Collectively, these updates result in an easier-to-use interface and refined user experience. These updates enhance your project setup and management process, increase your autonomy, and expand data usability both inside and outside the platform. The revised map editor enhancements have been informed by user feedback requests to create a simple and straightforward project setup process. We are updating and expanding all of our help documentation to guide new and existing users on how to adapt to this evolving platform.
System Update: Project Set-Up Process
Anyone entering FieldDoc will notice a significant change in how they navigate the system and set up projects. This update is all about increasing efficiency and accuracy in the practice configuration process. The new modal aggregates all of the steps and collects all practice information that data end users need.
Feature Update: Map Editor
Our latest updates increase integration between FieldDoc’s different data taxonomies so that users can move between practices within a project with ease. The following suite of updates addresses import, editing, and navigation between practices.
Import and Editing Updates
Added support for importing multiple practice features in a single action.
This process will expedite the project setup process for users with a zipped Esri shapefile or GeoJSON (.geojson) file of your geospatial data. You can batch import multiple practice features through the project summary page.
As an added update, upon loading the multi-practice, you can change the reference label properly to display the practice names and practice types to match the FieldDoc nomenclature.
When you upload a supported geospatial file, FieldDoc will automatically practice names contained in a field matching “NAME”, “Name”, or “name”. If no “name” field is found, the user can select another label property to assign to the practice name.
Added support for mixed geometry types in practice collection imports.
For users batch uploading practices, you can now upload all practices simultaneously, regardless of the geometry type attached to each record. In previous versions of the practice importer, users had to batch upload based on the geometry type. For example, in the past, if your project had some practices with polygons and others with lines, they would need to be uploaded separately. Now, the importer accepts a raw GeoJSON FeatureCollection as-is, and also merges separate shapefile layers into a single GeoJSON FeatureCollection.
Added fallback to display extent box for practice geometries with a large number of vertices.
Occasionally, practice lists in “card” mode display a blank rectangle where the map preview should be. This is because practice geometries are sometimes too complex to render in the static Mapbox preview image. When that happens, the map preview will now default to the rectangular bounding box of the practice geometry. (See the Mapbox documentation for more information about the Static Images API.)
Reset available draw modes when switching among practice features.
Draw modes, or the tools made available to delineate your practice location and footprint directly in FieldDoc, are determined by the practice type assigned to your practice. Once in the map editor, users can move between practices without leaving the editor. The draw mode will change depending on the practice selected and the practice type included. This will streamline the practice setup and editing process for users.
Note: The FieldDoc team reviews geometry type settings for all practice types, especially when those settings impact model calculations. In instances where models do not require a specific geometry type, users can select from point, line, or polygon.
Navigation and Portfolio Management
Added global practice map to practice collection view. The map shows all practice features that the user is allowed to view or edit.
After creating your portfolio of practices, you can use the new map view to visualize the geographic relationships among installation locations and can enter into practices to add information such as progress reports.
System Update: Practice editor
Integrated model input form and removed standalone page navigation for smoother data entry.
Users will notice a significant workflow update when creating new practices. FieldDoc has merged all components of the practice setup process into a single editor, removing the standalone location, metric, and model input pages. After creating a new practice record, users can select a practice type, access the map editor to delineate or import a geometry, and enter all additional model inputs or manually tracked metric targets from the same modal. You will return to the same entry point to report implementation progress, mark installations as complete, and add inspection reports.
Added support for selecting practice type directly from the modal editor.
As you are configuring a practice in FieldDoc, you will now add your practice type directly from the modal editor. Once the practice type is selected, additional components can be configured directly from the streamlined modal, significantly reducing the amount of navigation required between pages.
Merged standalone “edit geometry” page into the modal practice editor for smoother data entry.
After a user assigns a practice type to a practice, an “Edit geometry” button will appear over the map view. By clicking on this button, you will be brought to the updated map editor. You will draw or edit your geometry in this view and upon completion, return to the practice editor modal to continue entering information. This process consolidates the practice set up flow onto one page.
Additional Data fields
Added basic NEIEN BMP mapping and input form for NEIEN measurements.
A new section has been added to the practice setup process. Users can now align the practice type to the data components required for practice type and required measurements of the BMP into the National Environmental Information Exchange Network (NEIEN) format. You can select from a list of BMPs and then add in the additional required measurement field inputs. This data does not feed into any of the models in FieldDoc but will be tied to the practice via export for easier alignment to state reporting workflows needing to conform to NEIEN standards.
Metric Targets Fields
Fixed buggy workflow for editing adjustable metric targets. Improved the interface for selecting metrics and editing target values.
We re-organized the editing interface for adjustable metric targets. It’s now easier to see how to add new targets and edit or delete existing entries. We also included a timestamp so you can see when targets were last updated. .
Display parent model details for modeled metric outputs.
Practice type dependent, users can now easily discover and review the relevant model documentation for details on the modeled metrics. You can use this information to answer any questions about the modeling behavior or outputs or self-check the calculations.
Automated “Acres of…” metrics now pull from practice geometries.
In order to assure metric accuracy, automated “Acres of…”-type metrics are pulled from the practice geometry in instances where the selected practice type has a count-based measurement unit (e.g. number of watering systems).
