How to Collect Responses with Offline Forms

If you need to gather data in places with poor or no internet connection, offline forms and surveys make it easy. Whether you are on-site, at events, or in remote locations, you can still collect responses and sync them once you’re back online.

How Offline Forms Work

When you enable offline mode for a form, Formester prompts you to install an app on your device—this could be your laptop, tablet, or phone. While offline, the app stores all submissions locally. As soon as you reconnect to the internet, the data syncs automatically with Formester, and you’ll find all responses under the Results tab.

Step 1: Create Your Form

Log into your Formester account and click New Form. You can:

• Start from scratch
• Use AI to generate a form
• Choose from templates

For example, let’s create an On-Site Inspection Form. Add or remove fields as needed, adjust the design, and set any required questions.

Step 2: Enable Offline Mode

Once your form is ready:

1. Open the form builder.
2. Click on the gear icon near the Publish button.
3. Go to Form Behavior.
4. Toggle on Allow Forms to Work Offline.
5. Click Publish.

Step 3: Install the App

After publishing, open your form URL. You’ll see an option to Install App.

• Click on it to install the offline app on your device.
• You must be online during installation.
• Once installed, the app appears on your device and can be used without internet access.

Step 4: Collect Data Offline

Open the installed app and fill out the form even if you’re offline. Your submissions will be stored locally. A small indicator shows the number of responses saved on your device.

Step 5: Sync Submissions

When you’re back online:

• Open the app.
• Click the sync icon or indicator showing pending submissions.
• All saved entries will automatically sync with Formester’s database.

You can view them anytime under the Results tab in your dashboard.

What You Can Do Next

With offline forms, you can:

• Run surveys at events without worrying about Wi-Fi.
• Collect inspection data in remote locations.
• Ensure no response is lost due to poor connectivity.
• Keep your data secure until it’s synced.

Final Thoughts

Offline forms give you the flexibility to collect responses anywhere, regardless of internet availability. Just enable offline mode once, install the app, and start gathering data with confidence.

Updated on: 03/10/2025