Record repeated inspections

Keep one map feature for an asset and add a separate related record for each visit. This preserves the inspection history without drawing the same streetlight again each week.

Before you start: Activate the correct project and create or import at least one asset in a point layer named Streetlights. Sign in to a workspace where related data is enabled. The current manual New table, New relationship, and New record actions require Owner, Admin, or Editor access; Collector access to map features does not automatically grant these actions.

For a hosted project, prepare tables and relationships while online. Offline creation of related records also requires a valid, short-lived authorization from the workspace. Test that workflow on the field device; it is not an unlimited offline permission.

Understand the three parts

Part	Streetlight example
Parent feature	Streetlight SL-10482, with its map location and asset details
Child table	Inspection visits, with one row for each visit
Relationship	Streetlight inspections, linking each visit to its streetlight

A photo or PDF supports a visit; it is an attachment, not another inspection. An Asset ID is a useful label, but typing matching text in two records does not link them. Select the parent through the relationship controls.

1. Create the visits table

1. Open Data & Sync and find the Related data panel.
2. Choose New table. Enter Inspection visits as the table name.
3. Use Add field to define the fields below.
4. Leave the optional Smart Logic JSON area empty for this first exercise.
5. Choose Review and create table. This action validates and creates the table and its form together. Read the result message before closing the dialog.

Field label	Type	Setup
Visit date	Date	Required
Condition	Select	Required; options Good, Fair, Poor
Notes	Text	Optional
Evidence	Attachment	Optional; use for a supporting file

The table should appear in the panel's catalog. If the message says it was saved on this device but is not synced, follow sync recovery; do not create another table with the same name.

2. Connect visits to streetlights

1. Choose New relationship and name it Streetlight inspections.
2. For Choose parent dataset, select the Streetlights layer.
3. For Choose child table, select Inspection visits.
4. Set Child reference policy to Child requires a parent.
5. Set Parent deletion policy to Restrict parent deletion for this exercise.
6. Select Activate now after validating both endpoints.
7. Choose Review and create relationship, then check that the result says the relationship is active.

A required parent prevents an unlinked visit. Restricting parent deletion protects linked history from that deletion path; it does not prevent authorized edits to individual visits.

Parent is optional permits an unlinked child. Unlink optional children applies to optional links. Draft-only cascade is a restricted draft policy and should not be treated as a general delete-all-children command.

Leaving activation unchecked saves a draft. A draft does not appear in Choose active relationship and cannot yet supply the parent link in new records. If you already have a draft, ask the workspace manager to resolve its activation through the workflow available in your deployment before collecting visits.

3. Add a visit

1. Choose New record, then select Inspection visits.
2. Enter the date, condition, notes, and any evidence.
3. Under Parent links, find Streetlight inspections and use Load records to obtain parent choices.
4. Select the intended streetlight. Check its readable label and identifying suffix, especially if labels repeat.
5. Choose Create record atomically. Here, “atomically” means that the visit and its selected parent links are committed together.
6. Read the save message. A queued hosted save still needs synchronization.

Filter records on this page searches only the loaded page. If the asset is missing, clear the filter and use Next; an empty filtered page does not prove the asset is absent.

For the next visit, create a new child record for the same parent. Edit an existing visit only to correct that visit's information.

4. Verify the result

1. In Table records, choose Inspection visits and select Load records.
2. In Related-record browser, choose Streetlight inspections, select the parent, and choose Load.
3. Confirm that the visit appears under the correct streetlight. Add a second practice visit and verify that both are listed.
4. Open available evidence controls and check that the file belongs to the intended visit.

Use Previous and Next for additional pages. The table browser can include archived history, while Related records on a parent is a view of that parent's linked records. An offline local snapshot can be older than the hosted data; reconnect and reload before relying on it as the latest state.

5. Correct or archive a visit

Where Edit record is available, change the necessary values and use Save local changes for local records or Submit hosted update for hosted records. Hosted editing requires online access and separate workspace availability. If the record or form has changed since it was loaded, reload and review the current version before editing again.

Review archive impact shows the relationships affected by archiving. Some deployments offer review only. Hosted execution requires Owner or Admin access, an enabled archive workflow, complete impact information, and explicit confirmation through Archive reviewed record. A blocked or incomplete review cannot authorize the archive.

If a submitted update or archive has an uncertain result, use hosted update and archive recovery before submitting another operation.

If something does not work

What you see	What to do
Related data panel is missing	Check the signed-in workspace and whether related data is enabled
Creation actions are unavailable	Check the role; prepare hosted table and relationship changes online
Table has no reviewed form schema	Manual entry is unavailable for that table; ask the project editor to review its supported setup
Relationship is missing from parent choices	Check that it is active and that you selected its child table
Parent is missing	Load the correct page and check the selected project, relationship, and asset
Record unavailable or archived	Review current status and available recovery; do not recreate it based only on the message

Completion check: Two visits link to one streetlight, their evidence opens, and any hosted save has a confirmed sync result. File exports have separate preservation limits; seeing related records in Mapplex does not establish that a GDB or GeoPackage can restore the entire workflow.