Configure the form

ArcGIS Enterprise (10.9.1)    |

Mobile workers read, enter, and update forms to collect data and perform inspections. Ensure that mobile workers are successful in the field by configuring the form in the Field Maps web app. When configuring the form, you can do the following:

Tip:

In general, GIS managers think of information contained in features and tables as fields, their values as attributes, and their display as a pop-up. However, mobile workers think about assets and observations, and conceptualize the information as a paper form with entries. The terminology used herein is that used by mobile workers to aid GIS managers in becoming familiar with their terms. The exception is when terms from the authoring experience are used.

Caution:

If you're using ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8.1 or 10.9 to configure the form with the Field Maps web app, you must use Map Viewer Beta when editing the map. If you use Map Viewer Classic to edit the map, the changes you make to the form in the Field Maps web app will be lost.

If you're using ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8 or earlier, the Field Maps web app is not available. You must configure the form in Map Viewer Classic.

Begin to configure the form

Configure the form using the Field Maps web app.

  1. In a browser, sign in to your organization and open the Field Maps web app from the app launcher in ArcGIS Online or the app launcher in ArcGIS Enterprise.

    The Maps page appears, showing maps that you own.

    Note:

    If you're an administrator using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 or later, you have the option to view and configure any map within your organization. Click Filter and select All maps.

  2. Click a map to configure it.

    The Overview page appears, displaying information about the map.

    Tip:

    If you're using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 or later, you can also open a map in Field Maps from the map's item page. Browse to the map's item page and click Open in Field Maps.

  3. Click Content.

    The Content page appears, listing the items in your map.

  4. Click an editable layer or table.

    The Form builder appears with a blank form canvas.

  5. Begin to configure the form.

    Once you've opened the Form builder, you can begin to configure the form in one of the following ways:

    • Convert the existing pop-up—If you configured the form as a pop-up in Map Viewer Classic, you can configure the form in the Form builder using the existing pop-up configuration. Click Convert pop-up.

      Editable fields from the pop-up are added to the form canvas and placed in their original order. Fields that are not part of the pop-up configuration appear in the Fields list.

    • Add all fields to the form—To include all the fields in the form, click Add all in the Fields list. All available fields are added to the form.

    • Add a selection of fields to the form—To include a specific selection of fields in the form, press the Ctrl key and click the fields you want to include, then drag them to the form canvas.
      Note:

      Using the Ctrl key to add a selection of fields is supported on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and later.

    • Add fields one by one—To add a single field to the form, click it or drag it to the form canvas.

      Tip:

      If the layer or table contains a large number of fields, you can use the Find Fields search bar in the Fields list to locate a specific field.

Tip:

You can copy a form between maps using ArcGIS API for Python and the copy_form_between_maps Python script or ArcGIS Online Assistant. For step-by-step instructions, see the Duplicate maps and forms blog post.

Provide a title

Include identifying information in the title so mobile workers choose the correct form. By default, the title of the form is the name of the layer or table.

  1. While configuring the form, click the current title.
  2. Provide a title that mobile workers can easily identify.
  3. Click Save.
Tip:

If you're using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 or later, click Add field in the Formatting pane to include a field value in the title.

Order the entries on the form

Order the form entries in a way that makes it easier for mobile workers to provide information in the field. If you have a long form, list the required entries first so mobile workers don't have to search for the key items.

  1. While configuring the form, drag fields to order them on the form canvas or select a field and use the arrow keys to move it up or down.
  2. Click Save.
Tip:

If you're using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 or later, you can select multiple form entries by pressing the Ctrl key and clicking each entry.

Group entries together

If you have related information in the form, you can group it, which is similar to sections of a paper form. Group fields using the Group form element in the Form Elements list.

  1. While configuring the form, click a Group element from the Form Elements list.

    A form element is added to the form canvas.

  2. Drag the fields into the group.
  3. Select the group element to edit its properties.

    The Properties pane appears, allowing you to edit the following information:

    • Display name—Provide a name for the group that describes its fields.
    • Description—Provide a description for the group.
    • Initial state—Check this check box if you want the initial state of the group to be expanded in the mobile app.
    • Conditional visibility—Add an Arcade attribute expression to apply rules for when the group should appear in the form. See Conditional visibility for details.

