Build the form—ArcGIS Field Maps | Documentation for ArcGIS Enterprise

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 Designer web app. After you open the form builder, you can begin to configure the form in the following ways:

Add basic form elements—Basic form elements allow mobile workers to provide information such as dates, numbers, text, and data scanned from barcodes.
Add choice form elements—Choice form elements allow mobile workers to select from a list of values that you define.
Use fields as form elements—Fields within the layer or table can be added to the form and configured as form elements.

Note:

You can configure forms in the Field Maps Designer web app and in Map Viewer. To learn how to configure forms in Map Viewer, see Create forms for attribute editing.

You can view and edit forms in the Field Maps mobile app and in Map Viewer.

Caution:

When you're editing the map, layers, and form in Field Maps Designer, do not simultaneously edit them in a separate browser tab. Editing the map, layers, and form across multiple tabs will result in the loss of your data.

Enable the layer for editing

When you build a form, you're building it using a feature layer within the map. For example, you may use a tree feature layer to build a tree inventory form. Once mobile workers fill in and submit the form using the Field Maps mobile app, a new tree feature is added to the layer. To build the form for a layer, the layer must be enabled for editing.

If you created the map using Field Maps Designer, the feature layers you added during the map creation process are enabled for editing by default. If the layer is not enabled for editing, see one of the following resources to learn how to enable it:

Manage hosted feature layer editing in ArcGIS Enterprise (help topic)

Note:

If you're the layer owner or an administrator, you can build a form even if the layer is not enabled for editing. If you're using ArcGIS Online and have privileges to edit with full control, you can also build a form when the layer is not enabled for editing.

For more information, see Access editing capabilities depending on role in ArcGIS Online (help section) or Access editing capabilities depending on role in ArcGIS Enterprise (help section).

Open the form builder

Use the form builder in Field Maps Designer to create the form mobile workers use in the field. Open the form builder by completing the following steps:

In a browser, sign in to your organization and open Field Maps Designer from the app launcher in ArcGIS Online or the app launcher in ArcGIS Enterprise.
The Maps page appears, displaying maps that you own and maps included in any shared update groups of which you're a member.
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 in your organization. Click Filter and select All maps.
Click the map to begin configuring it.
The Forms page appears, displaying the contents of your 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.
Note:
If your map contains nested group layers (group layers within group layers), they appear in Field Maps Designer. To learn how to create group layers, see Create and manage group layers in ArcGIS Online, Create and manage group layers in ArcGIS Enterprise, or Work with group layers in ArcGIS Pro.
Click a layer or table.
The form builder appears with a blank form canvas.
Note:
To build the form, the layer must be enabled for editing.

Once you've opened the Form builder, you can begin configuring the form by dragging form elements onto the canvas. Form elements define the type of information mobile workers provide when filling in the form. You can add basic form elements or choice form elements, or you can use fields as form elements.

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 for use in Field Maps blog post.

Add basic form elements

Basic form elements allow mobile workers to provide information such as dates, numbers, text, and data scanned from barcodes. Basic form elements are listed in the Form Elements list under Basic and include the following:


Form element	Field type	Description
Barcode	Double, Integer, or String	Scan a barcode or QR code to enter a value.
Date/Time	Date	Enter a date or time.
Number - Double	Double	Enter a decimal number value such as 1.2.
Number - Integer	Integer	Enter a whole number value such as 2.
Text - Multiline	String	Enter multiple lines of text.
Text - Single line	String	Enter a single line of text.

Double-click a form element or drag it to add it to the form canvas. Once you add a form element, define its display name and field information.

Note:

You cannot add form elements to a feature layer view.

Define display name and field information

When form elements are added to the form and saved, they become fields within the layer. These fields store information collected by mobile workers. For example, if you add a Text - Single line form element to the form, a string field is added to the layer.

When you add a form element to the form canvas, the Properties pane appears. Every form element requires a value for the Display name, Field name, and Field type properties. If the field is a string type, a Field length value is also required. Define the display name and field information by completing the following steps:

Add a Display name value.
The display name is the name that appears on the form and is automatically used as the Field name value.
Note:
Any spaces in the Field name value are replaced with underscores and any invalid characters are removed.
Optionally, change the Field name value.
You can change the field name if you want the name stored in the field to be different than the name displayed in the form. You may want a shorter field name if the display name is long, for example:
- Display name—Provide additional notes about the inspection
- Field name—additional_notes
If you're configuring a Barcode element, select a value for Field type.
The field type you select depends on the type of information contained in the barcodes scanned by mobile workers.
If you're configuring a form element with a String field type, set a value for Field length.
The field length indicates the maximum length of the field. The default value for the Text - Single line and Barcode form elements is 256 characters. The default value for the Text - Multiline form element is 1,000 characters.
Optionally, provide a default value in the Default value text box.
Default values are applied to a field whenever a feature is created and are helpful if there are common values that mobile workers enter while collecting data.
Save the form.
Once you save the form after adding a new form element, the Field name, Field type, Field length, and Default value properties cannot be changed.
Tip:
If you want to change these properties, you must delete the form element from the canvas and delete the field from the Fields list in the Form builder pane. You can then add a new form element and configure its properties.

