A Field App is a mobile-first interface designed for people working in the field — inspectors, surveyors, technicians — to view a list of records, jump to one, and take an action on it (add a comment, measure, update the record, get directions). Field Apps are built in the same project as your map and share the same data, but they're previewed inside a phone frame and optimised for one-handed use.
When to use which builder
| Tool | Best for |
|---|---|
| Forms | Collect new records from anyone via a shareable link. No login needed for respondents. |
| Interfaces | Custom web dashboards, public-facing maps, and reports. Desktop or mobile. |
| Field Apps | Field workers who need a focused list-and-detail mobile UI on top of an existing dataset, with task buttons and quick filters. |
Open the editor
In the project, switch to the Field Apps builder. The editor shows a phone-frame preview on the left and a settings panel on the right. Add or pick a Field App from the dropdown to start editing. If no Field App exists yet, create one — the preview becomes empty until you configure a layer and a task list.
Configure the task list
A Field App is built around a single dataset (the "task layer"). For that layer you configure:
- Layer settings — pick which layer feeds the task list. Settings include sorting, defaults, and which fields show on each row.
- Task list display — what each row in the list looks like (title field, subtitle, status icon).
- Quick filters — chips above the list that let users filter by attribute with one tap. Each quick filter targets a single field.
- Download bounds — restrict the visible area so users only see records inside a polygon, useful for splitting work by territory.
Action buttons
Each task can show a row of action buttons that the field user can tap on the selected record. Three action types are available:
- Add comment — opens a comment editor on the record. Comments sync to the project's comments.
- Measure — launches the measurement tool with the record as context.
- Add record — adds a new record to a target dataset (typically a child or related table).
Each action has its own settings popover. For Add Record, you choose the target dataset and how the new record relates to the parent.
Task buttons
Task buttons are a separate row of utility buttons that don't open an editor — they trigger an action directly:
- Get directions — opens turn-by-turn navigation to the record's location in the user's mapping app.
- Update record — updates a field on the current record (e.g., toggle a status from "Open" to "Done").
Preview
The preview pane uses a real phone-frame component so what you see is roughly what a field user sees on their device. Click around in the preview to test filters, list interactions, and action buttons before publishing.
Publish
Click Publish in the editor header to push the current configuration to the live Field App. Until you publish, edits stay local to the editor.
Limits and notes
- A Field App targets one dataset; for multi-dataset workflows, build separate Field Apps and switch between them.
- Action and task buttons are configured per Field App, not globally — each app can have its own combination.
- Field Apps inherit project-level permissions; users who can't access the underlying dataset won't see records.