Workflow- Authoring ArcGIS Online Content

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This article is a step by step guide to creating ArcGIS Online applications.

Ensure you have signed into an ArcGIS Online account and have permission to publish content.

The core of any GIS application is a map. Before making an app/dashboard, you will need to prepare a map. There are several ways to do this.

The most common way, via a service.
- Make a map with Ohio State Services. This will leverage OSU Servers to prevent any data from being stored in ArcGIS Online.
- There are multiple types of GIS Service, the most common two are map services and feature services.
  - Map Services display your data and allow access to it visually
  - Feature services do everything a map service does, but also allow edit access to the data.
- Because feature services can have data edited, all feature services need accessed through a proxy item in ArcGIS Online. All feature services should be restricted to a minimum of "Organization Sharing"
The less common way, via hosted data.
- Make a map by publishing data to ArcGIS Online. This leveraged ArcGIS Online cloud storage as a convenience, but at a cost.
The rare way, with no data.
- It is possible that a map may be irrelevant or no additional data may be needed because a map already exists for you. You can rarely skip the creation of a map.

It is time to find a template and make your app.

The main header contains an application menu. Expand it and browse for "Experience Builder"
Once open, experience builder will display any existing applications you have.
Click "Create New" and you are prompted to select a template.
Change tabs to "My Organization" and select from the templates shared with you.
Open the template to begin a new app.

It is time to combine your map into this new app,

Add your map to the app by selecting the map frame in the middle of the application.
The pane on the right will change to allow you to add a map source.
Click "Select a Map", then click "Add new data".
Browse your content for the relevant map.

It is time to alter the text in the application. This will vary between device views (mobile, tablet, and desktop).

Make a title that matches the map name.
- This will need added to the desktop view only.
To complete the help section, add a summary.
- To do this change your selection to the "page" catalog and window section. You will see fixed windows available to edit.
  - Edits will need made to both the desktop help splash and mobile help splash.
Save the application after your text edits have been made.
- Name it the same thing as your app title and map name.

Widgets do not automatically link or set up when a map is added. Review your needs.

Click each widget and make sure it is linked to any relevant data.
- There are some widgets which need to be pointed to content to function, such as a layer widget.
Some widgets will not be needed and can be deleted from the template.
On the right side of the screen you will need to configure the content of the widget. The layers widget needs to select a "source". In the image this example has the value of "none" for source.
Save the app as you alter the widgets to ensure your work is kept.

Everyone forgets and makes mistakes, remember to review your work.

A list of content to verify in the app template:

Press the publish button once the app is ready for others to view.
By default all apps should be set to org only
- Any publicly shared apps should be reviewed by one other person for added quality assurance.
Review the item in your ArcGIS Online contents to add additional information.
- A detailed description, summary, thumbnail, additional tags, etc.