Ask what offline actually covers
Separate three capabilities: reading a plan already opened, recording changes without a connection, and starting the app from a fully closed state. A product may support the first two without guaranteeing the third. Ask about each one during an evaluation.
Also separate a local save from a confirmed team record. A finish stored on one coach's device cannot yet be assumed visible to another coach. Your procedure should identify the recording device and the person who checks that it has synchronized.
Make a list of the actions you expect at practice. Timing reps, changing a roster, editing a briefing, and completing a survey are different operations. An offline timer does not establish that all of them are available offline.
Know PaceCommand's current limits
Open the required workout while connected and keep the app open during practice. PaceCommand caches supported workout views and stores supported practice changes on that device until it can reconnect. Prepare each device separately.
Scroll the table horizontally to read each condition.
| Action | Current behavior |
|---|---|
| Read a prepared workout | Previously opened supported workout views can use their local cache |
| Capture reps, times, and splits | Supported practice writes enter the local queue for later sync |
| Workout comments and goals | These supported workout updates can queue; this does not cover every feedback form |
| Coach briefing edits and surveys | Require a connection |
| Roster imports and workout release | Complete these while connected |
| Mileage reports and outside runs | Do not rely on the practice queue for these forms |
| Parent or guardian view | Requires a connection and does not use persistent workout caching |
The device queue allows up to 500 pending workout changes per account. The cache keeps up to 40 workout views, and one workout can involve more than one view. Reopen what you need before practice; these limits are not a promise to keep an entire season available offline.
Local storage must be available. If a save or recovery warning appears, treat it as unresolved. Keep the same account and browser data while pending records remain. Offline operation is not a substitute for confirming the final server record.
Run a short device test
- Prepare while connected. Sign in, open an example workout and its required practice views, and check the athlete list.
- Remove the connection. Confirm the device really is offline. Do not infer it from a weak signal icon alone.
- Capture representative work. Record an example finish, a split if you use splits, and a supported correction.
- Inspect local status. Check that the result is visible and that pending changes or a warning are clearly identified.
- Reconnect. Let the queue finish, inspect the saved results, and confirm there is one intended record for each capture.
Repeat the test for the assistant's device if they will record a separate group. Keep one recording owner per athlete and rep while disconnected. Two devices cannot coordinate a fresh change through the server without a connection, so a conflict may require review later.
Test interruption and timer recovery separately
A recoverable timing draft helps after an interruption, but it does not reconstruct a race that was never captured. PaceCommand saves timing state, including unassigned finish-order taps, and restores a recovered clock paused at its last saved elapsed time. Review that draft before continuing.
Do not treat restored elapsed time as an uninterrupted result. The app also needs to be able to open again; this workflow does not guarantee a cold browser launch with no connection. Keep the practice view open, and have a backup recording method appropriate for your session.
PaceCommand requests a screen wake lock where supported while timing. This is best effort. The W3C Screen Wake Lock working draft explains that a system can deny or release a wake lock, including for power-related reasons. Test screen behavior on your device rather than assuming it can never sleep.
The multi-runner timing guide covers choosing shared starts, rolling starts, and split capture. Include your chosen method in the test.
Confirm sync before the handoff is complete
- Reconnect using the same account and device that captured the work.
- Check the pending count and any error; a visible time alone is not confirmation of server sync.
- Review a blocked change before retrying it. Another coach may have changed the corresponding record.
- Retry the pending change through the queue instead of entering another copy as a new result.
- Inspect the workout after sync, including athlete, rep, time, and any correction.
- Confirm pending work is resolved before signing out, clearing browser data, or handing the device to another account.
Use a discard action only when you understand which local changes will be lost. It is not a routine fix for a slow connection. If you cannot resolve a warning, preserve the device data and the details of the problem for support.
Compare tools with the same worksheet
For each product, record the device, browser or app version, prepared screens, actions tried offline, interruption behavior, sync result, and unresolved errors. Mark an untested action as untested. A general feature label should not fill that gap.
Include one ordinary practice and one exception you actually encounter, such as an assistant taking over a group or correcting a finish. Estimate the staff effort required to prepare and reconcile those sessions. This gives your software-versus-spreadsheet decision a concrete basis.
Choose a workflow your staff can repeat
PaceCommand's offline workflow fits prepared practice capture with a later sync check. Plan connected time for setup, coach-note edits, surveys, and other unsupported forms. If your essential requirement is creating and administering the whole program with no connection, test another approach before committing.
Put the recording owner and sync check into the assistant handoff. Reliability depends on knowing when the work is still local and who will confirm it is saved.