How do I associate an existing feature service with a survey once I change the schema?

[Anonymous User]

I am wondering how to reassociate a feature service with a survey once I have to make changes to the survey. My guys in the field like the survey, but sometimes need changes made to make it more user-friendly. Adding a field or changing one makes a new feature every time. I make the requested changes, but then I end up with a new feature service as a result. This has been my biggest and most dreaded hurdle when using #survey123.

I'm using Survey123 Connect and my own custom XLS form. It is writing to a survey on AGOL.

Any suggestions?

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Jordan,

If you are using a recent version of Survey123 Connect (2.5 or later), the feature service should not need to be republished.  That being said, you can also add the field to the feature service first and then add the question to teh survey.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the quick response James. I am using version 2.6.4 of Connect. I just tested what you said by changing the types on my schema. I saved it but how would I push those updates to my end clients? The only way I know is to republish.

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Jordan,

Form republishing is required to update the form, yes.  The republishing should not necessarily be requiring the republishing of the feature service.

[Anonymous User]

I get the following message when republishing the form after editing the XLS form using connect. The "Table" it is referring to is not a table at all, just a begin repeat. However, it could have been used prior to me changing the schema. I have never been able to change my schema without having some kind of warning like this saying that my data will be lost. 

[JamesTedrick]

Hi Jordan,

Repeat sections are stored as tables in the feature service.  Adding a repeat section will require republishing of the feature service.

[Anonymous User]

Good to know. So then there is nothing I can do to the feature service? Or how do I combine the old and new feature services?

[JamesTedrick]

If you need to republish the feature service, you should download the existing data as a FGDB; it can then be appended to the new feature service afterward.

[ShanaGail1]

Hi James,

I found that I couldn't use Append if there are related tables (repeats).  I worked with an Esri analyst in May 2018 to help figure out why it was hanging.  First I tried using Append data in the hosted feature layer in AGOL, then we tried using Pro.  The case was #02109867.  I'm pretty sure I was on the most current version at the time. Can we use it with related tables now?

Thanks,

Shana