Format basic elements

After entering the required display name and field information, you can configure additional properties for basic form elements to help streamline data collection in the field. For more information, see the following:

Add choice form elements

Choice form elements allow mobile workers to select from a list of values that you define. Choice form elements are listed in the Form Elements list under Choice and include the following:


Form element	Field type	Description
Combo box	Double, Integer, or String	Select from a list of values displayed in a drop-down menu.
Radio buttons	Double, Integer, or String	Select from a list of values displayed as buttons.
Switch	Double, Integer, or String	Select from one of two values displayed as a switch.

Double-click a form element or drag it to add it to the form canvas. Once you add a choice form element, define its display name, field information, and list of values.

Note:

A radio button element is recommended for up to five values. Adding more than five values may require mobile workers to scroll through the form to find their selection. If you have more than five values, a combo box is recommended instead.

You cannot add form elements to a feature layer view.

Define display name and field information

When form elements are added to the form and saved, they become fields within the layer. These fields store information collected by mobile workers. For example, if you add a Combo box form element with a string type to the form, a string field is added to the layer.

When you add a form element to the form canvas, the Properties pane appears. Every form element requires a value for the Display name, Field name, and Field type properties. If the field is a string, a Field length value is also required. Define this information by completing the following steps:

Add a Display name value.
The display name is the name that appears on the form and is automatically used as the Field name value.
Note:
Any spaces in the Field name value are replaced with underscores and any invalid characters are removed.
Optionally, change the Field name value.
You can change the field name if you want the name stored in the field to be different than the name displayed in the form. You may want a shorter field name if the display name is long, for example:
- Display name—Select the tree type
- Field name—tree_type
Select a value for Field type.
The field type is applied to the list of values. Once you create a list of values, you cannot change the field type.
If you're configuring a form element with a String field type, set a value for Field length.
The field length indicates the maximum length of the field and is applied to the list of values. The default field length is 256 characters.

After you define the display name and field information, create a list of values.

Note:

You cannot save a new choice form element until you create the list of values.

Create a list of values

A list of values (also known as a coded value domain) defines the options mobile workers can choose from when filling in the form. Providing a list of values streamlines data collection in the field and ensures consistency in the data being entered. Each value in a list includes a label and a code:

Label—The label is the value displayed when filling in the form in Field Maps and how you want the value to appear to mobile workers. It's also displayed when viewing the attribute table in Map Viewer and other apps.
Code—The code is the value stored in the feature layer.

You can add values one-by-one or by uploading a .csv file. How you create a list depends on the type of choice element you're configuring.

Note:

You cannot create a list of values in a feature layer view.

Create a list for a combo box or radio buttons

To create a list of values for a combo box or radio buttons element, complete the following steps:

In the Properties pane, click Create list.
The List of values window appears.
Optionally, populate the list of values by uploading a .csv file.
1. Ensure your .csv file matches the required formatting shown below.
  The .csv file must contain two columns: one for labels and one for codes. The table below shows the required format for a .csv file that contains three values:
  Label 1
  Code 1
  Label 2
  Code 2
  Label 3
  Code 3
  For best results, encode the .csv file using UTF-8 character encoding. If you're using Microsoft Excel to create your .csv file, save it as CSV UTF-8.
  Caution:
  The codes must use the field type defined for the form element. If the field type is string, the codes must also be less than or equal to the maximum field length defined for the form element.
  Commas are not supported when adding codes in Field Maps and cannot be used as thousands or decimal separators. To add decimal separators in codes, you must use periods.
  If you're editing the raw .csv file outside of Microsoft Excel or similar programs, you must use escaping for values that contain double quotes. For example, if you have a label or code of 24", it must be written as "24""" in the .csv file.
  The .csv file will fail to upload if the codes do not meet these requirements.
2. Drag the .csv file onto the List of values window or click select from your device to select it from your file explorer.
The list is populated with the values from your .csv file.
Optionally, add values one-by-one.
Add values by clicking the Add button. Provide a label and code for each value.
Caution:
The codes must use the field type defined for the form element. If the field type is string, the codes must also be less than or equal to the maximum field length defined for the form element.
Commas are not supported when adding codes in Field Maps and cannot be used as thousands or decimal separators. To add decimal separators in codes, you must use periods.
Click Done to create the list.
After you click Done, you cannot change the field type, or length of the form element.
The Create list button changes to Edit list with a number in parentheses that represents the number of values in the list.
Optionally, select a default value from the Default value drop-down menu.
Default values are applied to a field whenever a feature is created and are helpful if there are common values that mobile workers enter while collecting data.
Note:
Once you save the form, you cannot change the Default value property.
Once you've defined the display name, field information, and list of values, save the form.
Once you save the form after adding a new form element, the Field name, Field type, and Field length properties cannot be changed.
Tip:
If you want to change these properties, you must delete the form element from the canvas and delete the field from the Fields list in the Form builder pane. You can then add a new form element and configure its properties.
To learn how to edit the list after its created, see Edit the list of values.

