There are many apps you can use to collect data in the field. Of these, both ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS Field Maps offer smart forms that provide functionality that goes beyond the feature table data entry that is standard across all ArcGIS apps.
These apps also have other differences that may influence whether you use one, the other, or both on a project. How you access a form—via layers in a map or from a gallery of forms— may also be an important choice. To learn more about how each app may suit your needs see Survey123 FAQ and Field Maps FAQ.
The following tables provide a comparison of some of the smart form functionality available in the Survey123 field app and Field Maps. For more detail for Survey123, see the XLSForm topics in Create Surveys and for Field Maps see Configure the form.
User input
Functionality | Description | ArcGIS Survey123 | ArcGIS Field Maps |
---|---|---|---|
Single line and multiple line text | Free text response. | Yes | Yes |
Integer and decimal | Whole number or decimal input. | Yes | Yes |
Spinner | Display plus and minus buttons on the form to increase and decrease the number input. | Yes | No |
Calculator | Display a calculator widget on the form for a numeric question. | Yes | No |
Numbers | Display a number keypad widget on the form for a numeric question. | Yes | No |
Colored sliding scale (distress or range) | Display integer or decimal questions as a colored sliding scale. Start, end, and step size can be defined. | Yes | No |
Switch | Display binary choice as a toggle. | No | Yes |
Ranking | Order a list of choices. | Yes | No |
Choice list (vertical) | Display a list of choices as radio buttons in a vertical list. | Yes | Yes |
Choice list (horizontal) | Display a list of choices as radio buttons in a horizontal list. | Yes | No |
Multiple choice list | Display a list of choices as check boxes where more than one choice can be selected. | Yes | No |
Drop-down | Display a list of choices in a drop-down box. | Yes | Yes |
Drop-down with autocomplete | Display a list of choices in a drop-down box with autocomplete. | Yes | No |
Rating scale (Likert) | Display choices on a symmetric agree-disagree scale. | Yes | No |
Selectable SVG image | Select a choice from an image with selectable regions. | Yes | No |
Barcode | Scan a barcode or QR code. | Yes | Yes |
Date | Date input. | Yes | Yes |
Time | Time input. | Yes | Yes |
Date and time | Date and time input. | Yes | Yes |
Year | Select only the year for a date question. | Yes | No |
Month and year | Select only the month and year for a date question. | Yes | No |
Map | Collect a point, line, or polygon on a map. | Yes | Yes |
Address | Geocode a location from a text question. | Yes | No |
Form completion start and end time | Date and time the user commenced and completed filling the form. Different to editor tracking, used to calculate the time spent completing the form, not when a record is synced with the database. | Yes | No |
Device ID | UUID representing the specific device on which the form was completed. | Yes | No |
Email address associated with the ArcGIS organizational account. | Yes | No | |
Spike | Automatically populate answers on the form with measurements and location captured of an object from a photo. | Yes | No |
GNSS | Capture all available location metadata from a GNSS receiver. | Yes | Yes |
Attachments and related records
Functionality | Description | ArcGIS Survey123 | ArcGIS Field Maps |
---|---|---|---|
Audio | Record an audio file and attach it to the record. | Yes | Yes |
Video | Record a video and attach it to the record. | No | Yes |
File | Upload one or more files from the device. | Yes | Yes |
Signature | Draw a signature on the screen and attach it to the record. | Yes | No |
Draw | Draw a sketch on the screen and attach it to the record. | Yes | No |
Annotated map | Annotate a screen capture of a map with text or a sketch. | Yes | Yes |
Photo | Take one or more photos with the camera or upload image files from the device and attach these to the record. | Yes | Yes |
Annotated photo | Annotate a photo with text or sketches. | Yes | No |
Photo watermarks | Apply text and image watermarks to new photos. | Yes | No |
Display and add attachments | Display and add attachments for existing records. | Yes | Yes |
Edit attachments | Modify or delete attachments for existing records. | No | Yes |
Related records | Support one-to-one and one-to-many relationships. | Yes | Yes |
Nested related records | Support nested one-to-many relationships. | Yes | Yes |
Related record count | Restrict the number of related records that can be entered for a form. | Yes | No |
Aggregate functions | Return values derived from responses across related records. | Yes | No |
Question logic and behavior
Functionality | Description | ArcGIS Survey123 | ArcGIS Field Maps |
---|---|---|---|
Read-only | Display the answer to a question as read-only (from a default or calculated value). | Yes | Yes |
Default value | Provide a default value for a question. | Yes | Yes |
Required | Make answering a question mandatory. | Yes | Yes |
Null values | Allow null values for a question. | Yes | Yes |
Hidden | Hide a question from view while still accepting default values. | Yes | Yes |
Skip logic | Show or hide a question based on answers to other questions in the form. If hidden, the value of the question will be null. | Yes | Yes |
Conditional visibility | Show or hide a question based on answers to other questions in the form. If hidden, the value of the question can be calculated or a default. | Yes | Yes |
Filtered list | Filter the choices for a list question, based on answers to other questions in the form. | Yes | Yes |
Dynamic list | Dynamically populate a list question with choices from a CSV file or a layer hosted in ArcGIS. | Yes | No |
Calculation | Calculate an answer based on values from other questions. | Yes | Yes |
Constraint | Restrict the accepted inputs for a response using numbers (includes range domain min and max values), dates, field lengths, or formulas. | Yes | Yes |
Regex | Restrict the accepted inputs for a response using a regular expression. | Yes | No |
Input mask | Restrict the accepted inputs for a response to a set format for data entry using characters and symbols. | Yes | No |
Custom JavaScript functions | Apply JavaScript functions to a question to implement calculations, data validation rules, and constraints. | Yes | No |
Edit multiple | Select multiple records and apply the same attribute edits to all. | No | Yes |
Recent values | Choose value for text, numeric and coded value domain entries from recent value list. | No | Yes |
Layout and style
Functionality | Description | ArcGIS Survey123 | ArcGIS Field Maps |
---|---|---|---|
Form title | Title displayed on the form. Can be customized with an expression. | Yes | Yes |
Question hints (placeholder) | Display additional information for the question. | Yes | Yes |
Guidance hints (description) | More information shown when the question hint is selected. | Yes | Yes |
Dynamic question labels | Change labels based on the responses to other questions. | Yes | No |
Styled choice, group, and question labels | Apply HTML styling to the labels for choices, groups, and questions. | Yes | No |
Styled header, form, footer, inputs, groups, and repeats | Apply a color or background image to form. Apply color to text and backgrounds in the header, form, footer, and input controls. Apply background and border colors to groups and repeats. | Yes | No |
Image | Display an image as part of a question or choice list. | Yes | No |
Audio | Display an audio playback button as part of a question. | Yes | No |
Note | Display a note on the form (not related to an individual question). | Yes | No |
Groups | Create a group of questions that can be collapsed or expanded. Groups have both a name and description. | Yes | Yes |
Nested groups | Create nested groups of questions that can be collapsed or expanded. | Yes | No |
Pages | Arrange questions into navigable pages. | Yes | No |
Grid layout | Arrange questions in a grid layout. | Yes | No |
Custom question ordering | Change the order of questions from the order of the fields in the feature layer. | Yes | Yes |
Random choice list ordering | Randomize the order of choices in a choice list. | Yes | No |
Tabular list of choices | Arrange multiple choice questions that share a common choice list in a group, and display as a table of choices. | Yes | No |
Translated questions | Provide translated question labels, group labels, notes, hints, and the form title, in multiple languages, that can be switched between whilst the form is open. | Yes | No |