FAQ

General

Web app

Mobile app

General

What is ArcGIS Workforce?

ArcGIS Workforce is a mobile solution that uses the power of location-based decision making for better mobile workforce coordination and teamwork. It's composed of a web app used by project administrators and dispatchers in the office and a mobile app used by mobile workers on their devices. Organizations using ArcGIS Workforce get the following benefits:

  • Everything you need on one device—Mobile workers can view and process work assignments, provide updates on work status, and inform others of their location, all from one device.
  • Greater agility—Using real-time and location-based information, dispatchers can assign and prioritize fieldwork on the fly and ensure that work is assigned to the right people at the right time.
  • Increased productivity—Replace time-consuming and error-prone manual workforce management processes, reduce downtime, and keep projects on schedule.

How do I get the app?

ArcGIS Workforce includes two apps—the ArcGIS Workforce mobile app and the ArcGIS Workforce web app.

The ArcGIS Workforce mobile app is available on Google Play for Android devices and the App Store for iPad and iPhone.

Note:

If you can't access Google Play, see the technical article about downloading Workforce from Esri.

The Classic version of the mobile app, listed as Workforce for ArcGIS, is available on Google Play for Android devices and the App Store for iPad and iPhone.

The Workforce web app is accessed through your portal. How you access it depends on the software you're using:

  • If you're using ArcGIS Online, access the Workforce web app through the app launcher or by going to https://www.arcgis.com/apps/workforce.
  • If you're using ArcGIS Enterprise, access the Workforce web app through the app launcher or by going to https://host.domain.com/webadaptor/apps/workforce/ (where host, domain, and webadaptor are replaced by the information about your portal).

Note:

The latest version of the Workforce web app, which allows you to create projects enabled for offline use that are supported in ArcGIS Workforce, is installed by default on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9 and later.

To access the latest version of the Workforce web app on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8.1, you must install the Portal for ArcGIS 10.8.1 ArcGIS Workforce General Patch.

Is Workforce designed for a specific industry?

No. Workforce is designed for use in any situation where you would otherwise use paper maps to organize and coordinate fieldwork. Example use cases include field inspections; service requests, maintenance, and repair activities; permitting; and One Call (call before you dig) tickets.

Which mobile platforms are supported?

Workforce is available on iOS and Android.

Are public accounts supported?

No, Workforce does not support using ArcGIS Online public accounts. You must be part of an ArcGIS organization to use the app.

What privileges are required to use Workforce?

The privileges you need for Workforce depend on the role you have. Project owners, who create and manage projects, need to have the following permissions:

  • Groups: Create, update, and delete
  • Groups: Add members from other organizations
  • Content: Create, update, and delete
  • Content: Publish hosted feature layers
  • Sharing: Share with groups
  • Features: Edit or Features: Edit with full control
Note:

The Groups: Add members from other organizations privilege is only required if project owners invite users from outside their organization to the Workforce project.

Inviting users from outside your organization is not supported with ArcGIS Enterprise.

Dispatchers, who create and assign assignments, and mobile workers, who complete assignments, need to have the Features: Edit or Features: Edit with full control privilege.

For details, see Privileges in ArcGIS Online or Privileges in ArcGIS Enterprise.

What is the licensing of ArcGIS Workforce?

Workforce is available to members of ArcGIS organizations (ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise). For more information, see Terms of Use.

What is planned for Workforce?

Workforce is a mobile solution that uses the power of location-based decision making for better field workforce coordination. While there are no plans to add new capabilities to the Workforce mobile app, it will continue to be supported. New capabilities will be part of the new ArcGIS Field Maps app. The Workforce web app will continue to be maintained; however no new capabilities are planned at this time.

ArcGIS Field Maps will be the only app your mobile workforce needs to complete their map-centric workflows. They will be able to collect data, mark up maps, capture location tracks, complete assignments, and navigate to assets all from one app. The ArcGIS Field Maps app has a beta program and will be released in three phases, the first of which will be made available in Q3 2020. Learn more about ArcGIS Field Maps.

How can I give feedback on Workforce?

You can provide feedback through the Esri Community ArcGIS Workforce community page. There is also a feedback option in the mobile apps. If you're experiencing issues using the app, contact Esri Technical Support.

Web app

What is a Classic project?

A Classic project is any project that is not enabled for offline use. Projects created prior to the August 2020 release of Workforce are labeled as Classic and appear under Classic projects on the Projects page. Classic projects will only appear in the Classic version of the mobile app, listed as Workforce for ArcGIS. They will not appear in ArcGIS Workforce.

To migrate a Classic project to one that is enabled for offline use, see Migrate Classic projects. To create a Classic project, see Use ArcGIS API for Python.

What apps can I integrate with Workforce, and what do those integrations provide?

Workforce supports integration with ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Collector, ArcGIS Explorer, ArcGIS Navigator, and ArcGIS Survey123. App integrations maximize the efficiency of your mobile workers by providing directions as well as the maps and surveys needed to complete their work.

Note:

Field Maps integration is supported on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9 and later.

Field Maps is a mapcentric field app used to view maps, collect new information, and inspect existing data managed in your organization. Add Field Maps integration so that Workforce opens the right map and locates the assignment for map viewing or rapid data collection. For more information, see Integrate other Esri apps.

Collector is a mapcentric field data collection app used to collect new information and inspect existing data managed in your organization. Add Collector integration so that Workforce opens the right map and locates the assignment for rapid data collection. For more information, see Integrate other Esri apps.

