You can help your mobile users get ArcGIS Workforce installed and configured on their mobile devices. You can do this in the following ways:
- Provide a link that can be used to install the app or set the portal URL.
- Use mobile device management (MDM) software to deploy and configure the mobile app, including the portal URL.
Open Workforce from a link
Mobile users can specify their portal URL in Workforce, or you can provide a URL directly to them that specifies the correct portal URL. Make it easy for your mobile users to access the correct portal by sharing a link through an email, text message, web page, QR code, or another app. When tapped, Workforce opens to the portal URL you want the mobile worker to use.
Workforce links
Workforce links have the following format: https://workforce.arcgis.app?parameter=value, where parameter and value pairs are replaced with the values you want to use to deploy the app. For example, https://workforce.arcgis.app?portalURL=https://myportal.mycompany.com/arcgis uses the parameter portalURL to take mobile users directly to the sign-in screen for your organization and prompts them to sign in.
Parameters
The following parameters are supported with Workforce links. If no parameters are passed, tapping the link opens Workforce (or prompts you to download the app).
| Parameter | Values | Notes |
|---|---|---|
portalURL | Your organization's portal URL |
|
mapID | The item ID of the map to download and open in Workforce |
|
assignmentID | The GlobalId of the assignment to open in Workforce |
|
assignmentStatus | The status given to an assignment when opened in Workforce |
|
Continue reading for examples of using these parameters to achieve specific behavior with a Workforce link.
Connect to a specific portal
Specify the URL of the portal the mobile worker should be connected to.
The following is an example:
https://workforce.arcgis.app?portalURL=https://myportal.mycompany.com/arcgis
Download and open a map
Download and open a map using the mapID parameter. If the mobile worker already has the map downloaded on their device, no download occurs, and the specified map is opened in Workforce.
The following are examples:
- Open the map as the currently signed-in mobile worker, or if not signed in, provide the opportunity for them to sign in: https://workforce.arcgis.app?mapID=3ac4145c1ac44aea86e9ed42e00fbb0d
- Connect to a particular portal and then open the map: https://workforce.arcgis.app?portalURL=https://myportal.mycompany.com/arcgis&mapID=3ac4145c1ac44aea86e9ed42e00fbb0d
Open an assignment
Open an assignment in the map using the assignmentID parameter.
The following is an example:
- Open the details of a specific assignment: https://workforce.arcgis.app?mapID=3ac4145c1ac44aea86e9ed42e00fbb0d&assignmentID=948b2bf3-f866-4516-97e7-00418d3b567d
Set the status of an assignment
Set the status of an assignment using the assignmentStatus parameter. The following is an example:
- Open the details of a specific assignment and set assignmentStatus to 2 to set the status of the assignment to In Progress: https://workforce.arcgis.app?mapID=3ac4145c1ac44aea86e9ed42e00fbb0d&assignmentID=948b2bf3-f866-4516-97e7-00418d3b567d&assignmentStatus=2
Note:
It is possible, but not advised, to use this parameter to set the assignment status in ways that aren't possible in the mobile app. For example, if an assignment has a status of Assigned, a Workforce link can be used to set it to Paused, skipping the In Progress status that would be set by the mobile worker. Skipping this status isn't possible in the mobile app.
Mobile device management
Mobile device management (MDM) refers to software used for the administration of mobile devices in an organization. An MDM is used to enhance data and network security as well as to set and enforce mobile device policies. Additionally, using an MDM increases the efficiency of app deployments and management for mobile devices, including controlling how and when an app is updated. To learn more about how Esri approaches MDM, see ArcGIS Secure Mobile Implementation Patterns in the ArcGIS Trust Center.
When preparing to deploy Workforce to your organization's mobile devices via MDM, there are some application and profile settings you may want to configure. These include portal URL and per-app VPN settings.
Caution:
If you're using an Android device, Chrome or another browser must be installed and enabled to display the portal sign-in screen.
Workforce app configuration
App configuration (also referred to as AppConfig) refers to a format for providing application settings such as the portal URL. Instead of configuring these settings manually each time a mobile app is installed, you can use your MDM to specify and apply app configurations automatically. These settings are defined as a dictionary of key-value pairs in an XML file. How the dictionary is created depends on the MDM you're using. To learn more about app configuration, visit the AppConfig Community.
Workforce has the following settings that can be implemented with app configuration in your MDM:
| Key | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
portalURL | Your organization's portal URL |
|
Per-app virtual private network
Configuring a per-app virtual private network (per-app VPN) in your MDM allows you to restrict access to internal resources to specific managed apps. Workforce can be deployed with this configuration. To set up per-app VPN for use with Workforce, see the software documentation for the MDM you are using.
Caution:
If you're on iOS, Safari is used to display the portal sign-in screen in Workforce. For this to work correctly with a per-app VPN enabled, your portal domain (for example, mycompany.com) must be specified in the Safari Domains setting in the per-app VPN profile you're using. If Safari Domains is not set correctly, the assigned mobile devices cannot access the Workforce portal sign-in screen.
When you set a Safari Domain in the per-app VPN profile as described above, the Safari Browser can also access the portal domain you specified in the Safari Domains. If you want to block this access, configure an iOS Restriction (if available in your MDM) to Block Safari Browser App on the desired devices.
After you've configured the per-app VPN settings for Workforce in your MDM, when the app is launched on a managed mobile device, it automatically connects to the designated per-app VPN. When Workforce is running in the background, the per-app VPN is still connected, but only to Workforce. When Workforce is closed, the mobile device automatically disconnects from the per-app VPN.