Get started with ArcGIS Mission

ArcGIS Mission is a focused, tactical situational awareness and collaboration application that allows organizations to prepare, execute, and review their day-to-day operations, planned special events, and unplanned events. ArcGIS Mission has three components: ArcGIS Mission Manager, ArcGIS Mission Responder, and ArcGIS Mission Server. Manager is the web application in which mission analysts assign teams, design maps, share documents, and monitor activity by using a web app. Responder is the mobile app designed for field operators in which they can share their location, communicate via chat, find points of interest, share mission photos, and more. Server is an ArcGIS Enterprise server role that provides the processing necessary for communication between the components of ArcGIS Mission.

In this tutorial, you'll use ArcGIS Mission to create and participate in a mission focused around downed powerlines due to a recent storm in Arlington, Virginia. A power company in Arlington is trying to get these powerlines back up as fast as possible to restore power to people's homes.

This tutorial was last tested on June 8, 2023, using ArcGIS Enterprise 11.1. If you're using a different version of ArcGIS Enterprise, you may encounter different functionality and results.

Requirements

• ArcGIS Enterprise with ArcGIS Data Store
• ArcGIS Mission

Create a mission

The first step in ArcGIS Mission is to create a mission in ArcGIS Mission Manager. The mission contains the resources that are used throughout the mission for tactical situational awareness and communication. In the mission owner role, you'll configure the mission's members and teams, maps to visualize and interact with the mission and supporting communication layers to view and capture mission messages, task, reports, and tracks.

Create a new mission

The Create a New Mission tab is the starting point for mission owners with the supported privileges to begin the process of creating missions. During this process, you can define information about the mission, such as a name and summary, and choose a new or existing web map as your mission map. When you define an extent, you're choosing a starting position for all mission members, as well as the zoom extent.

1. Sign in to a licensed ArcGIS Enterprise portal. Click the app launcher and choose Mission Manager.

   

2. Download the ArlingtonVA_MissionData.zip file and unzip it to the location of your choice.
3. Click Create a New Mission.

   

   The Create New Mission pane appears.

   Tip:

   You can also click the Create New Mission tab.

4. Enter the following mission information:
   • Mission Name: Powerlines in Arlington, Virginia
   • Summary: The purpose of this mission is to patrol Arlington, Virginia to assess fallen powerlines where homes may be without power due to the storm.

   

   Additionally, you can fill in more summary information and search tags. Anything you write here can be edited later on the Mission Details page.

   Next, you'll create a mission map and define the basemap, starting position, and zoom extent. The mission basemap is always the bottom layer of the mission map. The mission basemap can be changed at any time on the Mission Details page. A default basemap is provided, but you're going to choose a specific basemap to help you see the roads in Northern Virginia.

5. In the map pane, click Choose Basemap.

   

6. In the basemap gallery, choose Navigation.

   

   Because you're zoomed out so far, you may not see the changes immediately.

7. Click Collapse to close the basemap gallery.

   Your basemap for the mission is now Navigation. All graphics, layers, and other map components will appear on top of it. Now, you'll set the zoom extent. This tool allows you to determine the starting location and level of zoom the map displays when the mission opens.

8. In the search bar, type Arlington, Virginia and choose the first result.

   

   The map centers on the city of Arlington, Virginia. Alternatively, you can locate your starting point on the map manually.

9. On the map toolbar, click Draw Mission Extent.

   

10. Draw a rectangle on the map south of Interstate 66 to just south of 10^th Street N.

    

    Tip:

    The center of the rectangle is shown with a small plus sign. Try to center the plus sign over the search result point.

    The edges of this rectangle define the starting extent of your mission basemap. In the rectangle, the plus sign denotes the center point of your extent.

    Now that you've set all the starting information for your mission, you'll move to the next step.

11. Click Create Mission.

    

    The mission may take a few minutes to create. When it's done, you'll see a success message.

12. In the Creating mission window, click Done.

    

    To change your map, you can do so on the Map tab in Mission Details. The tab includes tools for building and editing mission maps. You can also add reference layers to the mission map to provide more context to the mission.

