Frequently asked questions about ArcGIS Mission

Listed below are frequently asked questions about ArcGIS Mission.

Mission

• What is ArcGIS Mission?
• What components make up Mission?
• Is ArcGIS Mission available in ArcGIS Online?
• Is ArcGIS Mission Manager designed for a specific role?
• What types of authentication are supported for ArcGIS Mission?
• What is the difference between mission owners, mission leads, and mission members in an active mission?
• Can a mission member be on multiple teams in an active mission?
• Within an active mission, will one user changing the view of their mission map change the map for everyone else?

Manager

• Can I add myself to a mission?
• Can I change my mission map after I create a mission?
• Can I create a report in Mission Details?
• Can I see the locations of other Responder users in the mission map while I use the Lock on button?
• Can I edit a report once it is submitted?
• Do I have to assign a task to create it?
• Can I use missions created in an earlier version of ArcGIS Mission Manager in my current version?
• If I assign another mission member as a mission lead, can they delete the mission?
• Is there a limit to the number of fields I can use in my custom report?
• Why can't I create or add a report even though I am a mission member?
• Can I use a report template if there is a report of the same name already in my mission?
• Can I have multiple measurements on my mission map?
• What happens if I am using the Find Nearest tool and there are no Responder users nearby?
• How many conversion formats can I view at the same time in the Coordinate Conversion tool?
• Can I change the required report type on a task once I create the task?
• Is there a way to see specific report types on my mission map?
• Can I use ArcGIS Mission Manager and ArcGIS Mission Responder with the same user at the same time?
• Can I edit a task once I create it?
• Why aren't certain notifications displayed in the events list when I know they occurred previously?
• How do I add a Survey123 report to my mission?
• How do I add a QuickCapture project to my mission?
• Can I edit report fields after publishing a report?
• Can I save a report as a template at any other time than before initial publishing?

Responder

• How do I download older versions of ArcGIS Mission Responder?
• Why can't I see a mission in my Responder app even though I was added to it?
• Why isn’t my current location shown on the live map?
• How do I sign in to Responder?
• Can I change teams or add myself to another team in the Responder app?
• Why do the Android and iOS versions of Responder look different?
• Why can’t I edit a report if I can view it on the map?
• Can I assign my task to another Responder user?
• Can I use Responder in a web-tier authenticated environment?
• Can Responder create custom report formats?
• How does the disconnect and reconnect sync work?
• How can I get the Responder app?
• Can I use a QR code to go straight to a mission or somewhere else inside the portal?
• Do I have to have Survey123 installed on my device to access a survey from inside a mission?
• Do I need to have ArcGIS QuickCapture installed on my Responder device to access QuickCapture projects?
• Is dark mode available in the Responder app, and if so, how do I activate it?
• Is landscape mode available in the Responder app?

Server

• How do I restore my ArcGIS Mission Server site?
• Can I use a reverse proxy with ArcGIS Mission Server instead of a web adaptor?
• What are context URLs and why do I need them to configure ArcGIS Mission Server in some deployment scenarios?
• Does ArcGIS Mission Server require a separate installation or license?
• I’m trying to do a silent installation, but the command prompt keeps returning an error. What do I do?
• What is required before installing ArcGIS Mission Server?
• Does ArcGIS Mission Server have an API?
• How do I create a highly available deployment of ArcGIS Mission Server?
• How do I upgrade a highly available deployment of ArcGIS Mission Server?
• Does ArcGIS Mission support video?
• What is the recommended minimum architecture, and how many users does that support?
• How does ArcGIS Mission scale?
• Can I use ArcGIS Mission Server to create my own app?
• Is ArcGIS Mission Server a system of record?
• Is there a difference in how mission messages, reports, and tasks are stored?
• What should I do if it seems like adding users, reports, or other mission actions are not behaving correctly?

Mission

What is ArcGIS Mission?

ArcGIS Mission is a geospatial communications and situational awareness tool. It allows you to create, share, and monitor materials for operational use, and it facilitates peer-to-peer mobile communications in real time.

For more information, see What is ArcGIS Mission.

What components make up Mission?

ArcGIS Mission is composed of a web app, a mobile app, and a server component. ArcGIS Mission Manager is the web app that you use to create and organize the mission. ArcGIS Mission Responder is the mobile app that allows mission members in the field to participate in missions. ArcGIS Mission Server is the server role that allows Manager and Responder to communicate.

Is ArcGIS Mission available in ArcGIS Online?

No. ArcGIS Mission is not available in ArcGIS Online. It is only available in ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8 and later.

Is ArcGIS Mission Manager designed for a specific role?

ArcGIS Mission Manager users can be separated into three distinct roles: Editor, Owner, and Administrator, which are defined by their privileges. Users who have one of these three roles can be members of a mission that can view, collaborate, and actively participate in a mission. See ArcGIS Mission Manager roles for more information.

What types of authentication are supported for ArcGIS Mission?

ArcGIS Mission supports LDAP, PKI, IWA, and SAML authentication.

What is the difference between mission owners, mission leads, and mission members in an active mission?

Mission owners and leads have greater privileges, such as adding and removing members from a mission and caching and restoring mission activities.

Can a mission member be on multiple teams in an active mission?

Yes. There is no limit to the number of teams any mission member can be on. The mission owner is automatically on all teams they create in the mission.

Within an active mission, will one user changing the view of their mission map change the map for everyone else?

No. Changing a map view only affects the user making the change. However, if the mission owner makes changes to the mission map, those changes are visible to everyone.

Manager

Can I add myself to a mission?

By default, a mission owner is automatically added as a member of the mission. A portal user with the role of an administrator can add themselves to a mission. To accomplish this, browse to the Mission Details page of a mission and click Add Me to add yourself to the mission. Once a member of the mission, the administrator can make edits to various parts of the mission. See Work with the Mission Overview tab for more information.

Can I change my mission map after I create a mission?

Yes. The mission map can be edited to include or remove additional reference layers through the Map tab on the Mission Details page of the mission. For more information, see Define a mission map.

Can I create a report in Mission Details?

You can create mission reports in Mission Details starting at ArcGIS Mission Manager 10.9. For more information, see Create a report.

Can I see the locations of other Responder users in the mission map while I use the Lock on button?

Yes. You can view the locations of other Responder users on your mission map by clicking the Last Known Location button. However, if the Responder user you are locked on to changes location, the map will shift back to the locked-on user.

Can I edit a report once it is submitted?

No. You cannot edit a report once it is submitted. For more information, see Submit a report.

Do I have to assign a task to create it?

No. You are not required to assign a task to create it. Location, Name, and Description are the only fields that are required for task creation. However, you can edit a task as necessary. For more information, see Tasks.

Can I use missions created in an earlier version of ArcGIS Mission Manager in my current version?

Yes, starting at version 11.2, missions created at 11.0 and 11.1 can be upgraded to the most current version. The mission will remain in your View Missions list, and all content and data associated with this mission is available in the mission content folder in Portal for ArcGIS.

If I assign another mission member as a mission lead, can they delete the mission?

No. A mission lead cannot delete a mission. Mission leads can only add and remove members from a mission and can cache and restore an activity in the Chats, Tasks, and Reports feeds. For more information, see Set a mission member as a mission lead.

Is there a limit to the number of fields I can use in my custom report?

No. There is no limit to the number of fields you can add to a report. For more information, see Create a report.

Why can't I create or add a report even though I am a mission member?

Only mission owners and administrators can create and add reports to a mission. For more information, see Create a report.

Can I use a report template if there is a report of the same name already in my mission?

Yes. You can still add the report template to your mission because you need to change the report name before adding it to your mission. For more information, see Create a report from a template.

Can I have multiple measurements on my mission map?

No. You cannot have multiple measurements appear on your mission map. You can only create one measurement at a time. For more information, see Use the Measure Distance tool.

What happens if I am using the Find Nearest tool and there are no Responder users nearby?

If you use the Find Nearest tool, and no Responder users are nearby, you will get a message stating so. For more information, see Use the Find Nearest tool.

How many conversion formats can I view at the same time in the Coordinate Conversion tool?

You can view all eight supported coordinate formats at the same time using the Coordinate Conversion tool. For more information, see Coordinate Conversion tool.

Can I change the required report type on a task once I create the task?

Yes. You can edit the Required Report field once you create your task. For more information, see Create a task.

Is there a way to see specific report types on my mission map?

Yes. You can filter your Reports feed and the mission map to display your desired report type. For more information, see Filter reports.

Can I use ArcGIS Mission Manager and ArcGIS Mission Responder with the same user at the same time?

