Quick reference

Note:

The Collector for ArcGIS (Classic) help site is retired and no longer being updated. To learn about Collector retirement and to find the latest information on data collection, see Collector retirement.

Extend the reach of ArcGIS to your field work force and use Collector for ArcGIS to improve the accuracy and currency of your spatial data. Using your ArcGIS organizational account, you can create and configure maps that tailor Collector for ArcGIS to fit your workflow needs.

The main parts of the app are as follows:

• Map
• Collect screen
• Map Gallery
• Menu

Tip:

While this topic presents an overview of the main app screens, you should focus on the collection workflow the app facilitates. For data collection, see Collect data. To work with your data, see Create and share a map for data collection. To record routes of collectors using the app, see Track where collectors go.

Map

The majority of your time in the app is spent interacting with the map, where a basemap and features display. This is the active open map used in your data collection. When viewing the map, you can collect data, begin measuring, and initiate all the other capabilities of the app. Use the Map Gallery to open a map.

Note:

The map has a measure mode that is used to measure distances and areas on the map. In that mode, the available tools, as well as the behavior of the map, are different. While viewing an open map, using the map highlights features and presents information about them. In measure mode, using the map adds vertices and updates the measurement.

Similarly, the map has a collection mode that is used to collect a new feature or edit the attributes of an existing feature. In that mode, the tools and behavior of the map are also different. See the below section, Collect screen, for details.

The following are highlighted in the previous image of the map:

1. Menu—Expands the menu to display collections of maps and provides access to accounts and app settings.
2. My Location tool—Uses GPS to show your location on the map. To enable My Location, turn on location services in your device's settings. The icon changes to show the state of the GPS. The icon indicates your location does not display on the map. Once your location is turned on, the icon indicates your location displays on the map and is kept centered. As you move, the map moves on the screen to keep your location centered on the screen. Once you pan the map while your location displays, the icon indicates your location displays on the map but isn't kept centered. As you move, your location displayed on the map moves on the screen and can even move outside of the visible part of the map.

   Tip:

   When you don't need to see your location on the map, turn off My Location . This saves the battery by turning off not only the display of your location but also the GPS. If the map tracks your location, it continues to do so when location is not displayed on the map, turning on the GPS when needed. If you're collecting data, the GPS turns back on as needed to get collection locations.

3. Search tool—Searches for a place-name, address, coordinate location, or feature. The map author configures the search and the hint text, which provides information about what you can search.
4. Collect New tool—Adds a feature.
5. More—Shows a menu of the additional tools available. The screen capture shows the menu.
   1. Map Contents tool—Shows the legend and layers. If you turn layers on and off on the Layers tab, these changes are reflected in the legend. While this changes which features display on the map, it doesn't change the saved map or how the map appears to others.
   2. Bookmarks tool—Goes to previously defined areas of interest. These include Bookmarks defined on the map and My Places that you've stored in your device.
   3. Basemaps tool—Changes the basemap to another one that is either online or on your device. The basemap, also known as a reference or background map, provides the information displayed under the interactive features.

      Note:

      The map author can disable the ability to switch basemaps.

   4. Measure tool—Draws lines and shapes on the map, and calculates their lengths and areas in a variety of measurement units. See Draw a shape for details.

      Note:

      The map author can disable the ability to measure.

      This is done with the map in measure mode, presenting a different set of tools and different behavior. While viewing an open map, interacting with the map highlights features and presents information about them. In measure mode, interacting with the map adds vertices and updates the measurement.

6. Panel—Displays contextual information based on the tools being used and the interactions with the map. The possible contents include types for data collection, searches and search results, feature lists and feature details, and editable feature details. When displaying a list of search results or features, the selected item is highlighted on the map. Select a result or use More to interact with the result.

   The screen capture shows the panel with the details of a feature. While feature details are displayed, the following tools are available:

   1. Edit—Starts editing the feature.
   2. Copy—Copies the feature to create a new feature. See Copy an existing feature in Add a feature for details.

      Note:

      A feature can only be copied if it's editable. Copying is disabled on features that are the children in a relationship.

   3. Delete—Deletes the feature.
   4. More—Provides access to the Zoom to and Add to my places actions if applicable to the selected feature.

7. (a and b) Features—Each feature (here a house) is an interactive piece of data on the map. As you work, you add, update, and delete features. When selected, the feature is highlighted on the map, as in the case of the feature marked b. They have additional information—including, in some cases, attachments—that can be viewed by selecting the feature to display its details in the panel.

   Note:

   In this help system, the word feature refers to an item of interest on the map with which you can interact. The traditional meaning of a feature on a map refers to any item of interest. However, in this app, some of the traditional features are part of the basemap (background) and are not interactive. For example, in the Damage Assessment Survey (Tutorial) sample map, the cities and lakes are a part of the basemap and do not have additional information or interactivity. Any houses are items on top of the basemap, and they have additional information with which you can interact. You can view information about and edit the houses, so the houses in that map are features.