Add mission details

The Mission Details page allows you to define and modify certain aspects of the mission, such as members, teams, the mission map, and any additional materials you want to provide for the mission. On the Overview tab, you can view and edit information about the mission.

1. On the Overview tab, in the Mission Dashboard box, click Create.

   

   A mission dashboard provides a real-time view of your ongoing mission to help you monitor events or activities. This view is most useful for a Mission Observer role such as a supervisor in your organization.

2. In the Create Mission Dashboard window, enter the following information:
   • Title: Power Outage in Arlington, Virginia
   • Tags: Power outage
   • Summary: This dashboard is to provide insight on the power outage in Arlington, VA.
3. Click Create Mission Dashboard to create your dashboard.

   A notification appears, confirming the successful creation of your dashboard, and you are directed back to the mission Overview tab. In the Mission Dashboard box, the Create button will change to Open. As you step through each tutorial in the path, content will be created that will feed the dashboard with information.

4. Click Open Mission.

   

   The mission's dashboard will open. You can view this dashboard over the course of each tutorial to see it populate with content. Next, you'll add members to the mission.

5. On the ribbon, click Info to switch back to ArcGIS Mission Manager.
   
6. Click the Members tab.

   

   The Members tab allows you to add members to the current mission. The list of members is determined by users in your organization's portal. Adding a portal user to the current mission creates a mission member. This allows the member to access details, content, and materials about the mission and to actively contribute to the mission.

7. Under Portal Users column, select the users you want to add by clicking their names or using the search bar to find them. Depending on the number of users in your portal, add between four and six mission members.
8. Click Add to Mission to transfer users to the Mission Members list.

   

   Note:

   To test the Mission Responder app in the third module, make sure to add the username of the account you'll be logging in to on your mobile device.

   The Total Mission Members field updates as you add or remove a portal user.

   Now that you've selected mission members, you can assign them to teams. The Teams tab allows you to create, edit, and delete teams in the current mission. Mission members can be part of more than one team, or none, as teams are not required for a mission. For this mission, you'll create two teams: Patrol A and Patrol B.

9. Click the Teams tab.
10. For Mission Teams, type Patrol Team A and click Add Team.

    

    Your team appears in the panel below the dialog box, with two columns: Mission Members and Team Members. Note that as the mission manager, you'll be included in each team.

11. Select the mission members you want to add to your team and click Add to Team.

    

12. Repeat the same steps to create and add members to Patrol Team B.

    Finally, you'll upload patrol routes for your teams.

13. Click the Materials tab.

    Mission owners and administrators can provide supporting resources and other information for mission members on the Materials tab. This can include pictures, PowerPoint slides, PDF files, and so on.

14. Click Upload and browse to the tutorial data folder and upload PatrolTeamARoute.pdf and PatrolTeamBRoute.pdf so your mission members can refer to it throughout the mission.

    

    Now you're ready to launch the mission. All missions start out in Draft status. For best practice, missions should remain in the Draft status while the mission is set up for use. For mission members to fully participate in the mission, the mission status must change to Active. Mission Responder users will not be able to see the mission in the app until the mission is in Active status.

15. Under the mission name, click the mission status and choose Active.

    

A notification confirms your change from Draft to Active status. You just created and configured a mission aimed at the goal of assessing any downed powerlines in the Arlington, Virginia, area. You're now ready to participate in a mission as an analyst or field responder.

Manage a mission

Once your mission is created, you can participate in it as a Mission Analyst. As the mission analyst, your role is to oversee the mission's progress, collaborating and communicating with mission members and teams through tactical situation awareness tools.

Message mission participants

Mission members can collaborate and communicate with each other through messages, tasks, and reports. Chat is the main communication tool used in ArcGIS Mission. You can also combine map graphics and communication tools to create a location-based message.

1. On the View Missions tab, locate the Powerlines in Arlington, Virginia mission you created and click Open Mission.

   

   The Participants panel displays an alphabetized list of every mission member assigned to the mission with the following information:

   • Status—The current status of each member.
     • Green—The member is connected to the mission.
     • Gray—The member is not connected to the mission.
   • Connection Information—Depending on member status, the time a member connected to or disconnected from the mission. This also indicates which members have never connected to the mission.
   • Device—The current device a member is using to connect to the mission. A member can be connected through Manager, Responder, or both.
2. Scroll down to the Teams section to view the teams you assigned.

