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Local Room Sync (Offline) — How to Share Room Lists & Backend Room IDs Between Devices

When you're working offline, use Local Room Sync to share the full room list—including backend room IDs—so all devices upload inventory into the same room in iCat.

Support MD avatar
Written by Support MD
Updated over a week ago

What Local Room Sync Does (and Why It Matters)

When a job site has no internet, each device normally creates its own room list and its own internal room IDs. That causes:

  • Duplicate room names

  • Mismatched backend room IDs

  • Inventory uploading into different rooms

  • Data cleanup issues later

Local Room Sync prevents this.

It lets ONE device (the Master Device) share its complete room list AND backend room IDs with all other devices on-site, even without internet.

This ensures:

  • Every device inventories into the same room IDs

  • All room names match

  • All uploads map to the same room records in iCat

  • No mismatches or duplicates

Works fully offline.

✔ 1.Choose ONE Master Device

The Master Device is responsible for:

  • Creating rooms

  • Broadcasting the room list

  • Defining backend room IDs for the entire job

ALL other devices will receive the rooms.

Important:
Do not create rooms on multiple devices before syncing — receivers will be overwritten.

✔ 2. Create All Rooms on the Master Device

This room list becomes the source of truth for all devices.

📸 Insert Screenshot: Rooms List on Master Device

✔ 3. Perform Local Room Sync

Step 1 — Enable Debug Mode on ALL Devices

Every device — the Master and all receivers — must do this:

Settings → Support → Toggle “Debug Mode” ON (“I”)

Step 2 — On the Master Device

  1. Open the iCat App

  2. Go to Jobs

  3. Select the correct job

  4. Tap Rooms

  5. Tap Local Room Sync

  6. Select “Share Rooms (Master Device)”

Step 3 — On Every Receiving Device

  1. Open the iCat App

  2. Open the same job

  3. Tap Rooms

  4. Tap Local Room Sync

  5. Select “Receive Rooms”

Step 4 — Complete the Sync

Devices connect locally to share the room list including backend room IDs.

Once finished, all devices now share an identical room structure.

🚨 Critical Warning: Sync Can Overwrite Rooms

If a receiving device created rooms before syncing, those rooms (and their backend IDs) will be overwritten.

To avoid issues:

  • Always create rooms on the Master Device ONLY

  • Sync BEFORE scanning or inventorying anything

  • Ensure Debug Mode is ON for everyone before syncing

After the Sync

Once the sync is complete:

  • All devices can inventory contents offline

  • All room assignments upload to the correct backend room IDs

  • Internet is only needed later to upload photos/scans

  • No data cleanup is required

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