With Jotform 4.0 can the respondent fill in the form whilst being off-line?

  • johndg110
    Asked on March 3, 2017 at 10:27 AM

    We have a number of users that are regularly off-line when they need t fill in a form, resulting in them not wanting to use it.

    Will the new version 4.0 allow them to complete it whilst being off-line and upload automatically when they re-connect?

    I know I can design when off-line, but I want to know if it can be filled in when off-line?

     

    Thanks

  • David JotForm Support
    Replied on March 3, 2017 at 1:06 PM

    If a user starts filling out the form while online then goes offline.  If they wait until they have a connection to submit the form the submission should go through.  It would not do so automatically.

    The only way to allow users to fill in and save forms offline would be using a fillable PDF copy of the form:

    https://www.jotform.com/help/312-JotForm-Fillable-PDF-Creator-With-All-Points

    PDF versions of forms are more limited than than online counterparts. 

     

  • johndg110
    Replied on March 3, 2017 at 1:15 PM

    Thank you David.  Is this a future development to allow offline use?  In other words, can the form be stored on a user's device, filled in and then sent when the device re-connects?

    I know that the fillable PDF is more limited, in particular some of the fields don't match the online version, are there any improvements planned with that?

    Regards

    John

  • David JotForm Support
    Replied on March 3, 2017 at 2:23 PM

    The only issue is that forms are browser based and not set to automatically submit.  If the user closes their browser there is no way for the form to complete submission.  Since there is no way to store a copy of the form locally, it is not likely that web forms will be usable offline.

    The limitations on fillable PDF forms come from converting an online form into a PDF.  PDF's cannot run the same code that web services can.  The styling also does not fully translate.