   

   The Teams panel displays an alphabetized list of all the teams created for the mission and includes the following tools:

   • Last Known Location—Zooms the map extent to show the most recent location of all the members of the team.
   • View Members—Displays the members of the team.
3. Below the map, click Chat.

   

   The New Chat dialog box appears You can select chat recipients from the Members or Teams panel by clicking the mission member's name or the mission team name.

4. In the Teams pane, click Patrol Team A.

   The selected mission members or teams appear in the To field, above the Message field.

5. In the Message field, type Are you ready to start patrol? and click Send.

   

   The chat starts new threads in the Chats feed, where you can click Reply to type more messages in the thread.

   To communicate with your teams, you can also add points and images. This is especially useful when you want to point to something important on the mission map. In this case, you received an important report from the police that a large tree fell on the powerline between 14^th Street North and Clarendon Boulevard. You must tell all the members in your mission this information.

6. Click Chat and next to Sketch Tools, click the Point tool.

   

   You cursor is now ready to select a point on the map.

7. Click the map in the block between Clarendon Blvd. and 14^th St N to indicate where the downed powerline is.

   

8. In the text box, type Large tree on powerline.
9. Click Add Images. In the Attach Images window, click Choose Files and add the treeonpowerline.png file from your tutorial data.

   Your image title appears in the Attachments text box.

   In this case, you want everyone to see this message, so you won't add a member or team.

10. Click Send.

    Your message appears on the mission map and in the Chats feed.

Create a task

It turns out not all the homes on North Courthouse Road lost power. You want one of your mission members to complete a task that involves verifying which homes have power on North Courthouse Road. You'll assign one of your teams to check the street using a task. Tasks are focused, geolocated responsibilities in the mission assigned by mission analysts and completed by other members in the mission, primarily mission responder users. There are additional options of assigning a mission member, task status, priority, due date and time, and letting the assigned member know that a report is required to complete the task.

1. Next to Chat, click Task.

   The task pane appears under the map.

2. For Location, choose Point and add a point to the map for one of the buildings at the intersection of N Courthouse Rd. and 14^th St. N.

   

3. For Add a task title click the edit button and type Powered homes on North Courthouse Road.
4. For Assignee, choose a responder for this task.

   The status will automatically be set to Assigned.

   Note:

   Make sure to assign the task to the account you'll be logging in to the Mission Responder app with to ensure you can complete the mission.

5. For Report, choose Tactical Summary Report.
6. Set the Due Date of the task to your current date and keep the time set for end of day (11:59 PM).
7. For Description, type Verify which homes have power on North Courthouse Road.
8. Click None and change the priority, choose Medium.

   

9. Click Create.

   Your task appears in the mission map and the Tasks feed.

You've successfully participated in a mission as a mission analyst by communicating with members and creating tasks for Responder users to complete in the field. In the next tutorial, you'll complete the tasks and reports using the Mission Responder mobile application.

Respond to a mission

ArcGIS Mission Responder 11 is a mobile app in ArcGIS Mission that allows participants in the field to engage in active missions. The app is designed for mission participation; you can't create or edit a mission in Responder. There are various capabilities and uses for mission participation.

Open the active mission

Now that you've created a mission and tasks, you'll participate in it as one of the field team members. Using the Responder app, you'll open the active mission and check the parameters set in the mission creation phase.

1. Open the ArcGIS Mission Responder 11 app and sign in to your licensed Enterprise portal.

   Note:

   If necessary, download the ArcGIS Responder 11 app from the App Store or from Google Play.

2. In the Active Missions window, choose your Powerlines in Arlington, Virginia mission.
   

   You are now in the mission overview. You have entered the mission, but are not yet an active member. The status icon in the upper right corner indicates your status with an orange dot.

   Prepare for the mission by inspecting the mission details and resources. The following tabs are available in the mission overview:

   • Maps—The live mission map and any map areas that are available for offline use. If there are any, download them before entering the mission in case you lose connection to the live mission map.
   • Info—View the mission summary and description to familiarize yourself with the mission.
   • Members—View the list of active and inactive mission members and see how they are organized into teams.
   • Materials—Any resources included in the mission are available to you and can be downloaded locally. These can be valuable additions to the summary and description and may be necessary to execute your mission's objective.
3. In the Mission Details window, tap Powerlines in Arlington, Virginia to open the map.

   

   Note:

   These screen shots show the user interface on an iPhone. If you're using Android, the interface may vary slightly.

   You've transitioned into active status and your location is visible on the map for all mission members. When you initially enter the mission map, your current location is centered on the map. This location may not be centered around Arlington, Virginia, if you are not physically in this area. Now, you can respond to the messages that you logged earlier.

4. On the bottom ribbon, tap the chat button to open Chat.

   

   This allows you to view the entire chat.

5. Tap the message to Patrol Team A.

   

6. In the text box, type ready, then tap Send.

   If your browser is still open with the Mission Manager application, you should see this message populate on the Chats tab of the analyst experience.

7. Close the Chats pane.

Complete a task

Earlier in the tutorial, you assigned a task to your responder persona. Using the app, you'll simulate completing the task and submitting a report. This report will be saved in the mission files for future reference and documentation purposes.

1. On the bottom ribbon, tap the tasks button to open Tasks.

   

2. For the Powered homes on North Courthouse Road task, click Update.

   To show the rest of the mission participants when a task has been started, you'll change the status.

3. In the Update Task window, tap Edit Status and choose In Progress.
4. At the bottom of the task, tap Update.

   This lets the mission analyst who assigned the task know that you began the work necessary to complete it.

   Since there is a report required along with your task completion, you'll fill in details in the Tactical Summary Report pane.

5. Under Report Required, for Tactical Summary Report, tap the edit button and choose Define Custom Report Location.

   You can use your device location to automatically add the location of your device. Since this tutorial focuses on an area that is likely to be different you will use Define Custom Report Location option.

6. On the map, tap on the point you see and click Done.

   The Submit Report window appears.

7. For Subject, type Only three homes on North Courthouse Road have power.

   You can add more details in the Notes section and upload images to share with the mission.

8. Tap Submit Report.

   

   If your browser is still open with the Mission Manager application, you should see this message populate in the Tasks feed. This completes your assigned task, but there is more to do. Even though your task was specifically assigned to you, you want to alert members of your team that you completed the task and how it went. The best way to do this is by sending a chat.

9. Close the Update Task widow to return to the map.
10. Tap Chat. Next to the Chat pane, tap the plus sign to begin a new chat.

    

11. In the New Chat pane, tap your mission manager account name to send a message and tap Chat.
12. Type I have successfully completed my task.. Tap Send.

    If your browser is still open with the Mission Manager application, you should see this message populate on the Messages tab of the analyst experience.

    After you send your chat, you notice that there is a mini flood on one side of the street. You don't want your team members driving through that side of the street out of safety concerns, so you decide to send them a message with a point attached.

13. Open the Chat and click the Point tool.

    

    You can choose to add a point or draw a line.

14. Choose Add a point and tap the map on the opposite side of the intersection of North Courthouse Road and 14^th St N from where you inspected powered houses.
15. Tap Write a message and name your message Flooded Street- Avoid.
16. Tap Take Photo and choose Camera. Use your device's photographic capabilities to capture a photo.
17. Tap Use Photo, then tap Send.

    Your photo appears below the title if it has been successfully added to the message.

Congratulations! You successfully completed a mission from start to finish in ArcGIS Mission Responder. Check out these additional resources and get started with ArcGIS Mission:

• Learn more and contact an Esri Representative from the product page.
• Read what's new in the ArcGIS Blog.
• Watch product demos and webinars on the YouTube Playlist.
• Connect with the community of users via Esri Community and LinkedIn User Group.

You can find more tutorials in the tutorial gallery.

Acknowledgements

• The banner and card image is by William Casey hosted on Adobe Stock.