Offline-first data capture
Open Skiplog while you still have signal, and every transfer note you save after that is written to the device before it goes anywhere near the network. This article covers saving a load in a black spot, what queued, syncing and synced mean, and what to do if a note stays queued.
Skiplog is not open yet, so anything on this page about what it does is what it is being built to do.
What this covers and when you need it
Skiplog saves a transfer note to the device first and sends it afterwards, so the load is recorded the moment you press save rather than when the network decides to answer. The note then carries a status word, queued, syncing or synced, so you can always see where it has got to.
One condition sets this up. Skiplog has to be open on the phone or tablet, with the note screen loaded, while you still have a connection. After that the signal can go and the save still works as described. Opening Skiplog cold in a dead zone will not load the form, so open it in the yard or at the gate before the device goes anywhere the signal is poor.
You need this when:
- a lorry is on the weighbridge and the connection is down
- a driver has the note screen already open and drives into a dead zone
- the tablet drops in and out as it moves across the site
How you fill the note in does not change, and there is no offline mode to switch on.
Recording a load when the signal has gone
- Open Skiplog before the signal goes
Load the new note screen while the device still has a connection, in the yard or before the lorry pulls onto the weighbridge. That is the one step that has to happen with signal.
- Fill the note in as usual
Waste type, EWC code, quantity, carrier details and destination site, the EA-mandated fields, on the phone or tablet in your hand. The form is built to be finished in under two minutes, with or without a connection.
- Press save
Save writes the note to the device before anything goes over the network. Nothing different to tap, and no second screen to confirm.
- Read the status on the note
Queued means the note is held on this device and the office does not have it yet. Syncing means it is on its way. Synced means the office holds it.
- Carry on with the next load
A note that reads queued is already recorded on the device, so you do not need to save the same load a second time while you wait for a bar of signal.
- Let it sync when the connection returns
With Skiplog still open on the device, queued notes sync on their own when connectivity returns and the status moves to synced. You do not have to remember which loads were written in the black spot.
What the status words mean
| Status | Where the note is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Queued | Saved on this device, not at the office yet | Nothing. Keep the device signed in and bring it back into signal |
| Syncing | On its way to the office | Leave Skiplog open for a moment |
| Synced | The office holds it and it counts on your register | Nothing. The load is filed |
If a note stays queued
Queued is a normal state, not a fault. It says the office does not hold the note yet, nothing more.
What to try
- Bring the device back to a spot with a usable signal and leave Skiplog open for a moment
- Check the status word again; synced means the note is at the office and counted on your register
- Leave the note where it is rather than retyping the same load, so the quarter's tonnage is not counted twice
If a note is still queued after the device has had a steady connection, email support@getskiplog.com with the date of the load and which device it was written on, and the team will pick it up. Skiplog is built to help you meet the waste tracking requirements, and the records are yours, so it is worth checking the register before you treat a load as filed.
Questions
Does the note really save when there is no signal at all?
It saves with no signal if the note screen was already open before the signal went. Skiplog then writes the note to the device first and only tries to send it afterwards. Opening Skiplog cold with no signal will not load the form, so open it while you still have a connection.
What do queued, syncing and synced mean?
Queued means the note is saved on the device and has not reached the office. Syncing means it is being sent. Synced means the office holds it.
Do I have to press anything to send a queued note?
No. With Skiplog open on that device, queued notes sync when connectivity returns and the status changes to synced.
Where is an offline note kept in the meantime?
On the device you used Skiplog on, along with a copy of the screens you have already opened, so a load can be recorded in a black spot and sent when the signal comes back.
Two of us use the same tablet at the weighbridge. What should we do?
Everyone signs in with their own email and password, and signing out gives up that device's queue, so wait until queued notes read synced before swapping over. On the Team plan each person has their own account and every note names who wrote it.
Should I save the load again if I am not sure it went?
No. Check the status word on the note instead. Queued means it is already recorded on the device, and saving the same load twice would put two notes on your register.