Label 1	Code 1
Label 2	Code 2
Label 3	Code 3

Create a list for a switch

A switch element includes two values. To create a list of values for a switch element, complete the following steps:

Under Switch values, provide two values for mobile workers to choose from.
These are the labels for each value. Codes for each value are automatically generated.
Optionally, change the codes for each value by clicking Manage codes.
The List of values window appears and you can edit the label and code for each value. When you're finished, click Done to close the window.
After you click Done, you cannot change the field type or length of the form element.
Caution:
The codes must use the field type defined for the form element. If the field type is string, the codes must also be less than or equal to the maximum field length defined for the form element.
Commas are not supported when adding codes in Field Maps and cannot be used as thousands or decimal separators. To add decimal separators in codes, you must use periods.
Under Default value, choose the value you want selected by default in the form. If the switch element does not contain a default value, it displays as a combo box in the form.
Note:
Once you save the form, you cannot change the Default value property.
Once you've defined the display name, field information, list of values, and default value, save the form.
Once you save the form after adding a new form element, the Field name, Field type, and Field length properties cannot be changed.
Tip:
If you want to change these properties, you must delete the form element from the canvas and delete the field from the Fields list in the Form builder pane. You can then add a new form element and configure its properties.
To learn how to manage the list after its created, see Edit the list of values.

Format choice elements

After you've defined the display name, field information, list of values, and default value, you can configure additional properties for choice form elements to help streamline data collection in the field. For more information, see the following:

Use fields as form elements

Fields and contingent field groups within the layer or table can be added to the form and configured as form elements. Once fields are added, you can configure how they appear on the form. If a field includes a list of values, you can manage those as well.

Add fields to the form

Fields within the layer appear in the Fields list next to the form canvas. You can add fields to the form in one or more of the following ways:

Add fields one by one—To add a single field to the form, double-click it or drag it onto the form canvas.
Add a selection of fields to the form—To add multiple fields to the form, press the Ctrl key and click the fields you want to include, and then drag them to the form canvas.
Add all fields to the form—To include all fields in the form, click Add all in the Fields list.
Convert the pop-up—If you configured the form as a pop-up in Map Viewer Classic, you can configure the form using the existing pop-up configuration. On the blank form canvas, click Convert pop-up. Editable fields from the pop-up are added to the canvas and placed in their original order. Fields that are not part of the pop-up configuration appear in the Fields list.

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.

If fields are required, they appear in the Required section of the Fields list and must be added to the form. Fields appear in the Required section if they were configured to not allow null values when created in ArcGIS Online.

Add contingent field groups to the form

If contingent field groups were configured in ArcGIS Pro, they appear in the Field groups list next to the form canvas. If field groups share common fields, they are listed together. You can add field groups to the form in one or more of the following ways:

Add field groups one by one—To add a single field group to the form, double-click it or drag it onto the form canvas.
Add a selection of field groups to the form—To add multiple field groups to the form, press the Ctrl key and click the field groups you want to include, and then drag them to the form canvas.
Add all field groups to the form—To include all field groups in the form, click Add all in the Field groups list.

Tip:

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

When a field group is added to the form, its contingent fields are contained in a group element. Contingent fields should stay grouped together so mobile workers can fill them in sequentially in Field Maps. If a field is removed from its field group, a warning appears.

If field groups are required, they appear in the Required section of the list and must be added to the form. Field groups are required if they were configured as restrictive in ArcGIS Pro.

Caution:

If contingent field groups are not added to the form canvas, mobile workers may not be able to submit the form in Field Maps.

To learn how contingent values work in Field Maps, see Select contingent values. To learn how to create contingent field groups in ArcGIS Pro, see Create and manage contingent values.

