Data Modeling Overview

MobileMap requires ArcGIS Feature Services to define the data model for data access, data collection and editing. The first step in using MobileMap, therefore is to design and publish a data model. To do this, the general process is: Document > Build > Symbolize > Publish > Test.

Documenting Data Models

The WSG approach to documenting requirements is to use a spreadsheet format in which the layers, fields and allowed values are captured in two tabs of an Excel spreadsheet - data model and domains. The requirements gathering process starts typically starts with one or more templates that WSG can provide based on data models used for previous implementations, as well field protocols (cruise specs) and any existing field forms or data collection software user interface examples.

Data Model CSV format:

Layer	LayerType	FieldName	Alias	DataType	MaxLength	Precision	AllowNullValues	DefaultValue	DomainName
Stands	Polygon	Stand_ID	Stand ID	LONG			No
Stands	Polygon	State	State	TEXT	50		Yes		States
Stands	Polygon	Region	Region	TEXT	50		Yes		Regions
…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…

Notes:

Layer
- Layer name, no spaces
- Recommended syntax
  - Use of plural nouns (e.g. Stands, Streams, Roads)
  - Where multiple words needed, use title case with underscores (e.g., Treatment_Areas)
  - For cruise use Stands, Plots, Trees, Logs
Layer Type
- Polygon, Line, Point, Table
FieldName
- Where multiple words needed, use title case with underscores (e.g., Plot_Type)
- Keep it human readable by avoiding abbreviations, acroymns, slang (e.g. use Cruise_Type instead of CRZTYP)
DataType
- TEXT, LONG, SINGLE, DOUBLE
MaxLength
- Only for TEXT fields
- Maximum number of characters that can be entered
Precision
- Only for SINGLE and DOUBLE fields
AllowNullValues
- Yes = field is not required, No = field is required
Default Value
- Enter the default value to be stored for the field when a new feature is created. If the field uses a Coded Value Domain, enter the code (not the description) here.
Domain Name
- Must match the domain name in the domains CSV file

Domains CSV format:

DomainName	FieldType	DomainType	Code	Description	Min	Max
DBH	Short	Range			0	100
Regions	Text		NW	Northwest
Regions	Text		NC	North central
Regions	Text		NE	Northeast
…	…	…	…	…	…	…

General Data Model Requirements

Feature Types

MobileMap supports the following ArcGIS Feature Classes:

Points
Lines
Polygons (simple and multipart polygons)

It also supports Feature Tables. It does not support Annotations, Dimensions, Multipoints or Multipatches

Conventions

General Naming Conventions

While MobileMap is highly configurable and can accommodate custom field names, it is strongly encouraged to adopt the MobileMap conventions for table names, field names, alias names and data types. The general naming conventions are as follows:

Table Names:
- plural title case with underscores
- Examples: Plots, Stands, Sale_Units, Access_Roads
Field Names
- Singular title case with underscores
- Examples: Region, Count, Road_Length, Bark_Thickness
- Exceptions: use Esri defaults as-is (e.g., editor tracking fields like ‘last_edited_date’, ‘created_date’)
Aliases
- Singular title case without underscores
- Examples (match field names above): Region, Count, Road Length, Bark Thickness
- Exceptions: retain underscores in aliases for ID fields that will typically not be entered by users (e.g., Plot_ID, Unique_ID)

Standard Field Names

The table below lists recommended field names with their data types and intended uses. While these fields are not all required and some may be substituted with custom or alternative names, these standards should be used unless there is a compelling reason to use an alternative name, and the alternative may need configuration and testing.

