How Offline Experiences Work

Offline experiences in Appian allow users to collect and submit data using offline forms, even without an internet connection. These forms offer robust functionality such as cascading dropdowns, wizards, validations, and conditional content.

To make this possible, Appian uses an offline evaluator. When users access offline-enabled interfaces in the Appian Mobile or Appian for Windows app, the offline evaluator processes and reevaluates interfaces locally on the device, eliminating the need for a server connection.

This page covers:

• The building blocks of offline forms.
• How offline works with data.
• How users work with offline forms.
• Diagram of the offline process.

The building blocks of offline forms

Users get their work done offline using offline forms, which are offline-enabled interfaces set up as site actions or tasks. Tasks can be displayed offline using a mobile site task list (Appian Mobile only) or custom task report.

When you build offline forms, the first decision is whether to use a site action or a task. Both display a form to the user, but they serve different purposes.

Form type	Description	When to use
Site action	A process start form that users access directly from a site page. The form isn't assigned ahead of time; the user opens it and gets a fresh form each time.	Unplanned, repeatable work with low context, like event data collection or checklists.
Task	An offline-enabled interface configured as a user input task in a process model. The task is assigned to a specific user and preloaded with context, so it knows which case or record it's tied to.	Planned, assigned work tied to a specific case or record, like inspections or repair requests.

To see examples of each approach in action, watch this video from the Appian Community YouTube Channel:

Offline-enabled interfaces

All offline functionality starts with an offline-enabled interface, which is an interface object that is enabled for offline use. When you design offline-enabled interfaces, refer to Design Interfaces for Offline Use to make sure your interfaces can be evaluated by the offline evaluator.

You will use these interfaces for site actions, tasks, and custom task reports. You can also display them as read-only interfaces on a site by adding them as an Interface type site page.

Site actions

An offline site action is an offline-enabled interface configured as an Action-type page in a site. Action pages display a start form for a process model that allows users to initiate a process after filling out a form.

In the Appian Mobile and Appian for Windows apps, users can navigate to the site page and fill out the form whether they are offline or not.

After they complete the form and go online, the form is submitted and starts the associated process.

Tasks

An offline task is an offline-enabled interface configured as a user input task in a process model.

In the Appian Mobile and Appian for Windows apps, users can open and fill out tasks that are assigned to them whether they are offline or not. If the task is assigned to a group, they must accept the task before going offline. Group-assigned tasks must be accepted in a web browser before they can be used in the Appian for Windows app.

Task lists

Users can access tasks from task lists. There are two types of task lists: custom task reports and mobile site task lists.

Custom task report

An offline custom task report is an offline-enabled interface that uses process task links to display task information on a site page. Many times these interfaces use a!queryProcessAnalytics() to query a process report object of type Task.

In the Appian Mobile and Appian for Windows apps, users can access offline tasks in the custom task report whether they are offline or not.

For help creating a custom task report that follows offline design best practices, see the Offline Task Report recipe.

Mobile site task list

The mobile site task list is a configuration in a site object that allows you to enable a task list for the site in Appian Mobile.

When enabled, after a user selects the site, the Appian Mobile menu displays the Tasks list. This list displays all tasks assigned to the user.

In Appian Mobile, users can access offline tasks from this list whether they are offline or not. The mobile site task list does not display in Appian for Windows.

How data works offline

Generally, when the user accesses an interface, it just pulls the data needed from the server in order to display. However, when a user is offline, interfaces can't communicate with the server to get this information.

In order to create a consistent user experience, offline-enabled interfaces work the same in the Appian Mobile and Appian for Windows apps whether the user is offline or online. When you enable an interface for offline use, you are changing the way that the interface communicates with the server. Instead of being able to talk to the server whenever it wants, it only talks to the server when an interface is first loaded and caches the data on the device. After that, it assumes the server isn't there, even if the user is online.

When an offline form is submitted, it always goes to the Pending Forms list. If the device is online when the form is submitted, it is sent from Pending Forms to the server right away. If the device is offline, it remains in Pending Forms until the device goes back online. Once online, the form submits automatically.

Data persistence and deletion

Offline forms safeguard user-entered data and minimize risk of data loss by automatically recovering data. If an offline form closes unexpectedly, any data the user entered will auto-populate when the user reopens the form.

