Creating a 'folder' for data collection and mapping

[BNRiverkeeper]

Hello! I am looking for assistance trying to create an online map for our organizations water quality collection data. We sample at set sites throughout our area, and I was wondering if there is a way to create a sort of feature point 'folder' within arconline and survey123. I am envisioning one point per site that allows for data to be entered in each time there is a new sample collected, and then that feeds into the map on experience. The 'folder' would look like a regular point, and when clicked it would show the data entries previously made. If anyone knows how to do this or has examples of maps with a similar aspect that would be immensely helpful!

[MobiusSnake · Accepted solution]

It sounds like what you're looking for is a hosted feature layer with a related table.  This allows you to have defined points with zero, one, or many inspection records linked to those points, usually with date/time fields indicating when the inspection occurred.

ArcGIS Online hosted feature layers include templates, there are some that follow this pattern but are intended for different types of inspections, I think you could try them out to get a sense of how they might work for you, then (if it meets your requirements) create your own schema following the pattern.  To spin up one of these layers from a template, do the following:

• Go to your Content page
• Click the New Item button
• Select "Feature layer:
• Select "Use a template"
• Search for "water quality inspection"
• You should see a template named "Water Quality Inspection", select it and click Next
• Leave both the layer and table enabled (as is default) and click Next
• Under Options (GPS metadata, Z-values, M-values) leave everything as default and click Next
• On the last panel, give your layer a name like "Water Inspection Test 1" or something along those lines, and click Save to create the hosted feature layer.

Once your layer's created, you'll probably want to get familiar with it in Map Viewer.  Inspection workflows on existing, predefined sites are often achieved using Field Maps, a combination of Field Maps and Survey123, or the Survey123 inbox - which one works best for you will depend on your requirements and your users.

[BNRiverkeeper]

After testing this, it is definitely what I have been looking for! How easy would it be to fill in this template with an existing data set?

[MobiusSnake]

I think it would depend on the format of your existing data and what tools you have at your disposal.  Something like FME, the Data Interop extension or Python scripts are what I typically use for these types of tasks, other options could be tools like the Append geoprocessing tool (assuming you have access to ArcGIS Pro).

[BNRiverkeeper]

As of right now the data sits in an excel file with a line for every sampling instance. So there are multiple lines with the same sites but different dates.

[MobiusSnake]

I would approach this in this way:

1. Compare the fields in your data to the fields in the template, and modify the template to match your data.  For example, adding new measures that the template lacks, or deleting those measures that the template has that you don't need.  I would also probably delete most of the measures from the point layer itself, and keep all the measures on the history table.
2. Load your sites into the point layer.  Identify unique locations from the Excel file and load each one into the layer.  As each one is created, ArcGIS Online will assign a Global ID, this is a unique identifier that's used to link the layer to the history table, you'll need this for the next step.
3. Load each Excel row into the history table.  You'll need to load the site's Global ID into the Inspection ID field to link the history record back to the location.

How you do steps two and three depend on your tools and skills, personally I'd use the ArcGIS API for Python but I default to Python for most things, you could also use ETL tools like FME or use a series of geoprocessing tasks in ArcGIS Pro.  If you go with geoprocessing I'd recommend first converting your Excel file into a File Geodatabase table then doing everything with it, working with Excel files directly can be painful.

[BNRiverkeeper]

Thank you for all of your help, this is a major timesaver. I don't have the much skill with python besides writing simple code for single actions, so geoprocessing would be my go to. I have just one more question, and I'm not entirely sure if you would know it but after I have the feature layer data filled out, would experience then be able to pull the history data from the points to represent them in the graph widgets?

[MobiusSnake]

I'm not sure, I haven't used Experience Builder very much, but it would definitely be possible with Dashboards so I'm guessing Experience Builder could do it as well.