How does a geofencing time clock work?

A geofencing time clock uses GPS coordinates to define a virtual boundary around a job site. When an employee attempts to clock in, the system checks whether their device is inside that boundary. If they are outside the geofence, the clock-in is flagged or blocked depending on your settings.

Detailed answer

Setting up a geofence involves placing a centre point — usually the address or GPS coordinates of a job site — and defining a radius around it. That radius becomes the approved clock-in zone.

When an employee opens the app and taps to clock in, the app reads their device's GPS location and checks it against the geofence for their scheduled site. If they are within the boundary, the clock-in is recorded normally. If they are outside it, the system can flag it as an exception, prompt the employee for a reason, or prevent the clock-in entirely depending on how the rule is configured.

Geofencing works best for fixed job sites where employees report to a consistent physical location. It is commonly used by cleaning companies, security firms, facility management teams, and home care agencies where verifying location is important for client billing or compliance.

Example

A facility management company manages cleaning contracts at several office buildings. Each building is set up as a job site in BetterDesks with a geofence radius of 150 metres. When a cleaner arrives at the building and clocks in, the system confirms they are on site. If a clock-in is attempted from outside the radius — such as from home or from the wrong building — it is flagged for the manager to review before the timesheet is approved.

How BetterDesks helps

BetterDesks connects geofencing to your existing client and site structure. Each job site can have its own geofence configuration. Attendance records include location data so managers can review exceptions and approve timesheets with confidence before payroll runs.

Related questions

• Can employees clock in only from a job site?
• Does geofencing track employees when they are off the clock?
• What happens if GPS does not work at a job site?

Next step

Explore geofencing attendance with BetterDesks