Geofencing for employee time clocks: a setup guide
Published · 5 min read
A geofence lets employees clock in from their phones only when they are at work. It replaces a wall terminal, makes it hard to clock in for a colleague who is not there, and keeps punches honest without anyone checking. Getting it right takes a few decisions: where the center is, how big the radius should be, and what happens when GPS is not accurate.
How it works in KronosTeam
An admin adds one or more work locations, each with a radius in meters, and turns on the GPS restriction. When an employee taps Clock In, the browser shares the phone's position. If it is inside the radius, the punch is saved with its coordinates; if it is outside, the punch is rejected and the employee sees how far away they are. You can also make location sharing mandatory, so nobody can clock in with location turned off.
Choose the center point
Set the center on the main entrance or the middle of the building, not on the parking lot. For a site with a large yard or warehouse, use the center of the area where people actually start work.
Choose the radius
Phone GPS is usually accurate to a few meters outdoors, but indoors, between tall buildings or underground it can be off by 30 to 50 meters or more. A radius that is too tight rejects people who are standing at their station.
- Small shop or clinic in a street: start with 100 to 150 meters
- Office building or mall: 150 to 250 meters
- Warehouse, factory or construction site: cover the whole site plus 50 meters
- Watch the first week of punches and tighten the radius only if nobody is near the edge
Tell employees what is collected
Explain that location is recorded only at the moment of clocking in and out, for attendance, and not tracked during the shift. Put it in writing in your attendance policy. Check the privacy and employment rules that apply in your country or state.
When a punch is rejected
- Ask the employee to step outside or near a window and try again
- Check that the browser has permission to use location
- For staff who start work off-site, such as field technicians, decide whether to switch the restriction off or record their hours another way
- A manager can add or correct punches later; every change is recorded
Several sites
Add a work location for each branch, warehouse or job site, each with its own radius. A punch inside any of them is accepted, and the site is saved with the punch, so managers can see where each shift started.
Frequently asked questions
Does the app track employees during the shift?
No. The location is taken only when someone clocks in or out.
What if an employee has no smartphone?
They can clock in from any browser, and a manager can enter or correct punches for them.
Can I allow clock-ins from home?
Yes, by turning the GPS restriction off. With it on, punches outside the radius are rejected.