Hello Matt,
Thanks for reaching out on Community!
You are correct in that the traditional Onbase/Esri integration is a GIS desktop application or web based application plugin. We call this "Feature Based Retrieval". However, since OnBase 15, we have also offered what we call "OnBase Mapping" which is out of the Unity Client (or Web Client in OnBase 16) that can capture coordinate information using a geocoder by using Address keywords on the document(s).
The two different aspects--Feature Based Retrieval and OnBase Mapping--use two different ways of linking OnBase content with geolocation information. The first links OnBase metadata to Esri metadata, while the second captures and uses coordinate information (via a geocoder in some instances) to give content that spatial aspect. So, if you want to capture coordinate information about the documents you are importing, you would not need to use the plugin-based version of the Integration for Esri. However, you would need to be using a Core based product (Unity or Web for example) to take advantage of our "document listener" which would geocode on import. If you were using thick client to index (using address keywords), in order to initiate the capture of the coordinates via geocoder, you would have to "Send" those documents to the map in the Unity or Web Client. You can find out more information about that here and here. You will find other resources about OnBase Mapping in the blog posts of this Community page. If you aren't using a geocoder--a DIP process can index coordinate values in OnBase 16--you will not have to worry about "Sending" those documents to the map.
Lastly, in OnBase 16, documents can only be associated with one address/location. However, in OnBase 17, there will be support for multiple addresses/locations per document with SCR 265456.
Let me know if you need anything else!
Jessica