  4. Click Save.
Tip:

If you're using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 or later, you can remove all form entries from a group by selecting Ungroup from the group toolbar. You can remove multiple entries from the group by pressing Ctrl, selecting each entry you want to remove, and dragging them out of the group.

Update labels (display names)

In Field Maps, the Display name text is used as the label of the entry in the form. Provide a name or short question familiar to your mobile workers.

Tip:

Keep labels short and concise. While you can use a question, Field Maps scales the text to fit on a single line in the form.

  1. While configuring the form, click a field to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, edit the Display name text to change the entry's label on the form.
  3. Click Save.

Provide hints

In Field Maps, the Placeholder text is used to display informative hint text for an entry without a value. For example, you can provide information about where the mobile worker obtains the information or details about how to format the information when entered.

Note:

Placeholder text for date fields or fields with coded value domains does not display in the Field Maps mobile app.

  1. While configuring the form, click a form entry to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, edit the Placeholder text to change the hint text for the entry.
  3. Click Save.

Provide a description

The Description text is used to provide contextual information that describes the purpose of a form entry.

Note:

Description text is supported on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and later.

  1. While configuring the form, click a form entry to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, edit the Description text to change the description for the entry.
  3. Click Save.

Provide read-only entries

By default, fields in the form are enabled for editing, however, you can change the setting so mobile workers cannot edit the fields. Read-only entries allow mobile workers access to information, but prevent them from editing it.

  1. While configuring the form, click a form entry to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, uncheck the Allow mobile users to edit check box to prevent mobile workers from editing the field.
  3. Click Save.

Format text entries

Text entries can be configured to use a text box or text area. A minimum and maximum character count can also be configured for each text entry.

  1. While configuring the form, click a form entry that requires text to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select one of the options.
    • Text box—Allow the mobile worker to provide one line of text.
    • Text area—Allow the mobile worker to provide multiple lines of text.
  3. In the Formatting section, set values for Min. length and Max. length for the entry.
  4. Click Save.

Format date entries

Date entries can be configured to use a date picker or a date and time picker. A range can also be set for each date entry.

  1. While configuring the form, click a form entry that requires a date to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select one of the options.
    • Date picker—Allow the mobile worker to provide a date.
    • Date and time picker—Allow the mobile worker to provide a date and time.
  3. In the Formatting section, set values for Range start and Range end that mobile workers can choose from.
  4. Click Save.

Format an entry that contains a list of values

Entries that include a list of values can be configured to appear as a Combobox or Radio buttons in the form.

  1. While configuring the form, click an entry that requires text to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select one of the options.
    • Combobox—The mobile worker can tap the entry to choose a value from the list of available options.
    • Radio buttons—The mobile worker can select a radio button value directly on the form.
      Note:

      The Radio buttons input type is supported on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and later.

  3. Click Save.
Note:

You create the list of values when you define the fields to prepare the form.

Format switch entries

Entries that include two values can be configured to appear as a Switch in the form.

  1. While configuring the form, click a field with two values.

    The Properties pane appears.

  2. In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select Switch.

    You can reorder the values by clicking the Switch order of values button next to the switch values.

Note:

For workers to view the entry as a switch in the mobile app, a default value must be set. The entry displays as a combobox for templates without a default value.

The Switch input type is supported on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and later.

Format high-accuracy metadata display

Fields that contain high-accuracy metadata don't appear in the form or in the Fields list. If you are displaying high-accuracy metadata in the pop-up, format the numbers to use an appropriate number of decimal places. If you're displaying the fix time, format the date.

Configure required entries

If your data includes entries that mobile workers must provide, you can configure those entries so that they are required. For example, if all inspections require an inspection date, configure the inspection date entry to be required. If you require a form entry, you must also decide whether null values are allowed. Required entries are indicated in Field Maps by an asterisk next to the label and prevent submission until a value is provided.

  1. While configuring the form, click a field to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, click the Required drop-down menu and select from one of the following options:
    Note:

    If you're using ArcGIS Enterprise, a Required check box appears instead. Check the Required check box to make the field a required entry.

    • No—Select this option when the form entry is optional for mobile workers and when the field in the feature layer is optional when other applications are adding or editing data.
    • Yes, do not allow null values—Select this option when mobile workers are required to provide an entry and when field values are required in the feature layer when other applications are adding or editing data.
    • Yes, allow null values—Select this option when mobile workers are required to provide an entry, but providing field values in the feature layer is optional when other applications are adding or editing data.
  3. Click Save.

