Acting as the Regional GIS Service Center for the Merrimack Valley, MVPC’s GIS program has developed more than 100 mobile GIS applications to aid our communities in data management and fieldwork over the last several years. Using Esri’s data collection mobile app, ArcGIS Collector, we have empowered municipal officials, public works crews, electrical grid operators, and others to use mobile GIS for projects like asset inventories, field mapping, asset maintenance, and infrastructure inspections.
Over the course of 2020, Esri developed an enhanced data collection mobile application called ArcGIS Field Maps. The intent of Field Maps is to simplify the field data collection process by bringing together the functionality of Collector and several of Esri’s other apps into one. Ultimately, Esri will be replacing Collector entirely with Field maps.
Some of the features MVPC GIS is excited to take advantage of include:
- Dynamic forms which will allow us to streamline and customize the data capture process
- Measure and markup maps with labels or notations
- Sharing maps
Utilizing the latest advancements in technology is a priority for MVPC GIS, and we have already begun testing and implementing Field Maps for various projects with success. We are excited about creating simpler, more powerful apps for our users.
As a result of this change, however, Esri will no longer be providing updates and improvements to Collector. By December of 2021, ArcGIS Collector will no longer be available for download.
MVPC encourages all our Collector users to download and start getting familiar with ArcGIS Field Maps. The transition should be seamless for most users and uses all of your current login passwords. You can download the Field Maps application from the Apple App and Google Play Stores and log in as you normally would in Collector to start exploring.
For more information regarding specific project uses please contact MVPC GIS and we can assist you with your needs. To learn more about Esri’s change from Collector to Field Maps, please visit Esri’s blog.
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