However, users should avoid manually signing out of the Appian Mobile or Appian for Windows app or deleting their Appian Mobile account if they have either of the following:

• Offline forms in the Pending Forms list.
• In-progress offline forms, including tasks saved as drafts.

Manual sign-out permanently deletes all offline data. If a manual sign out will cause offline data to be deleted, a dialog displays letting the user know their data will be deleted and asking them to confirm sign out. Session time-outs do not delete offline data.

Syncing data for offline use

While online, users can sync their offline forms to make sure they are using the most up-to-date interfaces, processes, and data. Users will need to remain online long enough for the data to sync successfully. The amount of time required will depend on the strength of the device connectivity and the amount of data being synced.

Triggering an offline data sync

The best way to sync data is by triggering an offline data sync. This will sync all offline interfaces, processes, and data.

To trigger an offline data sync from Appian Mobile:

1. In the Appian Mobile app, open the mobile menu.
2. Tap Data Sync.
3. Tap START SYNC.
4. Remain online until the sync completes.
5. After the sync completes, the Last Sync field updates with the date and time of the last successful sync.

To trigger an offline data sync from Appian for Windows:

1. In the Appian for Windows app, in the navigation bar, click the data sync icon .

1. Tap START SYNC.

2. Remain online until the sync completes.

   Tip:  To close the data sync pane, click anywhere within the application window outside the pane.

3. After the sync completes, the application header bar updates with the date and time of the last successful sync.

Other methods to sync data

Before going offline, we recommend that users trigger an offline data sync to ensure everything syncs successfully and they can work disconnected with confidence.

Additionally, data syncs in the following ways in both the Appian Mobile and Appian for Windows apps:

• Syncing automatically in the background. Every two hours, a background fetch attempts to sync the data for all offline forms. In the Appian for Windows app, this fetch also triggers when the app regains connectivity to the server. To be successful, the user must be online and the app must be running in the background (not force closed). This fetch is dependent on the operating system's prioritization of background processes and is not guaranteed.
• Signing in. Any time a user signs in to their account, the data for all offline forms syncs.

The following sync methods are only available in the Appian Mobile app:

• Receiving a push notification for a new task. Receiving a push for a new task while online triggers a sync for all offline tasks.
• Pulling to refresh. Offline data on an action or mobile site task list syncs any time the user is online and pulls to refresh the page. For custom task lists, trigger an offline data sync instead of relying on pull-to-refresh to ensure everything syncs successfully.
• Loading the mobile site task list or the Tasks or Actions Tempo pages. When the user navigates to one of the following locations in Appian Mobile while online, the data for offline tasks or actions syncs:
  • Opening the mobile site task list syncs all offline tasks.
  • Opening the Tasks page in Tempo syncs all offline tasks.
  • Opening the Actions page in Tempo syncs all offline actions.

How users work with offline forms

To ensure users are getting the most up-to-date data, they should be coached about how to use offline forms.

The most important steps that users should be aware of are:

1. Make sure the Appian Mobile or Appian for Windows app is up to date.

   Note:  For offline capabilities to work, the app on the user's device must be the same version or newer than the Appian environment.

2. When online, trigger an offline data sync to download the latest interfaces, processes, and data to the device. Remain online until the sync completes.
3. Complete and submit offline forms as normal, whether offline or online.

   • If the user is offline when they submit the form, it will queue the form for submission. The user can access the form in the navigation menu under Pending Forms. After they go back online, the form is submitted automatically.

     

   • If they are online when they submit the form, the form submits right away.

     Tip:  Sometimes when a pending form fails to submit, a retry icon displays on the Pending Forms list. The user can tap the icon to retry the form submission.

     

Diagram of the offline process

The following diagram shows how offline forms are evaluated.

Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

Step	Description
Initial evaluation on the server	During an offline data sync, the data queries and partially compatible functions that are loaded in local variables at the top of the parent interface are downloaded and cached onto the device.
User input	Whether the user is offline or online, they enter information into the form.
Offline reevaluation	The data on the interface reevaluates based on the user input. The user does not need to be online for this reevaluation to occur. Only Compatible and Partially Compatible functions in the Appian functions table are supported in offline interfaces. Partially Compatible functions must be loaded in a local variable at the top of the interface.
User input stored	The user input is stored on the device. If the user is offline, the form goes into a pending state.
Form submitted	When the user has an online connection, the form is submitted. The server replays all user interactions to ensure consistency, then moves to the next node in the process model, such as the write records smart service.

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