Offline Editing
How to work on plans without an internet connection in YAPL.
Working Offline
YAPL supports full offline editing for plans. Once you've loaded a plan while online, you can continue working on it even without internet connection. Your changes are automatically saved to your device and sync when you're back online.
Quick Start
Preparing for offline work:
- Open the plan you'll need while online
- Make a small change to create a local draft
- You're ready to work offline!
What Works Offline
Full Functionality
These features work exactly the same offline:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Task editing | Create, edit, delete, move tasks |
| Gantt drag & drop | Resize and reposition tasks on timeline |
| Dependencies | Draw, edit, and remove task connections |
| Progress updates | Drag progress bars to update completion |
| Critical path | Auto-calculation continues working |
| Undo/Redo | Full history with Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y |
| Auto-save | Changes save to your device every 500ms |
| Calendar settings | Adjust working days, hours, holidays |
| Resource assignments | Assign equipment and materials to tasks |
| WBS structure | Indent/outdent to reorganize tasks |
| Baseline | Set and clear baseline dates |
Requires Internet
| Feature | Why |
|---|---|
| First-time plan access | Plan data must be downloaded initially |
| Publishing drafts | Saves to cloud database |
| Creating new plans | Server generates plan identifiers |
| Loading published versions | Fetches from cloud storage |
| Real-time collaboration | Requires live connection |
| Team invitations | Server-side operations |
How It Works
Automatic Draft Creation
When you edit a plan, YAPL automatically creates a local draft on your device:
- You make a change - Any edit triggers draft creation
- Auto-save kicks in - Changes save locally every 500ms
- Draft badge appears - Version selector shows "Draft" indicator
- Work continues offline - No network needed for editing
Your Data Is Safe
YAPL uses multiple safeguards to protect your work:
- Frequent auto-save - Every 500ms after changes
- Background save - Saves when you switch browser tabs
- Full snapshots - Complete plan state saved, not just changes
- Integrity checks - Data verified on save and load
- Safe version switching - Pending changes saved before switching
Maximum data loss: 500 milliseconds of work. Even if your device crashes or browser closes unexpectedly, you'll lose at most a half-second of edits.
Working Offline Scenarios
Scenario 1: Field Work Without Internet
Before leaving:
- Open YAPL and navigate to your plan
- Make a small edit (triggers draft creation)
- Look for "Draft" indicator in version selector
On the job site:
- Edit tasks, update progress, adjust schedules
- Critical path calculations continue automatically
- All changes save to your device
Back at the office:
- Connect to internet
- Click Publish to save to cloud
- Team members see your updates
Scenario 2: Internet Drops Mid-Edit
What happens:
- You keep working normally
- Nothing appears different in the interface
- Changes continue saving locally
- Critical path keeps calculating
When reconnected:
- Just click Publish when ready
- No special recovery needed
Scenario 3: Extended Offline Work
Process:
- Prepare draft while online (open plan, make one edit)
- Work offline for hours or days
- Reconnect when convenient
- Publish to sync with team
There's no time limit - offline drafts work indefinitely.
Understanding Drafts
Draft vs. Published
| Aspect | Draft | Published Version |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Your device | Cloud database |
| Visibility | Only you | Team members |
| Editing | Full | Limited |
| Offline access | Yes | Requires download |
| Auto-save | Every 500ms | On publish |
Finding Your Drafts
Drafts appear in the Version Selector dropdown with a "Draft" badge:
Version Selector
├── Current State (live)
├── v3 "Approved" (published)
├── v2 "Initial" (published)
└── v3 Draft 1 ← Your offline workMultiple Drafts
You can have multiple drafts for different versions:
- Each published version can have its own draft
- Drafts are independent and don't conflict
- Switch between drafts freely
Critical Path Offline
The Critical Path Method (CPM) calculation works fully offline:
How It Works
- Web Worker - Calculations run in a background thread
- No Network Required - All algorithms are bundled with the app
- Auto Calculation - Updates after task changes (500ms delay)
- Manual Option - "Recalculate" button available anytime
CPM Modes
| Mode | Behavior | Use When |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Recalculates after every change | Normal editing |
| Single | Calculate once when clicked | Large plans, performance |
| Disabled | No automatic calculation | Quick bulk edits |
Your CPM mode preference is saved with your draft.
Installing YAPL (PWA)
For the best offline experience, install YAPL as an app:
Desktop (Chrome/Edge)
- Visit YAPL in Chrome
- Click the install icon (⊕) in address bar
- Click "Install YAPL"
- App opens in its own window
iOS (Safari)
- Open YAPL in Safari
- Tap Share button (□↗)
- Tap "Add to Home Screen"
- Tap "Add"
Android (Chrome)
- Open YAPL in Chrome
- Tap menu (⋮)
- Tap "Install app"
- Follow prompts
Benefits of Installation
| Feature | Browser Tab | Installed App |
|---|---|---|
| Offline access | Limited | Full support |
| Storage space | Lower quota | Higher quota |
| Launch speed | Slower | Faster |
| Experience | Browser UI visible | Clean, app-like |
Troubleshooting
"Cannot load draft offline"
Cause: Draft was created before offline support (older version)
Solution:
- Connect to internet
- Open the plan
- Make any small edit
- A new draft with offline support is created
"Draft not found"
Cause: Browser data was cleared, or different browser
Solution:
- Drafts are stored per browser/device
- Connect to internet and load the plan again
- Make a new edit to create fresh draft
"Changes didn't publish"
Cause: Was offline when clicking Publish
Solution:
- Check internet connection
- Click Publish again
- Wait for success confirmation
Slow performance with large plans
Tip: Plans with 400+ tasks may feel slower offline
Solutions:
- Use CPM "Single" mode instead of "Auto"
- Close other browser tabs
- Install YAPL as PWA for better performance
Best Practices
Before Going Offline
- Prepare your drafts - Open and edit each needed plan
- Verify draft creation - Check for Draft badge
- Test offline - Enable airplane mode briefly to confirm
While Offline
- Work normally - All editing features work
- Trust auto-save - No need to manually save
- Use undo freely - Full history available (Ctrl+Z)
After Reconnecting
- Review changes - Check your draft before publishing
- Publish promptly - Don't leave drafts for too long
- Coordinate with team - Let others know you're syncing
Technical Details
Storage
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Technology | IndexedDB (browser database) |
| Location | Your device only |
| Typical limit | 50MB - 32GB (browser dependent) |
| Data format | Full snapshots, not incremental |
Undo/Redo
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stack size | 50 operations maximum |
| Persistence | Saved with draft |
| Per-draft | Each draft has own history |
Auto-Save Timing
| Event | Timing |
|---|---|
| After change | 500ms debounce |
| Tab loses focus | Immediate |
| Before version switch | Immediate flush |
Related Topics
- Plan Versions - Version management
- Publishing Plans - Syncing to cloud
- Critical Path - CPM details
- Timeline View - Gantt editing
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