App → App
Changes to data made in an app should show up in other apps. If you're not seeing the speed you expect, then check out our troubleshooting articles.
Apps → External Data Source
Changes to data made in an app might take a while to show up in the external data source (in most cases, it will update there within seconds, too). In other words, if someone is using your app and makes a change to your data, all other apps will see that data within 5 to 10 seconds. If you're using an external data source, it might take a little longer.
Data Sources → Apps
The time it takes for data to sync from your source to your apps may vary, depending on your data source. If your data is stored in Glide Tables, then changes to the data should sync to your app within 10 seconds. However, if you are using another data source, then Glide needs to fetch that data. Because each source is slightly different, there are differences in the time it takes to sync. By default, we sync data from your data source when any of the following happens:
Your app is active
Your data source notifies us of a change
Glide has just written to your data source
You click sync in Glide
1. Your app is active.
Active means that someone currently has the app on their device (or you are working on it in Glide). If your app is not active i.e. it is not open anywhere, we generally don't sync, no matter what.
2. Your data source notifies us of a change
When Google Drive or MS OneDrive tells us that your Google Sheet/Excel Workbook has changed, we sync your data. From the moment that we get that notification, it shouldn't take long for the data to reach your app. The larger your data set, the longer this might take.
As Airtable lacks the ability to send notifications for base changes, Glide checks for updates every three minutes.
3. Glide has just written to your data source
If Glide has just updated your data source, we will also check and sync any other changes to the data since the last sync. If the updated data triggers any complex calculations, scripts, macros, or code, those changes may be delayed until the next sync of data.
4. You click sync in Glide
If you are building your app in Glide and need to see the latest data from your data source, you can click the sync button. You can find this on the bottom right of the Data Editor.
Sync mode (Normal vs. Extra)
Depending on your app's Sync mode, it will sync data from your data source at different times.
Normal mode
If you select Normal for your app's Sync mode in Data settings, data from your data source will sync when either (a) your data source notifies us of a change, or (b) Glide has just written to your data source.
Extra mode
If you select Extra for your app's Sync mode in Data settings, data from your data source will sync as it would in Normal mode. Additionally, your app will sync every few minutes while your app is active. When your app is set to Extra mode, your app will use Syncs (a type of update) even if no data has changed. These Syncs occur because Glide is checking every few minutes if data in your data source changed.
Spreadsheet functions
There are some spreadsheet functions that periodically update your data. However, the data source doesn't always notify Glide of these changes. If you have your app open and you know that the data has changed in your spreadsheet but you're not seeing it in your app, this is why.
If you use functions like these and need Glide to check your data source periodically, this would be a reason to use Extra mode. However, if you don't use these functions, there is no need to use Extra mode, as Glide will automatically sync your data anytime it notices a change.