View Categories

Automatic recording

5 minutes

📍 Background
Kafinea's main interface

Note: On modules that support this feature, Kafinea can automatically save your changes as you type, without you having to click Save. This page explains how this feature works, how to enable it for your instance, and how to disable it on an individual basis.

1. What is the purpose of automatic recording ? #

When entering a record (typically a sales document with many lines), it can be inconvenient to have to remember to save regularly. Automatic saving addresses this need:

  • Your changes are saved in the background shortly after you make your last entry.
  • A status indicator shows you at all times how far along the document is in the saving process.
  • You can still force an immediate save at any time.

Tip: Even when automatic recording is enabled, the standard Record button remains available and works as usual.

2. The recording status indicator #

When automatic recording is available for the record , a clickable indicator appears in the toolbar at the top of the screen. It can be in one of the following states:

Displayed status Meaning
Saved All your changes have been saved. You don't need to do anything.
Unsaved changes You have edited the record it will be saved automatically in a few seconds. If you want to save it immediately, you can click on the status.
Recording… A recording is in progress.
Error The last save failed (network issue, conflict, etc.). Click to try again.
Conflict detected Another user has edited the document since you opened it. Click to choose how to resolve the conflict.
Automatic recording disabled Autosave is turned off for your account. Please remember to save manually.

Force immediate registration #

Three equivalent ways to start recording immediately, without waiting for automatic recording:

  • Click the status indicator when it says "Changes not saved."
  • Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S (Cmd+S (on Mac). Kafinea intercepts this shortcut while you're editing: it won't save the browser page, but it will save your form.
  • Click the Save button at the bottom of the record, as usual.

Important: If you try to close the tab or leave the page before saving your changes, Kafinea will display a confirmation message to prevent any data loss.

3. Enable the feature for your instance #

Automatic saving is part of an advanced editing mode that must be enabled at the instance level by an administrator. This setting is configured once and then applies to all users.

Procedure (administrator):

  1. Go to Main Menu > Settings > Preferences.
  2. Open the Module Management > Features section.
  3. Enable the Advanced Document Editing features (sticky toolbar, collapsible sections, keyboard shortcuts, command palette, etc.).
  4. Record.

Once the feature is enabled, the new edit screen—including the status indicator—automatically appears for all users when they open an record .

Conflict Management (Optimistic Locking) #

By default, if two users edit the same document, the last user to save "wins" and overwrites the changes made by the previous user. To prevent this, you can enable Change Conflict Management.

Procedure (administrator):

  1. Go to Main Menu > Settings > Preferences.
  2. Open the Module Management > Features section.
  3. Locate the " Overview" section.
  4. Enable the Change Conflict Management feature (which alerts you if the document has been modified by another user).
  5. Record.

When this feature is enabled:

  • Kafinea saves the version of the document as it appears when you open it.
  • Every time a document is saved (whether automatically or manually), it checks to make sure that no one else has saved the document in the meantime.
  • If a conflict occurs, a window will appear asking you to reload the server version (which will discard your local changes) or to force an overwrite (if you're sure you want to do this).

Note: If automatic recording does not appear on a particular module even though the feature is enabled, contact your administrator. They will be able to confirm whether or not the module in question is already covered.

4. Turn off auto-save for your account #

Some users prefer to have full control over when their changes are saved to the database. Kafinea allows you to disable automatic saving on an individual basis, without affecting other users.

From the editing toolbar #

  1. Open a record edit mode.
  2. In the toolbar at the top, open the ⋯ menu (three dots).
  3. Click " Auto-Save Enabled " to turn the option off.

The status indicator will then continuously display a banner that says “Auto-save disabled” until changes are saved. This is intentional: it serves as a visual reminder to help you remember to click Save.

From your user preferences #

This option is also available in your user preferences, under the heading "Automatically save quotes and invoices." Unchecking this option has the same effect as disabling it from the toolbar.

Tip: The setting is saved to your account (not in your browser). This means it will remain the same on another device or after you clear your cache.

Important: When automatic recording is turned off, you remain fully responsible to save your changes before exiting the record. The shortcut Ctrl+S and the confirmation when you close the tab are still available to help you.

5. Frequently Asked Questions #

How often does the automatic recording feature activate?

A few seconds after your last change, without interrupting your data entry. The delay automatically adjusts based on the document size and the speed of the last save, to prevent overloading the server when dealing with very large records.

What happens if someone else edits the same record the same time as me?

If the Change Conflict Management feature has been enabled by your administrator (see Section 3), Kafinea detects concurrent changes. If the record been modified by another user since you opened it, the record displays a conflict message and gives you the option to reload the most recent version or force your own changes.

If this feature is not enabled, the "last-edited" principle applies: the most recent save overwrites the previous one without warning.

Does automatic recording work for all records

No. It is available on the editing screens for which Kafinea has enabled advanced editing mode. If it is not available in a module you are interested in, contact your administrator: they can check the instance’s configuration and, if necessary, escalate the request.

I don't see the status indicator in the toolbar. Why is that?

There are two possible reasons: either the Advanced Document Editing feature is not enabled for your instance (see Section 3), or the module you are working on is not yet supported. In either case, your administrator can assist you.

My colleagues have turned on automatic recording, but I don't want it. Is that possible?

Yes. This setting is strictly personal: disabling it for your account has no effect on other users (see section 4).

Related references 🔗 #