No, you need to sign in as different users. One user is not supported simultaneously on both devices. Attempting to sign in as the same user can cause issues such as incorrect location data inside the mission.

Can I edit a task once I create it?

Yes, tasks remain editable throughout the life of the mission.

Why aren't certain notifications displayed in the events list when I know they occurred previously?

This is likely because the events list only displays information in your current mission session. When on another mission screen, such as Mission Details, changes are not tracked.

How do I add a Survey123 report to my mission?

You can add a link to a Survey123 report on the Materials tab, allowing mission members to access it during the mission. For more information, see Add an ArcGIS Survey123 form.

How do I add a QuickCapture project to my mission?

You can add a link to a QuickCapture report on the Materials tab, allowing mission members to access it during the mission. For more information, see Add an ArcGIS QuickCapture form.

Can I edit report fields after publishing a report?

You can edit a report form after publication through the edit report workflow. For more information, see Edit a report.

Can I save a report as a template at any other time than before initial publishing?

Yes. You can save a report as a template at any time. For more information, see Edit a report.

Responder

How do I download older versions of ArcGIS Mission Responder?

While you can find the latest version of ArcGIS Mission Responder on the app stores, your versions of Responder, ArcGIS Mission, and ArcGIS Enterprise must match prior to 11.0. Starting at 11.2, ArcGIS Mission Responder is backward compatible with 11.0. The 11.0 and 11.1 versions of Responder will remain in the app store until such time as the version is deemed end of support.

Why can't I see a mission in my Responder app even though I was added to it?

The mission status must be set to Active. If the mission status is set to Draft or Complete, it is not visible in the mission list. See Mission status for more information.

Why isn’t my current location shown on the live map?

Ensure that you are connected within the mission. You can have Responder open and be participating in the mission, even if you are not currently transmitting your location or receiving location data from other Responder users.

How do I sign in to Responder?

Once you have downloaded the app, you must enter your organization’s mission portal URL and sign in with your account information. For more information, see Access ArcGIS Mission Responder.

Can I change teams or add myself to another team in the Responder app?

No. You cannot edit mission configurations or details in Responder. Any changes to this information must be made through the Manager application by the mission owner or an administrator who is a member of the mission.

Why do the Android and iOS versions of Responder look different?

The Android and iOS mobile platforms have some general differences regarding design and functionality. The two versions of the Responder app include the same functions and are as similar in appearance as possible, while also following the general style of the individual platform.

Why can’t I edit a report if I can view it on the map?

Once a report has been submitted by anyone, it enters the mission as a complete item and cannot be edited. Reports are visible on the mission map to provide relevant information to Responder users in the area of operations. For more information, see Reports.

Can I assign my task to another Responder user?

No. A Responder user cannot edit a task, as it has been configured by mission analysts. However, if you cannot perform the task or feel it would be better suited to another mission member, you can contact the mission analyst who assigned it to you, and they can edit the task.

Can I use Responder in a web-tier authenticated environment?

Yes, as of the 10.9 release, Responder can be used in secure environments that have been configured to allow it.

Can Responder create custom report formats?

No. Responder can access custom report forms created in ArcGIS Mission Manager but you cannot create your own in Responder.

How does the disconnect and reconnect sync work?

While working disconnected, any actions that would normally be sent to the mission server are instead saved locally to your device. Once your device reconnects to the mission server, everything that was stored on your device is sent to the mission server and synced.

How can I get the Responder app?

You can download the latest version of the app on both the iOS and Android app stores.

Can I use a QR code to go straight to a mission or somewhere else inside the portal?

No. The QR code only takes you to the portal login, not inside the portal itself.

Do I have to have Survey123 installed on my device to access a survey from inside a mission?

Yes. To fill in a survey, you must use the Survey123 app. If it is not installed, you will be prompted to install the app upon opening the survey.

Do I need to have ArcGIS QuickCapture installed on my Responder device to access QuickCapture projects?

Yes. You must have the ArcGIS QuickCapture app installed on your phone to open a project from your Responder application.

Is dark mode available in the Responder app, and if so, how do I activate it?

Dark mode is available back to the 11.0 release of ArcGIS Mission Responder and can be activated in the Responder Settings screen.

Is landscape mode available in the Responder app?

Landscape mode is available as of the 11.1 release of ArcGIS Mission.

