Skip to content
English
Visit Oncore website
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

How to Enter Retrospective Client Notes While Offline

Entering shift notes when you don't have internet access.

Working in the community often means visiting areas with limited mobile reception or "dead zones." Platform for Care is designed to handle these situations by allowing you to enter retrospective notes while offline. Your data is stored securely on your device and will synchronise with the server once you return to an area with a stable internet connection.

1. Entering Notes Without a Connection

If you find yourself without a signal during or at the end of a shift, you can still document your work.

  1. Open the Active Shift: Even without data, you can still access the current shift details in your app.
  2. Navigate to Progress Notes: Type your shift summary, health observations, and goal tracking as usual.
  3. Save Locally: Tap the Save or Update button. Because you are offline, the app will save this text to your phone's internal memory instead of the live database.
  4. Confirmation: You may see a small icon (such as a cloud with a line through it or a "Pending Sync" badge) indicating that the note hasn't reached the server yet.

2. Synchronising Your Data

To ensure your notes are officially recorded in the client’s file and visible to your manager, you must sync them once you have reception.

  1. Return to Signal: Move to an area with 4G/5G or connect to a trusted Wi-Fi network.
  2. Trigger the Sync:
    • In most cases, the app will auto-sync as soon as it detects a connection.
    • To manually sync, go to the Main Menu and tap the Sync button or pull down on the Dashboard screen to refresh.
  3. Verify: Once the sync is successful, the "Pending" status will disappear, and the note will be time-stamped with the moment you originally wrote it, not the moment it synced.

3. Retrospective Notes for Past Shifts

If you were completely unable to access the app during the shift (e.g., your battery died), you can enter Retrospective Notes once you are back online.

  1. Go to the Timesheets or Completed Shifts section.
  2. Locate the relevant shift and tap to open.
  3. Select Add/Edit Notes.
  4. Note the Delay: It is best practice to start the note with a disclaimer, such as "Retrospective Note: Entered at [Time] due to [Reason]."
  5. Save: This ensures the documentation is present for compliance, even if it was entered after the shift concluded.

Important Offline Rules

  • Do Not Log Out: If you have unsynced notes, do not log out of the app or clear your app cache. Doing so may delete the locally stored data before it has a chance to upload to the server.
  • Clocking In/Out: While notes can be written offline, the GPS verification for starting and ending a shift requires a brief connection to validate your location. If you cannot clock out due to no signal, document your exact finish time in your notes and notify your supervisor.
  • Photo Uploads: Photos are much larger files than text. If you are offline, photos may take longer to sync once you are back in range. Keep the app open until the upload progress bar reaches 100%.

Troubleshooting Offline Mode

  • App Hangs: If the app freezes while trying to sync, toggle your "Airplane Mode" on and off to reset your device's data connection.
  • Missing Notes: If you synced but the notes aren't showing on the web portal, check the Activity Log in the app to see if a sync error was recorded.
  • Battery Saver: Some "Low Power" modes on smartphones disable background syncing. Ensure your phone has sufficient battery or is plugged in to complete a large data sync.