How to Automate Time Tracking with Geofence, Wi-Fi and NFC

The hardest part of time tracking is the one second between starting a task and remembering to tap the start button. Most people lose that second a few times a week, then quietly stop trusting their own data. Automation is what stops the cycle: the phone notices you've arrived at the office, you've joined the right Wi-Fi, or you've tapped an NFC tag, and the timer takes care of itself.

All three triggers are on the free Basic plan, on Android and iOS. This is the practical setup.

#The Three Triggers at a Glance

You can run one, two or all three. The combinations at the bottom of this post show realistic setups.

#Geofence: Trigger on Location

Geofence automation uses your phone's location to detect when you arrive at or leave a specific place.

#Setup

1. Open Timesheet, go to Settings
2. Find Automation then Geofence
3. Tap Add Location
4. Enter an address, use your current location, or drop a pin
5. Set the radius (see below)
6. Pick the project the timer should start on
7. Choose the trigger action: start on entry, stop on exit, or both
8. Save

#Choosing the Radius

• 50 to 100 meters: precise downtown offices
• 100 to 250 meters: most offices in a normal building
• 250 to 500 meters: large campuses or shared parking
• 500 to 1000 meters: rural areas, weaker GPS signal

If the timer starts too early (still in the parking lot), shrink the radius. If it doesn't trigger reliably, grow it.

#Multiple Locations, Multiple Projects

One geofence per location, each with its own project:

• Office address → "Internal"
• Client A's office → "Client A"
• Client B's job site → "Client B"
• Home office → "Home Office"

Arriving at Client A's office tracks to Client A automatically. No menu, no decision.

#Wi-Fi: Trigger on Network

Wi-Fi triggers are often more reliable than GPS indoors. Connect to the network, timer starts. Disconnect, timer stops.

#Setup

1. Settings → Automation → Wi-Fi Triggers
2. Tap Add Network
3. Select from detected networks, or enter the SSID manually
4. Pick the project
5. Set trigger actions (connect, disconnect, or both)
6. Save

#Tips That Save Debugging Later

Pick the network you connect to every day. Not the guest network you sometimes use.

Add every access point your office uses. Big offices have multiple SSIDs (e.g., "Office", "Office-5G", "Office-Guest"). If you might roam between them, add them all.

Pair with geofence. Wi-Fi catches you when you connect; geofence catches you when you arrive. Together they cover each other's failure modes.

#NFC: Trigger on Tap

NFC tags are stickers you program once and tap to trigger. A pack of ten costs less than lunch. Perfect for switching projects on the fly or for situations where you want a deliberate "I'm starting now" action.

#What You Need

• NFC tags compatible with NTAG213 or NTAG215 (most generic packs)
• A phone with NFC (most Android phones from 2014 onward; all iPhones from XS onward)

#Setup

1. Settings → Automation → NFC
2. Tap Add NFC Tag
3. Hold a blank tag against the phone's NFC antenna
4. Name the tag (e.g., "Desk", "Workshop", "Client A Folder")
5. Pick the project
6. Choose the action: start, stop, or toggle
7. Stick the tag where you'll use it

#Placement Ideas That Actually Get Used

• On the desk: tap when you sit down
• On the door frame: tap on the way in and out
• On a tool or machine: tap when you start using it
• In the car: tap when you start a client visit
• On project folders: one tag per client, tap to switch projects

#NFC Best Practices

Use "toggle" mode for single-tag setups. One tap starts, the next stops.

Use separate start/stop tags if you want deliberate control.

Label the tags physically. Stickers all look alike.

Don't stick NFC tags directly on metal. It detunes the antenna. Use the supplied foam spacer or a non-metal surface.

#Realistic Combinations

#Office Worker

1. Geofence at the office address (250m radius) starts "Work"
2. Wi-Fi trigger for the office SSID confirms you're actually inside
3. NFC tag on the desk switches between project A and project B during the day

#Field Worker

1. Geofence at home base for internal admin time
2. Geofence at every regular client site, each set to that client's project
3. NFC tag in the vehicle to track drive time

#Hybrid Worker

1. Wi-Fi trigger at the office SSID for office days
2. Wi-Fi trigger at the home SSID for remote days
3. Geofence at client sites for the occasional on-site visit

#Battery: What Actually Drains It

Location-based automation uses GPS, which affects battery. The fixes:

#Allow Background Location

On Android: phone Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Location → set to Allow all the time.

On iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Timesheet → Always.

Without this, the OS will pause the geofence when the app is closed, and triggers will miss.

#Exempt from Battery Optimization

On Android: Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Battery → set to Unrestricted (Pixel) or Not optimized (other OEMs). Aggressive Doze can kill the geofence service.

#Keep Your Geofence Count Honest

Each active geofence costs a little. If you have 15 locations but only visit three of them, deactivate the rest. Use Wi-Fi or NFC for occasional places.

#Troubleshooting

#Timer Doesn't Start When I Arrive

• Location permission must be "Always" or "Allow all the time"
• Increase the radius by 50 to 100 meters
• Check battery optimization isn't killing the app
• Verify the right project is mapped to that geofence

#Timer Starts Too Early or Stops Too Late

• Shrink the radius
• GPS has 20 to 50m variance in cities. Account for it.
• Add a Wi-Fi trigger as a confirmation step

#Timer Doesn't Stop When I Leave

• Increase the radius slightly. Strange, but exiting a too-small geofence can be missed.
• Ensure "stop on exit" is enabled
• Check you're actually leaving the geofence (not just deep inside a building with poor GPS)

#NFC Tag Not Detected

• Enable NFC in phone settings
• Try moving the phone slightly. The antenna is in a specific spot on every phone.
• Don't place the tag on metal without a spacer
• Replace the tag if it's been bent or damaged

#What's Next

Get one trigger working, run it for a week, then add the next:

• Organize work with projects and tags so the right project starts automatically
• Track breaks and working hours alongside automated start
• Read your statistics to verify the automation is catching what you expect