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Manage editing templates

Editing templates contain tools and settings for creating features in a feature database. They also specify the target data source and the feature attribute values applied to features, and store optional descriptive metadata. The following sections describe the editing templates you can manage in Map Viewer.

Feature templates

A feature template creates features on a single target layer. Feature templates appear in the Create features pane with a name and a symbol showing the symbology assigned to the target feature layer. For example, you can use feature templates for a feature layer of schools that allow editors to choose whether a new feature should be classified as an elementary school, middle school, or high school. As the template author, you can preset the school type attribute for these three options. This ensures that editors do not enter invalid values for this attribute.

If you use unique symbology, you can define subtypes on the feature types, which are additional templates based on other feature attributes. For example, you can define available pipeline types based on both the diameter of the pipe and the material that constitutes it. Well-defined feature templates help your editors add only the types of features that are allowed. Using feature templates, you can provide a focused palette of valid feature types for editors to create and modify.

All hosted feature layers have a default feature template. In Map Viewer, you can duplicate the default feature template to create additional templates, which you can alter to meet specific editing needs. Map Viewer allows you to manage feature templates in the following ways:

  • Reorder feature templates.

  • Duplicate and delete feature templates.

  • Update the display name, description, and default attribute values.

Note:

You can create and manage feature templates in Map Viewer, ArcGIS Pro, and Field Maps Designer. To edit a layer's feature templates, you must be the owner of the layer or an organization administrator. The layer must also be a hosted feature layer.

Shared templates

A shared template is an editing template stored in an enterprise geodatabase and made available to web clients and mobile apps through a feature service. Shared editing templates include group and preset templates.

Note:

You must use ArcGIS Pro to create group and preset templates. You cannot create or configure them in Map Viewer.

Configure editing templates

Follow these steps to configure editing templates for a feature layer:

  1. Confirm that you are signed in and that you have privileges to create, update, and delete content.

  2. In Map Viewer, open the map containing the layer, or add the layer directly.

  3. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Layers to open the Layers pane.

  4. Add a feature layer to the map.

  5. With the feature layer selected, click Configure editing on the Settings (light) toolbar and click Templates .

  6. From the View templates drop-down menu in the Properties section, select an editing template option.

    Note:

    If there are no shared templates available, you can create shared templates from existing feature templates.

  7. Do any of the following to configure templates:

    • Click Reposition and drag the template to a new location in the Templates list. Alternatively, click Reposition and select an option under Reorder to move the template up or down in the Templates list.

    • Click Duplicate to make a copy of a template.

    • Click Delete to delete a template.

    • Click a template to select it, and update the display name, description, or default values in the Properties section.

    • Click Undo to undo the most recent change. Click Redo to redo the most recent change. Click History to see a list of all template changes made during the current editing session. Click Save to save your changes.

  8. When you finish configuring templates, click OK.

    Your changes are saved to the hosted feature layer.

Considerations for feature templates

Keep the following in mind when working with feature templates:

  • If you change the style on a layer to use unique symbols instead of color or size, the templates associated with the layer will not automatically update. When you open the Configure templates window, you will be prompted with a warning message that one or more templates are out of sync with the layer's style. Click Update to sync the template with changes made in the Style options pane.

  • If only default feature templates exist, the feature template name is the same as the feature type, such as point layer or polygon layer. You can change the template name by updating its properties.

  • If the hosted feature layer has a single symbol or class breaks renderer, the service only uses feature templates, not feature types. You can change the default template and add more.

  • You can remove all feature templates from a feature type but, if you do, editors cannot add features to the map. There are more effective ways to restrict editing, as described in Manage hosted feature layer editing.