Configure fields as form elements

Once fields have been added to the form canvas, they can be configured as form elements. Configure how fields appear in the form by completing the following steps:

Select the field you want to configure.
The Properties pane appears.

Select the input type.

The input type defines how the form element appears in Field Maps. The input type you select depends on the field type and whether the field contains a list of values.

If the field does not contain a list of values, and you don't want to create a list of values, select one of the following options from the Input type drop-down menu:


Input type	Field type	Description
Barcode	Double, Integer, or String	Scan a barcode or QR code to enter a value.
Date	Date	Enter a date.
Date and time	Date	Enter a date and time.
Number - Double	Double	Enter a decimal number value such as 1.2.
Number - Integer	Integer	Enter a whole number value such as 2.
Text - Multiline	String	Enter multiple lines of text.
Text - Single line	String	Enter a single line of text.

Tip:

If the field is part of a contingent field group and contains a range domain, the Number - Integer input type is recommended.

If the field does contain a list of values, or if you want to create a list of values, select one of the following options from the Input type drop-down menu:


Input type	Field type	Description
Combo box	Double, Integer, or String	Select from a list of values displayed in a drop-down menu.
Radio buttons	Double, Integer, or String	Select from a list of values displayed as buttons.
Switch	Double, Integer, or String	Select one of two options displayed as a switch.

Note:

The Radio buttons input type is recommended for up to five values. Adding more than five values may require mobile workers to scroll through the form to find their selection. If you have more than five values, a combo box is recommended instead.

To learn how to create a list of values for a field, see Create a list of values.

If a Switch element does not contain a default value, it displays as a combo box in the form. You can set a default value for an existing field by managing feature templates.

Caution:

If the field is part of a contingent field group and contains a list of values, the Combo box input type must be selected or the form will fail to load in Field Maps.

If the field includes <null> as a contingent value, the Include "No value" option must be enabled or the form will fail to load in Field Maps.

Configure additional properties.
Once you've selected the input type, there are additional form element properties you can configure to streamline data entry in the field. You can also manage the list of values for combo box, radio buttons, and switch elements. To learn about the different ways you can configure form elements, see the following:

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.

While configuring the form, click the current title.
Provide a title that mobile workers can easily identify.
Save the form.

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 elements on the form

Order the form elements 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 elements first so mobile workers don't have to search for the key items.

While configuring the form, drag form elements to order them on the form canvas or select a form element and use the arrow keys to move it up or down.
Save the form.

Tip:

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

Group elements together

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

Drag a Group element onto the form.
Drag form elements into the group.
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 form.
- Conditional visibility—Add an Arcade attribute expression to apply rules for when the group should appear in the form. See Conditional visibility for details.
Save the form.

Tip:

If you're using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 or later, you can remove all form elements from a group by selecting Ungroup from the group toolbar. You can remove multiple elements from the group by pressing Ctrl, selecting each element 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 form element. 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.

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Formatting section, edit the Display name text to change the element's label on the form.
Save the form.

Format text elements

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

While configuring the form, click a form element that requires text to open the Properties pane.
In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select one of the options.
- Text - Single line—Allow the mobile worker to provide one line of text.
- Text - Multiline —Allow the mobile worker to provide multiple lines of text.
In the Formatting section, set values for Min. length and Max. length for the element.
Save the form.

Format date and time elements

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

While configuring the form, click a form element that requires a date to open the Properties pane.
In the Formatting section, click the Input type drop-down menu and select one of the options.
- Date—Allow the mobile worker to provide a date.
- Date and time—Allow the mobile worker to provide a date and time.
Note:
The Field Maps mobile app does not currently support the DateOnly, TimeOnly, and Timestampoffset field types.
In the Formatting section, set values for the Start date, Start time, End date, and End time properties that mobile workers can choose from.
Save the form.

Format barcode and QR code elements

If your assets include barcodes or QR codes, you can scan the barcode or QR code with Field Maps and populate one or more entries based on the scan. In Field Maps, text and numeric entries with the Barcode input type contain an option for scanning a barcode or QR code. When a mobile worker chooses 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.

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

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.

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 do not display in Field Maps.

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Formatting section, edit the Placeholder text to change the hint text for the element.
Save the form.

Provide descriptions

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

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Formatting section, edit the Description text to change the description for the element.
Save the form.

Create and edit a list of values

A list of values (also known as a coded value domain) defines the options mobile workers can choose from when filling in the form. You can create and manage a list of values for elements that have already been added to the form.

Note:

To learn how to add a list of values while creating a new choice form element, see Add choice form elements.

If you created a coded value domain for a date field in ArcGIS Pro, you cannot edit its list of values in Field Maps Designer.

