Decide what you need to establish
A GPS time clock associates a reported device location with a punch. That is useful evidence, but it does not independently establish the worker’s identity, continuous site presence or payable hours. A geofence tests whether reported coordinates meet a boundary. A photo can support review; liveness alone does not identify an enrolled worker.
Write down whether your problem is remote punching, unclear site attribution, missing checkouts or a slow payroll handoff. These are related but different requirements. Buying a location feature will not automatically solve the others.
Compare event capture with continuous tracking
Some field tools capture location at punches; others also track location during the working day. Ask for the exact permission and collection behavior, including what happens outside work. Do not infer it from a GPS badge. Attendify captures event location rather than continuously recording a worker’s route.
Location accuracy varies with satellite geometry, obstructions and the receiving device. GPS.gov explains those factors. Test at the actual entrance and under representative conditions instead of choosing a universal radius from a buying guide.
Ask how the boundary is enforced
Client-side feedback helps a worker identify a problem before submitting. Server-side distance calculation avoids trusting a client’s own “inside” verdict. Neither authenticates fabricated coordinates. Ask which inputs the server checks and how a modified device is treated; do not equate server processing with spoof-proof attendance.
Attendify checks the assigned site on the phone and checks the submitted location under applicable server policy. It uses circular site boundaries. A required out-of-boundary submission is rejected, rather than treated as a universally available accept-and-flag workflow.
Run a small field test
Scroll the table sideways to read all columns.
| Test | Evidence to record |
|---|---|
| Normal arrival at the real gate | Location reading, result and time needed |
| Poor reception inside the structure | Whether a usable location fix exists |
| No internet with usable GPS | Local queue state and later server outcome |
| Two nearby sites | Worker assignment and intended attribution |
| Missing checkout | Supervisor correction and payroll exception behavior |
These are evaluation tasks, not claims that every product supports each outcome. Include the actual Android and iOS devices used by the workforce. A successful office test is not a remote-site test.
Follow the record into payroll
Check whether the event becomes a complete timesheet, how exceptions are reviewed and which identifiers reach payroll. Attendance evidence is only the beginning of that chain.
Use the geofence setup guide for boundary testing and the offline guide for synchronization. The GPS feature overview describes Attendify’s current behavior and limitations.