Using a localStorage is possible to save and load the current state of the grid.
Perform some changes in the grid and click the Save state button.
Reload the page or leave it and load it again. Click on the loadstate button.

This is achieved with the two methods saveState, loadState. See PHP tab for code.

<?php 
require_once '../../../../php/demo/tabs3.php';
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>jqGrid PHP Demo</title>
    <!-- The jQuery library is a prerequisite for all jqSuite products -->
    <script type="text/ecmascript" src="../../../../js/jquery.min.js"></script> 
    <!-- We support more than 40 localizations -->
    <script type="text/ecmascript" src="../../../../js/trirand/i18n/grid.locale-en.js"></script>
    <!-- This is the Javascript file of jqGrid -->   
    <script type="text/ecmascript" src="../../../../js/trirand/jquery.jqGrid.min.js"></script>
    <!-- This is the localization file of the grid controlling messages, labels, etc.
    <!-- A link to a jQuery UI ThemeRoller theme, more than 22 built-in and many more custom -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.4/css/bootstrap.min.css"> 
    <!-- The link to the CSS that the grid needs -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="../../../../css/trirand/ui.jqgrid-bootstrap.css" />
    <script>
        $.jgrid.defaults.width = 780;
        $.jgrid.defaults.responsive = true;
        $.jgrid.defaults.styleUI = 'Bootstrap';

    </script>
    <script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.4/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    </script>
     
  </head>
  <body>
    <div style="margin-left:20px">
          <?php include ("grid.php");?>
<br/>
        <button id="savestate" class="btn btn-default">Save Grid State</button>

        <button id="loadstate" class="btn btn-default">Load Grid State</button>
      <br/><br/>
      </div>
      <?php tabs(array("grid.php"));?>
   </body>
</html>

grid.php.
<?php
require_once '../../jq-config.php';
// include the jqGrid Class
require_once ABSPATH."php/PHPSuito/jqGrid.php";
// include the driver class
require_once ABSPATH."php/PHPSuito/DBdrivers/jqGridPdo.php";
// Connection to the server
$conn = new PDO(DB_DSN,DB_USER,DB_PASSWORD);
// Tell the db that we use utf-8
$conn->query("SET NAMES utf8");

// Create the jqGrid instance
$grid = new jqGridRender($conn);
// Write the SQL Query
$grid->SelectCommand 'SELECT OrderID, Freight, OrderDate, ShipCity  FROM orders';
// Set output format to json
$grid->dataType 'json';
// Let the grid create the model
$grid->setColModel();
// Set the url from where we obtain the data
$grid->setUrl('grid.php');
// Set some grid options
$grid->setGridOptions(array(
    
"rowNum"=>10,
    
"rowList"=>array(10,20,30),
    
"sortname"=>"OrderID"
));
// Change some property of the field(s)
$grid->setColProperty("OrderDate", array(
    
"formatter"=>"date",
    
"formatoptions"=>array("srcformat"=>"Y-m-d H:i:s","newformat"=>"m/d/Y"),
    
"search"=>false
    
)
);
$jscode = <<<CODE
        $("#savestate").click(function(){
            $.jgrid.saveState("grid");
        });
        $("#loadstate").click(function(){
            $.jgrid.loadState("grid");
        });
CODE;

$grid->setJSCode($jscode);
// Enjoy
$grid->renderGrid('#grid','#pager',truenullnulltrue,true);