# How does form metadata work in offline setting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [December 9, 2015, 9:46am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/how-does-form-metadata-work-in-offline-setting/5075 "2015-12-09T09:46:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Levinson](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Jordan\_Levinson](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Jordan_Levinson)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:46am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/how-does-form-metadata-work-in-offline-setting/5075/1 "2015-12-09T09:46:03Z")
Hi all, Second of three questions coming up today...I think... If our collectors don't have network access in the field, how/when does the form tag with metadata like date, time if we used the automatic functions in the form ('start', 'end', 'today' etc). Will the date/time read as when collected, when the device returns to network, or when uploaded to the server? Thanks! Jordan ---
**Author:** ![Mitch\_S](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Mitch\_S](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Mitch_S)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/how-does-form-metadata-work-in-offline-setting/5075/2 "2015-12-09T18:04:15Z")
The preload parameters are determined relative to certain actions on the form: start - a blank form is opened (creating a new submission instance) end - the form is marked-as-finalized. today() is a function. Each time you open the form, today() is re-calculated. If you want to remember today() from some given day, you should wrap it in once() to prevent it being re-calculated. > **···** > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 1:46 AM, Jordan Levinson wrote: > > > Hi all, > > > > Second of three questions coming up today...I think... > > > > If our collectors don't have network access in the field, how/when does > > the form tag with metadata like date, time if we used the automatic > > functions in the form ('start', 'end', 'today' etc). Will the date/time > > read as when collected, when the device returns to network, or when > > uploaded to the server? > > > > Thanks! > > Jordan > > > > ## -- > > > > Post: [opendatakit@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit@googlegroups.com) > > Unsubscribe: [opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com) > > Options: [http://groups.google.com/group/opendatakit?hl=en](http://groups.google.com/group/opendatakit?hl=en) > > > > * * * > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "ODK Community" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > -- > Mitch Sundt > Software Engineer > University of Washington > [mitchellsundt@gmail.com](mailto:mitchellsundt@gmail.com) ---
**Author:** ![yanokwa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/yanokwa/32/1695_2.png) [@yanokwa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/yanokwa)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 8:40am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/how-does-form-metadata-work-in-offline-setting/5075/3 "2015-12-10T08:40:30Z")
Jordan, To add to what Mitch said, the time comes from the device time (and not network or GPS time). Device time isn't guaranteed to be the actual time (e.g., network time can be wrong, dead battery on device can reset time), so plan accordingly. Yaw > **···** > > -- Need ODK consultants? Nafundi provides form design, server setup, in-field training, and software development for ODK. Go to https://nafundi.com to get started. > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 7:04 PM, Mitch Sundt [mitchellsundt@gmail.com](mailto:mitchellsundt@gmail.com) wrote: > > > The preload parameters are determined relative to certain actions on the > > form: > > > > start - a blank form is opened (creating a new submission instance) > > > > end - the form is marked-as-finalized. > > > > today() is a function. Each time you open the form, today() is > > re-calculated. If you want to remember today() from some given day, you > > should wrap it in once() to prevent it being re-calculated. > > > > On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 1:46 AM, Jordan Levinson [jord.levinson@gmail.com](mailto:jord.levinson@gmail.com) wrote: > > > > > Hi all, > > > > > > Second of three questions coming up today...I think... > > > > > > If our collectors don't have network access in the field, how/when does > > > the form tag with metadata like date, time if we used the automatic > > > functions in the form ('start', 'end', 'today' etc). Will the date/time read > > > as when collected, when the device returns to network, or when uploaded to > > > the server? > > > > > > Thanks! > > > Jordan > > > > > > ## -- > > > > > > Post: [opendatakit@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit@googlegroups.com) > > > Unsubscribe: [opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com) > > > Options: [http://groups.google.com/group/opendatakit?hl=en](http://groups.google.com/group/opendatakit?hl=en) > > > > > > * * * > > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > > "ODK Community" group. > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > > email to [opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > > > -- > > Mitch Sundt > > Software Engineer > > University of Washington > > [mitchellsundt@gmail.com](mailto:mitchellsundt@gmail.com) > > > > ## -- > > > > Post: [opendatakit@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit@googlegroups.com) > > Unsubscribe: [opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com) > > Options: [http://groups.google.com/group/opendatakit?hl=en](http://groups.google.com/group/opendatakit?hl=en) > > > > * * * > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "ODK Community" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:opendatakit+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout).