# Clocking in and out on WhatsApp

> Employees send CLOCK IN or CLOCK OUT on WhatsApp and get a one-time link that checks their location and takes a selfie. Off until you switch it on.

Employees without the Timed app, or whose app isn't working, can clock in and out from WhatsApp. It is **off** until you switch it on for your company.

## How it works for the employee

1. They send **CLOCK IN** (or **CLOCK OUT**) to your company's Timed WhatsApp number. "Clock-in", "sign in" and "check out please" work too.
2. Timed replies with a link. It works **once** and expires after **10 minutes**.
3. They open the link at work, with location switched on. The page reads the phone's GPS and takes a selfie.
4. Timed clocks them in and confirms on WhatsApp, for example *"Clocked in at Sandton at 07:02."*

WhatsApp's own "share location" pin can be dropped anywhere, so Timed never uses it. The link page reads the phone's actual location instead.

## The same checks as the app

- **Location:** the reading must be within about 100 m accuracy. Timed then checks it against the radius of the employee's own sites, using your GPS validation setting, the same way the app does. The clock-in is recorded at the nearest of their sites.
- **Selfie:** the photo goes through your normal facial validation settings.
- **Already clocked in?** Sending CLOCK IN again tells them when they clocked in and reminds them to send CLOCK OUT. CLOCK OUT when they aren't clocked in tells them so.
- **Limits:** an employee can ask for up to 6 links an hour.

Clock-ins from WhatsApp show in reports and the attendance views like any other clock-in, with a comment saying they came from a WhatsApp link.

## Switching it on

Open **Settings → Tenant Settings**. Under **Clock rules**, tick **Employees can clock in and out on WhatsApp** and save.

Before you do:

- The employee's **cell number** in Timed must match the WhatsApp number they message from, and they must be **Active**.
- Each of their **sites needs a map location** (latitude and longitude) and a radius. Without one, Timed can't check where they are and the link refuses to clock them in.
- Your company's [WhatsApp integration](https://timed.co.za/docs/whatsapp-integration) must be set up.

Once it's on, CLOCK IN and CLOCK OUT appear in the menu employees get when they send **HELP**.

## Troubleshooting

| What they see | What to do |
|---|---|
| No reply to CLOCK IN | Check the setting is on, their cell number matches their WhatsApp number, and they're Active. |
| "This link has expired or was already used" | Send CLOCK IN again for a new link. |
| "Your phone could only place you within … m" | Move outside or near a window, wait a few seconds, and try again. |
| "None of your sites has a map location set up yet" | Add a map location to their site, or link them to a site that has one. |
| Clock-in flagged as outside the site | They were outside the site's radius. Check the site's location and radius, or review the [validation failure](https://timed.co.za/docs/validation-failures). |