Do app integrations require an existing feature?

[JoshSaad3]

Do the mobile app integrations require an existing feature in order to pass parameters between apps?  I'm developing a damage assessment collector using Survey123, but I'd like to use either Collector or Explorer to choose the location,  since I can use custom maps with those apps instead of only vector basemaps in Survey123.

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Josh,

Generally an integration between Explorer/Collector and Survey123 will use an existing feature layer; for Explorer (which doesn't have editing capabilities), this is required.  You can create an integration with features collected in Collector, though not all values may be present to pass over to Survey123.  You will need to construct the URL used to open Survey123 on an existing feature layer and save it to a web map before going out into the field; it is also best to have a couple of features to test out the URL and make sure the values are passed over in the way you expect.

[JoshSaad1]

Thanks for the response.  Let's say that I design it in such a way that Collector creates the point feature.  Do you know if there's a way for Collector to automatically trigger a Survey123 form to edit the attributes of that point? 

Like, can they drop a point in Collector, save it, and then have Collector automatically switch to Survey123 to edit that feature, and then switch back to Collector after it's saved?

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Josh,

The Survey123 field app doesn't support being opened in edit mode, only 'add new' - you would be creating a 2nd feature at the location.

[MarkBockenhauer]

Josh,

You could use a Polygon feature that covers your entire area.  Just know that the feature location is not what you want to use, as it will be the centroid of the feature.   Use Survey123 to get the location.

mark