SQL Request control for Nintex Mobile
Our mobile forms would be more 'smart' if they could query data stored in SQL databases.
Brian
shared this idea
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vas
commented
Can use cached data when offline, and use real time data when online?
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Sharon
commented
I understand this gets a lot more complicated when offline is considered, but even if this was only available for Nintex Mobile while the user is online this would add significant value.
At my company we are moving towards having everything available on mobile devices. We have a lot of form/workflow use cases where the user will always be online but still needs the ability to complete the form from a mobile device, for example a supervisor who is constantly walking around the mill floor.
We are now paying for Enterprise Forms, which is awesome functionality, but if we don't have it available on mobile devices this is a very limiting factor for using Nintex Mobile. Especially with PowerApps already having this functionality, I am having a hard time justifying using Nintex Mobile to the business in a lot of cases.
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Brian
commented
Some thoughts...
Ideally the mobile form would cache the SQL result set for use in offline scenarios. It would store multiple columns so it could still filter the result set offline against values in the form.
If the device is online when opening the form, it would query SQL to get current data (also updating its internal cache), otherwise it uses the cached data. Maybe add a button in the Nintex Mobile app to 'Refresh external data connections' which works across all forms at once, so a user can hit the button once and have all forms updated if they know they'll be working with forms offline.
An external list (BCS) may also work, if it has similar offline functionality.
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Andrew
commented
I like the idea, we have it for in browser forms, but not mobile today. But let me stretch your thought here.
To support the 'Offline' of forms, what should the user do to have a cached query? I think maybe hit a button on the app while "In Range" to query.
If online, but remote (vpn or extranet), what is an acceptable time to perform the query? I imagine a "please wait" spinner coming.
I would require that there be the ability to have the connection be filtered by values on the form.
Last thought, what if an external list in SharePoint was used for the query instead? This way the connection string and authentication is controlled by a secure means, like the Secure Store, and the user just interfaces with an interface, so-to-speak.