With ArcGIS Pro, you can coordinate and manage workflows to complete your work efficiently. ArcGIS Workflow Manager, ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic), and Tasks are ArcGIS Pro tools designed specifically to help you manage workflows.
The following table summarizes the differences and similarities of the tools:
| ArcGIS Workflow Manager | ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) | Tasks | |
|---|---|---|---|
Licensing and software requirements | ArcGIS Desktop license, ArcGIS Pro installation, ArcGIS Workflow Manager extension license, ArcGIS Workflow Manager user type extension license, ArcGIS Workflow Manager Server deployment | ArcGIS Desktop license, ArcGIS Pro installation, ArcGIS Workflow Manager extension license, ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) installation, Enterprise versioned geodatabase | ArcGIS Desktop license, ArcGIS Pro installation |
Unit of work | Job | Task | |
Number of users involved in completing a single unit of work | Multiple users and roles working from any geographic location | Multiple users and roles | Single user |
Number of applications opened in a single unit of work | Work can be completed in ArcGIS Pro and web and mobile apps. | Can open multiple applications, including ArcGIS Pro | Work is completed within ArcGIS Pro |
Typical duration of a single unit of work | A few days to weeks | A few minutes to a few hours | |
Integration | A step in ArcGIS Workflow Manager can include a task in ArcGIS Pro | A step in ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) can include a task in ArcGIS Pro | Tasks can include any command, geoprocessing tool, or add-in in ArcGIS Pro |
Common to all | Promoting best practices, standardizing, improving efficiency and quality, guiding users through a workflow | ||
With ArcGIS Workflow Manager and ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic), a piece of work passes from initiation to completion through a series of steps that can be completed by multiple users who may have different organizational roles. With tasks, you can create a set of preconfigured steps to guide a single user through a repeatable GIS process using ArcGIS Pro functionality.
ArcGIS Workflow Manager and ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) use jobs to manage and coordinate a workforce. The job usually involves multiple users and takes a few days to complete. Tasks use an ArcGIS Pro task that is designed for a repeatable GIS process that uses functionality such as geoprocessing tools and editing. The task usually takes a few minutes to a few hours for a single user to complete.
ArcGIS Workflow Manager and ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) are enterprise workflow systems that support both GIS and non-GIS business processes. Although you can use tasks in ArcGIS Workflow Manager and ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic), a task is a separate tool that does not require an extension, enterprise geodatabase, or additional licensing to use.
You can use tasks together or separately with ArcGIS Workflow Manager or ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) for quality assurance and to speed up repeatable processes.
Example
A city may require coordination of multiple teams to manage address data. The city can use ArcGIS Workflow Manager or ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) to coordinate the responsibilities of these teams into jobs such as locate facilities, add facility addresses, verify mailing addresses, and so on. You can use tasks in this scenario to complete one of these jobs through task steps. Steps to locate facilities, for example, may include locating the work area, creating a facility polygon, and adding attributes to that feature.