Resolve offline conflicts through business rules

What do the two changes mean?

On reconnecting, two technically valid changes may meet that cannot both apply in business terms. A general rule such as “the last value received wins” then decides how work proceeds. Before development, examine what the values represent and who may resolve a contradiction.

In the fictional example, two employees report different quantities for the same stock position P-26. Both are absolute counts in pieces at the same location, not incoming or outgoing quantities. The planned workflow is filled in below:

The rule belongs in the product

Here, the person responsible for stock checks location, unit, count times and intervening movements and arranges another count where needed. Approval after that review determines the effective stock. Reconnection itself confirms none of the earlier quantities. Adding them would also be wrong because counts are not movement quantities.

Android describes different conflict strategies for offline synchronisation. Their business suitability remains a product decision. Agree the visible review status, authorised decision role and behaviour while the conflict is open. Try the workflow with contradictory example data. Successful transfer first shows that data moved; usable stock also needs the appropriate decision.

Sources

• Android Developers · Build an offline-first app