Configure Communications Data Management

The Communications Data Management solution can be configured to meet specific needs in your organization. The sections below outline some administrative tasks to update and manage the solution to fit your organization's needs.

Load data

In some cases, you may need to load existing data into the solution before sharing the maps or applications. Review the maps or applications provided with the solution and determine what, if any, source data you want to load. Communications Data Management also includes a data model to store information about typical communications system assets. To explore the schema, view the data dictionary.

Tip:

If you do have to load data into the solution, you may want to develop a source-target matrix to track how your source data will be loaded into the target layer or layers used in the solution.

Depending on the format of your source data, you may choose to append your source data to the new layers. Once you have determined what source data must be loaded, complete one of the data loading workflows below:

Use the Append tool

In ArcGIS Pro, the Append tool can be used to append multiple input datasets to an existing target dataset. Input datasets can be point, line, or polygon feature classes.

To append features to the target layer or layers using the Append tool, complete the steps below:

  1. In ArcGIS Pro, sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
  2. To open the Communications Data Manager project, click Open another project, click My Content under Portal, double-click the Communications Data Management folder, and click Communications Data Manager.
  3. Add your existing source layers to a new map. To add the target feature layers from the CommunicationsSystem feature service, click My Content under Portal, double-click the Communications Data Management folder, and add the CommunicationsSystem feature service to the map.
  4. On the Analysis tab, in the Geoprocessing group, click Tools to open the Geoprocessing pane.
  5. In the search bar, type Append and click to open the Append tool.
  6. Add your existing communications data from the map to the Input Datasets parameter.
  7. For Target Datasets, use the CommunicationsSystem features in the map.
  8. In the Schema Type parameter, use the drop-down menu to choose Use the Field Map to reconcile schema differences to perform field mapping.
  9. Update your field mapping and click Run.
  10. Repeat this process as needed to load all your existing data into the target communications schema.

Use the Data Loading Tools

The Data Loading toolbox can be used in ArcGIS Pro to streamline loading data from a source to a target dataset and provide the ability to perform in-process data transformation.

  1. Open the Communications Data Manager project.
  2. Follow the installation steps for the Data Loading toolbox.
  3. Review An overview of the Data Loading toolbox to learn more about the tools and how to use them to load data into the CommunicationsSystem layers and Serviceable Locations layer.

Configure the Communications Data Manager ArcGIS Pro project

The Communications Data Manager project includes a Communications Data Manager map with broken links.

  1. In ArcGIS Pro, sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
  2. To open the Communications Data Manager project, click Open another project, click My Content under Portal, double-click the Communications Data Management folder, and click Communications Data Manager.
  3. In the Catalog pane, expand Maps and double-click Communications Data Manager to open the map.
  4. In the Contents pane, click the red exclamation point Error next to the Map Notes layer.

    The Change Data Source dialog box appears.

  5. Click My Content under Portal, double-click the Communications Data Management folder, double-click the CommunicationsMapNotes_managing feature service, and double-click the Map Notes layer.
  6. In the Contents pane, click the red exclamation point Error next to the Serviceable Locations layer.

    The Change Data Source dialog box appears.

  7. Click My Content under Portal, double-click the Communications Data Management folder, double-click the ServiceableLocations_editing feature service, and double-click the Serviceable Locations layer.

    The data source is repaired for the remaining layers.

  8. In the Contents pane, click the red exclamation point Error next to the Regional Cable Components layer.

    The Change Data Source dialog box appears.

  9. Click My Content under Portal, double-click the Communications Data Management folder, double-click the CommunicationsSystem_editing feature service, and double-click the Regional Cable Components layer.

    The data source is repaired for the remaining layers.

  10. In the Contents pane, right click the Communications Data Manager map and click Properties.
  11. Click the Coordinate Systems tab. In the XY Coordinate Systems Available section select the coordinate system that matches the layers in the map.
    Note:

    Ensure the coordinate system of the map matches that of the feature layers deployed in the solution. If these do not match there may be discrepancies in what units are displayed in the map.

  12. Click Save to save the project.

Add members to groups in your organization

Included with Communications Data Management are four groups designed to help managers organize their members based on their privileges and their work. The solution includes the following groups: Communications Editors, Communications Field Users, Communications Map Notes Managers, and Communications Office Users.

To add members to the groups, complete the following steps:

  1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
    Verify that you have privileges to manage member groups before continuing.
  2. At the top of the site, click Groups.
  3. Click the name of the group to open the group details pages.
  4. Click the Overview tab and click Invite members.
  5. Select the members you want to add and click Add to group.
  6. Repeat these steps for each group that you need to add members to.

The provided groups are intended to be utilized by members with a minimum of the following user types in order to fully use the provided maps and apps:

Group nameUser type

Communications Editors

  • Editor
  • GIS Professional Basic with ArcGIS Pro (minimum of one license recommended)

Communications Field Users

  • Mobile Worker

Communications Map Notes Managers

  • Editor

Communications Office Users

  • Editor

Set the default map extent to your service territory

When the Communications Data Management solution is deployed into your organization, it uses the map default set in your organization. If this property has not been set, you may want to quickly update a few maps and apps to your service territory manually to avoid having to pan and zoom to your area each time you open a map. Follow the steps below to update the initial extent of the maps and apps provided with this solution.

  1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
  2. To set the default map extent for the Communications Viewer application, browse to the Communications Viewer item page and click Edit Application.
  3. On the Map tab, zoom the map to the desired extent and click Use current map view under Set initial extent. Click Save.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to set the default map extent for the Communications Editor and Communications Map Notes Manager applications.
  5. To set the default map extent for the Communications Asset Collector map, open the Communications Asset Collector map.
  6. Zoom the map to the desired extent and save it.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the Communications Mobile Viewer map.

Configure the dashboard

When you deploy the Communications Data Management solution to your organization you have the option to change spatial reference. If you selected a spatial reference with a linear unit other than meters, you will need to revise the dashboard by completing the following steps.

  1. In a browser, sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
  2. To set the default map extent for the Communications Dashboard application, browse to the Communications Dashboard item page and click Edit Dashboard.
  3. Navigate to the Civil & Engineering Assets tab and click the configure button Configure on first indicator.
  4. On the Data tab, change the Factor setting to the correct conversion.

    The dashboard Factor setting is configured to convert meters to miles. Learn more about how to Convert Values.

  5. Repeat steps 3 through 4 until all indicators on the Civil & Engineering Assets tab have been updated.
  6. Click the save button Save .