Timesheet App - QR / NFC Location Authenticator

[Sinethemba_Gayi]

Hi,

On the Timesheet App, I would like to create sites and have Employees on a Dependable selection based on the Site they are stationed at.

Once an employee visits their site, the employee should Scan either a QR Code or NFC to be able to Clock-In and Clock-Out. This will prevent a scenario where an employee is able to clock-in even though they are not at work.

Any advice as to how I can achieve this?

[Aleksi]

Add an NFC tag to your site and then set the option UX > Options > Allow scan input override as OFF.

[Gil]

Following Aleksi’s advice, you’ll be able to prevent users from typing instead of scanning.
However, this is not 100% user proof: any one can simply take a picture of your QR, and then use the picture to scan the QR at home, or they can easily generate QR with whichever value they wish.
Similarly users can get an NFC chip and write whatever they want into it, and then use your app to scan that NFC.

[Fabian_Weller]

You could do this by checking the GPS location of your employee.
In the Valid_If you can use an expression like:
DISTANCE([LatLong of the Site] , HERE()) < 1
This would mean: They can Clock-In only if they are around the Site in a distance less then 1 km.

[Sinethemba_Gayi]

@Fabian on the Time In column, In the Valid_If expression I get this error: “Unable to find column ‘(-32.943227, 27.762631)’”

I inserted App formula: DISTANCE([(-32.943227, 27.762631)] , HERE()) < 1

[Fabian_Weller]

Please try this expression:
DISTANCE(LATLONG(-32.943227, 27.762631) , HERE()) < 1

Or you insert an extra column in your Sheet, let’s say “Location” and enter the LatLong value of the site. In the AppSheet editor the Type of this column must be “LatLong”.
Then you can take this expression:
DISTANCE([Location] , HERE()) < 1

[Sinethemba_Gayi · Accepted solution]

Fabian:

Please try this expression:
DISTANCE(LATLONG(-32.943227, 27.762631) , HERE()) < 1

Thank you so much, this worked perfectly!!!

[Sinethemba_Gayi]

Fabian:

Please try this expression:
DISTANCE(LATLONG(-32.943227, 27.762631) , HERE()) < 1

Or you insert an extra column in your Sheet, let’s say “Location” and enter the LatLong value of the site. In the AppSheet editor the Type of this column must be “LatLong”.
Then you can take this expression:
DISTANCE([Location] , HERE()) < 1

What if I have more than 1 site?

[Henry_Scott]

Fabian:

Or you insert an extra column in your Sheet, let’s say “Location” and enter the LatLong value of the site. In the AppSheet editor the Type of this column must be “LatLong”.
Then you can take this expression:
DISTANCE([Location] , HERE()) < 1

@Sinethemba_Gayiza Then execute the instructions @Fabian mentioned by creating a LatLong Column and capture the detail in that column for each site

[Aleksi]

Nice try @Fabian but you can download an app where you can set the location for a different place. So… it’s not bullet proof either

[Henry_Scott]

Not bulletproof yes, but your normal user is not savvy enough to bypass it and even if they do, then no reason to build in what @Fabian suggest. One can implement business process and checks to assist technology to ensure you do not get “chancers” out there

[Aleksi]

If you use a NCF tag and set a Show? option as ISBLANK([NCF]) it will hide that field when you scan it and then you are not able to see what’s inside of that tag… with the app😀

[Fabian_Weller]

But you can read the NFC Tag and even copy it with an App like “NFC Tools”

[Aleksi]

Just throwing ideas