Configure conditional visibility

If you have fields or groups that only need to appear if a previous entry has a certain value, you can make those fields or groups conditional. For example, a Building Assessment form includes an entry to indicate whether there is water damage. It also includes a group of entries related to water damage. A conditional visibility statement can be applied to the water damage group so it only appears if water damage is indicated in the earlier entry. To create a conditional visibility expression, use the Arcade editor in the Field Maps web app.

  1. While configuring the form, click a field or group to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Conditional Visibility section, click + Add expression.

    The Arcade editor appears. The editor allows you to write and test your expression before saving it to the selected field or group.

  3. Write the expression.

    The Field Maps web app applies the Arcade Constraint profile to evaluate whether a feature meets the criteria defined in the expression. The expression should always be written to return a Boolean value of true or false.

    For example, if a water damage group only needs to appear if water damage was indicated in an earlier entry, the following conditional visibility expression is written for the group:

    $feature.water_damage != "No"
    If a value other than "No" is indicated in the water_damage field, the water damage group will appear in the form.

    For additional examples of constraint expressions, see the arcade-expressions GitHub repository.

  4. Click Edit next to the title and provide a title for the expression.
  5. Click OK.

    The conditional visibility expression is applied to the group or field.

  6. Click Save.

    Now that you've saved your expression, you can apply it to any form element by selecting the form element and clicking the expression you created. You can see which elements are using the Arcade expression by clicking the number next to the expression in the Properties pane under Conditional Visibility.

    Note:
    You can duplicate, edit, or delete the expression at any time from the Conditional Visibility menu.

Scan barcodes and QR codes

If your assets include barcodes or QR codes, you can scan the barcode or QR code with the Field Maps mobile app and populate one or more entries based on the scan. In Field Maps, text and numeric entries with the Barcode scanner input type contain an option for scanning a barcode or QR code. When a mobile worker chooses Scan barcode or QR code Scan barcode or QR code, the device's camera app opens and reads the barcode or QR code. The information it contains populates the selected entry when the scan is complete.

Note:

The Barcode scanner input type is supported on ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and later.

  1. While configuring the form, click a field that requires a barcode or QR code entry to open the Properties pane.
  2. In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select Barcode scanner.
  3. Click Save.
Note:

Field Maps supports the barcode and QR code formats supported by the operating system. For Android support, see Scan Barcodes with ML Kit on Android. For iOS support, see Machine-Readable Object Types.

Configure the required valid values

You can restrict the information that users enter into the form by setting choices or a range of values that must be honored for an entry. These are honored by Field Maps, but configured through your data.

To provide a set of choices for a field, create a list of values in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise or a coded value domain in ArcGIS Pro. In Field Maps, mobile workers see a list of values they can choose from.

To include a range of valid numeric values, provide the minimum and maximum values. If you're using ArcGIS Pro, this is done through a range domain. In Field Maps, mobile workers enter a value and it is flagged if it's outside the valid range.

If the form contains invalid values, mobile workers can't submit the form. For details regarding configuring your data to restrict the values entered in the form, see one of the following:

Set default values

You can set default values for entries in the form. There are two ways to provide default values: specify a default value for a field as part of designing your layer or provide a feature template to use for collecting data.

Default values that are specified as part of designing your layer are inherent to the data. The default value is applied to a field whenever a feature is created. To provide default values as part of designing your layer, see one of the following:

Default values that are specified as part of a feature template are applied to the field when the feature template is used to create a feature. This allows you to have different default values for a single field depending on the type of feature that is being created. If a field has an existing default value, the default for a feature template overrides it and is used. To provide default values for a feature template, see Manage feature templates.

Known issues

Known issues for building a form in the Field Maps web app and instructions for how to resolve them are provided below.

Unable to configure the form for a table

If a table is related to a layer with GNSS fields, you cannot configure its form, however, you can configure the form for a copy of the table. To create a copy of a related table, complete the following steps:

  1. Browse to the item page for the layer that contains the GNSS fields and click the Visualization tab.
  2. Click Save as new layer and provide a title.
  3. Click Save.

    A copy of the layer and the related table are created and added to My content.

  4. Return to the Field Maps web app.

    You can now configure the form for the copy of the table.