You cannot edit a list of values in a feature layer view.

Create a list of values

If a text or number element does not contain a list of values, you can create one by completing the following steps:

Select a text or number element on the form canvas.
The Properties pane appears.

Click the Input type drop-down menu and select one of the following Choice elements:


Input type	Field type	Description
Combo box	Double, Integer, or String	Displays values in a drop-down menu
Radio buttons	Double, Integer, or String	Displays values as buttons
Switch	Double, Integer, or String	Displays two values as a switch

Note:

If a Switch element does not contain a default value, it displays as a combo box in the form. You can set a default value for an existing field by managing feature templates.

Caution:

If the field is part of a contingent field group, the Combo box input type must be selected or the form will fail to load in Field Maps.

Follow the remaining steps for creating a list of values.
Tip:
If the layer contains data for the field you're editing, you can use those values to generate the list. While editing the list in the List of values window, click Generate values.
Save the form.

Edit the list for a combo box or radio buttons

Manage the list of values for a combo box or radio buttons element by completing the following steps:

Select the form element.
The Properties pane appears.
Note:
You can change the input type for the list of values by selecting an option from the Input type drop-down menu.
Click Edit list.
Note:
The number in parentheses in the Edit list button represents the number of values in the list.
The List of values window appears.
Manage the list of values in one or more of the following ways:
- Add values by clicking the Add button .
- Edit the labels and codes.
- Reorder the values by dragging them or selecting them and using the arrow keys.
- Replace or append the list of values by dragging a .csv file containing label and code values onto the window. The .csv file must match the required formatting. For best results, encode the .csv file using UTF-8 character encoding. If you're using Microsoft Excel to create your .csv file, save it as CSV UTF-8.
- Delete the list by clicking Delete list.
Caution:
The codes must use the field type defined for the form element. If the field type is string, the codes must also be less than or equal to the maximum field length defined for the form element.
Commas are not supported when adding codes in Field Maps and cannot be used as thousands or decimal separators. To add decimal separators in codes, you must use periods.
If you're editing the raw .csv file outside of Excel or similar programs, you must use escaping for values that contain double quotes. For example, if you have a label or code of 24", it must be written as "24""" in the .csv file.
If a value is used in an expression, editing its code may cause an error in the form.
When you're finished editing the list of values, click Done to close the window.
Save the form.

Edit the list for a switch

Manage a list of values for a switch element by completing the following steps:

Select the form element.
The Properties pane appears.
Note:
You can change the input type for the list of values by selecting an option from the Input type drop-down menu.
Manage the list of values in one or more of the following ways:
- Edit the labels under Switch values.
- Reorder the values by clicking the Switch order of values button .
- Edit the codes in the List of values window by clicking Manage codes. When you're finished editing the codes, click Done to close the window.
Note:
The codes must use the field type defined for the form element. If the field type is string, the codes must also be less than or equal to the maximum field length defined for the form element.
If a value is used in an expression, editing its code may cause an error in the form.
Save the form.

Create and edit a range

A range (also known as a range domain) defines the range of valid minimum and maximum values mobile workers can enter. You can create and manage a range for number elements and barcode elements with a numeric field type.

Create a range

If a number element does not contain a range, you can create one by completing the following steps:

Select a number element on the form canvas.
The Properties pane appears.
Note:
If the form element contains a list of values, you must first delete the list and change the input type to Number - Integer, Number - Double, or Barcode (with a numeric field type) before creating a range.
Click Create range.
Define the range of valid values by entering a number in the Minimum value and Maximum value text boxes.
Tip:
If the layer contains data for the field you're editing, you can use those values to generate the range. Click Generate values to generate the minimum and maximum value based on the smallest and largest values currently in the layer.
Click Done.
Save the form.

Edit a range

Manage the range for a number element by completing the following steps:

Select a Number element containing a range on the form canvas.
The Properties pane appears.
Click Edit range.
Manage the range in one or more of the following ways:
- Edit the Minimum value and Maximum value.
- Delete the range by clicking Delete range.
Click Done.
Save the form.

Set default values

Default values are applied to a field whenever a feature is created and are helpful if there are common values that mobile workers enter while collecting data. You can set default values while creating new form elements in Field Maps Designer or while creating new fields in ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, or ArcGIS Pro. To learn how to set default values while creating form elements or fields, 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.

Hide form elements

By default, form elements are displayed in the form; however, you can change this setting so form elements are hidden in Field Maps.

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, uncheck the Visible check box to prevent mobile workers from editing the form element.
A Hidden label is added to the form element.
Save the form.