Server

How do I restore my ArcGIS Mission Server site?

This can be achieved through the admin API. Refer to ArcGIS Mission Server administrator operations.

Can I use a reverse proxy with ArcGIS Mission Server instead of a web adaptor?

Yes. ArcGIS Mission Server supports this deployment scenario, and it is recommended. Using a reverse proxy with ArcGIS Mission Server gives you more control over the performance of your ArcGIS Mission Server site. The ability to configure an Apache HTTPD reverse proxy through a new endpoint is provided in the Admin API; refer to Configure a reverse proxy for more details.

What are context URLs and why do I need them to configure ArcGIS Mission Server in some deployment scenarios?

Context URLs are essential when your ArcGIS Mission Server site is configured with a reverse proxy, or in the cloud. Setting the WebContextURL in the system properties (for example, "WebContextURL": "https://my.reverse.proxy.com/context") allows HTTP requests to be properly routed to your ArcGIS Mission Server site. Setting the WebSocketContextURL in the system properties (for example, "WebSocketContextURL": "wss://my.reverse.proxy.com/context") allows WebSocket requests (your real-time data) to be properly routed to your ArcGIS Mission Server site.

Does ArcGIS Mission Server require a separate installation or license?

Yes. ArcGIS Mission Server is a separate installation that requires a separate license to use.

I’m trying to do a silent installation, but the command prompt keeps returning an error. What do I do?

Ensure that you entered the command line parameters properly. Parameters are case sensitive and must be entered exactly; otherwise, an error is returned.

What is required before installing ArcGIS Mission Server?

The short answer is that if you have a base installation of ArcGIS Enterprise, it is likely that you already meet the hardware and software requirements for Mission. For details, see ArcGIS Mission Server system requirements.

Does ArcGIS Mission Server have an API?

Yes. ArcGIS Mission Server has an emerging developer story. You can generate missions and perform operations on missions in the portal through ArcGIS Mission Server. For more information, visit the REST API site for ArcGIS Mission Server.

How do I create a highly available deployment of ArcGIS Mission Server?

Highly available deployments of ArcGIS Mission Server require joining an existing site through the Join Site command line utility or the Admin API. When creating a shared directory and configuration store between all ArcGIS Mission Server machines, it is recommended that you use a network share for the shared directories and configuration store.

How do I upgrade a highly available deployment of ArcGIS Mission Server?

To upgrade a highly available deployment of ArcGIS Mission Server, you must upgrade each machine that is joined to the site. It is recommended that you do this procedurally rather than upgrading every machine simultaneously. For more information, see Upgrade ArcGIS Mission Server.

Does ArcGIS Mission support video?

This is on the roadmap. The team recognizes that real-time video is critical to situational awareness and will be working toward bringing it into Mission.

What is the recommended minimum architecture, and how many users does that support?

The minimum is 8 GB of RAM. The minimum architecture scales similarly to that of ArcGIS Server. If your ArcGIS Server deployment is scaled to handle a specific number of people with specified hardware, you can expect ArcGIS Mission to be similar.

How does ArcGIS Mission scale?

ArcGIS Mission Server offers high-availability deployment options, including multimachine, AWS, and Azure deployments. Note that ArcGIS Enterprise must scale in parallel with ArcGIS Mission Server for successful deployment. Therefore, for Mission to support 10,000 users, ArcGIS Enterprise must be configured to scale and support this threshold.

Can I use ArcGIS Mission Server to create my own app?

This is on the roadmap. The team is working toward enhancing the ArcGIS Mission Server APIs and programmatic access so that you can create your own solutions.

Is ArcGIS Mission Server a system of record?

No, ArcGIS Mission Server is not a system of record. ArcGIS Mission Server writes data to feature layers and tables inside of the system of record, which is the Relational Data Store that exists on an organization's portal.

Is there a difference in how mission messages, reports, and tasks are stored?

No. Although these three features have different functionality and purpose within a mission, they are all stored in hosted feature layers.

What should I do if it seems like adding users, reports, or other mission actions are not behaving correctly?

When this happens, it is advisable to perform a Sync operation on ArcGIS Mission Server. When a Sync operation is initiated, the server checks every mission for valid webhooks coming from the portal to ensure that events in the portal are occurring in real time. However, use this operation with care, as any users connected to a mission will be disconnected immediately.