Organizations use linear referencing to manage assets and characteristics along roads, railways, pipelines, and other linear networks. To provide a clearer and more consistent experience across industries and in alignment with Esri’s strategy to simplify ArcGIS, we are consolidating ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing and ArcGIS Roads and Highways into a single extension called ArcGIS Linear Referencing. This extension will continue to provide the advanced enterprise capabilities previously offered through the two separate products.
The change is planned for Q4 2026 with the ArcGIS Online November 2026 update and the releases of ArcGIS Pro 3.8 and ArcGIS Enterprise 12.2 also scheduled for November.
What is ArcGIS Linear Referencing?
ArcGIS Linear Referencing provides measure-based enterprise data management capabilities that enable organizations to create, maintain, analyze, and share route and event data using multiple linear referencing methods on a common geographic basis. It is designed to help users locate assets and characteristics along or near linear features and share that information across the organization and with connected business systems.
What is changing?
- ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing and ArcGIS Roads and Highways will be consolidated into ArcGIS Linear Referencing for ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise.
- The Location Referencing name used for software licenses, documentation, components and toolboxes will change to Linear Referencing.
- ArcGIS Linear Referencing will be delivered with a single license. It will not include additional ArcGIS Data Reviewer for ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Workflow Manager for ArcGIS Pro licenses.
What is not changing?
- The map project-based linear referencing tools available in ArcGIS Pro with Creator and above user types will continue to be available.
- The enterprise-level tools will remain together in a single toolbox and will be activated by a ArcGIS Linear Referencing license.
- Existing license allocations will remain the same. For example, an organization with five licenses of ArcGIS Roads and Highways or ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing will receive five licenses of ArcGIS Linear Referencing.
Why did we make this consolidation?
ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing and ArcGIS Roads and Highways address similar enterprise data management requirements and use the same underlying tools. Bringing them together under one product name more accurately reflects how these capabilities support multiple industries, including transportation, rail, transit, pipelines, utilities, water resources, and others.
Why licensing is being simplified?
Today, ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing and ArcGIS Roads and Highways for ArcGIS Pro include licenses for ArcGIS Data Reviewer for ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Workflow Manager for ArcGIS Pro. Those products are also included with the Professional Plus user type, which creates overlapping entitlements and confusion about which licenses are needed.
With the Q4 2026 releases, ArcGIS Linear Referencing will no longer include those additional product licenses. Customers who need ArcGIS Data Reviewer or ArcGIS Workflow Manager can access them through the Professional Plus user type or license them separately, as appropriate for their organization.
What this means for existing customers?
Customers can continue using ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing or ArcGIS Roads and Highways with their current supported software versions. The licensing transition depends on the license type:
|
License type |
What to expect |
| Perpetual licenses | Existing ArcGIS Data Reviewer and ArcGIS Workflow Manager for ArcGIS Pro licenses will be retained. |
| Annual subscriptions | Included ArcGIS Data Reviewer and ArcGIS Workflow Manager for ArcGIS Pro licenses will remain available until renewal. At the time of subscription renewal, they will no longer be included with ArcGIS Linear Referencing. |
| Earlier software releases | The additional products will continue to be available to existing customers using ArcGIS Pro 3.7 and earlier and ArcGIS Enterprise 12.1 and earlier. |
How to prepare for the transition?
Most customers will not need to change their linear referencing workflows. Before upgrading, customers should review how ArcGIS Data Reviewer and ArcGIS Workflow Manager are currently licensed and deployed in their organization and determine whether access is already provided through Professional Plus user type.
Note: To support enterprise data management workflows, organizations require ArcGIS Data Reviewer for ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Workflow Manager for ArcGIS Enterprise.
For questions, please contact your Esri account manager.
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