Metadata is any information that describes an item. In ArcGIS Enterprise, an item's information is created, edited, and viewed on the item page. Some examples of item information include the item title, type, description, source, author, last modified date, thumbnail, and tags. This information helps others discover and validate the usefulness of the items. In ArcGIS, item information is saved with the item it describes. It is copied, moved, and deleted with the item.
Metadata can also take the form of standards-based metadata documents or records, which are commonly referred to as geospatial metadata or metadata. Providing standards-based metadata with your item helps people learn about the item and decide which item best meets their needs. In ArcGIS, the metadata is saved with the item it describes. It is copied, moved, and deleted with the item and appears with items as they are used throughout the system. The availability of standards-based metadata for these datasets helps ensure that your content is findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).
Organizations can enable editing metadata, which allows members of the organization to use a built-in metadata editor to include additional standards-based metadata for all item types. Metadata can be included for all items in a portal including web maps, web scenes, and web apps. Organizations select a metadata style, which applies a style sheet for the metadata standard and the schema used to validate metadata according to the standard. The style also configures the organization’s experience for editing and viewing metadata according to the standard.
In addition to determining the information available for viewing and editing, the metadata style identifies the metadata standard you are following and the schema used to validate an item's metadata for the standard. Regardless of the applied style, the metadata is always stored in ArcGIS metadata format. This means that metadata is not lost if the organization switches the metadata style.
ArcGIS metadata storage format
Regardless of the applied style, ArcGIS Enterprise stores the metadata in ArcGIS metadata storage format. Item owners use the built-in metadata editor on the item to include additional metadata. The ArcGIS metadata storage format contains all the elements that can have values in all metadata standards supported by ArcGIS. The ArcGIS format also stores item information, such as thumbnails, that is not included in the standards-based metadata styles. Metadata stored in the ArcGIS storage format can be transformed to a different standard by applying a different style. This means that metadata is not lost if the organization switches the metadata style.
Metadata styles, standards, and profiles
A metadata style configures the editing and viewing experience of the metadata content. A metadata style is like applying a style sheet to the ArcGIS metadata. The style controls how you view the metadata and the pages that appear in the metadata editor. A standards-based metadata style is designed to support a metadata standard or profile. The style determines how metadata is validated for that standard or profile.
The default item page allows you to see and edit a simple set of metadata elements for an item. The information is indexed and searchable and is available to be used by applications across the platform. The item information is straightforward and effective, suitable for anyone who doesn't need to adhere to specific metadata standards. When metadata is enabled for your organization, item information is synchronized with the item’s standards-based metadata.
Metadata styles
The following metadata styles are provided to support different metadata:
- Dublin Core+—This style allows you to view and edit metadata following the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) and validate it using the RDF and XML schemas that are available on the DCMI web site. This is the default ArcGIS metadata style for organizations created at ArcGIS Enterprise 12.0 and subsequent releases. Upgraded deployments retain their existing metadata style setting.
- FGDC CSDGM Metadata—This style allows you to view and edit metadata following the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) guidelines and validate it using the CSDGM XML DTD.
- INSPIRE Metadata Directive—This style allows you to view and edit a complete ISO 19139 metadata document that adheres to the INSPIRE implementing rules and validate it using the ISO 19139 XML schemas.
- ISO 19139 Metadata Implementation Specification—This style allows you to view and edit a complete metadata document that complies with ISO standard 19139, Geographic information—Metadata—XML schema implementation, and validate it using the standard's XML schemas. Use this style to create metadata that complies with ISO standard 19115, Geographic information—Metadata.
- ISO 19139 Metadata Implementation Specification GML3.2—This style is identical to the one above, except the files use the GML 3.2 namespace, and therefore can be validated with versions of the ISO 19139 XML schemas that reference the GML 3.2 namespace. For example, use this style if you plan to validate the metadata files using the NOAA NCDDC XML schemas.
- North America Profile of ISO 19115 2003—This style allows you to view and edit a complete metadata document that complies with North American Profile of ISO 19115:2003—Geographic information—Metadata, and validate it using the ISO 19139 XML schemas.
- ISO 19115-3 XML Schema Implementation—This style allows you to view and edit a complete metadata document that complies with ISO content standard 19115-1, Geographic information—Metadata—Part 1: Fundamentals, and validate it using the standard's XML schemas defined as part of ISO 19115-3, Geographic information—Metadata—Part 3: XML schema implementation for fundamental concepts.
Metadata standards and profiles
A metadata standard is a document identifying content that should be provided to describe geospatial resources such as maps, map services, vector data, imagery, and nonspatial resources such as tables and tools that are relevant to your spatial work. A metadata standard may also specify an XML schema describing the format in which the content should be conveyed. Typically, a standard XML format is defined using XML schema or document type definition (DTD). Standards are typically ratified by national or international standards bodies.
Many geospatial metadata standards are produced by ISO committees including ISO 19115 Geographic Information—Metadata and ISO 19119 Geographic Information—Metadata—Services, which are content standards. In contrast, ISO 19139 Geographic Information—Metadata—Implementation Specification provides a set of XML schemas that define the XML format in which ISO 19115 and ISO 19119 metadata content should be stored.
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) created the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) that has been used in the United States for many years; it is commonly referred to as the FGDC metadata standard. It is another example of a content standard. While there is an accepted format in which to store this content in XML format, there are also several other file formats that are commonly used to present the information.
A metadata profile is a document that modifies a metadata standard. A profile may reduce the overall number of metadata elements defined by a standard. A profile may further restrict whether a metadata element is optional, making it mandatory where before it was optional; however, a profile cannot make mandatory elements optional. A profile may further restrict the values allowed in a metadata element. Metadata profiles can be adopted by a standards body, agency, or organization in place of a metadata standard. One example of a metadata profile is the North America Profile of ISO 19115:2003 that has been jointly created and adopted by the United States and Canada.
Whether by choice or by obligation, if you plan to create metadata that follows a standard or profile, you can obtain a copy of the standard or profile document. For ISO standards, you must purchase the document from ISO or the national organization that participates in ISO, such as ANSI, in the United States. Profiles should be available from the organizations that create them.
Metadata considerations
Consider the following when using metadata:
- Currently, organizations can set only one metadata style.
- ArcGIS metadata format is the only format supported for importing metadata.
- Currently, the title element is not synchronized between the metadata editor and item page. This includes when you upload a metadata .xml file. The first time you open the editor, the element has the title from the item page. Any changes you make (and save) to the title in the metadata editor are saved to the standards-based metadata. They are not saved to the item page.
- Currently, edits you make to a hosted WFS layer's metadata do not update the capabilities file of the underlying WFS service.
- Answers to common questions about metadata in ArcGIS Enterprise can be found in the Metadata section of FAQ.