Choosing the right time tracking method for your team isn't just about recording hours—it's about matching technology to how and where your staff actually work. Australian businesses face a fundamental choice: GPS time clock apps that track location, or fixed tablet systems that provide a central clock-in point. Each approach suits different work environments, and getting this decision wrong means dealing with compliance headaches, inaccurate records, or staff frustration.
GPS time clocks shine when workers are mobile—think home care staff visiting clients across a region, construction crews moving between sites, or maintenance teams covering multiple locations. They verify that staff are where they're supposed to be when they clock on. Tablet time clocks, on the other hand, work best for businesses with a fixed workplace: retail stores, cafes, aged care facilities, or warehouses where everyone starts and finishes at the same location.
This guide compares both approaches across the dimensions that matter most to Australian businesses: accuracy, compliance, cost, privacy considerations, and suitability for different industries. We'll help you determine which solution fits your operational reality, not just what sounds good in theory.
Quick summary
- GPS time clocks verify location and suit mobile workforces across multiple sites
- Tablet time clocks provide fixed clock-in points suitable for central workplaces
- Both methods must comply with Australian privacy laws and Fair Work record-keeping requirements
- The right choice depends on your work environment, not just technology preferences
How GPS time clock apps work
GPS time clock apps use location services on smartphones to record where employees are when they clock in and out. When a worker starts their shift, the app captures the GPS coordinates alongside the time stamp. Managers can later review a map showing exactly where each employee clocked on, providing verification that staff were at the correct job site.
Most systems include geofencing capability. This means you can set a virtual boundary around a work site—say, a 100-metre radius around a client's home or a construction site perimeter. Employees can only clock in when they're physically within that boundary. If someone tries to clock on from home or another location, the system either blocks the attempt or flags it for review.
The technology works through the same location services that run navigation apps. Accuracy typically ranges from 5-10 metres under normal conditions, though this can be affected by tall buildings, tree cover, or indoor locations. For most business purposes, this level of accuracy is more than sufficient to verify attendance at the right location.
Best for mobile teams
Home care workers, construction crews, field service teams, and anyone working across multiple locations.
Location verification
Confirms staff are at the correct work site before allowing clock-in, reducing time theft and buddy punching.
Geofencing capability
Set boundaries around work sites to control where employees can clock in from.
Job site tracking
Track which staff attended which locations, useful for client billing and job costing.
How tablet time clocks work
Tablet time clocks provide a fixed, shared device where staff clock in and out at a central location. Typically, a tablet is mounted at the workplace entrance—think a retail store's back room, a café's kitchen entry, or an aged care facility's staff area. Employees identify themselves (using a PIN, staff ID number, or facial recognition) and tap to start or end their shift.
This approach eliminates the need for staff to have their own devices. Everyone uses the same clock-in point, creating consistency and removing concerns about personal phone use during work hours. The tablet runs a dedicated time tracking app that syncs with your payroll system, capturing all attendance data centrally.
Quality tablet time clock systems include features like photo capture on clock-in (to verify identity), offline operation (so internet outages don't stop clock-ins), and manager override capabilities for fixing errors. The larger screen compared to phones makes them easier to use, especially for workers with vision impairments or limited tech confidence.
Central clock-in point
Fixed location suitable for retail stores, cafes, aged care facilities, warehouses, and other static workplaces.
No personal devices needed
Eliminates BYOD concerns and works for staff without smartphones.
Larger screen interface
Easier to use than phone apps, especially for staff with vision impairments or lower tech literacy.
Identity verification
Photo capture or facial recognition reduces buddy punching and time fraud.
Privacy and compliance considerations
Location tracking raises important privacy questions under Australian law. Fair Work Australia and privacy legislation require employers to have legitimate business reasons for tracking employee location, and staff must be informed in writing about what's being tracked and why.
For GPS time clocks, best practice means only tracking location during work hours, not when staff are off duty. The system should stop recording location the moment someone clocks off. Employees should have visibility into what location data is being captured—transparency builds trust and reduces concerns about surveillance.
Tablet time clocks have fewer privacy implications since they don't track location. However, if you use photo capture or facial recognition for identity verification, you're collecting biometric data. This requires informed consent and compliance with privacy principles around data storage and use. Both approaches must maintain secure records that meet Fair Work's 7-year record-keeping requirements for time and wages data.
Privacy compliance requirements
- Inform employees in writing about location tracking before implementing GPS time clocks
- Only track location during work hours, not outside shifts
- Obtain consent for biometric data collection (photos, facial recognition)
- Secure all time and wages data according to Fair Work record-keeping standards
- Provide employees with access to their own time and location records on request
Cost comparison and ROI
GPS time clock apps typically have lower upfront costs since they run on existing smartphones. Most systems charge per-user monthly fees, typically ranging from $3-8 per employee. You avoid hardware purchases, but you may need to provide company phones for staff without suitable personal devices. Some Australian awards include allowances for employees required to use personal phones for work purposes.
Tablet time clocks require hardware investment—a tablet, mounting equipment, and possibly a protective case. A business-grade tablet setup might cost $500-800 per location. However, multiple employees share the same device, so the per-employee cost decreases with team size. Software fees are similar to GPS apps, typically charged per user.
The real ROI comes from eliminating time theft, reducing payroll errors, and improving compliance. Industry estimates suggest businesses lose 2-8% of payroll costs to time theft and rounding errors. For a business with $500,000 in annual wages, that's $10,000-40,000 lost to inaccurate time tracking. Either system pays for itself quickly if it solves this problem.
GPS time clock costs
- $3-8 per employee per month for software
- No hardware costs if using staff smartphones
- Possible phone allowances under some awards
- Lower upfront investment, scales with headcount
Tablet time clock costs
- $3-8 per employee per month for software
- $500-800 per tablet including mounting hardware
- Cost per employee decreases with larger teams
- Higher upfront cost, lower ongoing per-user expense
Which solution suits your industry
The right choice depends more on where your staff work than any inherent superiority of one technology over another. Here's a practical breakdown by industry:
GPS time clocks work best for:
- Home care and community services (staff visiting client homes)
- Construction and trades (crews working across multiple sites)
- Maintenance and facilities management (technicians traveling between locations)
- Cleaning services (teams working at different client premises)
- Field sales and service (staff covering territories)
- Delivery and logistics (drivers covering routes)
Tablet time clocks work best for:
- Retail stores (staff working at a single shop location)
- Hospitality venues (cafes, restaurants, pubs with fixed premises)
- Aged care facilities (staff working at a single residential site)
- Manufacturing and warehouses (workers in one location)
- Offices (administrative and professional services teams)
- Healthcare facilities (hospitals, clinics, medical centres)
Some businesses benefit from a hybrid approach. A home care agency might use GPS for field workers and a tablet for office-based coordinators. A construction company might use GPS for site crews and tablets for warehouse staff. Modern time and attendance systems support both methods within the same platform, giving you flexibility to match technology to role.
Implementation considerations
Regardless of which approach you choose, successful implementation requires clear communication with staff. Introduce the new system with transparency about why you're implementing it, what data will be collected, and how it benefits everyone (accurate pay, fair distribution of hours, better roster communication).
Communicate early and often
Tell staff about the new system before implementing it. Explain why it's being introduced, what will be tracked, and address privacy concerns upfront.
Provide training and support
Run training sessions showing staff how to use the system. Create simple guides with screenshots. Make sure everyone knows who to contact if they have issues.
Test before full rollout
Run a pilot with a small group before rolling out to everyone. Identify technical issues and refine processes before committing the entire workforce.
Have a backup plan
Technical problems happen. Establish a manual backup process for the first few weeks so payroll isn't disrupted if the system goes down.
Review and refine
After a month, gather feedback from staff and managers. What's working? What's frustrating? Use this input to refine processes and settings.
Beyond choosing the right technology, a comprehensive approach to attendance tracking includes setting clear goals, training managers, and regular audits. Our guide on attendance improvements to prioritise provides a strategic framework for optimising your time and attendance systems.
Frequently asked questions
What is a GPS time clock app?
A GPS time clock app uses location tracking to verify where employees clock in and out. It records the exact GPS coordinates when staff start or finish shifts, helping businesses ensure workers are at the correct job site or location when they clock on. Learn more about time and attendance features.
Are GPS time clocks legal in Australia?
GPS time clocks are legal in Australia when used appropriately. Employers must have a legitimate business reason for tracking location (such as verifying attendance at remote sites), inform employees about location tracking in writing, and comply with privacy legislation. Location should only be tracked during work hours, not outside shifts.
What are the advantages of tablet time clocks?
Tablet time clocks provide a fixed, shared clock-in point suitable for workplaces where staff work at a central location. They eliminate the need for personal devices, provide a larger screen for easier use, and can be wall-mounted at entry points. They work well for retail stores, cafes, aged care facilities, and other static work environments.
Which industries benefit most from GPS time clocks?
GPS time clocks work best for mobile and distributed workforces including home care workers visiting client homes, construction crews working across multiple sites, maintenance teams traveling between locations, delivery drivers and couriers, and field service technicians. Any business with staff working away from a fixed location benefits from GPS verification.
Can employees clock in from anywhere with GPS time clocks?
Most GPS time clock systems allow employers to set geofencing boundaries. This means employees can only clock in when they're within a specified radius of the work location. If someone tries to clock in from home or another location outside the boundary, the system blocks the clock-in or flags it for manager review.
What happens if a tablet time clock loses internet connection?
Quality time and attendance systems store clock-in data locally on the tablet and sync it to the cloud once the connection is restored. This means staff can continue clocking in and out during internet outages without losing any data. Businesses in regional areas or locations with unreliable internet should prioritise systems with offline capability.
How accurate is GPS for time tracking?
Modern GPS time clock apps are typically accurate to within 5-10 metres under normal conditions. Accuracy can be affected by tall buildings, dense tree cover, or being indoors. For most business purposes, this level of accuracy is sufficient to verify that an employee is at the correct work site or service location.
Do I need to provide devices for GPS time tracking?
Most GPS time clock systems run on employees' personal smartphones using a BYOD (bring your own device) approach. If staff don't have suitable devices or if privacy concerns exist, businesses can provide company phones. Some Australian awards include allowances for employees required to use personal devices for work purposes.
Related RosterElf features
Workforce management software built for shift workers
RosterElf gives Australian businesses the tools to manage rosters, track time, and support your compliance efforts—all in one platform designed for shift-based teams.
- GPS and tablet time clock options in one system
- Geofencing and location verification built in
- Smooth payroll integration with Australian systems
Disclaimer: This article provides general guidance only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Privacy laws and workplace regulations change over time. Always verify current requirements using official Fair Work Ombudsman and Office of the Australian Information Commissioner resources before implementing location tracking or biometric data collection.