8. Location Accuracy—Indicates current horizontal GPS accuracy as well as whether it is below the location accuracy threshold. For details, see How do I know the accuracy of the GPS positions I'm getting? in the Collect Data Troubleshooting topic. To display more information about your current GPS location, such as vertical accuracy and fix type, select the badge.
9. Map—The map appears here, including a basemap and features. You can pan, zoom in, and zoom out to see other areas.

Collect screen

This screen displays when you are collecting a new feature or editing the attributes of an existing feature. Use it to enter and save information about a feature, including attributes and attachments, as well as to set the feature's location. The collect screen also provides access to the location accuracy, streaming interval, and collection mode settings.

The following items are highlighted on the previous image of the Collect screen:

1. Delete—Provides options to discard the feature if you are collecting a new feature, discard your edits if you are editing an existing feature, or discard the shape of the feature if you are working with a line or polygon.
2. Collect Settings—Provides access to view and update location accuracy, streaming interval, and collection mode.
3. Start Streaming—Automatically collects a shape using your device's GPS, allowing you to walk or drive along a feature and capture its shape without manually placing points. When selected, it changes to Pause Streaming , and you can't manually edit the shape. To make manual edits, pause streaming, make your updates, and restart streaming. You can only stream when collecting or editing a polygon or line.
4. Delete Vertex—Deletes the currently active vertex of your polygon or line feature. It only displays when you are collecting or editing a polygon or line feature.
5. Undo—Reverts the last change you made to the shape of a feature. For example, if you update the location of a feature or add a point to a shape you're drawing, selecting Undo discards these changes. However, if you edit a field in the Attributes list and select Undo, your field edits are unaffected and the last change made to the feature's shape is undone.
6. Use My Location—Updates the feature's location or adds a new vertex using the GPS.
7. Submit—Saves the feature and the data you collected about it.
8. Feature type—Indicates the type of feature you are collecting.
9. Fields—Enter information about the feature in each of the fields shown.
10. Camera—Take and add a new photo or video to a feature collection using the device's camera if attachments are enabled in the map.
11. Browse—Attach to a feature collection an existing item from the device, such as a photo, video, PDF file, or text document if attachments are enabled in the map.
12. Map—Allows you to create and edit the feature's shape. For details on working with the shape of features, see Draw a shape.

Map Gallery

Use the Map Gallery to open, find, or manage maps. It displays lists of maps including both the collections from the menu and the maps of a group.

To go to the Map Gallery when viewing a map, select Menu and select a collection of maps. To change the collection of maps displayed, use the menu or select a group. To return to the open map, select the map's thumbnail at the top of the menu.

Note:

The available maps include maps your signed in account can access. If you used the app's Try Collector option, the available maps are the sample maps.

The following items are highlighted on the previous image of the Map Gallery:

1. Gallery title—Describes the list of maps.
2. Tabs—Displays the selected category of maps. When viewing Maps, it has the following options:
   • All Maps (as shown in the image)—Shows all available maps, including those you authored and those available to groups of which you are a member.
   • My Maps—Shows all the maps you authored. They are shown as a flat list, ignoring any folders that you have set up.
   • Groups—Shows the groups of which you are a member. Choose a group to show the maps shared with that group.

   When viewing the On Device collection, Maps shows maps downloaded to your device, and Basemaps allows you to manage your basemaps.

3. Sort by—Allows you to sort maps by title, date, or owner.
4. Filter Maps—Filters the available maps to only display those maps with matching title, summary, or tags.
5. Map Card—An available map. Select the map card to open a map.
   1. More—Provides access to additional actions you can take with the map. These depend on the chosen map and can include Details, Download, Sync, and Remove. In the map's details, you can open the map , add the map to your favorites by choosing the star , and download the map if that option is available.
   2. Download—Starts downloading your map. Download is only visible if the map can be taken offline. For details, see Go offline.
   3. Sync—Syncs the data with the server. This only displays on downloaded maps. A count of unsynced edits displays beside Sync .

Menu

Use the menu to access collections of maps, including your maps, your favorite maps, recently opened maps, or maps that are on your device, as well as your account information and settings.

Note:

If you're using the Try Collector option, the menu is slightly different. You won't see Favorites or On Device .

The following items are highlighted on the previous image of the menu:

1. Maps—Displays All Maps, My Maps, and Groups.
2. Favorites—Displays your favorite maps. To make a map a favorite, select More on the map's card, select Details, and select Favorite.
3. Recents—Displays the maps recently used by the current account and on this device.
4. On Device—Displays the maps and basemaps you've downloaded to your device.
5. Account—Provides access to add, remove, or switch user accounts.
6. Settings—Provides access to view and update the app settings, such as location accuracy, streaming interval, collection mode, and measurement units. It also provides access to information about the licensing of the app.