Offline Mode and Sync
Work without internet — your changes sync automatically when you reconnect.
Signplanr is designed for fieldwork where internet access is unreliable. When you lose connectivity, the app continues to work. Your photos, status updates, and comments are queued locally and sync automatically when you reopen the app with a connection.
How offline mode works
The Signplanr contractor app is a Progressive Web App (PWA) that caches key data on your device. When you go offline:
- Sign list and details remain accessible from the local cache.
- Artwork and reference documents you have already viewed are available offline.
- Map views you have previously loaded are cached and visible.
You do not need to toggle anything on. Offline mode activates automatically when your device loses internet connectivity.
What you can do offline
| Action | Offline support |
|---|---|
| View sign list and details | Yes |
| View previously loaded artwork | Yes |
| View cached reference documents | Yes |
| Take and upload photos | Queued, syncs when online |
| Update sign status | Queued, syncs when online |
| Add comments | Queued, syncs when online |
| Delete photos | No (requires internet) |
| Receive new sign assignments | No (requires internet) |
How sync works
When you take a photo, change a sign status, or post a comment while offline, the action is saved to a local queue on your device. Sync happens automatically when:
- Your connection returns while the app is open.
- You open the app with an internet connection and queued items exist.
Queued photos appear as semi-transparent thumbnails with a "Pending sync" badge so you can see what is waiting to upload.
Sync requires the app to be open. Keep the app in the foreground while syncing large photo uploads. For the most reliable experience, install the app as a PWA.
The sync indicator
A card appears at the top of the screen when there are pending changes:
- Amber card — items are queued and waiting for a connection.
- Blue card with spinner — sync is in progress. Keep the app open.
- Red card with Retry button — one or more items failed to sync. Tap Retry to attempt syncing again.
- No card — everything is up to date.
Limitations
- Deleting photos requires a connection. If you are offline and try to delete a photo, you will see a message asking you to connect first.
- Queued items expire after 7 days. If you do not sync within a week, stale items are automatically removed.
- Failed items retry up to 5 times. After 5 failures, an item is marked as failed. Tap Retry to reset the counter and try again.
- Clearing browser data removes the queue. Always confirm sync is complete before clearing data or uninstalling the app.
Tips for fieldwork
- Load the event before heading out. Open your sign list, tap into a few signs, and view the map while you still have Wi-Fi. This ensures the data is cached.
- Download reference documents early. Open any event-level or sign-level documents before you leave the office so they are cached offline.
- Check sync status at the end of the day. Before leaving the site, connect to Wi-Fi and confirm the sync indicator disappears. This ensures all your photos reach the organiser.
If you clear your browser data or uninstall the PWA, any unsynced photos in the queue are lost. Always confirm sync is complete before clearing data.