Edit Tracking Workflow Questions

[deleted-user-eL1mKkp8gJc9]

I'm looking for a way to share data with a group of users and have them make changes to the data to make it more accurate.

Here is the workflow I was imagining:

• Export data to shapefile


• ZIP shapefile and upload


• Create feature service


• Enable editing and edit tracking


• Make map and share with group


• Users make changes to data


• I review changes <---- this is where I have questions


• Download updated dataset to re-integrate locally

I would like to review and validate any changes that the group makes in a separate map. This is where I am running into some issues. I want to be able to visually see any changes, additions, or deletions that the users make, but I can't seem to find a way to do this.

1. The time filters function isn't very flexible. Why can't I create custom time filters? For example, "EditDate > 2/13/2013 11:17am"


2. If I can't visually see the changes, I can at least look at the attribute table, right? Not quite, because the "CreationDate" and "EditDate" fields reflect the same information. Shouldn't one represent when a new feature was added and the other represent when it was changed (moved, or details changed)?

These seem to be major flaws in this basic and very common workflow. Any feedback you can provide would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
~Stephen

[MikeMinami]

The creation date and edit date are initially the same. However, as you start to edit, the edit date does change, at least it is for me. If you are not seeing this, how is the edit tracking configured on your service? I have track edits enabled and that's it.

Currently, the time filtering is not that sophisticated and there's not really any functionality for reviewing edits. This is an area we're currently working on. You may have noticed an option called Sync on the item details page of the service. This allows for disconnected editing with synchronization. However, sync will track edits in both disconnected and connected scenarios. The server exposes sync, but the client apps still need to catch up.

Thanks,

Mike

[deleted-user-eL1mKkp8gJc9]

Mike,

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure why my "EditDate" field never changes. I've had several users update the data already and the two fields remain the same.

Here are my editing settings:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21827[/ATTACH]

I'm glad you are working on improving this process. I'll keep an eye on how it develops will try this again later.

Thanks,
~Stephen

[MikeMinami]

Can you share the URL to the service item?

Alternatively, have you tried turning editor tracking off then back on again? It may not actually be enabled, even though it looks like it is...

Mike

[deleted-user-eL1mKkp8gJc9]

Mike,

Standard tech support. Just tell the user to turn it off and on again instead of diagnosing the problem 😉

I'm seeing the EditDate change now. Out of curiosity, is there some sort of "Save Edits" or "Commit Changes" button that you have to click before leaving the map to get changes to stick? Sometimes my edits don't seem to take, but I can't figure out the pattern why.

Thanks for all your assistance.
~Stephen

[MikeMinami]

Edits should be committed immediately. If you're not seeing this, we'll have to diagnose this one... You can try turning on a network traffic monitor (through Chrome, there's developer tools or Fiddler is another one) to watch the requests as they get sent to the server.

Mike

[deleted-user-eL1mKkp8gJc9]

Hi Mike,

I was watching the network traffic through Chrome developers tools and I see the applyEdits command coming up after every change. Things seem to be working now. I don't know what was happening when I originally posted this last week.

Thanks for all your feedback.

~Stephen