This article covers best practices and troubleshooting tips for Offline Data Collection in Motivity Clinical. Following these recommendations will help you avoid common pitfalls and keep your data safe before, during, and after an offline session.
Offline Data Collection is a powerful tool — and like any tool, it works best when used thoughtfully. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare before a session and follow up properly afterward can make a big difference in keeping your data accurate and your workflow smooth. If something does go wrong, the troubleshooting section below has you covered.
Best Practices
Before a Session
If you know you're heading somewhere with limited or no internet access, take these steps while you're still connected to set yourself up for success:
Use online data collection whenever possible. If you can take data online, that is always the preferred method — it saves your data to the server immediately with no extra steps required.
Re-sync data sheets before each use. Always download the most recent version of a learner's data sheets before going offline to ensure you have the most up-to-date program protocols and settings.
Only sync learners you need today. Limit offline data sheets to the learners you will actually see that day. This keeps setup simple and reduces the risk of conflicts caused by program updates.
Confirm your PIN is set up. Make sure you can log in to the offline app before you lose your connection — you cannot create or reset a PIN without internet access.
Do not clear your cache before a session. Clearing your cache will delete your PIN and all downloaded program information, leaving you without access to the offline app.
Keep your device secure. Follow good device management practices — make sure your device is password protected and stored safely at all times.
After a Session
Once you've finished collecting data and ended your session(s), these steps will help you wrap up cleanly:
Sync your sessions as soon as you're back online. Syncing before you write your session note is a helpful habit — it ensures your data is available to reference while documenting, and gets it off your device and safely onto the server.
Sync each session individually. If you started and ended multiple session types (including daily data), each one must be synced separately.
Sync for each learner separately. If you collected data offline for multiple learners, each learner's sessions must also be synced manually.
Contact your supervisor right away if you encounter a sync error. The sooner an issue is addressed, the easier it is to resolve.
Remove synced sessions from your device when you're done. This keeps your device organized and frees up storage for your next offline session. You can delete sessions one by one, or clear your cache entirely. Note that clearing your cache will remove all learner data regardless of sync status, and will also wipe your PIN.
Troubleshooting
"My offline data disappeared — can it be recovered?"
Unfortunately, no. Offline data lives in your browser's cache, and clearing the cache permanently erases it. Motivity is not able to recover deleted cache data. To avoid this, always sync your sessions as soon as you're back online.
"I'm back online but can't find my data to sync."
Make sure you are using the exact same device, browser, and browser profile where you originally collected the data. For example, if you collected data in Safari, you will not be able to access or sync it from Chrome. Data is stored locally to the specific browser and device used during collection.
"How do I get back into the offline app?"
The easiest way is to bookmark the app for quick access. You can also reopen it at any time via Offline Data Manager on the learner's blade, then enter your PIN to log in.
"Once I'm done collecting data offline, how do I go back online?"
Simply reconnect to the internet as you normally would. Once you're back online, sync your session(s) through the offline app. After syncing, you can delete the sessions from your device or clear your cache to remove already-synced data.
"Can I switch between multiple learners offline?"
Yes! As long as multiple learners have been synced to your device, you can use the learner list in the offline app to switch between them freely.
"I forgot my PIN — how do I reset it?"
Select Forgot PIN within the offline app to begin the reset process. You must access the app through the same device and browser where the PIN was originally set up. An internet connection is required to reset your PIN.
"What are the PIN requirements?"
Your PIN must be at least 4 digits. Letters and symbols are not permitted.
"How do I confirm my data was imported successfully, and where does it appear?"
You'll see a confirmation message upon successful sync. The data will appear on the learner's timeline at the date and time the data was originally collected offline. You can also view a list of previously synced sessions from within the offline data collection app.
"The learner's programs changed while I was offline — what happens to my data when I sync?"
If there are phase or state conflicts between your offline data and the current online version of the program, the session will not sync automatically. You or a supervisor will need to adjust the phase or state transition dates to include your session before syncing can be completed successfully.
"How much data can I take offline — is there a limit?"
There is no hard limit set by Motivity, but storage is limited by your device's available space. We recommend only syncing learners you plan to see that day to keep things manageable and minimize the risk of conflicts from program updates.
"Is my offline data secure if my device is lost or stolen?"
Yes. Offline data in Motivity can only be accessed using the custom PIN you created, adding an extra layer of protection even if your device falls into the wrong hands.
"Can I collect data offline for the same learner on two devices at once?"
Yes — there is no limit on how many people can access a learner offline simultaneously. Each session will be synced to the learner's timeline individually when imported.
Still running into an issue? Reach out to your supervisor or our support team — we're here to help! 💙
For setup instructions and a full walkthrough of Offline Data Collection, see our Offline Data Collection: Setup and Use article.
Last Updated: 8/20/26 by Tatum Winslow