Field Name	Table	Data Type	Description

Field Name	Table	Data Type	Description
Plot_Size	Stands and/or Plots	Text (10 characters)	Stores the plot size (BAF or fixed area plot size) for use in limiting distance calculation and downstream use by compilers and 3rd party systems (TCruise, FVS, etc.). Requires domain that stores values using MobileMap-specific codes (e.g., BAF20 for BAF of 20, FIX10 for fixed area 1/10th acre plot). May have more than 1 field (e.g., Plot_Size AND Nested_Plot_Size). Alternative names: BAF, Nested_Plot_Size, Saw_Plot_Size, Pulp_Plot_Size, etc..
Status	Any spatial layer but especially for Stands and Plots	Text (10 characters)	Stores measurement status. Typically used to determine symbology. Often used for other logic like map filters, hosted feature layer views definition queries, export filters, compilation rules, etc. Common status values: Planned, Active, Cruised, Checked, Archived.
Latitude	All point layers	Double	Stores Y coordinate of point
Longitude	All point layers	Double	Stores X coordinate of point
Elevation	All point layers	Double	Stores elevation in preferred units
GPS_Point_Count	Point layers where collection may occur via averaged GPS	Integer (short)	Stores the number of individual GPS locations that were averaged to get the final coordinates
Photos	Any table where photos will be captured	Text, large number of characters (e.g., 1000 to support capture of multiple photos)	Stores the filenames of all photos captured via MobileMap for that feature.
Created	Any table	Date	MobileMap can store the date that a feature was created (this may be different than the created_date which is created when the feature is created in the service) This field name should be included in MobileMap Settings > Data Model > Custom Created Date Fields
Edited	Any table	Date	MobileMap can store the date that a feature was last edited (this may be different than the last_edited_date which is updated when the feature is updated in the service) This field name should be included in MobileMap Settings > Data Model > Custom Edited Date Fields or Custom Edited Date (No Overwrite) Fields. Using the field name Cruise_Date and storing MobileMap Settings > Data Model > Custom Edited Date Fields or Custom Edited Date (No Overwrite) Fields
Created_Source	Any table	Text (50 characters)	MobileMap and InventoryManager can store the application and version in this field for tracking the tool that was used to last edit a given feature
Edited_Source	Any table	Text (50 characters)	MobileMap and InventoryManager can store the application and version in this field for tracking the tool that was used to last edit a given feature
Unique_ID	Stand, Plot, Tree and Log tables when used for timber inventory (cruising)	Text (38 characters)	Stores text representation of a GUID
Parent_ID	Plot, Tree and Log tables when used for timber inventory (cruising)	Text (38 characters)	Stores text representation of a GUID
Archived	Any table	Text (3 characters)	Stores ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ based on whether the feature should be treated as an archived record (may be ignored, e.g., hidden) in some applications.
Plot_X	Plots	Double	When desired this can be used to store the Longitude value from the GPS at the time that the plot is saved. This can help with data QA. This can be set as a hidden field in MobileMap settings so that cruisers do not see this.
Plot_Y	Plots	Double	When desired this can be used to store the Latitude value from the GPS at the time that the plot is saved. This can help with data QA. This can be set as a hidden field in MobileMap settings so that cruisers do not see this.
Distance_To_Plot	Plots	Integer (long)	When this field is included in the Plots data model, MobileMap will calculate the distance between the Plot point coordinates and the Plot_X/Plot_Y coordinates (see two fields above) in feet. Can be used to assess if plot data was entered when the user was farther than expected from the true location of the plot. This can be set as a hidden field in MobileMap settings so that cruisers do not see this.
Time_On_Plot	Plots	Integer (long)	When this field is included in the Plots data model, MobileMap will calculate a running tally of accumulated seconds that the tree list has been open in MobileMap and store it (in total seconds) in this field. Can be used to determine average time per plot and assess outliers (especially plots measured faster than expected). This can be set as a hidden field in MobileMap settings so that cruisers do not see this.
Notes	Any	Text (500+ characters)	(Optional) Also called ‘Comments’, ‘Note’.
Notes_Check	Stands/Plots	Text (500+ characters)	(Optional) Similar to Notes but can be included in list of check cruise fields to hide when not in check cruise mode. Allows separate notes to be recorded by cruiser and check cruiser on the same plot. Not needed on Trees/Logs as these will include a new record for each check Tree/Log; standard Notes field can be used, if relevant, when collecting check cruise data on Trees/Logs.
Check_Score	Plots	Short Integer	(Optional) receives calculated numeric check cruise score for checked plots when check cruise scoring is enabled within InventoryManager and check cruise rules have been defined. Note that standard calculation is: 100 minus plot-level deductions minus the sum of all tree-level deductions within that plot, where tree level deductions are typically assigned integer values. If tree-level deductions are assigned floating point values (e.g., 1.5), use a floating point data type for Check_Score too.
Check_Details	Plots	Text (1000 characters)	(Optional) receives text description of errors that lead to the calculated numeric check cruise score (above)
Check_Score_Date	Plots	Date	(Optional) receives the date at which the check score was LAST calculated/updated.
Sample_Type	Stands	Text (4 characters)	(Optional) Used for double sampling. This field should use a Coded Value Domain that lists all double sampling methods that are supported, and an option for 'None'. The list of accepted values are: BB = Big BAF STR = Sample Tree Ratio FTN = First Tree North, PCMC = Point Count or Measure None = no sampling
Sample_Type	Plots	Text (4 characters)	(Optional) Used for double sampling. Same as above except that if Point Count or Measure approach is used, the Plots version of this field should use a Coded Value Domain that lists the following options: BB = Big BAF STR = Sample Tree Ratio FTN = First Tree North, PCMC = Count Plot PCMM = Measure Plot None = no sampling
Big_BAF	Stands, Plots	Text (10 characters)	(Optional) Used for double sampling. If the Big BAF method is supported, this field should use a Coded Value Domain that lists all of the BAF values that are appropriate for Big BAF. Allowed values should follow the same convention as the Plot_Size field
PCM_Ratio	Stands, Plots	Text (10 characters)	(Optional) Used for double sampling. If Point Count Measure method is supported, this field should use a Coded Value Domain that lists all of the allowed ratios in the format of '1:2', '1:3', '1:4', etc.
Sample_Tree_Ratios	Stands, Plots	Text (200+ characters)	(Optional) Used for double sampling. If Sample Tree Ratios are supported, this field will store a comma separated list of ratios (e.g., 'DF:S:5,DF:P:10,GF:XX:2,XX:XX:3'). Both MobileMap and InventoryManager contain tools for authoring sample tree ratios by selecting the species, product and ratio for each sample group.
Tally_Measure	Trees	Text (1 character)	(Optional) Used for double sampling. This field should use a Coded Value Domain with the valu

MobileMap Documentation

MobileMap: Data Model / Data Modeling Process