We are very excited to share news about the introduction of the progressive web app (PWA) in Primero v2!
What does this mean for you?
If you were a Primero version 1 user or system administrator, you will no longer use the Rapid Reg mobile application for offline data collection. Primero v2 takes advantage of the latest technology to combine the best of web and mobile application. Simply, it is a website built using web technologies but acts and feels like an app. This means Primero v2 web app works in all browsers, regardless of the operating system and on any device (like a mobile device, tablet or laptop). There is no compromise in the user experience, and can be used when you are connected and not connected to the internet.
So, how does it work?
When you have internet connection, you will see the “Online Mode” symbol at the top of the Navigation Menu. This means that Primero has full functionality.
Offline Mode:
If you lose your internet connection or choose to work offline, you will be in “Offline Mode,” as indicated in the images below.
When you are in Offline Mode, you will have limited functionality.
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You will be able to create and save new cases, but your changes will not be submitted until you are back online.
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You will only be able to access and edit records that you have accessed previously during that session. (A user session begins when you log-in to Primero or access a particular computer or network. It ends when you log-out of Primero, or shut down the computer.)
For example, in the image above, the cases you were working on before you lost connectivity (ie. Maxwell, Robin, and Angelica) are still accessible from the Case List. All the other cases are greyed out and inaccessible until you are back in Online Mode.
This means that if you are planning to go into Offline Mode, you should open any Cases you will want to edit or access while still online. You do not have to edit the case itself, just opening it is sufficient.
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Only certain actions will be available in Offline Mode (such as requesting approvals). Note that these actions will only get submitted to the system once you are back online.
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Some pages, such as Tasks and Exports, are unavailable in Offline Mode.
IMPORTANT: Note that if you choose to log out while in Offline Mode, you will not be able to log back in until you are online again. Additionally, if you log out, any changes you made while offline will be lost. There is unfortunately no easy technical solution for logging in while completely offline in Primero v2. PWA’s are a relatively new technology. In order to log in while offline, we would require storing user credentials in your browser which is unsafe and is a security risk.
NOTE: If you are using a VPN, or if your organization has provisioned your device with advanced security settings, you may not be able to use Offline Mode. Before attempting to use Primero in a low-connectivity setting, try using Primero at home or in your office, and switch on your device’s “Airplane Mode,” which cuts your device’s internet connection. If you do not see the “Offline” notification appear in Primero, then Offline Mode may not work on your device. This means information you enter while you are offline will not be saved. If you are unable to use Offline Mode, please talk to your organization’s ICT team about how to update your device’s settings.
For those of you who are using Primero v1, we will be upgrading you throughout 2021 to Primero v2 so you can take advantage of these new enhancements!