Latest Contributions by Kylie

Wall-mounted maps have "You are here" bubbles, and our phones use a dot on the map to show current location. But those are clearly not determined the same way: a wall-mounted map always has the same location, while your phone moves about with you. And how your location is determined varies between devices and even app to app on a single device. To best understand the location information presented for mobile workers in Workforce (both our own as a mobile worker, those of other mobile workers, and those of our mobile workers when a dispatcher) we need to understand how location is determined in Workforce. First, let's understand what the dispatcher is seeing. The location presented for each mobile worker is simply the location the mobile worker's device is passing to Workforce. Once we understand how the mobile device is handling the mobile worker's location, we'll also know how the location the dispatcher is seeing is determined. The only catch is that the location isn't updated for dispatchers continuously; instead, the mobile worker's device updates the mobile worker's current location every minute. This is the location displayed in the web app. When a mobile worker sees the location of another mobile worker in the same project, their view of that other mobile worker's location aligns with that the dispatcher sees. While they are receiving the same information from the project, it might not exactly match the dispatcher's view. In addition to the offset introduced by mobile workers updating their location with the Workforce project every minute, the mobile worker reading the location is also only checking for updated locations every minute, so the position seen can be up to 2 minutes old. Now let's look at the mobile worker and their device, as that is the key to all the locations. Workforce uses the location provided by the device's location services. What exactly that means depends on the device and its setup, but what we need to know is that location services determine position information from various sources, such as GPS, cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth networks. Here is a bit more detail into location services: The location reported on the mobile device depends on the information available to the device. If your device doesn't have GPS, it uses a combination of cellular and wireless signals to determine your location. If your device also doesn't have GPS or cellular service, wireless signals are used. GPS generally provides the most accurate locations, after that Wi-Fi, then cellular. A more accurate location means that its margin of error is less. Your position might be identical, but if you know you have 10 meter accuracy, you know you are likely within 10 meters of the location shown. If you have 30 meter accuracy, you know you are likely within 30 meters of the position shown. In Workforce, the blue circle around your position indicates the accuracy. In the image below, Workforce believes you are between the tree and the other mobile worker (green pin). However, you might be closer to the green dot, or you might be with the other mobile worker. But it is pretty sure you are inside the bigger blue circle. On Android, you can choose a mode for your location (High accuracy, Battery saving, Device only). This changes what is used to calculate location. High accuracy (the default) uses GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular, and other available sensors through Google's Location service to get the highest-accuracy location. Battery saving doesn't use GPS, using only Wi-Fi and cellular through Google's Location service, saving battery. Device only uses only GPS, turning off Google's Location service. Changing this value affects the location you see in the app. One last thing to understand about location services on iOS: they never provide an accuracy less than 5 meters. Even if you are using an external GPS with sub-meter accuracy, Workforce uses location services and while the position used could be more accurate, the accuracy reported will still be 5 meters, at best. You might notice this if you look at the historical tracks of where mobile workers have been. A mobile worker will see their position updated continuously. However, as mentioned earlier, they don't update the Workforce project with the same frequency. The project is updated every minute. Additionally, if the mobile worker sets their status to On Break or Not Working, their location is not updated to the project at all until they return to Working. And if the mobile worker didn't set their status to On Break or Not Working before shutting down Workforce, the location the project has for them might be outdated and show them still working. Got it, you might think. But then you open Collector, and see that your location has better accuracy than you are seeing in Workforce! What is going on here? Well, it actually isn't too complicated: Collector doesn't always use the device's location services, bypassing it for the information coming straight from the location sensor (such as an external GPS). Location services are limited in the accuracy that they'll report, even if the device is getting a better accuracy from the location sensor. Because accuracy is critical in data collection, Collector uses the most accurate information available. Workforce, on the other hand, doesn't have the same requirements, so uses the most easily accessed information. Now you should understand how Workforce determines the location of mobile workers, what factors contribute to its accuracy, why it might vary between members of the same project, and why it might vary when using other apps. Now when you see worker location and it doesn't seem they are in the right place, yet the workers insist they are, you'll be able to figure out what it is you are actually seeing and how, if necessary to your project, to improve that information. ... View more

