Transitioning from ArcGIS Workforce to ArcGIS Field Maps

If your organisation still relies on ArcGIS Workforce to coordinate field operations, now is the time to begin planning your next steps. With ArcGIS Workforce scheduled for retirement in November 2026, organisations need to ensure their field teams have a modern and supported solution in place to manage assignments, inspections and day-to-day field activities.

Fortunately, the transition is not about replacing one application with another. The new tasks ArcGIS Field Maps builds on the core capabilities that made ArcGIS Workforce a valuable tool, while bringing task management directly into the broader ArcGIS field mobility experience. By combining work assignment, data collection, inspections and asset management within a single application, using tasks features in ArcGIS Field Maps helps organisations streamline workflows and reduce complexity for field crews.

For many organisations, ArcGIS Workforce has been a key component of day-to-day field operations. It provided a simple and effective way to create assignments, dispatch work to mobile workers and track progress from the office. Whether managing inspections, maintenance activities or field surveys, ArcGIS Workforce helped bridge the gap between office-based coordinators and staff working in the field.

As field workflows evolved, however, organisations increasingly required more than just task assignment. Field workers needed to view maps, complete inspections, collect data, update assets and manage assignments without switching between multiple applications. To address this, Esri began bringing ArcGIS Workforce capabilities into ArcGIS Field Maps, creating a more integrated experience for both mobile workers and field managers.

The new tasks capabilities in ArcGIS Field Maps builds upon the familiar assignment-driven approach used in ArcGIS Workforce, while embedding task management directly into ArcGIS Field Maps. Instead of relying on separate applications for work assignment and field data collection, organisations can now manage both activities from a single mobile app. This not only simplifies the user experience but also reduces training requirements and helps field teams work more efficiently.

The transition to ArcGIS Field Maps from ArcGIS Workforce is, therefore, about more than replacing a retiring product. It represents a move towards a unified mobile workflow where tasks, inspections, data capture, asset updates and location awareness work together seamlessly. For organisations already using ArcGIS Field Maps, enabling the new tasks capabilities allows them to consolidate their field operations within a single application while continuing to deliver the assignment management capabilities that ArcGIS Workforce users have come to rely upon.

Beyond providing a migration path from ArcGIS Workforce, ArcGIS Field Maps continues to evolve with regular enhancements, giving organisations even more flexibility when managing field workflows. Recent releases have introduced several new capabilities that help streamline form design, simplify data capture and further customise task-based workflows.

One of the standout additions from the June 2026 release is the new multiple choice form element. This allows field users to select multiple options from a predefined list within a single field, making it easier to capture information such as asset defects, maintenance activities or inspection findings. These selections can also trigger conditional logic, revealing additional sections of a form only when required. Organisations should note that selected values are stored as comma-separated values, so data structure and reporting requirements should be considered during implementation.

The June 2026 release also brought attachments directly into the form experience. Photos, videos and documents can now be captured using dedicated attachment form elements, giving map authors greater control over when and how supporting evidence is collected. Attachment names can also be customised manually or generated dynamically, helping maintain consistency across inspections and surveys.

Task management has also been enhanced with greater control over task filters. Organisations can now choose which fields are displayed in task filters and define the default sort order when filters are applied, allowing task lists to be tailored to specific operational workflows.

Prior to the June 2026 release, ArcGIS Field Maps introduced the Arcade Assistant (Beta) in March 2026. Designed to simplify the creation of Arcade expressions, it helps users build dynamic forms, configure conditional logic and customise workflows without needing extensive scripting knowledge. Together, these enhancements make it easier than ever for organisations to tailor ArcGIS Field Maps to their specific field workflows.

While the latest enhancements continue to expand what's possible within ArcGIS Field Maps, the real value of the new tasks capabilities comes from how they support day-to-day operational workflows. At the Esri Ireland Conference 2026, a demonstration of infrastructure field operations using ArcGIS showcased a straightforward assign-inspect-decide workflow. Tasks were used to assign work to field crews, guide inspections in the field, and capture the information needed to support operational decision-making.

This same approach can be applied across a range of industries. In asset management, tasks can support routine inspections, defect reporting and maintenance activities. Utilities can use tasks to coordinate condition assessments and field operations, while transportation and infrastructure organisations can manage inspection and maintenance programmes for roads, bridges and other critical assets.

Local authorities and environmental organisations can also benefit from task-based workflows, using them to coordinate surveys, inspections and monitoring activities. Regardless of the industry, the ability to assign work, collect information and track progress within a single application helps organisations improve visibility and efficiency across their field operations.

To see this workflow in action, watch the Infrastructure Field Operations using ArcGIS session on demand.

ArcGIS Workforce has played an important role in helping organisations coordinate and manage field operations, but with its retirement approaching in November, the time to begin planning your transition is now. While change can sometimes feel disruptive, ArcGIS Field Maps provides a clear migration path that not only retains the core assignment management capabilities of ArcGIS Workforce but also enhances them through tighter integration with data collection, inspections and mobile workflows.

The new tasks capabilities of ArcGIS Field Maps bring work assignment, field data capture and operational decision-making together within a single application. Combined with ongoing enhancements such as advanced forms, improved task management and new configuration tools like the Arcade Assistant (Beta), organisations have more opportunities than ever to streamline field operations and improve the experience for their mobile workforce.

Waiting until ArcGIS Workforce reaches retirement could leave teams rushing to adopt new processes and workflows. By starting the transition now, organisations can take advantage of the latest capabilities in ArcGIS Field Maps while ensuring a smooth and supported migration for field staff.

Ready to get started? Visit ArcGIS Field Maps: A Quick Start Guide for Tasks to learn how to configure your first task-based workflow, explore migration options and prepare your organisation for the retirement of ArcGIS Workforce.