Offline use

When you have no or only an unstable internet connection, the Protocol App usually remains usable after you have signed in successfully at least once and the app already knows your account and workspace locally (see Registration and login, offline start).

In offline mode you work with data that is already on the device. Changes are stored locally and can be aligned with the cloud later, when network is available again.

Signing in while offline (native iOS and Android app only)

On iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, you can open the Protocol App and reach the main working screens without a current internet connection — as long as a valid offline session is already stored on the device (your account and organisation were set up online earlier; see Registration and login, offline start).

This is mainly a fallback for tablet use: when there is no network to complete a normal sign-in (email, magic link, password, etc.), the saved session lets you keep working — for example on site, in basements, or with poor coverage.

Important: The device itself must be secured (e.g. device passcode, Face ID / fingerprint, or corporate device management). Without a fresh online sign-in, protection relies more heavily on locking down the hardware — a lost or unlocked shared tablet is a greater risk than a personal phone with a strong lock. Use offline start only as part of a security approach that fits your organisation.

What works offline

In practice, without an active connection you can typically:

• Create and edit objects – add new objects, maintain master data, within what the UI allows.
• Create and edit contacts – capture or adjust contact details.
• Create and edit protocols – prepare protocols, fill in content, add photos and notes locally.

That lets you document on site even if connectivity drops.

What is not (fully) available offline

Some features require the server or a live session. Without a suitable online connection they are not available or only partially usable:

Settings

Workspace and app settings that are managed centrally or loaded from the server are generally not reachable offline or are not practical to change. Plan changes to team, billing, module configuration, and similar for a moment with internet.

Synchronization

A full sync with the cloud (refresh lists, upload pending changes, fetch server data) needs internet. How that works from the Start screen is described in Synchronization.

Finishing protocols

Completing or finishing protocols (depending on app version: steps such as completion, signature, handoff to the cloud / release) depends on the server and a valid session. Without adequate online connectivity, a protocol usually cannot be fully completed — but you can keep editing it and finish later when you are online again.

At a glance

Note: Details can vary slightly by app version and platform; when network is missing, the app usually shows hints when an action cannot run.