Automatic Data Sync
Collect offline and let FieldWaiver sync in the background when connectivity returns.
How sync works
When a staff member signs in, the forms, collections and submissions they have access to are copied into a local database in the browser on their device. Each completed waiver is saved there first. FieldWaiver then pushes new and changed records to the server in the background and pulls down changes made by colleagues on other devices. Nobody has to remember to press a sync button.
If the connection drops, changes queue on the device. Failed attempts are retried automatically every few seconds, so uploading resumes on its own as soon as the signal comes back. Photos and signatures are stored on the device separately and uploaded in the background as well.
What you get with Automatic Data Sync
- ✓Background synchronisation, with no manual step
- ✓Changes queued while offline and sent when the device reconnects
- ✓An Online or Offline indicator, plus a count such as "2 submissions waiting to upload"
- ✓A "Pending upload" badge on submissions whose photos have not reached the server yet
- ✓Live updates from other devices while you are online, so lists refresh without reloading
What happens to a submission
- A staff member completes a form. It is saved on the device straight away.
- If the device is online, the submission is uploaded within moments. If not, it waits in the queue.
- When the connection returns, the queue uploads automatically, including any photos taken while offline.
- Once the server has the full submission, including its photos, organiser emails, participant receipts, webhooks and automations are sent. If photos are still missing after an hour, the emails go out without them.
When it matters
Sync matters most where the connection comes and goes: a venue with patchy wifi, a field or forest site on weak mobile signal, or a busy event where the network is overloaded. Staff can keep collecting through the gaps and check the waiting count before they pack up. The Settings page also shows how many photos are still waiting or could not be uploaded, with a warning not to clear local data while anything is outstanding.
Limits to be aware of
A submission is only on the server once it has synced. Until then it exists only on that device, so do not clear browser data or reset a tablet while the waiting count is above zero. Public share links work differently: participants submit directly over their own connection, so those links need internet access. Monthly plan limits also apply when new submissions sync, so check your usage before a large event.
Common questions
Do staff need to do anything to sync?
No. Sync runs in the background whenever the device is online. Staff only need to stay signed in and give the device a connection at some point.
How do I know everything has uploaded?
The waiting count beside the connection indicator disappears when nothing is left, and the Settings page shows any photos still waiting.
What if two devices collect at the same time?
Each submission is its own record on the device that captured it, so both upload separately and appear in the same submissions list.