ShiftFlow can record a location every time you clock in, clock out, or take a break, and, for teams that need it, can keep reporting your location through the day while a shift is active. Whether any of that happens, and how much your phone shares, comes down to two settings: one your manager picks for the team, and one you pick on your phone. ShiftFlow never tracks anyone off the clock. That is true under every setting on this page.

Where the two settings live

Two settings decide what gets recorded:

• Your team’s Location Tracking setting, chosen by an Owner or Admin inside ShiftFlow.
• Your phone’s location permission for ShiftFlow, chosen by each team member on their own iPhone or Android.

If either setting is off, no location is recorded from that phone. The stricter of the two always wins.

The team setting

Owners and Admins set this from More → Time Clock → Location Tracking in the app. There are three options:

• Off – ShiftFlow does not collect location. Team members are not asked for permission, and time records carry no location.
• Optional – Team members are asked to share their location. If someone declines on their phone, they can still clock in and out, just without a location attached.
• Mandatory – A location is required to clock in or out from a phone. If a team member denies the permission, the app blocks the clock action and shows them how to fix it.

* Mandatory only applies to clock in and clock out from a phone. The web dashboard and Time Clock Kiosk are not affected.

For the full setup walkthrough, see How to Configure Location Tracking.

The phone permission

The first time you tap Clock In in ShiftFlow, your phone asks whether the app can use your location. iPhone and Android offer the same four choices, just with different names:

ShiftFlow first asks for the While using level. After you have clocked in a few times, the app asks separately whether to upgrade to Always. Always is what unlocks the features that need the phone to work in the background: arrival reminders at a saved site, automatic clock in/out at a saved site, and continued location updates during a long shift while the phone is in your pocket.

What each phone permission does

When ShiftFlow records location, and when it doesn’t

ShiftFlow only records a location when a team member clocks in, clocks out, or starts or ends a break. With Always permission, it also records while a shift is active. It does not record location:

• When Location Tracking is set to Off.
• When a team member has denied location for ShiftFlow on their phone.
• When a team member is off the clock, even with Always permission granted.

Always permission lets ShiftFlow notice when a team member arrives at a saved site, clock them in or out automatically if the team uses that feature, and keep recording while a shift is active. It does not give ShiftFlow a live feed of where someone is during personal time. Once a team member clocks out, background tracking stops.

Check or change your phone permission

If you have never clocked in, your phone may not list ShiftFlow under location permissions yet. iPhone and Android only show a permission once an app has asked for it. Open ShiftFlow and tap Clock In first, pick any option in the prompt, then come back to your phone settings to fine-tune.

iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app

You’ll change this in your phone’s system Settings, not inside the ShiftFlow app. From your iPhone home screen, tap the Settings app.

Step 2: Open the Apps section

In Settings, scroll to the bottom and tap Apps.

Step 3: Find ShiftFlow

Scroll the apps list to find ShiftFlow, or use the search at the top. Tap the result to open its settings.

Step 4: Open Location

In the ShiftFlow app settings, tap Location to see the permission options.

Step 5: Pick the option that fits

• Never – ShiftFlow gets no location. If your team’s Location Tracking is Mandatory, you will not be able to clock in from this phone until you change this.
• Ask Next Time Or When I Share – The prompt comes back the next time ShiftFlow needs your location.
• While Using the App – ShiftFlow uses your location only while the app is on screen. Nothing is reported when the app is in the background or not running. A good fit for most teams.
• Always – Required for arrival reminders at saved sites, and for ShiftFlow to keep recording during a long shift while the phone is locked or in a pocket.

Keep Precise Location turned on so the map pin lands on the right block.

Android

Android has many flavors, so the exact path varies a little by phone. There are two ways to reach the ShiftFlow app settings: a fast shortcut from the home screen, or the long way through the system Settings app. Either gets you to the same place.

Step 1a: Long-press the ShiftFlow icon (shortcut)

Find ShiftFlow on your home screen, press and hold the icon, then tap App info in the popup.

Step 1b: Or, open Settings the long way

If the shortcut above got you to App info, skip ahead to Step 2. Otherwise, from your Android home screen, tap the Settings app.

In Settings, tap Apps.

Tap All apps to open the installed app list.

Scroll the installed apps to find ShiftFlow, then tap it.

Step 2: Open Permissions

Both paths land on the ShiftFlow app info screen. Tap Permissions.

Step 3: Open Location

In the permissions list, tap Location.

Step 4: Pick the option that fits

• Don’t allow – ShiftFlow gets no location. If your team’s Location Tracking is Mandatory, you will not be able to clock in until you change this.
• Ask every time – The prompt comes back the next time ShiftFlow needs your location.
• Allow only while using the app – ShiftFlow uses your location only while the app is on screen. Nothing is reported when the app is in the background or not running. A good fit for most teams.
• Allow all the time – Required for arrival reminders at saved sites, and for ShiftFlow to keep recording during a long shift while the phone is locked or in a pocket.

Keep Use precise location turned on so the map pin is accurate.

Notes

• Changes to your phone permission take effect right away. There is no need to sign out or restart the app.
• If your manager turns on Mandatory after you have already denied location, you will see a clear in-app message the next time you try to clock in, with a shortcut to fix it in your phone settings.
• You can downgrade Always at any time, though it may not be what your team wants. Doing so disables arrival reminders and pauses location updates after you put the phone away during a shift. Everything else keeps working.