Background Refresh & Real-Time Updates
How JobLine.ai keeps your dashboard data current without requiring manual page reloads.
How Auto-Refresh Works
JobLine.ai polls the server at a regular interval to fetch the latest data. The default interval is 30 seconds, which balances data freshness with network efficiency. Each refresh updates station statuses, work order progress, handoff records, and notification counts. You will see a subtle timestamp in the header ("Last updated: 12 seconds ago") so you know how current the data is.
Adjusting the Refresh Interval
You can change the polling interval in Settings → General. Options typically range from 10 seconds (most responsive, uses more bandwidth) to 120 seconds (least responsive, best for slow or metered connections). Teams with fast-moving production may prefer shorter intervals; teams running long-cycle jobs may be comfortable with longer intervals. Note that your Org Admin can set a minimum interval for the entire organization.
Real-Time Push Events
For high-priority changes, JobLine.ai uses real-time subscriptions that push updates to your browser instantly, without waiting for the next poll. Events that trigger instant updates include: a station condition changing to "Down," a new NCR being filed, a handoff being submitted for your station, and system announcements. These events appear in your notification feed immediately and update the relevant dashboard cards in place.
Manual Refresh
Click the refresh icon in the header to force an immediate data reload at any time. This is useful after making changes in another browser tab, when you suspect the display is stale, or when troubleshooting a data discrepancy. The manual refresh fetches all data sources, not just incremental changes, so it takes slightly longer than a background poll.
Refresh Indicator
A circular progress indicator near the header shows the time until the next automatic refresh. When a refresh is in progress, it briefly animates to indicate data is loading. If a refresh fails (due to a network issue), the indicator turns amber and shows a "Retry" option. The dashboard continues to display the last successfully loaded data until connectivity is restored.
Performance Considerations
If you have many browser tabs open, only the active tab maintains the full refresh cycle. Background tabs reduce their polling frequency to conserve resources. When you switch back to a JobLine.ai tab, it immediately performs a refresh to bring data up to date. This behavior is automatic and requires no configuration.