Farewell WorkForce, Hello Field Maps!

The retirement of ArcGIS Workforce marks the end of a familiar tool and signals a broader shift in how Esri envisions field operations. With Workforce scheduled for retirement in late 2026, organizations must rethink how they manage field workflows while retaining the operational familiarity teams rely on.

At the center of this transition is ArcGIS Field Maps, now enhanced with its new Tasks capability and supported by the broader ArcGIS ecosystem.

This article explores how to transition effectively and why this new approach may ultimately offer greater flexibility and capability than the traditional Workforce model.

Why Workforce Is Being Retired

Workforce served a clear purpose: dispatching, assigning, and tracking work in the field. But it existed as a separate app, often disconnected from data collection workflows and requiring teams to switch between multiple applications.

Field crews grew to rely on Workforce, and for many organizations it became a trusted part of daily operations. But as field workflows evolved, so did the need for a more connected and streamlined experience.

Although field crews grew to rely on Workforce, and for many, it became a trusted part of daily operations. Yet as field workflows evolved, so did the need for a more connected experience.

Instead of jumping between apps, ArcGIS Field Maps now brings together:

• Task assignment
• Data collection
• Navigation
• Offline workflows

all within one streamlined experience, opening the door to simpler workflows and greater possibilities in the field.

Understanding Tasks in Field Maps

Tasks transform a feature layer into a flexible work management system. This marks a subtle but powerful shift from following a predefined workflow to building workflows that adapt to your team’s unique processes and standards.

Instead of managing assignments through a fixed schema, Tasks give you the freedom to design workflows around the way your organization actually operates. With Tasks, you can configure your own forms, layouts, and geometries to reflect real-world operations.

Key capabilities include:

• Task creation, and assignment.
• Status tracking
• Configurable forms and attributes
• Built-in actions like navigation, attachments, and updates
• Offline task management
• Automation via APIs and tools like webhooks

Instead of managing assignments through a fixed schema, Tasks give you the freedom to design workflows around the way your organization actually operates. With Tasks, you can configure forms, layouts, and geometries that reflect real-world operations—whether that means simple point-based inspections or polygon-based work orders for facility and building management.

Replacing Workforce: Rethinking the Architecture

As Field Maps provides far greater flexibility, replacing Workforce is not simply a matter of swapping one application for another. It requires organizations to rethink how field operations are structured within the ArcGIS ecosystem.

A typical Workforce deployment was built around two primary components:

• A dispatcher web application
• A mobile worker application

With Tasks in Field Maps, this architecture becomes significantly more flexible. Organizations are no longer constrained by a fixed workflow or interface. Instead, they can design solutions that align more closely with their operational requirements and business processes.

Deployments can range from a single, integrated mobile-centric application to multiple specialized applications leveraging the broader ArcGIS ecosystem, including tools such as Experience Builder, Dashboards, Instant Apps and other ArcGIS applications.

Migration Strategy: From Workforce to Tasks

Migrating from Workforce to Tasks in Field Maps can be approached as a series of configuration steps that gradually recreate the Workforce experience while taking advantage of the flexibility and capabilities of the ArcGIS platform.

For organizations seeking a smoother migration path, wanting to preserve established processes, or preferring to introduce change incrementally while planning broader workflow improvements over time, the following approach provides a practical transition strategy.

1. 1. Create a Task-Enabled Map

      The first step is to create a new map in Field Maps Designer and enable Tasks on a feature layer. Enabling Tasks automatically creates the core task schema, default task statuses, layouts, and task lists that serve as the foundation for the workflow.

   2. Align the Task Schema

      After creating the task-enabled layer, review the default fields and compare them with your existing Workforce schema. Add any additional fields required to support operational processes, such as work order IDs, dispatcher information, assignment dates, priority levels, or other business-specific attributes.

   3. Configure Task Statuses

      Tasks include a default set of status values, but these can be expanded to better align with existing Workforce workflows. Organizations commonly add statuses such as ‘Paused’, ‘Declined’, or ‘Canceled’ to replicate current assignment lifecycles and reporting requirements.

   4. Configure Forms, Layouts, and Actions

      Next, configure how field workers interact with tasks in the mobile application. Forms can be customized to display relevant information, while layouts and actions determine which controls are available as a task progresses through its lifecycle. Actions such as ‘Start’, ‘Finish’, ‘Pause’, ‘Resume’, or ‘Decline’ can be configured to update task status and automatically capture important information.

   5. Configure Assignees and Task Types

      Task types define the categories of work that can be assigned, while assignees determine who can receive those tasks. Both can be configured within Field Maps Designer and tailored to match existing Workforce projects and operational structures.

   6. Rebuild Integrations

      Many Workforce deployments include integrations with applications such as Survey123, Navigator, or external business systems. These integrations can be recreated using task actions, URL links, and Arcade expressions, often providing greater flexibility and customization than the original Workforce implementation.

   7. Create a Dispatcher Experience

      Unlike Workforce's dedicated dispatcher application, Tasks allows organizations to design a dispatcher experience that best fits their operational needs. Depending on requirements, this experience can be built using Instant Apps, Dashboards, or Experience Builder,

   8. Configure Access and Sharing

      Before deployment, configure permissions for dispatchers, supervisors, and field workers. Some organizations may choose to use hosted feature layer views to ensure field staff can update assigned tasks while preventing the creation of new tasks in the field.

   9. Test and Roll Out

      Finally, validate the workflow with a pilot group before migrating existing assignments and deploying the solution organization-wide. This provides an opportunity to refine forms, actions, filters, and dispatch workflows before full adoption.

While every implementation will differ, these steps provide a practical framework for transitioning from Workforce to Tasks while maintaining continuity for both dispatchers and field workers. By taking an incremental approach, organizations can minimize disruption, preserve familiar workflows, and gradually adopt the expanded capabilities available through Tasks in Field Maps.

Challenges to Expect

This transition is not entirely frictionless, and organizations should plan for several challenges during the migration process.

• Learning curve: Tasks introduce a different way of thinking about work management, with assignments driven by feature layers, forms, and task configurations. Administrators and GIS teams will need to become familiar with concepts such as task schemas, form design, and Arcade-based logic.
• UI/UX design effort: Unlike Workforce's predefined experience, Tasks provides greater flexibility. This means organizations must invest time in designing workflows, forms, maps, and supporting applications that create a clear and intuitive experience for users.
• Configuration complexity: With increased flexibility comes additional configuration. Task status management, user permissions, and application integration require careful planning to avoid overly complex solutions.
• Field worker adoption: Users who are comfortable with Workforce may initially show some pushback as they adapt to new workflows and interfaces. Clear communication, training, and involving field staff early in the transition can help build confidence and ease the change.
• Process standardization: Existing Workforce deployments often contain informal processes or workarounds that have evolved over time. Recreating or improving these workflows may require teams to revisit and standardize how work is completed.

While these challenges require planning and effort, they are typically short-term hurdles that accompany the move to a more adaptable and future-ready field operations platform.

Final Thoughts

Moving from Workforce to Tasks in Field Maps is a step toward a more flexible and integrated approach to field operations. While some organizations may choose to redesign workflows, others can start by recreating existing processes and evolve them over time.

Making the transition before Workforce is deprecated helps reduce risk, gives users time to adapt, and ensures continuity of operations. It also provides an opportunity to begin taking advantage of the current capabilities while positioning themselves for greater flexibility and efficiency in the future.