Multi user work flow for arcpad data collection

[KimberlyAardal1]

Hello,

I'm trying to help out the people that are doing data collection for my company and don't know if there is a recommended workflow for multiple data collectors using the same file geodatabase. We are using arcpad 10 and have 4 people that will have the geodatabase loaded onto their GEOXH 2008 devices. I wanted to know if they each need a separate version of the feature class so that when they return and I upload the data back to the database it is done correctly. They will be doing data collection over a few days. They are all collecting data for the same feature.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Kimberly

[TimHopper]

Kimberly.

ArcPad employs a "Last edit in wins" rule.

ArcPad and ArcMap know what the status is for each feature in the database.  Features can be new, modified, deleted, etc.  When you then check your edits in, the status will change to "Processed".

If your field crews are only obtaining NEW data and aren't modifying existing data, then it does not matter in which order they get checked in.  It's all new and unique so it all gets saved back to the geodatabase it came from.

However, if your field crew are modifying existing features, and two workers end up modifying the same feature, the last edit which you check in will be shown for that particular feature and the other data for that feature will be lost.

Hope that makes sense.

[TimHopper]

So I guess the real answer to your question is yes, each device will need their own checked out version of the feature class.  Ideally, after you check their edits back into the geodatabase, you check out a fresh version of the data (so the changes from all of the other versions are included) for each device.

[KimberlyAardal1]

So I guess the real answer to your question is yes, each device will need their own checked out version of the feature class.  Ideally, after you check their edits back into the geodatabase, you check out a fresh version of the data (so the changes from all of the other versions are included) for each device.

Thanks! This does make sense but I would like to clarify one more thing. When we connect each device 1 at a time to arcpad do we need to go through the process to "Get Data For Arcpad"? It sounds like it.

[TimHopper]

No.  You do not have to go through that for each device.

Check out one time, then copy that folder of data and paste it onto each device.  Simple as that.

[KimberlyAardal1]

No.  You do not have to go through that for each device.

Check out one time, then copy that folder of data and paste it onto each device.  Simple as that.

Great! Thank you so much.