Preserve editor tracking information when appending data from a source to a target feature class

Summary

When editor tracking is enabled in ArcGIS Pro on a dataset in a file, mobile, or enterprise geodatabase, the attribute table is updated to include fields designated to track editing information.

When a feature is created (using any method, including an append), editor tracking records the name of the user who created the feature within the feature class, along with the date and time of creation. When existing features are updated, the name of the user who made the edit, along with the date and time the edit was made, will be recorded.

There may be scenarios where a user would like to append records from a source feature class to a target feature class and retain the editor-tracking records from the source feature class.

Procedure

To append the data and preserve the editor tracking information from the source feature class when the data is appended to a target feature class, follow these steps:

1. Disable editor tracking on the target feature class. In the Feature Class Properties window, under Manage, uncheck Editor tracking, as shown in the next image.
   The editor tracking fields will remain in the feature class, but the functionality to track further edits will be temporarily disabled.

2. Run the Append tool to add the features from the source to the target feature class. Ensure the field mappings are set if required, as shown in the next image.

3. Enable Editor tracking again on the target feature class, using the existing editor tracking fields, as shown in the next image..