Creating and managing projects

All project management functionality is available in the Manage Terra Office Projects window—creating a project, editing a project, setting a project as the current one, checking out a project (TerraFlex Local only), and removing a project. Click Projects on the toolbar to open it. When you first open the window, you will see a list of all existing projects (stored in the ArcGIS Pro project file) with columns representing the project Name, Type, ArcGIS Pro Map, and Source of Accuracy. The current project is highlighted in the list. Only one project can be “set as current” at a time and the Terra Office Field Data dockable window will be used to work with the data in that project.

NOTE – To create a new project for data collection (or to work with existing projects), you should first have a saved ArcGIS Pro project open with the active map containing the layers that you want to use. All layers for data collection should use the same spatial reference (coordinate system) settings.

  • To create a new project, click Create New.... This opens the Create TerraFlex Project window where you will provide the information required for the project. You will be alerted to any limitations or issues with your ArcGIS Pro project or your ArcGIS Pro installation. It is here where you will pick the type of project to create—TerraFlex Cloud (with cloud sync) or TerraFlex Local (without cloud sync). Refer to the sections below for further information.

  • To edit an existing project, select it in the list and click Edit…. The only thing that can be edited in a project is to publish additional layers. No changes can be made to layers that were previously published.

  • To set an existing project as the current project, select it in the list and click Set Current. Alternatively, double-click the project row in the list.

  • To check-out an existing TerraFlex Local project and save it to a TerraFlex Projects file (.tfin) without tasks, select it in the list and click Check-out….

  • To remove a project, select it in the list and click Delete. For TerraFlex Cloud projects, you will be prompted to also remove the project in the TerraFlex Cloud (Trimble Connect and the TerraFlex field application).

Auto fields and sensor workflows

TerraFlex uses automatic fields, or “auto fields”, to capture metadata when a form (feature) is collected in the field, without requiring any action from the field user. These metadata fields capture information that is commonly used in a GIS to fully document the feature as collected: horizontal accuracy, vertical accuracy, user, capture date/time, etc.

To utilize auto fields in a TerraFlex project created in Terra Office, each ArcGIS layer must have fields (schema) to store the values. These fields must exist in each layer prior to project creation for auto fields to be configured for them. Users have control over various aspects of auto field configuration:

  • Defining a default set of auto fields to be used.

  • Defining what ArcGIS field name (and alias) will be used for each auto field.

  • Defining default start values for auto-increment auto field types.

Additionally, TerraFlex supports sensor-driven data collection workflows using line locators and other similar devices. Terra Office allows the user to set a single sensor workflow as “active” and with it, the set of standard attribute fields that can get populated from that sensor. To use this active sensor workflow in one or more templates in a TerraFlex project, the ArcGIS layer(s) must have fields (schema) to store the values. These fields must exist prior to project creation for the sensor workflow to be configured on the templates. As with auto fields, users have control over the ArcGIS field name (and alias) for each piece of sensor data in addition to selection of units when the sensor data represents a distance.

To create auto field or sensor workflow schema in ArcGIS layers, click the Tools button on the Terra Office toolbar. See Using additional tools for more information.

For TerraFlex Cloud projects, the following information is required:

  • Project Name: Provide a unique name for the published TerraFlex project (this will also be used for the folder and workspace name within the Trimble Connect Project).

  • Project Type: Select TerraFlex Cloud for the type of project (workflow).

  • Trimble Connect Project: Select the Trimble Connect Project where you want to publish this local project.

    NOTE – The nomenclature here is confusing because while a Terra Office project is functionally the same as a TerraFlex project in the field app, a Trimble Connect Project is a higher level container (think “organization”) where these individual Terra Office / TerraFlex projects are referred to as Map Workspaces (with template layers) when using the Trimble Connect Map Viewer through a web browser.

  • Templates: Templates are created from layers in the map. Use the checkboxes to include or exclude templates for the data collection project. Only layers from the first spatial reference found in the map document will be included. If layers are not compatible, they will be indicated as such in the list. Layers that have subtypes will be fully enumerated in the list of templates. Icons at the right will indicate the presence of auto fields or sensor workflows in the templates.

    To customize a template, use the Click to edit… link. This will open the Template Editor window where the user can control layout, set symbology, and define behaviors for the template (e.g., rules). See Template editor for more information..

  • Geodetic Workflow: Based on the ArcGIS horizontal and vertical coordinate systems of the data in the map and how those relate to Trimble coordinate systems supported in TerraFlex, the add-in will pick the best geodetic workflow for optimal accuracy in the field. To review or change the settings, click the Click to edit… link. All settings here will be carried through into the TerraFlex Cloud and TerraFlex field application.

    For a more detailed explanation of this setting, refer to the Project geodetics section.

    NOTE – Refer to the list of Supported Coordinate Systems in Trimble TerraFlex for more information.

  • Source of Accuracy: Select the source of accuracy for the TerraFlex Cloud project. There are two choices:

    • Real-time Corrections Only

    • Best of Real-time Corrections + Automatic Post-Processing in the TerraFlex Cloud

    NOTE – A reminder that for a field user to collect data that can be post-processed, they must have a license of TerraFlex Premium and be using a Trimble receiver that is supported in post-processing.

For TerraFlex Local projects, the following information is required:

  • Project Name: Provide a unique name for the TerraFlex project.

  • Project Type: Select TerraFlex Local for the type of project (workflow).

  • Templates: Templates are created from layers in the map. Use the checkboxes to include or exclude templates for the data collection project. Only layers from the first spatial reference found in the map document will be included. If layers are not compatible, they will be indicated as such in the list. Layers that have subtypes will be fully enumerated in the list of templates. Icons at the right will indicate the presence of auto fields or sensor workflows in the templates.

    To customize a template, use the Click to edit… link. This will open the Template Editor window where the user can control layout, set symbology, and define behaviors for the template (e.g., rules). See Template editor for more information.

  • Geodetic Workflow: Based on the ArcGIS horizontal and vertical coordinate systems of the data in the map and how those relate to Trimble coordinate systems supported in TerraFlex, the add-in will pick the best geodetic workflow for optimal accuracy in the field. To review or change the settings, click the Click to edit… link. All settings here will be carried through into the TerraFlex field application.

    For a more detailed explanation of this setting, refer to the Project geodetics section.

    NOTE – Refer to the list of Supported Coordinate Systems in Trimble TerraFlex for more information.

  • Source of Accuracy: Select the source of accuracy for the TerraFlex Local project. There are two choices:

    • Real-time Corrections Only

    • Best of Real-time Corrections + Manual Post-processing in Terra Office

  • Real-time GNSS Configs: For TerraFlex Local projects, real-time GNSS configurations must be first created in Terra Office (stored on the local computer) and then selected for inclusion in the project. To get started, click the … button next to the entry box and either select from the existing entries (must use the Apply selection context menu item when done) or click the Manage Real-time GNSS Configurations… context menu item to Create, Edit, Clone, or Remove local configurations. A familiar wizard interface is used here.