Offline Mode

Expensed works even when you don't have internet access. Here's how offline mode works and what to expect.

How Offline Mode Works

When you lose internet connection:

1. Expensed detects the disconnection
2. A red banner appears: "You're offline"
3. You can still use most features
4. Actions are queued for later
5. When connection returns, data syncs automatically

DesktopMobile

What Works Offline

Feature	Offline Capability
View expenses	Full access to cached data
View reports	Full access to cached data
View mileage	Full access to cached data
Create expenses	Saved locally, syncs later
Edit drafts	Changes saved locally
Upload receipts	Queued for later upload
GPS tracking	Continues recording

What Requires Connection

Feature	Why It Needs Internet
OCR processing	Requires Google Vision API
Submit for approval	Needs to reach server
Approval queue	Real-time data needed
Bank account setup	Stripe requires connection
Payment processing	Financial transactions need live connection

The Offline Queue

When you take actions offline:

1. Actions are saved to a queue on your device
2. Queue icon shows pending items
3. When online, queue automatically processes
4. You're notified when sync completes

Viewing the Queue

1. Look for the sync icon
2. Badge shows number of pending actions
3. Click to see what's waiting

Queue Actions

The queue may contain:

• New expenses created offline
• Edits to draft expenses
• Receipt uploads
• Mileage trips

When You Reconnect

Automatic sync happens:

1. Expensed detects connection
2. Queued actions start processing
3. Progress indicator shows sync status
4. "You're back online" message appears
5. All data is up to date

Sync Conflicts

If someone else changed the same data:

1. You'll see a conflict notification
2. Review both versions
3. Choose which to keep
4. Or merge changes manually

GPS Tracking Offline

Mileage GPS tracking works offline:

1. Start a trip (needs initial GPS fix)
2. Lose connection during drive
3. GPS continues recording locally
4. Trip data syncs when online
5. Map renders with full route

Keep App Open

Keep Expensed open during offline GPS tracking. Closing the app may stop recording.

Receipt Upload Offline

When you upload a receipt offline:

1. File is saved locally
2. Receipt shows in your expense
3. OCR is marked "Pending"
4. When online:
   • File uploads to server
   • OCR processes
   • Data extracted and filled

Pending OCR Indicator

Receipts awaiting OCR show:

• Clock icon
• "OCR Pending" label
• Progress bar during sync

Best Practices

Before Going Offline

1. Open Expensed while connected
2. View pages you'll need (expenses, reports)
3. Recent data is cached automatically

While Offline

1. Work normally - create, edit, upload
2. Note that submissions are queued
3. Don't rely on real-time approvals
4. Keep app open for GPS tracking

After Reconnecting

1. Wait for sync to complete
2. Check for any conflict notifications
3. Verify submitted items went through
4. Check OCR results on new receipts

Troubleshooting Offline Issues

Data Not Appearing

If cached data is missing:

1. You may not have viewed it recently
2. Cache has limited size
3. View important data while online first

Sync Not Starting

If data isn't syncing:

1. Verify internet connection
2. Check if other sites work
3. Pull down to manually refresh
4. Close and reopen app
5. Check for app updates

Queue Stuck

If queue doesn't process:

1. Wait a few minutes
2. Check internet connection
3. Refresh the page
4. Contact support if persists

Offline Limits

Be aware of these limitations:

• Cache size: ~50MB of recent data
• Queue size: ~100 pending actions
• Offline duration: Days to weeks (varies by device)
• Large files: May not cache large receipts

Mobile vs. Desktop

Feature	Mobile App	Desktop Browser
Offline support	Excellent	Good
Background sync	Yes (if app open)	Limited
Storage capacity	Larger	Browser-dependent
GPS offline	Full support	Desktop = no GPS

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Questions? Contact support@expensed.app