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e-Builder University

5 Ways to Use Trimble Cityworks with ArcGIS Indoors

With the release of Esri ArcGIS Indoors and the advancement of 3D GIS, Esri is providing a great end-user experience in the vertical asset space.

Features and assets that exist on various floors of a structure can now be easily visualized and located. And with the help of the ArcGIS Indoors Information Model (AIIM), the ArcGIS Indoors mobile and web applications give end users the ability to route to these assets so that the necessary work can be completed and then recorded in Trimble Cityworks.

Esri ArcGIS technology gives organizations powerful tools for recording and exploring data to better understand the world we live in. Organizations benefit greatly from the spatial awareness that GIS information brings, and for more than 20 years, Trimble Cityworks and Esri have worked together to help them take advantage of this spatial awareness to better build, repair, and maintain vital infrastructure that millions of lives rely on. A lot of this infrastructure takes the form of linear assets that can be digitized and visualized easily using ArcGIS, while Trimble Cityworks allows organizations to easily maintain a system of record of the work history done against this infrastructure. In a vertical asset management space, however, visualization and management of assets can be difficult.

Challenges of Vertical Asset Management

Vertical asset management takes place within structures that often have multiple levels and floors. Many organizations use hierarchies of related records to a spatial feature to record their work activities in this space. While this approach is possible and can be effective for vertical asset management, the end-user experience isn’t optimal. The end user doesn’t have the spatial awareness because there is a reliance on non-spatial data. A better experience is needed to get the buy-in from the end users. This is critical to ensure that the system of record is being captured and maintained.

The ArcGIS Indoors Solution

ArcGIS Indoors is just one of many Esri applications that now feature 3D GIS. Organizations can use ArcGIS Indoors geoprocessing tools to convert non-GIS CAD and BIM data to AIIM-compliant features. The AIIM GIS data can then be visualized and explored inside the ArcGIS Indoors mobile and web applications. The AIIM introduces the idea of features being level-aware—that features exist on a specific floor inside of a building or facility. Rather than configuring relationship classes, the AIIM infers feature relationships using attribute-based rules. These are then interpreted by ArcGIS Indoors applications and widgets to create the visual experience, greatly improving speed and performance. After the data curation process is done, it’s time for Trimble Cityworks to do what Trimble Cityworks does best—enable ArcGIS technology. Trimble Cityworks has been working closely with Esri teams to enable ArcGIS Indoors and other 3D GIS applications to create the best possible end-user experience in a vertical asset management space. Here are five ways Trimble Cityworks goes hand-in-hand with ArcGIS Indoors.

ArcGIS Indoors and Cityworks

1. Trimble Cityworks work activities support z values across the platform. If your GIS features are z-enabled, you can store activity data against those assets in Trimble Cityworks. Trimble Cityworks stores the x, y, and z values on work activities, and from there, you can view the data in 3D applications in ArcGIS Indoors, ArcGIS Scene Viewer, ArcGIS Pro, and more. 

2. By reading facility and level data from AIIM-compliant assets, Trimble Cityworks work activities will inherit the z values and floor awareness of the features that are attached to them. This is done by Trimble Cityworks storing the facility and level-specific information, as well as z values, in the Trimble Cityworks database.

3. Because the Trimble Cityworks map natively supports ArcGIS map widgets, the floor-switcher widget used inside the ArcGIS Indoors web application can be easily installed into the Trimble Cityworks map. This means end users have a familiar experience whether they are working in ArcGIS Indoors or in Trimble Cityworks. You can use AIIM data to visualize an asset, navigate to it, and then perform work against it without ever having to leave Trimble Cityworks!

4. You can configure ArcGIS Indoors to pass information from the AIIM features inside ArcGIS Indoors to the Trimble Cityworks mobile native apps by way of a URL scheme to perform a myriad of functions. One of the more advanced functions is the ability to go straight to the work order intake screen inside the Trimble Cityworks mobile app with an asset already attached from ArcGIS Indoors. ArcGIS Indoors uses mobile map packages (MMPKs) to contain the GIS data and to configure integrations with third-party applications.

5. Trimble Cityworks information can be easily displayed inside an ArcGIS Indoors environment. Using the power of eURLs, Trimble Cityworks work activities can be shown inside both the ArcGIS Indoors mobile and web applications. This gives the user the ability to view work activity progress in real time while in the ArcGIS Indoors applications. Because Trimble Cityworks work activities will be floor-aware, they will toggle alongside the assets with the ArcGIS Indoors floor-switcher widgets. For example, a work order on the second floor of a building will appear when the user is looking at the second floor of the building in ArcGIS Indoors.

With the interactions and integration between ArcGIS Indoors and Trimble Cityworks, the end user no longer needs to navigate through hierarchies of related non-spatial tables to find the correct asset to attach to a work order or inspection. The asset can be easily attached through the map just like with linear assets. There are many industries that this can benefit, including but not limited to airports, facilities, and treatment plants. With the power of ArcGIS Indoors and Trimble Cityworks, workers can have an enjoyable, easy-to-use, spatially aware end-user experience while performing their day-to-day work activities.