ArcGIS 10.2 Preparing Data for Offline Use and Versioned Data

[JackBeers_III]

In the ArcGIS 10.2 Help documentation (http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#//0154000006m1000000) it states the following about offline editing and versioning:

"To use the sync capability, all the data in the feature service must be from an enterprise geodatabase. Also, you must prepare the data so it can be used offline and, if required, synchronized through the feature service when you have connectivity. How you prepare the data depends on whether the local copy of the data will be editable or read only and, if the local copy of the data will be read only, whether you use versioned data in your feature service.
If clients will be editing data while offline and sychronizing their changes when they have connectivity, the feature service must contain nonversioned data."

My questions are... What is the point of having an Enterprise GDB if you're not going to use versioned data for a multi-user editing environment?  If you are going to SYNC the edited data on ArcGIS Online (Collector) to Non-versioned data, how are you supposed to track those changes when you Also have multiple in-house editors? 

Even if you don't use editing versions on your data, you still may use replication (one-way or two-way) for disconnected environments.  And, if you do so, you would need to fully version your data. An organization that has disconnected desktop editors or multiple editors on multiple versions may still want to use something like the Collector for ArcGIS Online.

If anyone from Esri could shed some light on the subject, I would greatly appreciated it.

Thanks,

[ShaunWeston1]

Did you either get a response to this?

I have a client at the moment that wants to edit data via Collector in offline mode. All their data is in a central database and is versioned. However they won't be able to do this as the data has to be non-versioned to be able to edit offline?

But it can be edited online. Is that right? Is this going to change in the future?

[JackBeers_III]

Sorry Shaun... Unfortunately, I never recieved a difinitive response form Esri except that you would have to have a non-versioned DB.  I expect that they are expecting you to use the track changes option within the DB.  I don't exactly know how that would work, but if you find out, please post. I'm definitely interested.

~~ Good Luck

[ShaunWeston1]

That's cool. Sounds like at 10.3 you will be able to use versioned datasets with an offline workflow anyway

[HarshalGharat]

Jack,

With AGS 10.3 release Esri is providing facility to work in offline mode with versioned datasets.

[AndrewWillingale]

Is there any further mention of 10.3 supporting offline editing of versioned data? I've searched around but can't see anything about it.

[DeniseKing]

FAQs—Collector for ArcGIS | ArcGIS - see Q&A Can I use versioned data offline?

Denise

Technical Lead - Apps/Mobile

[ShaunMartin1]

Exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks!