can use this to create a new survey using the "File" option.  The Network share could even be set to read only so they cannot edit your original file without making a local copy. They can also create a new survey from an existing published survey using the "My Organization" option.

If you really want to use the web browser version and the original survey was created with the web browser there is an option. 

  1. Publish your blank survey to AGOL
  2. Under Collaborate > Viewer,  check "Following Groups" and select group your publishers belong, click Save.  Do not set anything under "Submitter"
  3. The survey will now appear and the users in this group will have the option to "Save As" a copy the survey from their "My Surveys" by clicking the three ellipses "..." in the bottom corner of the listed survey .  They will not be able to edit the original or even add data but can do anything on the copy. 

AGAIN - This will only work for surveys created using the web browser version not those created from Survey123 Connect for ArcGIS 

JoeBryant1
Occasional Contributor III

Thanks Cole! You're right; When you click the Create New Survey "+" button in Survey123 Connect, you are able to base the new Survey on an existing survey from your Organization, not just your personal content. I didn't see this option before.

I'm not sure how the sharing settings for surveys effects this. If the pre-existing Survey is only shared with Groups within my organization, I'm guessing you will need to be part of one of those groups to be able to pick the Survey. I guess this makes the case for a "Template Group" for my users with Publishing Roles.

I also tried your other method - saving the XLSForm to our fileshare network and then dragging it into Survey123. This worked as well, but didn't bring over the extra web service bits like the thumbnail, tags and description. I think the first option is the better time saver. But having a backup template form on the network is a good idea.

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