Configure Homelessness Point-in-Time Counts

Learn how to configure the Homelessness Point-in-Time Counts solution to meet specific needs in your organization and load your data if needed.

Extend homelessness count survey

The Homelessness Point-in-Time Counts solution includes a Homelessness Counts survey that can be used by volunteers to conduct annual point-in-time counts. The questions provided are standard from guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). However, you can extend this survey with your own questions. Review the pre-configured questions and adjust as necessary to remain in compliance with your organizational policies. In addition, ensure you secure the survey and underlying layers and only share the content with appropriate members of your organization.

Update feature layer views

The Homelessness Point-in-Time Counts solution includes a series of views created from feature layers provided with the solution. You can modify the Homelessness Point-in-Time Counts survey by first adding new fields to the feature layers and then configuring the surveys to use the newly created fields. The new fields must be exposed in the appropriate views. When adding new questions, begin with the steps listed below. For changes such as removing questions or formatting the survey, proceed to the Modify homelessness count form survey section.

To add one or more fields to a layer and recreate the views, complete the following steps:

1. Sign in to your ArcGIS Online organization and search for the Homelessness Counts hosted feature layer.
2. Add a new field to a layer in the Homelessness Counts hosted feature layer.
3. Update the fields of the associated layer views Homelessness Count_dashboard, Homelessness Count_public, and Homelessness_Count_submit.

Note:

Fields made available in the Homelessness_public layer view will be visible to the public.

Tip:

The Homelessness Count_join join view was created to support the HUD household questions with dependencies on individual questions. This join view should only need to be recreated if household questions with dependencies on individual questions are added. If dependant questions are added then you should republish the layer.

Modify homelessness count survey form

To modify the Homelessness Counts survey, complete the following steps:

1. Install ArcGIS Survey123 Connect.
2. Start ArcGIS Survey123 Connect and sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
3. Click Homelessness Counts to download the survey.
4. In the Download window, click Download and click OK.
5. Click Homelessness Counts to open the survey.
6. On the left, from the side toolbar, click the XLSForm button.
7. At the bottom of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, click the choices tab.

   This tab comprises all the selectable options for survey questions.

8. Revise the survey to reflect your needs.
9. Save and close the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and preview your changes in ArcGIS Survey123 Connect.
10. In ArcGIS Survey123 Connect, in the left toolbar, click Publish to publish your changes.
11. Click Publish survey to publish your changes, and then click OK.

Note:

Extending the Homelessness Counts survey will require you to update the Homelessness Count Dashboard and associated map if you'd like to include the new information in the dashboard.

Add shelter names pick list

Organizations conducting point-in-time counts may want to add a list of selectable shelter names. Adding the shelter names as a pick list can help maintain data consistency and save time in the field.

To add your list of shelter names to a pick list, complete the following steps:

1. Install ArcGIS Survey123 Connect.
2. Start ArcGIS Survey123 Connect and sign in to your ArcGIS organization.
3. Click Homelessness Counts to download the survey.
4. Click Homelessness Counts again to open the survey.
5. On the left pane, click Open XLSForm Spreadsheet.
6. In the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, click the choices tab.

   This tab comprises all the selectable options for survey questions.

7. Update the name and label for shelter_name with your local areas shelters. Add additional shelter names and rows as needed, and if necessary, delete all placeholder information.
8. Click the survey tab and in cell A4, change the word text to select_one shelter_name.

   Note:

   If you encounter a Not a valid XLSFORM Type warning then validate the form type. If the form type is valid and the warning still persists choose Yes to continue.

9. In cell I5, type in the word minimal.
For more information about changing the appearance of the question type, see Appearance.
10. Save the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and preview your changes in ArcGIS Survey123 Connect.
11. In ArcGIS Survey123 Connect, click Publish in the left pane to publish your changes.

Note:

To view your changes in ArcGIS Survey123 Connect, on the Download Surveys page, click Download to download the updated survey.

Add spatial query to Homelessness Count Dashboard

Organizations conducting point-in-time counts may want to add features such as neighborhoods, or city boundaries, as a spatial query to the Homelessness Count Dashboard.

To add geometries as a spatial query, complete the following steps:

1. Sign in to your ArcGIS Online organization.
2. Browse to the Homelessness Count Dashboard map.
3. Click Add and choose a layer, and then edit the layer style.
4. Save the map.
5. Browse to Homelessness Count Dashboard and click Edit Dashboard.
6. In the upper left corner of the dashboard editor click Add element. Click the plus sign in the title panel and click Add Category Selector in the drop-down menu.
7. On the Data tab, change Categories from to Features. Choose your layer and click Select Layer.
8. On the Selector tab, change Selection to Multiple.
9. In the Label text box, type in a selector's title.
10. Click the Actions tab on the left pane.
11. Expand Filter.
12. Choose an available target and once the target has been chosen, set the Method to Spatial.
13. Click Done and Save the dashboard.