Workforce for ArcGIS (Web) just updated!

[JeffShaner]

We are adding new features to the Workforce for ArcGIS website and wanted to let you know that we will be releasing an update in the next couple of weeks updated today (Feb 20th, 2018).!

If you are using ArcGIS Online, this will be a seamless update to the workforce.arcgis.com website and your existing projects will continue to work as expected.  If you are using ArcGIS Enterprise, this will be the official release supporting ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6 and when you sign in to the MyEsri website, you will find a new setup for Windows and Linux called "Workforce for ArcGIS 18.0.1" under Apps in the Downloads section. Later this week we will update MyEsri with the ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6 setup.

New in this update...

1. Instead of adding mobile workers one-by-one, you can Add Workers from a File. A template CSV file is provided for you to populate with new workers and you can pre-populate it with existing workers if you like. 

 

2. Explorer for ArcGIS is available within the App Integration screen on the Advanced tab so your field workers can open Explorer at the location of a work assignment and redline on top of it. You can add Explorer integration either at the Project level or at the assignment type level.

3. In our last update, we added the ability for you to pass the ID and Location Description fields from the Assignment to the feature you create in Collector or Survey123. With this update, you can now pass the GlobalID field as well. Passing the GlobalID to a string or GUID field, you can establish a relationship between the feature collected/inspected and the assignment itself. 

4. If you have enabled the use of Esri Vector basemaps in the Map settings of your Organization, we will use the Navigation basemap when creating a new project.

In addition to these 4 updates, there are a number of stability enhancements. These updates will be coming soon are now live!

[KadinBaird2]

Hi Jeff, these are great updates and I am looking forward to being able to integrate Explorer with Workforce.

I do have a quick question. Is there a plan to add the functionality to be able to bulk upload assignments to a project with a CSV like you have done here with workers?

I know there is a python script that can be used, but It would be nice to have the ability for other members of my organization (non-GIS staff) to create many assignments at once without having to wait for me.

Thanks for your time,

Kadin Baird

[CraigGillgrass]

Hi Kadin,

Thanks for your feedback - we'd love to hear how you're planning on integrating Explorer with Workforce so we have more real-world examples of it.  Feel free to send me a direct message or email.

ArcGIS Online recently added the ability for Administrators and Owners to append data to layers in existing hosted feature layers without needing to overwrite the entire hosted feature layer.  We're working with that team to support this for Workforce.  So yes, this is coming but will be supported through ArcGIS Online.

Craig

[ToriMetz]

So excited about these updates. Just Monday a group of us were discussing if anyone could think of a way to backwards connect Explorer and yesterday morning we were getting frustrated that there was not a good tie between the task and the form that was submitted. Then there was magic between refreshes yesterday. Now there is a countdown on self assign!! So I guess if we try to figure out a backwards way to self assign it will just appear, right!?!?!?!

Hoping to get the company more excited about the possibilities in integration by location and increase data driven decisions.

Thank you,

Tori

[ToriMetz]

cgillgrass-esristaff‌ Have there been any thoughts into allowing two Project Owners? My company tries to employ a back up system for when people are out. I am going to have to wait several days for my counterpart to return before I can make the tweaks that need to be made to the forms connections. This goes for many things including a better way to manage Survey123 as well.

We are currently in testing mode but this could cost us thousands of dollars in personnel and actual costs as well as be a safety issue.

Thank you,

Tori

[CraigGillgrass]

Hi Tori,

Thanks for the feedback on the updates.  We'd love to hear how you're planning on using Explorer with Workforce so we can add more content to our doc with real-world examples.  You can reply here or DM me with them if you're able to.

Now there is a countdown on self assign!! So I guess if we try to figure out a backwards way to self assign it will just appear, right!?!?!?!

This is in our backlog and is currently in our roadmap for 2018.

Craig

[MikeOnzay]

I'm trying to understand the practical implications of the GlobalID enhancement in this update. I appreciate that a Global ID is unique while an ID may not be unique. My understanding is that you can't have a relationship between two items in ArcGIS Online unless you explicitly set it up in advance before publishing. Am I over-interpreting "...you can establish a relationship between the feature collected/inspected and the assignment itself" incorrectly? I don't see how passing a Global ID to a string field in a separate hosted feature layer will establish a relationship in ArcGIS Online. I think I would have to download the data first and then set up the relationship.

Am I missing something?

[CraigGillgrass]

Hi Tori,

Yes, this is in our backlog and I've added your information to the issue.

There are other techniques that sites use for the management of projects to allow multiple people to administer them; although they're not ideal such as sharing the Project Owner's password while that person is out.

I know that's not a great solution or one that may not be possible in your situation.  There are other ways to handle this; by transferring ownership, but that seems a little too heavy handed for your scenario.

Craig

[CraigGillgrass]

Hi Mike,

Good question - the ability to pass the GlobalID of the assignment to Collector or Survey123 will provide a way to establish a loose coupling from the Assignment to the feature\survey.  There's no relationship class or Geodatabase relationship that is established.  

This capability is simply a way to relate back from the feature\survey to the assignment using a unique attribute (in this case GlobalID) so that you do not need to simply rely on coincident location.

Craig

[MarcGraham1]

The best use of this would be in Operations dashboard, where you can set up a relationship between two layers based on PK-FK without needing a relationship class.  Then you could use actions to filter layers, guages etc based on the relationship.

[MikeOnzay]

How do you set up the relationship in Operations Dashboard?

[Anonymous User]

In the new Web-centric Operations Dashboard, you will configure actions on a visualization (such as a list). Then choose an action type of "Filter", then choose your target layer. Then define the field mapping between the two different layers. More info is available here Actions—Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS | ArcGIS 

[MikeOnzay]

The last post in this thread describes the steps in more detail.

[jodywilson1]

To utilize the passing of the attribute, ...does the Collecter layer have to be hosted on Arcgis Online?  I only ask because it is not working for me when i try to connect the WorkForce project with my Collector mapping.  My mapping has editble layers that are not hosted on line, but on our own personal server.

Thanks in advance,

Jody

[CraigGillgrass]

Jody,

When you say it's not working for you; does this mean the layer doesn't appear in the dropdown on the Advanced tab or that the field isn't populated when you launch Collector?

Do you know if the layer is using http or https?

Craig

[jodywilson1]

I placed a help desk ticket and we realized it was occurring likely because of the Http. We fixed that. Now we having some new issues, another ticket in to look at the new problem.

Thanks,

Jody

[CraigGillgrass]

Hi Jody, if you're interacting with Tech Support - that is the best solution for this - they will contact myself or another Workforce team member as needed.