When using Collector to do data collection in the field, there are workflows that require you to collect similar things one after the other. There are two common workflows where I see this: Collecting many things of the same type, but in different locations. For example, you might be walking down the street collecting all the light posts, or through a field and collecting all the orange trees that were just planted. You might be collecting all the addresses or pipe segments in a new housing development. Collecting multiple things that are all in the same place, but have different qualities.  For example, a pole and a transformer that is on it. Whatever it is you might be collecting, you don't want to have to tap Collect new and type the same attributes each time. That is time-consuming and leaves room for human error. And you don't have to: set the Collection Style setting to Continuous and each collection you complete will initiate a new collection. You'll get to choose if attributes, location, both, or neither from your previous collection are brought into your new collection, saving you from providing the same information over and over. Let's try it out. You can use any map, but for this post, I'm collecting palm trees for the City of Redlands. In a newly developed area of town, palm trees are being planted lining the road. They are the same type of tree, the same height, and planted on the same date. These fall under the first type of workflow: I have a lot of things with similar attributes, each at a different location.  Open Collector, and in the Settings, set Collection Style (iOS or Android) or Collection mode (Windows) to Continuous. Open the map, choose a feature type, and provide the details about it. For my note, I pick California Palm, provide species information, set the planting date to today, and provide a height and diameter. I also took and attached a photo of the tree. Submit the collection, and choose what information you'd like to start your new collection with. Since I'm going to continue at the next tree, which has the same size and planting date, I picked Like the last one, at my location, copying attributes but using my new location. My new collection starts, and I can see the attribute values I provided before, along with my new location on the map. I don't see the photo I took, but that is expected and appreciated as I'll take a new photo of this tree. Update any attributes that you need to, and add any attachments. I take a new photo and make sure my other information is all in place. Submit the second feature. I now have two trees with detailed information on my map, and Collector is prompting me for the next. While this is a pretty simple example, think about all the data you have for your organization where the attributes are similar, or the geometry's shape repeats. Try out Continuous collection to get your job done faster and with less human error. Some things to keep in mind: Attachments and related records are not copied, as those are usually unique to the feature they were collected with. If your data uses related records, this setting only applies to collecting parent feature types (for example, light poles) but not the children (for example, the lights associated with each pole). When collecting child features, you won't be prompted to start your new collection. If you are recording GPS metadata for your points, and you duplicate the location (either with Like the last one or At the same location) the GPS metadata is also copied. If you are recording GPS metadata for your points, and you use a new location (either with Like the last one, at my location or New feature) the GPS metadata is captured as part of capturing the new location. If you are adding a feature similar to one already on your map, not similar to the one you just collected, check out Copying the feature. This gives similar options that will save you time and reduce errors. Continuous collect used to be restricted in maps containing features that participated in relationships. That restriction was removed in June 2017 as part of version 17.0.1. ... View more

To explore Collector, the "Try it" maps (available before you sign in) are a great starting point. They let you jump right into the app and see what it can do. But the next question is always "How can I get my own data in the app?" Users starting on their data from scratch should take a look at the ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise templates. This blog answers their question, showing how to use the templates and, in five minutes, be out in the field with your own data in the app. It takes three steps:  Create a feature layer (tip: use templates!) Put your layer in a map Open the map in Collector and get to work  First, create a feature layer While there are multiple ways to create a feature layer, using the Feature Layer templates available in ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise is a great way to quickly create a layer in your ArcGIS organization. While a variety of templates are available (and worth exploring!) in this blog you'll use the Field Notes template. Sign in to your ArcGIS organization using either ArcGIS Online or your ArcGIS Enterprise portal.  Go to Content, and in My Content click Create and choose Feature layer to open the New Hosted Feature Layer dialog. If you are using ArcGIS Enterprise your screen will look a bit different, but the same options are there.  Scroll to or search for the Field Notes template, and select it. Click Create in the panel. For now, you just need a single point layer. Make sure Field Notes (Points) is enabled, and uncheck the other layers. Click Next. Set the extent for your layer and click Next. Provide a title, like Field Notes. You might need to include your initials in the name to get a unique layer name. Click Done to create your layer and see its item page. Second, put your layer in a map Now that you have a layer for the data you collect, put it in a map that you'll open with Collector. Go to the item page of your layer, if you aren't already viewing it. Click the drop-down next to Open in Map Viewer and click Add to new map. Because you are collecting data into the layer and will want to see it on your screen, you'll want the layer to update on the map regularly. Hover over your layer, click the More Options ellipses, hover over Refresh Interval, and provide an interval of 0.1 minutes. Save the map. You'll need to give it a name (like Field Notes) and tags. Third, open the map in Collector and get to work Now that you've made the layer and the map, open the app and get to work. Open Collector on your device (Android, iOS, or Windows 10).  Sign in to your organization. You'll want to use the same account that made the map, as you haven't shared it yet. Browse to the map you just made and open it. Tap Collect + (or go to the Collect new panel on a tablet) and select a type of note to start your first collection.  Your GPS will be used to add the point, or you can use the map to set a different location. Provide a name for your note, and any other information you'd like to fill out in the form.  Tap Submit (the checkmark on Android) to add your note to the layer. Go back to your web browser and look at the map you made. Within a couple seconds, you'll see your note appear on the map. In three steps you've created a feature layer, made a map, and brought your data into Collector, where you can collect the data that matters to you. Although we didn't try it here, you can add attachments to your data, and even work offline. While you might need to collect field notes, there are templates that provide the data structure for a number of industry-specific projects, too. Go take a look at them, and see what data your organization could bring into their GIS. Have a suggestion for another template? Let me know! ... View more