Input forms in offline
Summarize
Summary of Input forms in offline
Input forms in offline mode within ServiceNow mobile apps allow users to view, edit, and create records without network connectivity by leveraging locally cached data. This capability ensures continuous productivity by reducing rework and minimizing synchronization conflicts. Changes made offline are stored locally and automatically synchronized with the ServiceNow instance once connectivity is restored.
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Supported Input Types and Behavior
Offline input forms support a predefined set of input types such as String, Number, Boolean, Date/Time, Choice, Reference, Attachment, and Barcode. Unsupported types, including custom map, signature, and screen inputs, appear in read-only or inactive states. Reference fields operate using cached data, allowing users to search and select from up to 1,000 locally available records per reference input. Administrators control which records are cached based on business criteria. Dynamic server-dependent filters are not supported offline.
Auto-fill and Data Sources
Form fields and input actions can be auto-filled using data sources configured in the mobile app. These data sources function identically in online and offline modes, using cached data during offline use to maintain relevant field population without connectivity.
Saving Progress and Synchronization
Users can manually save in-progress forms offline; these saves store data locally without server submission and can be resumed or submitted later. The Save button behavior is consistent across online and offline modes, with local persistence handled via writeback action steps. Offline create, update, and delete actions generate outbox items queued for automatic synchronization when the device reconnects. If conflicts arise during sync, users are notified to retry or resolve them.
Outbox Item Consolidation
Multiple offline actions (e.g., saves or submissions) generate individual outbox items by default. Mobile apps can be configured to consolidate consecutive outbox entries from the same form or screen into a single item, optimizing synchronization and maintaining a cleaner queue by syncing only the latest state.
Attachments Management
Offline forms support adding attachments which are stored locally and queued for synchronization upon reconnection. Attachments added online and included in the offline payload can be viewed offline. By default, offline attachments do not appear immediately in the record’s activity stream; however, configuring the writeback action step can enable instant reflection of attachments in the activity stream during offline use.
Descriptive Elements
Offline forms support descriptive elements like images, rich text, and plain text to provide contextual guidance within forms. These elements are populated via data sources shared between online and offline modes, requiring no separate offline configuration.
Configuration Guidance
- Configure reference inputs to control cached record visibility offline.
- Adjust writeback action steps to associate offline attachments with the activity stream for immediate visibility.
- Use input attributes to define which fields and data appear offline, optimizing performance and user experience.
This offline input form functionality enables ServiceNow customers to maintain uninterrupted field and mobile workforce operations, ensuring data accuracy and synchronization integrity regardless of network availability.
Input form screens in offline mode support viewing, editing, and creating records without network connectivity. The ServiceNow apps use locally cached data to display forms, populate fields, and apply form logic, so users can continue working without interruption. Well-designed offline input forms, reduce rework and minimize sync conflicts.
Input forms opened while offline can load data captured online if it is included in the offline cache. Users can modify cached data while offline, and their changes are stored locally until synchronization. Offline forms support save progress, input actions, and descriptive elements. All operations, creating, editing, and deleting are queued in the outbox and automatically synced with the instance once connectivity is restored.
For information about input forms, see Input form screen.
Supported input types
- String
- Number
- Boolean
- Date / Time
- Choice
- Reference
- Attachment
- Barcode
Certain input types, such as custom map, signature, and screen aren't supported offline. Unsupported fields remain visible in a read-only or inactive state depending on configuration.
Reference input behavior
Reference inputs in offline mode display and resolve data from the local cache, enabling users to select and view reference values without connectivity. Users can search and choose from locally available records. When the required data is not cached, the reference field returns no results.
The number of available reference choices is limited to 1,000 records, with administrators determining which records are downloaded and made available offline. This allows for fine control over which references are preloaded based on business needs, such as user roles, assigned location, or active status.
For more information, see Reference field attributes for input form screens in offline mode.
Dynamic reference qualifiers or filters that depend on real-time server queries aren't supported offline.
The 1,000-record cap applies per reference input, not per screen. If multiple reference inputs point to the same table across one or more screens, each input contributes its own slice of up to 1,000 records. These slices are merged and deduplicated on the device, meaning the total records stored for a single table can significantly exceed 1,000. Plan for increased device storage and longer initial sync times when multiple inputs share the same target table.
Auto-fill form inputs and input actions
Input form fields and input actions can be automatically populated with data downloaded from the instance using data sources configured in the mobile app. The same data source configuration applies to both online and offline modes. For more information, see Data sources.
- Example
- If a form uses a data source to populate the Location field based on the selected work order, the same data source logic is applied in offline mode, provided that the work order and location tables were included in the offline payload.
Save progress in offline mode
Users can manually save in-progress forms while offline using the Save button in the top navigation bar. This action stores the current state of the input form locally on the device without submitting it to the server. Saved forms can later be resumed, edited, or submitted once connectivity is restored. For more information, see Configure input form screen actions.
The same button configuration used for saving progress in online mode also applies in offline mode, and no additional configuration is required. When the form is offline, the Save button performs a local save instead of a server submission, ensuring that user input is preserved. To support this behavior, the local save for the offline step type is part of the writeback action steps. This step type defines how the platform handles local persistence of form data in offline mode. For more information, see Configure action items and action steps in offline mode.
Whether online or offline, the Save button behaves according to the same definition, with the platform determining where data is stored, either locally or on the server, based on connectivity state.
Save and submit actions sync behavior
When users create, update, or delete a record offline, each action generates an outbox item. The outbox acts as a temporary queue that holds pending changes until connectivity is restored. Once online, the system automatically synchronizes outbox items to the instance in the order they were performed. If conflicts occur during synchronization, the system marks the item as failed, allowing users to retry or resolve the issue. For example, when the record was modified on the server while the user was offline.
Consolidation of outbox items
By default, when users perform multiple actions while offline,such as tapping Save or Submit, each function of type action item generates its own dedicated outbox item. Each action is stored separately in the outbox and synchronized individually when connectivity is restored. For more information, see Configure an action function.
Mobile apps can be configured to consolidate consecutive outbox items created by the same form or screen into a single, merged entry. This configuration applies to both the Save and Submit buttons and helps reduce duplication, optimize synchronization, and maintains a cleaner outbox.
When consolidation is enabled, the following takes place:
- Multiple consecutive actions of the same button and record context are merged into one outbox item. For example, multiple saves of the same form for the same record.
- The most recent state of the record is retained, ensuring that only the final user input is synced.
Attachments in offline mobile forms
Offline mobile forms support attachments added through both the attachment input type and attachment input actions while offline. This allows users to capture and manage files such as images, documents, or videos without connectivity. Attachments previously added while online can also be preloaded into the form when included in the offline payload, as defined in the data source configuration, enabling users to view or reference existing attachments even when working offline.
Attachments added while offline are stored locally on the device and automatically queued in the outbox for synchronization once connectivity is restored.
For more information, see Using action items and action item steps in offline mode.
Descriptive elements in offline mobile forms
Descriptive elements provide instructional or contextual information within an input form screen, helping users understand what is expected of them. Offline input forms support descriptive elements such as images, rich text, and plain text. These elements can be automatically populated with data downloaded from the instance through data sources configured in the mobile app. The same data source configuration is used for both online and offline modes, so no separate data source for offline use is required. For more information, see Configure descriptive elements for input form screens.