What are the benefits of GPS time clocks?
While relying on old-fashioned time cards to track labor hours can seem like a convenient option, there are many benefits to choosing a modern solution like GPS time clocks, such as accurate time tracking, time theft prevention, easier remote management, and more transparency.
Let’s break down those advantages a bit further.
Record hours accurately
Time clocks equipped with GPS location tracking and geo-fencing capabilities help you keep detailed, error-free records by making sure your employees are clocking in and out at the right location.
So for example, if an employee signed in early while they were still three blocks away from their workplace, Homebase’s GPS time clock would record their location so you could keep track of where they were when they clocked in and hold them accountable.
Plus, our geo-fencing functionality can even restrict clock-in areas, which further increases accuracy and helps prevent fraudulent activities like buddy punching.
Prevent time theft
You can greatly reduce the risk of time theft and buddy punching — when a staff member clocks in for someone else — if all employees have online time clocks with their job site’s coordinates on their phones.
GPS time clocks like Homebase also cut costs by alerting employees if they forget to sign out at the end of their shift by sending them a notification reminding them to do so. That means when it’s time to run payroll, you won’t be paying for labor that wasn’t performed. Instead, you’ll be able to invest that money back into your business.
Manage your remote team more easily
Traditional time clocks weren’t designed for staff members who have to travel to off-site locations — they force remote employees to make extra trips to central workplaces and clock in before they can start their shifts.
As an alternative, time clocks that are equipped with geo-fencing and GPS technology make remote employee management easy. They allow any staff member with access to a phone and an internet connection to clock in and out directly from their job site. This reduces labor costs and lets you see whether or not employees are signing into the right locations in real-time.
Promote transparency
Mobile time clock apps remove any blockers to understanding how your employees spend their time at work and make sure everyone’s on the same page. That means you’ll always be able to hold workers accountable for their working hours and compensate them fairly.
GPS time clocks also protect employees by tracking overtime, storing accurate time reports, and helping you pay your workers correctly when it’s time to process payroll.
The 3 best GPS time clock apps
Interested in getting a mobile time tracking app set up for your business? Let’s take a look at three of the best options on the market.
1. Homebase
Caption: Homebase’s GPS time clock app lets employees clock in from any device.
With Homebase’s GPS time clock app, staff members can sign in and out of their shifts from almost any device that has an internet connection, including Android and iPhone. Once they arrive on-site, they just need to enter their unique PIN to clock in. Then, you can easily and accurately track their hours, breaks, overtime, and paid time off (PTO).
Top features
- Time clock
- Reminders and notifications
- Employee scheduling
- Numerous integrations like Square and QuickBooks
- Simple for employees to clock in with their unique PINs
- Hiring and onboarding
- Payroll
Pricing
Homebase’s time tracking app is free. Plus, it includes scheduling, messaging, and hiring!
2. Clockify
Caption: Clockify has features that are specific to time tracking, like timesheets and employee scheduling.
Clockify is a time tracking and timesheet app that’s great for agencies and freelancers. However, this tool also has some features that can support small businesses, like a manual GPS tracker and reminder notifications that alert your team to log their hours if they’ve forgotten to do so.
Top features
- Time tracking
- Timesheets
- Employee scheduling
- Calendar for visualizing hours worked
- The ability to log in with unique employee PINs
- A unified dashboard for gathering data and analytics
Pricing
Clockify is completely free to use.
3. Connecteam
Caption: Connecteam prevents time theft by only letting employees clock in and out from predefined zones.
Connecteam is an HR software solution with a colorful interface that provides managers with time tracking features and employee scheduling tools. Like with Homebase, Connecteam lets you keep track of employee locations and prevent time theft with geo-fencing zones.
Top features
- Time clock
- Task management
- Timesheets
- Alerts and notifications when employees go overtime
- Integrations with payroll software like QuickBooks and Gusto
Pricing
The Operations module, which includes a time clock app, job scheduling, forms, and quick tasks, is free for up to ten users. After that, the paid plans start at $35 per month.
Why Homebase is the best GPS mobile time clock
Homebase offers the best time and attendance tracking solution for small business owners with off-site staff members, which is proven by our many five-star reviews. Designed specifically for small businesses, our tool uses GPS and geo-fencing technology to help you cut costs, collect accurate data, and streamline your operations.
Let’s take a look at what makes Homebase the best GPS mobile time clock!
Get timely notifications
Did an employee forget to clock out? Not a problem. Our mobile time clock will send an alert reminding them to do so, which will make sure your records stay accurate and you pay people for their time correctly.
Track employee breaks
The mobile time clock is just one part of our larger set of time tracking tools. With Homebase, your employees can track their paid or unpaid breaks directly from their devices. And employers can also monitor breaks and receive notifications when a staff member is about to hit overtime, which helps you stay in compliance with labor laws.
Collect accurate data on employee work times
If an employee is late for a shift, you’ll receive a notification letting you know. You’ll even gain insight into which staff members are late and on time the most often out of your team. This helps lower labor costs because it prevents staff members from clocking in early and allows for automatic clock-outs when someone forgets to sign out of their shift.
Track PTO requests
Do you offer your team members paid leave? Homebase can help track time off requests for paid time off or paid sick leave, making it easier to manage scheduling and availability. And since employees can schedule PTO in advance instead of relying on last-minute shift swapping, you won’t have to worry as much about unscheduled absences, buddy punching, or time theft.
Make time tracking simpler and more accurate with Homebase
GPS time clocks provide a more accurate way of time tracking than traditional methods like Excel spreadsheets and punch clocks. These web-based solutions can help you stay ahead of time theft while also keeping your business compliant, which makes them a great addition to any business.
Our time tracking solution has all the features you need to streamline your time management processes, like scheduling, time tracking, and clocking in via geofencing. And best of all, it’s free!
As an added bonus, we can also take other team management issues off your plate with tools for payroll, employee scheduling, team communication, and HR and compliance. With Homebase on your side, you’ll have the time and energy to focus on doing what matters most.
