Offline Forms
Offline forms for field service workers
It's a common misconception that mobile forms need constant network connectivity to work. In fact, the best enterprise mobile form solutions are completely functional in offline mode — from data sources to submission.
Offline forms retain their functionality and features without any network connectivity, including Wi-Fi or LTE data usage. The ability to work offline is crucial for field workers who often frequent areas out of network range — from remote wildernesses, to elevator shafts in tall buildings, to tunnels drilled deep under a city's streets.
Offline forms work by downloading data sources and storing data locally on the mobile user's device, then syncing to the office and pushing completed forms to designated cloud storage solutions when a network connection is eventually restored.
No matter how remote the job site, field teams can always access and complete their mobile forms, reducing or eliminating their reliance on paper forms and manual data entry.
Industry depends on offline forms
Many industries and activities depend on offline forms for their field workers to be productive:
- Oil and gas
- Mining
- Construction
- Sales
- Manufacturing
- Inspections
The list can be endless. All kinds of workers need offline connectivity in their mobile forms.
Users in the elevator industry, for example, who need to climb into hoistways (elevator shafts) to inspect or repair equipment often require offline forms to do their jobs.
International construction firm Obayashi used offline forms to conduct safety inspections during Toronto's Eglinton subway expansion as they could not connect to any sort of wireless network underground.
But they're also important for business verticals and activities that don't require field workers or trips to remote areas at all. Companies attending trade shows, for example, where network connections can be spotty but lead capturing is paramount can benefit immensely from the use of mobile forms when signing up new clients.
Salespeople, who are often on the road but require functional mobile forms at all times, can also hugely benefit from offline forms.