Create, Submit and View Events in EarthRanger Mobile

Last Updated: July 09, 2026

Events are the fundamental components of data collection in EarthRanger Mobile.

These are the specific incidents or observations recorded during patrols or monitoring activities.

 


Why Collecting Events is Important  

  • Gather Data: Events provide valuable data that helps in monitoring wildlife, assessing environmental conditions, and identifying threats.
  • Enable Informed Decisions: The collected data supports informed decision-making for conservation strategies and resource allocation.
  • Track Incidents: Recording Events ensures that all incidents are documented, which aids in follow-up actions and long-term monitoring.

There are 3 ways to create an Event from the EarthRanger Mobile app:
  1. From the Events View page via Add Event button
  • When you open the Events View, you will see an Add Event blue overlay button. 
  • This button will allow you to create a new Event at the device's current location. 

2. From the Map View via Add Event button

  • When you open the app the Map View includes an Add Event blue overlay button. 
  • This button will allow you to create a new Event at the device's current location. 

 

3. From the Map View via Long-press 

  • Long-pressing a location on the map allows you to create a new Event at that chosen location.

 

Merge Event Categories

  • By default, when creating a new Event, you will first be shown a list of Event Categories. 
  • Selecting a Category will show you a grid view of the associated Event Types.
  • By enabling Merge Event Categories under Settings, when creating a new Event, you will instead immediately see a grid of all available Event Types (skipping the Event Category selection step).

 

Event Categories
  • EarthRanger Mobile allows users to create Event Categories based on their specific conservation objectives and operational needs. 
  • Users can create new Event Categories, modify existing ones, or adjust category settings to align with evolving requirements.  
  • Each Event Category can then include specific event types relevant to the site's conservation goals.  
  • When an Event Category is empty you will be presented with a card informing you that there are no event types available in that category:

 

Event Types

The color of the icon will display according to the default priority for the Event type: 

  • Grey (Lowest Priority)
  • Amber 
  • Green 
  • Red (Highest Priority)

 

Search Event 
  • You can open a Search Bar that filters results in the list based on your search text inputs.

 

Modifying the Event Location
  • In addition to GPS-based location tracking, EarthRanger Mobile also enables you to manually enter location data when creating Events. 
  • You can tap on the map edit options to drag the map to the place you want. 
  • If you are online, the location will show as a preview of the map that you can edit by tapping it. 

Note: The Event location can be edited manually (by updating the coordinates)

 

If you are offline, the location latitude and longitude will appear as gray-color fields, these can still be manually edited.

 

Event Form
  • When creating Events with personalized report schema, the selection of the fields is an important step to ensure complete and accurate data is recorded.
  • The Event Fields that make up the schema are determined based on the information that needs to be gathered.
  • Fields are very customizable and can be set up as required.

Data types available for use in Event Fields:

  • Text: A single line of text that represents a specific piece of information or data within the field. 
  • Number: A numerical value that can be used to represent a count, measurement, or any other quantitative data associated with the field. 
  • Date: A field that allows for the representation of a specific date, typically including the day, month, and year. 
  • Paragraph: A multi-line text field that can be used to provide longer, more detailed information or descriptions within the schema.  
  • Choice List: A single item can be selected from a list of pre-defined options.  
  • Multiple Selection: Select one or more items from a list of pre-defined options. 
  • Collection: Allows you to group multiple data points that are related to a specific Event, observation, or area of interest. This functionality is crucial for effective data collection, analysis, and reporting in the field. 

 

Default Actions: Attachments
You can add notes via the EarthRanger Mobile app to every Event by default.
You can open your camera to take a photo and attach this directly to the Event by default.
You can add images found on your device and attach them to the Event by default.

Some Event Types may also include dedicated inline attachment fields  within the Event form. 
Unlike  the default attachment actions above, these fields can support images,  videos, and documents (PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, CSV), depending on configuration.

 

 

Save Event
  • Drafts allow you to start documenting an event immediately, even if you don’t have all the information at hand. 
  • This ensures important details are not forgotten.  

 

Submit Event
  • When ready, you can submit your Event by tapping on the Submit button in the upper right of the app bar. 
  • You can discard the Event by tapping on the Cancel button on the app bar.
  • If you have unsaved data in the Event you will also be prompted on whether you want to discard the data or save as draft. 

 

View Events on the Map

Any Events created by the login user will be visible as an overlay on the Map View.
  • When an Event is submitted or saved, the custom Event Icons display over the Map View.
  • The icon display color matches the priority of its event type.
  • When tapping on the Event icon in the map, a pop-up will display with options:
    • Open Event: Opens the event
      • Read only mode if the event has been submitted or is a Shared Event
      • Edit mode if the event is draft
    • Go To: Will display a straight line from your location to the selected Event location.

  

 

 

Go To Overlay:

 

  • Overlay displays the following info:
    • Distance to Event
    • Directional compass icon points in the angle direction

 

The value updates while the device is moving

A line is drawn over the Map extending from the device location to the event icon.

  • The line follows the device location as it moves closer or farther away from the event location
     

EarthRanger version 3.0.0