Esri's mobile apps enable field workflows through ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise. All of the apps support the following:
- Named user identity for access control
- Leveraging groups and sharing to control access to content
- Using ArcGIS custom roles to limit privileges
- HTTPS to encrypt data in transit
- AppConfigsettings for use with your mobile device management (MDM) solution
App configuration (also referred to as AppConfig) refers to a format for providing application settings such as portal URL, among others. Instead of configuring these settings manually each time a mobile app is installed, you can use your MDM to specify and apply app configurations automatically. These settings are defined as a dictionary of key-value pairs in an XML file. How the dictionary is created depends on the MDM you're using. To learn more about app configuration, visit the AppConfig Community.
Privacy considerations
- Users should design projects to limit or prevent collection of personally identifiable information (PII).
- Consider designing a hybrid solution with an on-premises ArcGIS Enterprise host data that contains PII.
- Configure your organization to require HTTPS only.
ArcGIS Field Maps—All-in-one app for fieldwork.
- Device, account, and data requirements are available in the current help.
- AppConfig support for portalURL (your organization's portal URL), anonymous access (allow anonymous access versus credentialed), trackingUploadLKLFrequency (last known location upload frequency), trackingUploadTracksFrequency (track upload frequency), and useInAppAuth (web view for sign-in and authentication).
- Support for Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) sign-in using certificates
ArcGIS Collector—Provides mapcentric data collection and editing.
- Requires a Creator user type.
- Supports feature service views to control sharing and editing access to content.
- Supports the AppConfig standard and mobile application management solutions to enhance security—See the portalURL parameter.
- Supports sideloading of basemap content for offline viewing.
- Supports Esri's transaction model for enterprise geodatabases (versioning, nonversioned archiving).
- Editor or location sharing functionality can collect information such as the following:
- Who created data (username for Named User Account)
- When data was created (date and time at the point of creation)
- Where data was collected from (GPS accuracy in meters)
ArcGIS Survey123—Supports formcentric data collection and editing.
- Requires a Creator user type.
- Supports feature service views to control sharing and editing access to content.
- Supports sideloading of basemap content for offline viewing.
- AppConfig support for portalURL.
- Use the Collaborate tab in a survey created using survey123.arcgis.com to share surveys with stakeholder groups.
- Using the Collaborate tab will leverage ArcGIS Hosted Feature Layer views to block editing access from stakeholders.
- Review the technical paper "Discovering and Limiting Access to Public ArcGIS Survey123 Results" for guidance for GIS administrators, survey owners, or users involved in implementing a public survey with respect to privacy and security.
ArcGIS Explorer—Supports viewing and markup of GIS maps.
- Supports Anonymous Viewing, Viewer, and Creator user types
- Supports opening and viewing private or publicly shared web maps
- Supports offline maps (downloaded or sideloaded)
- Supports the AppConfig standard and mobile application management solutions to enhance security—See portalURL.
ArcGIS Navigator—Enables routing with turn-by-turn directions.
- Requires a Viewer user type and additional license.
- Supports offline maps (downloaded or sideloaded).
- With custom navigation maps, you can see and search for your organization's assets, route on custom roads, and use custom travel modes.
- AppConfig support for portalURL and enableLocalAuthentication (iOS).
ArcGIS Workforce—Enables planning and coordinating fieldwork.
- Control access through ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise.
- Web app requires HTTPS only enabled in the organization to encrypt all data in transit.
- Limit user capabilities by limiting feature access (create, delete, query, update).
- AppConfig support for portalURL, uploadTracksFrequency, and updateLKLFrequency.
- Editor or location sharing functionality can collect information such as the following:
- Who created data (username for Named User Account)
- When data was created (date and time at the point of creation)
- Where data was collected from (GPS accuracy in meters)
ArcPad—Enables field staff to collect, edit, update and query GIS data in the field.
- Retired December 31, 2021.
- Customers who use ArcPad for data capture, editing, and inspection workflows should evaluate the current offering of ArcGIS field operations apps: Collector for ArcGIS, Survey123 for ArcGIS, and ArcGIS QuickCapture.
Note:
Best practices guidance across all ArcGIS mobile apps is provided in the ArcGIS Secure Mobile Implementation Patterns technical paper.