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ArcGIS StoryMaps

Get Started on a Group Story Map

If you already have an ArcGIS Online group set up for your project, skip to the section, "Work on a Group Story Map."


Set up an ArcGIS Online Group


Work on a Group Story Map

Select an ArcGIS Online Group Type

Content created in ArcGIS Online, StoryMaps, and other ArcGIS products can be privately shared with other users via an ArcGIS Online group. The following list provides an overview of the capabilities for the most common types of groups.
 


Read-Only Group

This is the default group type in ArcGIS Online. Any user can create a read-only group.

  • Capabilities: Provides read-only access to shared content. Group members can view any shared content in the group.
  • Privacy settings: Customize who can view, join, and contribute content to the group.


In Brandeis ArcGIS Online, go to Groups > My Groups tab > Create New Group to create a new read-only group.

Create New Group.

 


Shared Update Group (Editing access)

Select this group type if you want other group members to have editing access to shared group content. Note: You will need to submit a request for a shared update group if you don't have facilitator or administrator privileges on Brandeis ArcGIS Online.

  • Capabilities: Content shared to a "shared update" group can be edited by the item's owner and other group members.
  • Privacy settings: Customize who can view, join, and contribute content to the group.
  • How to request a shared update group: Follow the instructions listed below to request a "shared update" group. 
     

Other Group / Collaboration Types

Contact our GIS Librarian or Digital Literacy Instruction Librarian if you are interested in setting up any of the following groups on Brandeis ArcGIS Online: administrative group, open data group, or partnered / distributed collaborations.

Request a Shared Update Group

Request a Shared Update Group (Editing Access)

Current Brandeis students / faculty / staff can request a shared update ArcGIS Online group from our GIS Librarian or Digital Literacy Instruction Librarian. Please submit the following information with your request if you would like to have an ArcGIS Online group space with editing/update capabilities:

  • ArcGIS Online Group Name: This could be your research topic, first names, etc.
  • Names of group members: We can only add people who have previously signed into Brandeis ArcGIS Online.
     

Users with a Facilitator Role

Any user with a facilitator role can create shared update groups without needing to contact our library staff. Faculty, staff, and course assistants for GIS courses can be provisioned these additional permissions upon request. 
 

  1. Users with a facilitator role can go to Groups > My Groups Tab > Create New Group to create a shared update group on Brandeis ArcGIS Online.
  2. Set up the permissions for your group (e.g., who can join the group, add content to the group, etc.)
  3. Under Group Designations, click the toggle for Shared Update Groups to enable editing access. This setting can only be enabled during the ArcGIS Online Group set up process. It can't be configured for preexisting group spaces.

     
  4. Click Save once you've finished configuring your group.
  5. Groups with Shared Update status will display a Shared Update icon on the search results page and Item Details page for the group.
    Shared Update icon. Items shared with this group can be modified by all members of this group.

Share Content to an ArcGIS Group

There are multiple ways to share content to an ArcGIS Online group. Here are two of the most commonly used approaches:

Option 1

  1. Sign into your Brandeis ArcGIS Online account.

  2. Go to the Groups menu then select your ArcGIS group.

  3. Click View Group Details to open your ArcGIS Online Group page.
    View Group Details
     

  4. On your ArcGIS Online group homepage, click the Add Items to Group button located toward the right-hand side of the screen.
    Add items to group.

  5. A pop-up window will appear that displays the list of items available in your ArcGIS Online account. Select the checkboxes for the items you'd like to share with the group, then click Add Items to share them with the group.


Option 2

  1. Sign into your Brandeis ArcGIS Online account.
  2. Go to the Content menu in Brandeis ArcGIS Online.

  3. Click the checkbox for the item(s) you'd like to share, then click Share (located in the Content menu taskbar) to share your selected items.
    Content folder in ArcGIS Online. Checkbox next to ArcGIS Online Help Materials StoryMap is selected.
     
  4. The default sharing permissions are set to Owner. Click the Edit group sharing button at the bottom of the pop-up window to access the list of Brandeis ArcGIS Online Groups that you can share content with.
    ArcGIS Online Sharing Permissions.

  5. Click the checkbox next to the ArcGIS Online group you'd like to share content with, then click OK at the bottom of the pop-up window to change the sharing permissions. The content is now shared with members of your ArcGIS Online group.

Access Content in an ArcGIS Group

Members of your group can access shared content by going to the Groups menu in Brandeis ArcGIS Online

  1. In Brandeis ArcGIS Online, go to the Groups Menu. Find your group, then click View Group Details to open your group page.
    View group details.

  2. Click the item you'd like to edit. 

  3. If you receive an error message when you try to access an item shared by a collaborator, click the ellipses (...) menu for the item to view more options. Click View Item Details if no other options appear. You will be redirected to the Item details page for that item.
    Ellipses menu.

  4. If you're directed to the Item Details page for an item (e.g., a story map), you can click the Edit Story button to start editing it. Note: Editing capabilities are only available in shared update groups. 
    Edit Story.

Story Map Errors and Warnings

Since ArcGIS StoryMaps autosaves edits, you can only have one person editing your story map at a time, in a single browser tab. Pay attention to any warning messages the software displays to make sure you don't accidentally lose your work. 


Warning Messages

Here is the warning message you'll receive if you have your story map open in multiple browser tabs: 
Making changes may cause lost work.
 

Here's the warning message you'll receive if multiple people are trying to simultaneously edit a story map: