Offline Form Collection

Offline Form Collection

Mobyform supports offline data collection, allowing you to gather form responses in areas with limited or no internet connectivity. Data is saved locally on the device and automatically syncs when a connection is restored.

How Offline Mode Works

Offline mode is built on Progressive Web App (PWA) technology. When you open a form while online, a service worker caches the form structure, assets, and submission logic. Once cached, the form can be filled out and submitted without an internet connection. Submissions are stored in the browser's local storage and uploaded automatically when connectivity returns.

Offline Mode Architecture

Step 1: Enable Offline Mode

1. Open the form you want to use offline
2. Go to "Form Settings" → "Advanced"
3. Toggle "Enable Offline Mode" to on
4. Save the settings

Once enabled, the form will include a service worker that caches all necessary resources.

Step 2: Cache the Form While Online

Before going into the field, open the form on each device that will be used for offline collection:

1. Open the form link in a browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari recommended)
2. Wait for the page to fully load — a confirmation message appears: "Form ready for offline use"
3. Optionally, add the form to your device's home screen for quick access (browser menu → "Add to Home Screen")

The form is now cached and available offline on that device.

Step 3: Collect Data Offline

When you are offline:

1. Open the cached form (from browser or home screen shortcut)
2. Fill out the form fields as normal
3. Click "Submit"
4. The submission is saved locally — a notice confirms: "Response saved. Will sync when online."
5. Repeat for additional submissions

A counter in the form header shows how many submissions are queued locally.

Step 4: Sync When Connection Is Restored

When the device reconnects to the internet:

1. Open the form in the browser (or it may sync in the background if the page is still open)
2. The sync engine detects the connection and begins uploading queued submissions
3. A progress indicator shows the sync status
4. Once complete, local data is cleared

If sync fails for any submission (e.g., a server error), it remains in the local queue and retries automatically.

Manual Sync

If automatic sync does not trigger:

1. Open the form while online
2. Click the sync icon in the form header
3. Confirm the upload

Limitations

Offline mode has some constraints to be aware of:

Best Practices

• Test offline before fieldwork — Verify the form works offline on the actual devices before deploying to the field
• Ensure the form is fully cached — Wait for the "ready for offline use" confirmation on each device
• Use supported field types — Avoid file uploads and payment fields in forms intended for offline use
• Check battery levels — Offline data lives in the browser; if the device dies before sync, data may be lost
• Sync promptly — Upload collected data as soon as connectivity is available to minimize risk of data loss
• Clear browser data carefully — Clearing browser cache or site data will delete any un-synced submissions

Troubleshooting

Form does not load offline

• Ensure the form was fully loaded while online at least once
• Check that the browser supports service workers (use Chrome, Edge, or Safari)
• Verify that "Enable Offline Mode" is toggled on in form settings

Submissions are not syncing

• Confirm the device has an active internet connection
• Try opening the form and clicking the manual sync icon
• Check if the browser blocked background sync permissions

Duplicate submissions after sync

• The sync engine includes deduplication logic based on submission timestamps
• If duplicates appear, they can be identified and removed in the Data Management panel

Next Steps

• Form Settings — Configure additional form options
• Data Management — Manage and export synced submissions