What a geofence is
A geofence is a center point plus a radius in meters. When an employee clocks in, their location is compared to that circle. Inside means verified. Outside needs attention.
Picking a radius
Small homes and offices: 75 to 150 meters. Large properties and campuses: 200 to 500 meters. Dense downtown sites: go larger than you expect because GPS drifts between buildings.
If honest employees get flagged often, the radius is too small.
Flag, block or off
Flag lets the punch through and marks it for a manager. Block stops the punch and tells the employee how far away they are. Off skips the check.
Start with flag, then block only where it matters.
What a geofence does not do
It checks one moment, the punch. It does not prove someone worked the full shift and it does not follow them around.
Questions from small teams
Can employees clock in from home with a geofence on?
Only if you set the company to flag or off. In block mode, punches outside a located worksite are stopped.
Does Gates Timekeeping support geofencing?
Yes. Add worksites with a location and radius and choose off, flag or block in company settings.
Product guidance for the current early-access pilot. Keep your existing payroll records while evaluating the workflow. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.