Overview of the schema

A workforce project is composed of four feature layers and four coded value domains with a predefined schema. The name of each feature layer is a combination of a moniker, describing the purpose of the feature layer, appended with the GUID of the Workforce project item. For example, the Workers layer associated with a project with GUID 5dd018fcd88c4d33814cf3da9c44061e would be named workers_5dd018fcd88c4d33814cf3da9c44061e. This guarantees uniqueness of each feature layer.

The four feature layers are as follows:

1. Workers
   • A point feature layer that contains a record for each mobile worker who is included in the project.
   • Includes information about the mobile worker, including their contact number and job title.
   • The mobile worker's ArcGIS organizational user name is stored in the userId field.
   • The layer tracks who created and last updated each mobile worker.
   • There is a primary key-foreign key (PK-FK) relationship from OBJECTID to Assignments.workerId. Using the OBJECTID value from the Workers layer as the Assignments.workerId field value associates the mobile worker with all their assignments.
   • The layer has the following coded value domain associations:
     • The status field is associated with the Worker_Status coded value domain to track the mobile worker status.
2. Assignments
   • A point feature layer that contains a record for each assignment.
   • Includes information about the assignment, including its status, location, and description, among others.
   • The layer tracks who created and last updated each assignment.
   • Attachments are enabled on the feature layer.
   • The layer contains foreign keys for some fields, associating values from another layer with this layer:
     • Assignments.workerId to Workers.OBJECTID.
     • Assignments.dispatcherId to Dispatchers.OBJECTID.
     • Assignments.workOrderId can be used as a foreign key to an external system, such as an asset or maintenance management system, by providing values from the other system.
   • The layer has the following coded value domain associations:
     • The status field is associated with the Assign_Status coded value domain to track the assignment status.
     • The priority field is associated with the Priority coded value domain to manage the priority of work assignments.
     • The assignmentType field is associated with the Assign_Type coded value domain to store the assignment types for the project.
3. Dispatchers
   • A point feature layer that contains a record for each dispatcher within the project.
   • Includes information about the dispatcher, including their name and contact number.
   • The dispatcher's ArcGIS organizational user name is stored in the userId field.
   • The layer tracks who created and last updated each dispatcher.
   • There is a PK-FK relationship from OBJECTID to Assignments.dispatcherId. Using the OBJECTID value from the Dispatchers layer as the Assignments.dispatcherId field value associates the dispatcher with all the assignments they assigned.
4. Location Tracking
   • A point feature layer that contains a record for each point location logged while location tracking is enabled.
   • The layer tracks who created and last updated each location track.

The four coded value domains are as follows:

1. Assign_Status—Stores the six valid values for the status of an assignment.
2. Priority—Stores the four valid values for the priority of an assignment.
3. Assign_Type—Stores the assignment types for the project. This coded value domain is empty when the project is first created. It contains values once assignment types have been added during project configuration.
4. Worker_Status—Stores the three valid values for the status of the mobile worker.

For the values of the coded value domains, see the Workforce schema diagram.

Assignment status date and time fields

Each assignment status defined in the Assign_Status domain has a corresponding date and time field in the Assignments feature layer. These fields contain the last date and time at which an assignment was in the corresponding state. When a status is first used for a particular assignment, the associated date and time field is first populated. When an assignment is in the same status again later, the date and time field is updated with the new date and time. For example, when an assignment is first assigned, its assigned date is the current date and time. If it is reassigned three hours later, the assignedDate field is updated to the new time, and the original assignment time is lost.

To better understand the values and when they are set, consider the following scenarios:

• Reassigning previously assigned work
  • You assigned an assignment at time t1, so assignedDate is t1.
  • Later, at time t2, the assignment is reassigned to another mobile worker, so assignedDate is t2.
• Reassigning declined work
  • You assigned an assignment at time t1, so assignedDate is t1.
  • The mobile worker declines the assignment at time t2, so declinedDate is t2. The assignedDate remains t1.
  • You assign the assignment to another mobile worker at time t3, so assignedDate is t3.
• Pausing and resuming work
  • You assigned an assignment at time t1, so assignedDate is t1.
  • The mobile worker starts the assignment at time t2, so inProgressDate is t2. The assignedDate remains t1.
  • The mobile worker pauses the assignment at time t3, so pausedDate is t3. The assignedDate remains t1 and the inProgressDate remains t2.
  • The mobile worker restarts the assignment at time t4, so inProgressDate is t4. The assignedDate remains t1, and the pausedDate remains t3.

Use ArcGIS API for Python (recommended)

Use ArcGIS API for Python and its Workforce module to automate and script Workforce. Assignments created with the Workforce module can be interpreted by Workforce, as they'll follow the same schema. For examples and best practices, see the sample scripts available on GitHub. The scripts show how to use Python to accomplish many tasks, such as programmatically loading assignments from external data sources, importing and managing workers, removing completed assignments, and more. You can also use this Jupyter notebook to see some typical operations.

The Workforce module was introduced with ArcGIS API for Python 1.4.1. While you were able to use Python before this module was introduced, it simplifies the automation of Workforce tasks. The Workforce module encapsulates the Workforce project schema and rules. It includes safeguards as well, protecting the integrity of your Workforce project.

Use the REST API for feature layers

You can automate Workforce through the REST API for feature layers. When using the REST API, you'll need to use the Feature object format to create and update assignments. See the following sections for details about creating and updating, as well as assigning, assignments through the REST API.