General guidelines for handling cache downloads

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  • Updated June 1, 2026
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    Summary of General guidelines for handling cache downloads

    This guide provides essential best practices for managing cache downloads in ServiceNow mobile applications to optimize usability and user experience. It covers time limits, payload size, download behavior, background downloading options, and offline cache updates.

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    Cache Payload and Download Time Limits

    • Payload generation time limit: Administrators can configure the maximum time for cache payload generation using the glide.sg.offline.job.maxRuntime parameter, which accepts values from 0 to 20 minutes (default is 10 minutes).
    • Download time limit: Download duration is controlled by device, browser, or network HTTP timeouts and not by the application itself.

    Payload Size Limits and Performance

    • There is no overall payload size limit except for attachments, where admins can configure a maximum total size.
    • To improve download speed and device performance, offline datasets should be kept as subsets of the online data whenever possible.

    Using the Download Cache Option

    • Users can initiate cache downloads via the "Download cache" option in the Offline area of the Settings menu.
    • A banner shows download progress, and the app remains usable during this process.
    • Offline mode is not enabled automatically after download; users must manually enable it in Offline settings.
    • While offline, changes are recorded in the Outbox and synced back to the instance once connectivity is restored by tapping "Go Online and Sync."

    Background Downloading Features

    • Two system properties control background downloading visibility:
      glide.sg.offline.scheduleddownload.enabled enables scheduled cache rebuilds (e.g., overnight).
      glide.sg.offline.incremental.enabled enables incremental cache updates while the app is open.
    • Both properties default to false; setting either to true makes the background downloading option appear in the app.
    • Users must manually enable Background downloading in their Offline settings; it is not enabled automatically by setting these properties.

    Offline Cache Updates While Online

    Once the cache is downloaded—via manual download, scheduled job, or incremental sync—the app continually updates the cache while online. This ensures that the most current data is available offline if connectivity is lost later.

    When working with cache downloads keep these general guidelines in mind for usability and a good user experience.

    Cache payload generation and downloaded time limits
    • Payload generation time limit: Define the time limit, between 0 to 20 minutes using the parameter glide.sg.offline.job.maxRuntime. The default is 10 minutes.
    • Download time limit: Download time is not controlled by the application but is governed by standard OS and network HTTP timeouts at the device, browser, or infrastructure level.
    Payload size limits
    • Payload size is unlimited, except for a maximum total size limit on attachments, where a maximum total size can be configured by the admin. For more information, see, Attachment behavior in offline mode.
    • Where possible, keep the offline dataset as a subset of the online data to facilitate faster download times and improved device performance.
    Download cache option in the Settings menu
    When users tap the Download cache option in the Offline area of the Settings menu, the device begins downloading the latest data defined for offline use. A banner indicates that the download is in progress, and the app remains usable throughout. Once complete, offline mode is not enabled automatically. Users must select the option in the Offline settings.
    While in offline mode, note the following behavior:
    • Changes made to cached records are logged in the Outbox.
    • Once reconnected, tap Go Online and Sync to push the changes to the instance.
    • The local cache then updates to reflect the synced changes.
    Enabling background downloading for users
    Two system properties control whether the Background downloading option appears in the mobile app's Offline settings:
    • glide.sg.offline.scheduled_download.enabled: This is the admin switch for the scheduled downloads feature, which rebuilds the cache at a set time, such as overnight.
    • glide.sg.offline.incremental.enabled: This is the admin switch for the incremental updates feature, which refreshes the cache in small deltas while the app is open.
    Both default to false. The option appears in the app when at least one of these properties are set to true.
    Note:
    Enabling either property does not automatically enroll users. Each user must enable Background downloading in their Offline settings.
    Understand how the offline cache updates while online
    Once the cache has been downloaded (either through a manual download, scheduled job, or incremental sync), the app continuously updates it while you're online, regardless of how the initial download was triggered. This means the most current data is available if connectivity is later lost.