Tip:

You can conditionally hide form elements using Arcade expressions.

Require form elements

You can configure form elements so mobile workers are required to provide a value before submitting the form. For example, if all inspections require an inspection ID, you can require that value in the form. Require form elements by completing the following steps:

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, check the Required check box to require a value in Field Maps.
A Required label is added to the form element.
Note:
You can decide whether null values are allowed by clicking the Null values button and checking or unchecking the Allow null values in the feature layer check box.
If null values are allowed, the field is not required when editing the feature layer outside of the form. If the layer has one or more records, you must allow null values.
Save the form.
Required elements are indicated in the form by an asterisk next to the display name and prevent submission until a value is provided so long as the element is visible (and not hidden) on the form.
Note:
If the field was required outside of the form builder (such as when creating the field in ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Online), a value must be entered in Field Maps to submit the form whether the element is visible or hidden.

Tip:

You can conditionally require form elements using Arcade expressions.

Disable editing

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

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, uncheck the Editable check box to prevent mobile workers from editing the form element.
A Read-only label is added to the form element.
Save the form.

Tip:

You can conditionally enable editing for form elements using Arcade expressions.

Add logic

Adding logic to your form allows you to set the behavior of form elements using ArcGIS Arcade. With Arcade expressions, you can dynamically hide elements, require them, and enable editing depending on conditions set in the expression. You can also add calculated expressions, which allow you to calculate and populate data in the form.

From the Logic section of the Properties pane, you can create the following expressions and apply them to form elements:

Visibility expressions—Conditionally show or hide form elements.
Required expressions—Conditionally require form elements.
Editable expressions—Conditionally enable editing for form elements.
Calculated expressions—Automatically calculate data based on attribute, geometry, and account information.

You can reuse expressions across form elements and edit them at any time.

Add visibility expressions

You can conditionally display form elements based on previous values entered in the form. For example, a water damage group should only appear if water damage is already indicated on the form. Add visibility expressions by completing the following steps:

While configuring the form, click a field or group to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, click the Expressions button next to the Visible check box.
The Expressions pop-up appears, displaying expressions previously created for the form.
Note:
If you've created expressions prior to using the Expressions pop-up in Field Maps Designer, a Consolidate expressions message appears. Click Consolidate to consolidate system expressions, then save the form. This allows system expressions to be reused, improving form performance.
Click + New expression.
The Expression builder window appears. The builder allows you to write an expression and preview it in Arcade before saving it to the selected field or group.
In the Title text box, add a title for your expression.
Define the expression.
Each expression is defined by one or more conditions. A condition includes a field name, an operator, and potentially, a value. The list of available operators is determined by the type of field (string, number, or date).
For example, if a water damage group element only needs to appear if water damage was indicated in an earlier field, the following condition can be used to build the expression:
- Field name—Water damage
- Operator—is
- Value—Yes
Here is what the same expression looks like in Arcade syntax:
```
DomainName($feature, "water_damage") == "Yes"
```
Note:
To create more complex expressions, click Launch Arcade editor.
If you use multiple conditions, you can choose whether all conditions must be true or only one condition must be true for the form element to be displayed.
Field Maps Designer applies the Arcade Form Constraint profile to evaluate whether a feature meets the criteria defined in the expression. If a value other than Yes is indicated in the water damage field, the water damage group will not appear in the form.
Click Done.
A </> Visible label appears on the form element, indicating that the visibility expression has been applied.
Now that you've saved your expression, you can apply it to any form element. You can see which elements are using the expression by clicking the number next to the expression in the Expressions pop-up. See Reuse expressions to learn more.
Note:
You can duplicate, edit, or delete the expression at any time using the overflow menu in the Expressions pop-up. To edit the expression using Arcade, click Edit Arcade from this menu.

Preserve values when fields are conditionally hidden

When mobile workers are filling in the form, they may enter values for fields that become hidden due to conditional visibility rules. You can decide whether values that become hidden are preserved in the layer by completing the following steps:

While configuring the form, expand the Form settings panel in the Form builder pane.
To preserve values when fields are conditionally hidden, check the check box under Field values.
Values are preserved in the layer even if the corresponding fields become hidden on the form.

Note:

The Field values setting is available on ArcGIS Enterprise 11.1 and later.

Add required expressions

You can conditionally require form elements based on previous values entered in the form. For example, a debris description field should only be required if the length of the storm debris is greater than 3 meters.

Note:

Required expressions only apply when form elements are visible (not hidden) on the form.

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, click the Expressions button next to the Required check box.
The Expressions pop-up appears, displaying expressions previously created for the form.
Note:
If you've created expressions prior to using the Expressions pop-up in Field Maps Designer, a Consolidate expressions message appears. Click Consolidate to consolidate system expressions, then save the form. This allows system expressions to be reused, improving form performance.
Click + New expression.
The Expression builder window appears. The builder allows you to write an expression and preview it in Arcade before saving it to the selected field or group.
In the Title text box, add a title for your expression.
Define the expression.
Each expression is defined by one or more conditions. A condition includes a field name, an operator, and potentially, a value. The list of available operators is determined by the type of field (string, number, or date).
For example, if a debris description field only needs to be required if the debris is greater than 3 meters, the following condition can be used to build the expression:
- Field name—debris_length
- Operator—is greater than
- Value—3
Here is what the same expression looks like in Arcade syntax:
```
($feature, "debris_length") > 3
```
Note:
To create more complex expressions, click Launch Arcade editor.
If you use multiple conditions, you can choose whether all conditions must be true or only one condition must be true for the form element to be required.
Field Maps Designer applies the Arcade Form Constraint profile to evaluate whether a feature meets the criteria defined in the expression. If a value less than 3 is entered in the debris length field, the debris description field will not be required in the form.
Click Done.
A </> Required label appears on the form element, indicating that the required expression has been applied.
Now that you've saved your expression, you can apply it to any form element. You can see which elements are using the expression by clicking the number next to the expression in the Expressions pop-up. See Reuse expressions to learn more.
Note:
You can duplicate, edit, or delete the expression at any time using the overflow menu in the Expressions pop-up. To edit the expression using Arcade, click Edit Arcade from this menu.

Add editable expressions

You can conditionally enable editing on form elements based on previous values entered in the form. For example, a pipe ID field should only be editable if an administrative ID is previously entered.

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, click the Expressions button next to the Editable check box.
The Expressions pop-up appears, displaying expressions previously created for the form.
Note:
If you've created expressions prior to using the Expressions pop-up in Field Maps Designer, a Consolidate expressions message appears. Click Consolidate to consolidate system expressions, then save the form. This allows system expressions to be reused, improving form performance.
Click + New expression.
The Expression builder window appears. The builder allows you to write an expression and preview it in Arcade before saving it to the selected field or group.
In the Title text box, add a title for your expression.
Define the expression.
Each expression is defined by one or more conditions. A condition includes a field name, an operator, and potentially, a value. The list of available operators is determined by the type of field (string, number, or date).
For example, if a pipe ID field should only be editable if an administrative ID (4367, in this example) is previously entered, the following condition can be used to build the expression:
- Field name—inspector_id
- Operator—is
- Value—4367
Here is what the same expression looks like in Arcade syntax:
```
($feature, "inspector_id") == "4367"
```
Note:
To create more complex expressions, click Launch Arcade editor.
If you use multiple conditions, you can choose whether all conditions must be true or only one condition must be true for the form element to be editable.
Field Maps Designer applies the Arcade Form Constraint profile to evaluate whether a feature meets the criteria defined in the expression. If a value other than 4367 is entered in the inspector ID field, the pipe ID field will not be editable in the form.
Click Done.
An </> Editable label appears on the form element, indicating that the required expression has been applied.
Now that you've saved your expression, you can apply it to any form element. You can see which elements are using the expression by clicking the number next to the expression in the Expressions pop-up. See Reuse expressions to learn more.
Note:
You can duplicate, edit, or delete the expression at any time using the overflow menu in the Expressions pop-up. To edit the expression using Arcade, click Edit Arcade from this menu.

Add calculated expressions

Calculated expressions automatically calculate and populate data in the form, saving time for mobile workers in the field. You can build calculated expressions in a variety of ways with Arcade, including using feature attributes, geometry, and account information for the signed-in user.

Calculated expressions are dynamic, meaning they automatically update the form as information changes. As a result, mobile workers can see the updated calculation before submitting the form. To create a calculated expression, complete the following steps:

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
Caution:
If editing is enabled for the form element, the expression will not run. If the element has an editable expression, ensure that editing is disabled when you want the calculated expression to populate its value.
In the Logic section, click the Expressions button next to the Calculated value check box.
The Calculated expressions pop-up appears, displaying expressions previously created for the form.
Click + New expression.
The Arcade editor window appears. The editor allows you to write and test your expression before saving it to the selected form element.
In the Title text box, add a title for your expression.
Write the calculated expression.
For example, the following expression checks whether polygon feature geometry is null before calculating the area in square meters. Additional examples are provided below.
```
if (IsEmpty(Geometry($feature))){
    return;
}
else{
    Area($feature, 'square-meters')
}
```
To learn more about calculating area with Arcade, see Area (Geometry Functions).
Click Run to test the expression and make sure it doesn't result in an error.
Click Done to close the Arcade editor.
A </> Calculated label appears on the form element, indicating that the calculated expression has been applied.
Save the form.
Now that you've saved your expression, you can apply it to any form element. You can see which elements are using the expression by clicking the number next to the expression in the Expressions pop-up. See Reuse expressions to learn more.
Note:
You can duplicate, edit, or delete the expression at any time using the overflow menu in the Calculated expressions pop-up.

The following are examples of calculated expressions:

Provide date information—The following expression provides the current date for a date field:
```
return Today();
```
To learn more about date information you can access with Arcade, see Date Functions.
Include account information for the signed-in user—The following expression returns the full name of the user signed in to Field Maps:
```
var userInfo = GetUser(portal("https://<org>.maps.arcgis.com"),"")return (userinfo["fullName"])
```
To learn more about account information you can access with Arcade, see GetUser (Data Functions).
Extract information from intersecting layers—The following expression is applied to a ZIP Code field in the form. It checks whether the feature geometry is null and then extracts a ZIP Code value from an intersecting parcel layer:
```
if (IsEmpty(Geometry($feature))){
    return;
}
else{
    var parcels_FS = Intersects($feature, FeatureSetByName($map,"Redlands parcels")); 
     if (Count(parcels_FS) == 1){ 
       return Text(First(parcels_FS).ZIP_CODE);
     }
}
```
To learn more about extracting information from intersecting layers with Arcade, see Intersects (Geometry Functions).

For a list of all the functions offered in Arcade, see the Arcade Function Index.

Tip:

For more examples, see Common calculated expressions for ArcGIS Field Maps (blog post).

Reuse expressions

After you create an expression, you can reuse it across multiple form elements. For example, you can conditionally display one form element based on the same expression used to require another, and you can use the same calculation to populate multiple fields. Reuse expressions by completing the following steps:

While configuring the form, click a form element to open the Properties pane.
In the Logic section, click the Expressions button next to the type of expression you want to add.
The Expressions or Calculate expressions pop-up appears, displaying expressions previously created for the form.
Tip:
The number next to the expression indicates the number of form elements the expression is currently applied to. Clicking this number opens another pop-up that displays the form elements and their properties that are currently using the expression.
You can remove the expression from any form element property by clicking the X on the label displaying the expression type.
Select the expression you want to apply.
A label appears on the form element, indicating that the expression has been applied.

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.

Save the form

Save your form often to ensure changes aren't lost. You can save changes to the map or to the layer:

Save to the map—If the form is unique to a specific map, and you don't want to reuse it across other maps, save changes by clicking the Save button . The form is saved to the map and won't appear in other maps that contain the layer.
Save to the layer—If you want to reuse the form across maps that contain the layer, save changes by clicking the drop-down menu next to the Save button and clicking Save to layer. The form is saved to the layer and can be reused across other maps. If the form displayed on the canvas is the form saved to the layer, a Form saved to layer message appears next to the undo and redo buttons. To learn more about reusing forms, see Reuse forms in ArcGIS Field Maps (blog post).

Note:

Form changes that are saved to the map override form changes that are saved to the layer. If a form is saved to the layer, and then new form changes are saved to the map, the form saved to the map is what appears in Field Maps.

To save changes to the layer, you must own it, be a default administrator for your organization, or have the following privileges:

Administrative privileges: Members: View all
Administrative privileges: Content: View all
Administrative privileges: Content: Update

Limitations

Limitations for building a form in Field Maps Designer are described below:

Unable to use date, time, and big integer field types

The Field Maps mobile app does not currently support the DateOnly, TimeOnly, Timestampoffset, and BigInteger field types, which may have been added to the form using the form builder in Map Viewer. Layers that contain these field types will fail to load in the Field Maps mobile app. If a map contains these field types, it cannot be taken offline in Field Maps.

Unable to use related record elements

Related record elements can be added to the form using the form builder in Map Viewer, however, they are not currently supported in ArcGIS Field Maps. While related record elements added to the form will appear in Field Maps Designer, they cannot be formatted and will be hidden from the form in the Field Maps mobile app.

If you delete a related record element from the form in Field Maps Designer, you cannot add it back to the form. You can only add related record elements to the form in Map Viewer.

Unable to configure the form for a table with GNSS fields

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:

Browse to the item page for the layer that contains the GNSS fields and click the Visualization tab.
Click Save as new layer and provide a title.
Click Save.
A copy of the layer and the related table are created and added to My content.
Return to Field Maps Designer.
You can now configure the form for the copy of the table.

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