Updating Case Data

Eligible Cases

Any case, or record, assigned to a user will appear in FieldTask or WebForms on the task tab.

Icons

The case will be shown on the tasks tab as a folder icon with a blue background if un-modified and a purple background if modified,

Mobile device screen showing an unmodified case as a blue folder icon

Unmodified Case

Mobile device screen showing a modified case as a purple folder icon

Modified Case

Modifying an Updated Case

Cases can always be modified on a mobile device even after they have been updated. The concept is that the user is assigned the case and therefore can manage it and make changes. Hence the user can select the icon with the purple folder on the task screen to re-modify.

This behaviour contrasts with tasks and instances that have been filled in on a device which are by default not editable. However this behaviour can be changed in the mobile app settings. (Mobile App Options).

Replicating updates to the server

When the mobile device is refreshed the cases go through the following process:

  1. Updated cases are sent to the server
  2. These updated cases are retained on the device and the status changed back to accepted (no longer updated)
  3. Background processing on the server applies the changes to the database
  4. On the next refresh if the case has been closed it is removed from the device.

Note that when a device is refreshed updated information is sent to the server first. So any changes will always be sent before a case is closed.

Auto Refresh

The device will auto refresh when a case is assigned to the user, unassigned, or the data is modified.

A version of the case for each survey!

Currently if a user has access to two data surveys in a bundle and they are assigned a case then two copies of the case will be downloaded onto their device Both containing the same data but they will be opened by the different data surveys.

It is possible that this situation will not happen in the real world. Users who complete cases on phones might only be given access to one of the surveys in the bundle and hence will see only once case.

If this is a situation that you need to deal with then contact smap support with a description of why this will happen and we will implement an appropriate solution.