Working Offline
The app is built on the assumption that the signal will fail exactly when you need it most.
REDENES does not simply stop when coverage disappears. It keeps a copy of your agency's data on the device, draws maps you have downloaded, and holds everything you create in a queue until it can hand it over. This page tells you, module by module, what you can still rely on.
The short version: reading is usually fine, writing is usually queued, and anything live is gone until the signal returns.
The Three Behaviours
| Behaviour | What it means |
|---|---|
| Works offline | You can use it and any changes are stored and sent later |
| Read-only | You can see what was already loaded, but not change or add to it |
| Needs a connection | It cannot function at all without a live link |
Module by Module
| Module | Offline behaviour | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sign In | Needs a connection | Your first sign-in has to reach the server |
| Dashboard and tiles | Works offline | Tiles and icons are stored on the device |
| Status & Availability | Read-only | Your team's live availability cannot refresh |
| Incidents List | Read-only | Incidents already downloaded stay readable |
| Incident workspace | Read-only | Notes and forms you fill in are queued |
| Command View | Read-only | Others will not see board changes until you reconnect |
| Messages | Works offline | Messages are written, held, and sent on reconnect |
| Campaigns | Needs a connection | A broadcast has to reach its recipients |
| Phone Dialer | Needs a connection | Calls travel over the network |
| Push-to-Talk | Needs a connection | Live audio cannot be queued |
| Live Audio Streaming | Needs a connection | Same as above |
| Conferences | Needs a connection | Video meetings need bandwidth |
| Video Streams | Needs a connection | Live pictures only |
| Map | Read-only | Downloaded areas still draw; new tiles do not |
| Saved Maps | Works offline | Maps marked for offline use, and your edits queue |
| GPS & position | Works offline | Your own position comes from the device, not the network |
| Compass | Works offline | Device sensors only |
| Other units on the map | Needs a connection | Other people's positions arrive over the network |
| Calendar | Works offline | New and edited events are queued |
| Directory | Works offline | New contacts and groups, and deletions, are queued |
| Inventory | Works offline | Items, categories, locations, manufacturers, templates all queue |
| Forms and checklists | Works offline | Completed forms upload in the background later |
| Notifications list | Read-only | Clearing alerts is queued and applied later |
| Notification settings | Works offline | Your rules are stored and synced later |
| Mute All Notifications | Works offline | Applied on the device immediately, synced later |
| App Settings | Works offline | Preferences are stored and synced later |
| Personal Profile | Works offline | Edits to your information are queued |
| Certifications | Read-only | Already downloaded certifications stay visible |
| Memberships | Needs a connection | Approving and removing members is a server action |
| Translate | Works offline | Only for languages you downloaded in advance |
| Weather | Read-only | The last downloaded forecast, not a current one |
| Radio reference | Works offline | Codeplug data is stored on the device |
| Bluetooth devices | Works offline | Bluetooth does not need the internet |
| Support | Works offline | Issues and tickets are queued |
| User Manual | Works offline | This help site is bundled with the app |
"Read-only" means you are looking at the last copy the app managed to download. An incident you have never opened on this device will not appear out of nowhere when you lose signal - only what was already fetched is there.
Preparing Before You Lose Coverage
Ten minutes on a good connection saves an hour in a dead zone.
- Download the maps you will need. Open the map, build or open a saved map, and use the download option. Administrators can manage agency-wide offline maps from Agency Settings.
- Open the incidents and lists you expect to need, so they are cached on the device.
- Download your translation languages in App Defaults if you may need them.
- Let the initial download finish. If Downloading Data was interrupted, some reference data may be missing.
- Clear your pending queue so you are not carrying yesterday's unsent work.
- Check your alert rules and mute state, because you cannot fix a mute you cannot sync.
The pending-download view in App Settings lists reference data that is still arriving - map layers, look-up files, message attachments. If it shows items still downloading, you are not ready for a dead zone yet.
What You See While Offline
The app tells you where you stand in several places at once.
| Signal | Where | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Internet status label | App Settings | Plainly reports whether you are connected |
| Pending upload counts | App Settings | How many changes are waiting, per area |
| Pending download counts | App Settings | Reference data still arriving |
| Message state | Inside a chat | Not sent, sent, or failed |
| Save prompts | Settings and form screens | Confirm your change was stored for later |
| Session Timeout | Over any screen | A request could not finish in time |
| "Downloading" labels | Lists and maps | Content is still filling in |
Coming Back Online
You do not have to do anything to trigger a sync, but it helps to know when one happens.
- The app notices it has a connection again.
- Bringing the app back to the foreground prompts it to catch up.
- Queued settings, alert rules, maps, calendar events, directory changes, inventory, profile edits, and support items are sent.
- Queued chat messages are sent one at a time; attachments upload first, then the message itself.
- Completed forms are uploaded as a background batch.
- Pending counts fall to zero as each item is confirmed.
If an item fails rather than sending, it stays in the queue and is marked failed rather than silently disappearing. Check the pending list after a long spell offline, especially for messages with large attachments.
Offline Troubleshooting
| Problem | What is happening | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Map is blank in a dead zone | That area was never downloaded | Download the area before you go |
| A colleague says they never got your message | It is still queued | Check the message state and your pending list |
| Nobody can see your status change | Status needs to reach the server | Re-set it once you reconnect |
| Translate does nothing | The language was not downloaded | Add it in App Defaults while online |
| Weather looks wrong | It is an old forecast | Refresh once you have a connection |
| Pending count will not clear | Some items failed | Reconnect properly, then retry |
| The app feels frozen on a screen | It is waiting on a request | Let the timeout appear, then work offline |
Related Pages
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