ArcGIS Pro - Using and Creating TasksScott Cecilio

Workflow Production ChallengesYou have told us…

• People are unfamiliar with how to do standard work flows

• Every user does things differently

• Hard to maintain Quality Assurance

• Training time on current / new employees

• Standard Operating Procedures change or not followed

• Technology changes rapidly

Create New Building Workflow

Locate Work Area

• By address or Subdivision name

Select Subdivision

• Copy the Subdivision name on paper

Create New Buildings

• Make sure they don’t overlap

Attribute New buildings

• Paste the subdivision name, populate attributes

Save Edits

• Never forget to save edits

Real-world Example…

What is a Task?

• Sequential steps that guide you through a repeatable

workflow

• Tasks:

- Used to guide and share knowledge

- Are interactive

- Improve efficiency

- Improve quality

• Tasks use your (business) language

• Tasks are configurable

“The right tool in the right time”

When NOT to use Tasks?

• A workflow that takes very long time

• Task resources keep changing frequently: maps, layers, Geoprocessing tools

• Micro Management tool

• Does not replace Geoprocessing models:

- Geoprocessing is used for automation

- Tasks are interactive

Demo 1

What is a Task?

Creating a Task

Design a task

• Know your business and workflows

• Repeatable workflows

• Know your project:

- Maps

- Layers

- Tools

- Add Ins

• Know your users:

- Roles

- License level / extensions

- Permissions

- Environment

Repeatable?

StopKnow the

Workflow?

Project

Stop

Stop

Create Task

Design a task item

• Run the workflow before creating the task

• Tasks are configured using the Task Designer pane

- Create a new task item

- Insert a new task

- Add and configure task steps

• Add descriptions, instructions and help links

INSERT new Task Item

• A project might contains 0 - many TASK ITEMS that are stored in the APRX file

• Use INSERT Task Item

• Use ‘Save Project’ to save task modifications

• Use ‘Package Project‘ to share with a project

Task item

Create Tasks & Steps

• Create a task

• Create steps

• Group tasks

Task item name

Task

Task group

Task steps

Designer View

General – Step Behavior

• Manual – 2 mouse clicks

• Auto Run / Auto proceed – 1 mouse click

• Automatic – no mouse clicks

Effic

iency

Configure a stepStep Behavior

• Manual

- User clicks Run to start the step, performs action, clicks Next Step to proceed

User clicks Run to open Layer

Properties dialog box

User sets layer elevation and

clicks Next Step to proceed

User can skip past step

(optional step)

Configure a stepStep Behavior

• Auto Run

- Step automatically starts, user performs action and clicks Next Step to proceed

Step automatically runs and

loads the Explore tool

User locates area and

Clicks Next Step to proceed

Configure a stepStep Behavior

• Auto Proceed

- User clicks Run to start step, step performs action, and automatically proceeds

User enters tool parameters

and clicks Run to start the step

Step runs the Buffer tool and

Proceeds to the next step

The Buffer geoprocessing

tool is embedded

Configure a stepStep Behavior

• Automatic

- Step automatically starts, performs an action and proceeds

Step automatically zooms to

the selected roads and

proceeds to the next step

Step is hidden

Tasks pane is in designer

mode

Configure a stepStep Actions: load a command or tool

• Quickly create steps by recording command clicks

- A step is created for each command clicked

- Command/tool is automatically loaded for the step

• Or configure the command/tool under the Actions

tab

Configure a stepStep Views

• Set the active view for the step

• Open and close views

• Step command/tool works with data in

the active viewUnchanged from previous

step (Open)

Close view for this step

Open and activate view

Configure a stepStep Contents

• Configure the contents (map layers) of the active view

- Contents are displayed in the Contents pane

• Set layer

- Visibility

- Selectability

- Editability

- Snapability

• Turn on/off labels

Demo 2

Creating a Task

Task Step

General

Instructions

Behavior

Actions

Command / Geoprocessing / Get Attribute

Geoprocessing

Selection

Copy / Calculate Attributes

Verification

View

Open / close Map Views / Layout

Active Map

Link Views

Content

Layer:

- Visibility

- Selectable

- Editabile

- Snappable

- Select Layer

- Labels

Snapping Management

Create New Building Workflow – Simplified version

Locate Work Area

• By address or Subdivision name

Select Subdivision

• Copy the Subdivision name

Create New Building

• Make sure they don’t overlap

Attribute New building

• Paste the subdivision name, populate attributes

Save Edits

• Never forget to save edits

Create New Building Workflow – Real version

Get Work Order ID

Keep Time Record

Locate Work Area

• By address or Subdivision name

Select Subdivision

• Copy the Subdivision name

Create New Buildings

• Make sure they don’t overlap

Validate Geodatabase

Topology

Fix ErrorsMove

Features

Validate Geodatabase

Topology

Attribute New building

• Paste the subdivision name, populate attributes

Save Edits

• Never forget to save edits

Review and Fix

Attribution Errors

Write End Time

Demo 3

Creating a Task

Sharing a Task / Task History

Sharing tasks

• A task item can be shared via a task

file

- .esritasks file

• A task file can be imported into a

project

• A task item is an AGOL item and can

be shared via email

Task History (metrics)

• Optional project Settings (project options)

• Measures duration of each task; idle time is filtered

• Great to visualize with charts

Tips and Tricks

Tips & Tricks

• Where is the “Back” button?

- Use Undo (Ctrl + Z)

Tips & Tricks

• Global shortcuts:

- Alt X – RUN (‘eXecute’)

- Alt C – NEXT STEP (‘Countinue’)

- Alt S – SKIP (‘Skip’)

Alt + S Alt + X Alt + C

Tips & Tricks

• When a task fails…

- Check if the command is enabled

- Commands are contextual

- In this example: calling the select

command without an active map view

Tips & Tricks

• Close panes.

• Don’t “buddy-up” the task pane with other panes

• Can I run other commands while running a task?

- Answer: Yes

• Leave nothing to chance!

your users might:

- Close maps

- Turn layers off

- Clear selection

- Unselect a layer

- …

Tips & Tricks

• Dock the task pane and task designer

side by side

• Record commands is easier and more

reliable

Record / Stop Recording Record single command

Tips & Tricks

• Capture map view state (contents)

Capture View State

Tips & Tricks

• Use ‘Optional’ step behavior during design (Skip)

• Copy paste steps between tasks, or tasks between task items

• Advanced ‘If-Than’ logic – use Geoprocessing scripts/models as a step

• Breakdown a long workflow to multiple tasks

Quiz

• Tasks are available in every license level

• Tasks replace Geoprocessing models

• Tasks can be shared between projects

• The best way to share a task item is to package it in a project package

• Manual behavior is the most efficient step behavior

True or False?

Want to learn more?

• Software help documentation

- Tasks in ArcGIS Pro

• Training:

- Create and Share ArcGIS Pro Tasks (60 minutes, free)

- Introduction to ArcGIS Pro for GIS Professionals (2 Day)

• Book: Getting to Know ArcGIS Pro

• Videos: Esri / YouTube

• Twitter: #ProTasks

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