GPS tracking and geofencing FAQs for employees

QuickBooks Time needs to be able to access your location even when the app isn’t open, to know when you’ve entered or exited a geofence. Read more about QuickBooks Time GPS tracking and QuickBooks Time Geofencing.

Your employer will never have access to your location unless you are on the clock. Your location data is stored on your phone and is only sent to QuickBooks Workforce when you clock in. If you’re clocked out, QuickBooks Time uses your location to know when you’ve entered a job site with a geofence, but that data is stored only on your device.

For example, John arrives at work at 8:30 but doesn’t remember to clock in. At 8:45, John sees a QuickBooks Time notification on his phone, letting him know he’s entered a job site. When he taps on the notification and clocks in, his timesheet reflects the time he entered the geofence (8:30). His phone then sends the location data from his start time (8:30) to QuickBooks Time, until he clocks out.

If geofencing is installed on your company’s QuickBooks Time account, you will be reminded to clock in as soon as you cross the geofence around the job site. The QuickBooks Workforce app will also record the time you entered the geofence, so you have an accurate start time as opposed to an estimated start time.

When you leave the geofence, you will also be reminded to clock out. This helps you and your manager eliminate the need to edit time cards after the fact, should you accidentally forget to clock in or out entirely. By reducing these time card errors, payroll managers can get payroll finished faster and with greater accuracy.

Locations are tracked periodically, as you move around while on the clock.

On average, the QuickBooks Workforce app customers use about 5 MB of data per month. 95% of QuickBooks Time mobile app customers use less than 30 MB of data per month.¹

It depends. There’s no standard unit of measure for cellphone batteries. We encourage employees to read more about data and battery usage, in reference to the QuickBooks Workforce. You can also see for yourself how much the QuickBooks Workforce affects your battery life by going into your phone’s settings (instructions for iPhone or Android).

QuickBooks Time allows admins to decide if location tracking is required for the app to track time. If you do not want the app to record your location while you track time, we recommend talking to your manager about alternative ways to clock in using QuickBooks Time.

You may see a notification like the one shown below if you are using an iPhone with iOS 13. The QuickBooks Workforce uses your location “in the background” to ensure accurate clock in and clock out times. And when geofencing is enabled on your account, background location tracking can recommend clocking in at nearby job sites. The GPS points you see in this notification are not the same GPS points your employer sees when you’re clocked in. Your employer does not have access to your location when you’re off the clock.

Everyone forgets to clock in now and again—it happens! With geofencing, QuickBooks Workforce records the time you arrived at the job site/crossed the geofence. When you remember to clock in, your time card will reflect the time you crossed the geofence. We’ve made it simpler for you to use the time you arrived at the job site, rather than the time you remembered, on your timesheet. This works even if you don’t have permissions to edit your timesheet.

As long as you are using the QuickBooks Time app, yes! However, time clock kiosks do not support geofencing.

Yes, but depending on how your admin has configured QuickBooks Time, you may be clocked out if location tracking is required. If you do not want the app to record your location while you track time, we recommend talking to your manager about alternative ways to clock in using QuickBooks Time.

Only your admin can turn geofencing off.

QuickBooks Time remembers what time you arrive or leave a job site, giving you more accurate time cards. No need to ask your manager to edit your timesheet or remember the exact time you arrived or left work.

Plus, because QuickBooks Time eliminates the guessing game of tracking time, you and your manager can enjoy increased trust and accountability. Finally, when payroll managers get time cards with accurate times, every time, payroll goes a lot quicker, which means on-time paydays for everyone.

Absolutely. In regards to location, though, you and your employer can see the same thing. Select a timesheet to view the map. What’s visible on the map is the same thing managers can see. Your employer cannot see geofencing notifications sent to your phone.

When location tracking is enabled, QuickBooks Workforce will send you reminders to clock in or out upon entering or leaving a geofence. While the app is always receiving your location, QuickBooks Workforce only attaches the location data your device records when you are clocked in. Thus, the only GPS points your employer will ever be able to see are the ones recorded while you’re clocked in.

When you clock out or go on a break, QuickBooks Workforce stops sending location data to your employer. GPS points are recorded throughout your shift, including when you change job codes, add notes to a timesheet, clock in, or clock out. GPS points are displayed like a “breadcrumb trail,” showing where you were throughout the day.

If you have a smartphone, the apps you use every day, from social media to Google, are likely already using your location. It’s how your device knows when to switch time zones or where you are on the road when using Google Maps.

GPS tracking is dependent on a lot of factors and can vary based on your phone’s operating system, version, or model. Geographic factors, including tall buildings, can also affect the accuracy of your phone’s location tracking.

Check out our help doc for troubleshooting GPS on your smartphone and understanding GPS tracking. If that doesn’t work, you can always chat us or call us.

Your employer cannot see your location while you are on a break. The second you select “take break” from the QuickBooks Workforce app, we stop sending your location data to your employer. When you end your break, your location data will be tracked once again.

Your employer can only see the GPS points you tracked when you were clocked in. To see how your location is being tracked throughout the day, select a timesheet to view the map. What’s visible there is the same thing managers can see.

When you clock out or go on a break, QuickBooks Workforce stops sending location data to your employer. GPS points are recorded throughout your shift, including when you change job codes, add notes to a timesheet, clock in, or clock out. GPS points are displayed like a “breadcrumb trail,” showing where you were throughout the day.

You can view your own GPS points, but only administrators, managers, and anyone granted the “Manage Timesheets for All Employees” permission can see another employee’s GPS locations.

The QuickBooks Workforce remembers what job code you used the last time you were at that location and will suggest it when asking you if you want to clock in. If the job code suggested isn’t the one you want, you should have the option to change it. Talk to your admin if you don’t have the option to change your job code.

You can view your own GPS points, but only administrators, managers, and anyone granted the “Manage Timesheets for All Employees” permission will be able to see anyone else’s GPS locations.

If you are clocked in by your manager, you will receive a notification letting you know this action has occurred. You will then be asked if you would like to share your location.

It can take up to 15 seconds for QuickBooks Workforce to receive and display a new GPS point. If an employee’s phone isn’t connected to the internet, new GPS points won’t display until the employee is back online.

No. The QuickBooks Workforce does not gather GPS points when employees are on a break. The QuickBooks QuickBooks app may still have access to employees’ locations, but GPS points recorded off the clock or on break will never be accessible by employers or admins.

When employees clock in for the day or clock in from a break, their location data is tracked once again.

Yes. To make location tracking a prerequisite for an employee to track time, just go to the employee’s “mobile options” tab on your QuickBooks Time dashboard and select “require location to track time.” The employee will only be able to clock in once location tracking is enabled for the QuickBooks Workforce on their phone.