Overview
Is it a coincidence that many utilities have issues collecting data to the cloud at lift stations and wastewater plants? Nope. Most of these sites are strategically located at low elevations to take full advantage of gravity. Or maybe your water plant was built as a big giant steel box and you can't get cellular data coverage in there. Not a problem. As long as you can bring up the site you are collecting data at when you have some sort of data connectivity, you can collect data while "offline" and then when you're back online, you can save and sync everything back up to the cloud. You can even open a few browser windows to access multiple sites if you anticipate visiting multiple locations offline.
How does it work?
It's pretty simple (for you anyhow)...when Waterly tries to save your work, it first checks if it can "phone home." If it can't see the database to save the data, it just gives you an indication that it didn't save the data points with red box indicating the inability to save. In addition, the datapoint's backgrounds will stay yellow (unsaved) while you collect data to remind you that you are offline. You can either leave that red box up or hit the X in the corner to close it out and keep on collecting data. Once you are done collecting data AND you are back in coverage (WiFi or Cellular), you can hit the Save button in Waterly and your data will save, sync, and give you that nice green box saying everything was saved. The datapoints will then change from yellow to white also indicating the data was successfully saved.
This "offline" mode is intended for short durations of disconnection from data services. Essentially, a few hours is ok but overnight could pose an issue. The app will continue to store data on your device as long as the application is open. Word of caution: Do not "double swipe" or hard close the application before saving your data. This will result in data loss.
In the rare event that your data doesn't ever save (yes, "stuff happens" from time to time), we recommend you take a screenshot of your screen of data for later. We know it's not ideal, but when it happens, it's better than going back a second time to collect data again.