I have just sucessfully completed the Tree inventory tutorial. The tutorial said that this is for shapefiles, which is great as I want to import the survey into Farmworks, a shape file based program. Do I need to set up an export function?
It all depends on what workflow you're attempting to use and whether or not you're using ArcGIS Desktop as well.
If you're not using ArcGIS Desktop, there really isn't any "export / import" functions that you would use. You create shapefiles in ArcPad, consume them, and then could transfer those files into another third party product.
If you are using ArcGIS Desktop, there are basically two options that you have. Using the ArcPad Data Manager toolbar in ArcMap, you can export either geodatabase feature classes or shapefiles out to ArcPad.
If you intend to check data out and then check the changes made in ArcPad back into the original dataset they came from you must utilize feature classes and check your data out for disconnected editing. Using ArcGIS Desktop, you could then export those feature classes out to shapefile format to use in your third party product if you wish.
If you simply want to use shapefiles, that's fine as well, but please be aware that there isn't any check in process for shapefiles. After you've completed your field work with ArcPad you would be left with a stand-alone shapefile. There isn't any way to check that data back into the shapefile it originally came from. To check out to shapefile, in the ArcPad Data Manager, select the option to check out for background shapefile > make editable. This process automatically creates the apl files (layer definition) that the Tree Inventory tutorial walks you through.
