Working offline in field mode
Get your phone ready before you lose signal, then assess trees, add new ones and take photos offline, and let everything sync when you're back.
3 minutes read Updated
Field mode is RootFlare on your phone, built for the places you actually work: backyards, ravines, the far end of a park with one bar of signal. Everything you enter is saved on the phone first and sent to RootFlare whenever there’s a connection.
Before you head out
- On your phone, sign in to RootFlare and tap Field Mode (in the menu on a phone).
- Wait for the line under the heading to say Ready for offline use. The first time, that means downloading what field mode needs to open without signal.
- Open any assessments you’ll need. An assessment you’ve opened or started is kept under In-progress assessments on this device.
Tip: Do this on Wi-Fi before you leave. Once field mode has said Ready for offline use, it opens without a connection.
Assess a tree offline
On the field mode home:
- New assessment lets you Choose a tree from the trees on the phone, or tap New tree and Create tree and start.
- Add tree records a new tree, with its photos, without starting an assessment — handy when you’re walking an inventory.
- Search trees finds a tree by tag, species or address.
Pick a tree and tap Start fresh, online or off. Everything works the same as online.
Know what’s saved
The bar at the top of every field mode screen tells you where your work is:
| You see | It means |
|---|---|
| All changes saved to RootFlare | Everything’s on RootFlare. |
| 3 changes waiting | Saved on this device, sending shortly. |
| Offline — saved on this device | No signal. Your work is safe on the device and will send when you’re back online. |
| 2 photos waiting to upload | The photos are on the device and will upload when there’s a connection. |
| Signed out — log in to sync 3 changes | Sign in again (the Sign in link opens a new tab) and the changes will send. |
When you’re back in signal, keep RootFlare open for a moment; it sends everything on its own, and photos keep uploading even after you leave field mode. Try again sends straight away.
While photos upload, a bar shows how many are done. If one seems stuck, tap Show photos: it lists each photo still on the device, why it’s waiting and what to do (for example Open its assessment, which sends that assessment so its photos can follow).
Note: Don’t sign out or clear your browser’s data while changes or photos are waiting — that’s where they live until they’re sent. RootFlare won’t let you sign out while you’re offline.
Done for the day
Back at the office, everything you did in the field is on RootFlare. If you share a phone or want to free up space, Remove data from this device on the field mode home clears it — but only once everything has been sent. Anything already saved to RootFlare stays there.
To leave field mode, tap Exit Field Mode.