Explorer is a map viewing app used to access your data and asset information. Add Explorer integration so that Workforce opens the right map, centered on your assignment. For more information, see Integrate other Esri apps.

Navigator gets your mobile workers to the locations of their assignments using Esri-provided maps or your own maps. Add Navigator integration so that Workforce can open Navigator to provide directions from the worker's current location to the assignment location. Integration with Navigator is enabled by default.

Survey123 is a form-based data collection app used to conduct a survey with predefined questions that use conditional logic to provide answers. Add Survey123 integration so that Workforce opens the right survey. For more information, see Integrate other Esri apps.

The following versions are required:

  • ArcGIS Field Maps 20.1.0 or later
  • ArcGIS Collector 17.0.3 or later
  • ArcGIS Explorer 17.1.0 or later
  • ArcGIS Navigator 2.0 or later
  • ArcGIS Survey123 1.6 or later

Can I integrate Workforce with my work order or asset management system?

Integration with a work order or asset management system is a common request. Usually, this is to automate creation of assignments. You can create assignments that work in Workforce through automation and scripting.

How do I create recurring or repeating assignments?

Creating recurring or repeating assignments is a common request. You can use automation and scripting to create these types of assignments in Workforce.

Why can't I sign in to the web app?

There are a couple of common issues that may occur when trying to sign in. Verify that you typed your username and password correctly. Make sure your account is part of an ArcGIS organization (ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise). Workforce does not support using ArcGIS Online public accounts.

I was added to a project managed by another organization. Why don't I see it in the web app?

Before you can use a project that is managed by another organization, you must accept the organization's invitation to join their project's group. See Join and use groups in the ArcGIS Online help for details.

Why aren't worker status and location updating in the web app?

The status and location of mobile workers update every time a sync occurs in the Workforce mobile app. Workforce has an automatic sync that occurs every 15 minutes when the mobile worker has an internet connection. If the mobile worker updates an assignment, their worker status, or their location, an automatic sync occurs every 60 seconds. Mobile workers can also perform a manual sync when they have an internet connection by tapping Sync now in the mobile app.

Note:

If you set a refresh interval on the Assignments layer, Workforce automatically syncs every minute. If the battery optimization setting is enabled, Workforce automatically syncs every 15 minutes instead.

Automatic sync occurs when the app is displayed in the foreground or is running in the background of your device.

Worker status and location will not update in the Workforce web app under the following conditions:

  • The mobile worker does not have an internet connection.
  • The mobile worker has moved less than 10 meters from their previous location.
  • The mobile worker has changed their worker status to On Break or Not Working. Location will not update for mobile workers with either of these statuses.
  • The mobile worker did not allow Workforce access to their location.

Mobile app

Why can't I sign in to the mobile app?

There are a couple of common issues that may occur when trying to sign in. Verify that you typed your username and password correctly. Make sure your account is part of an ArcGIS organization (ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise). Workforce does not support using ArcGIS Online public accounts.

I was added to a project managed by another organization. Why don't I see it in the mobile app?

Before you can use a project that is managed by another organization, you must accept the organization's invitation to join their project's group. See Join and use groups in the ArcGIS Online help for details.

Which versions of ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Collector, ArcGIS Explorer, ArcGIS Navigator, and ArcGIS Survey123 work with Workforce?

The following versions are required:

  • ArcGIS Field Maps 20.1.0 or later
  • ArcGIS Collector 17.0.3 or later
  • ArcGIS Explorer 17.1.0 or later
  • ArcGIS Navigator 2.0 or later
  • ArcGIS Survey123 1.6 or later

Tip:

Navigate to Assignment, Open in Field Maps, Collect at Assignment, and Survey at Assignment are only available in Workforce if the project is configured to work with ArcGIS Navigator, ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Collector, or ArcGIS Survey123, respectively, and you have the required app installed on your device.

Is location sharing supported in Workforce?

Workforce captures the current location of mobile workers. This is different than location sharing, which stores previous locations and creates a track based on these stored points. While location sharing is not supported in Workforce, it is supported in ArcGIS Field Maps. The two apps can be used side by side on the same mobile device.

The ArcGIS Field Maps mobile app, available on Android and iOS devices, is optimized for sharing locations in the background, minimizing the impact on device battery life. The mobile app records tracks independent of a data connection and provides mobile users control of when they are and aren't tracked. Use Field Maps to capture the tracks of your workforce in the field, monitor where they are, and analyze where they have been.

Note:

The location sharing capability is available on ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise 10.7 or later.

On iOS, Workforce supports viewing tracks collected through Field Maps so that mobile users can see their tracks while working. Field Maps stores the tracks locally on your device, so they are available even while offline. To view tracks in Workforce, turn on My Tracks in Layers Layers. The tracks you see are configured through Field Maps and honor the settings you make for viewing tracks.

Note:

ArcGIS Field Maps must be installed and the same user must be signed in to both Field Maps and Workforce to view tracks in Workforce.

How can I change the maximum number of assignments displayed in the To do list and Completed list?

Caution:

Increasing the maximum number of displayed assignments may cause performance and stability issues in the Workforce mobile app.

On Android devices, the To-do list and Completed list display up to 500 assignments by default. To change the maximum number of displayed assignments, browse to Profile Profile and tap Troubleshooting. Tap Maximum assignments and type the maximum number of assignments that you want displayed in each list. If you clear the value, there is no limit on the number of assignments that display.

Note:

There is no assignment limit or maximum assignment setting on iOS devices.


In this topic
  1. General
  2. Web app
  3. Mobile app