Interpret GPS tracking CSV report (Quickbooks time)

Hi there, mkic.  I’m here to help you interpret the data from the CSV file related to your employees' locations.

The local_timestamp field indicates the exact date and time when a GPS point was recorded for the individual listed. This timestamp is essential for calculating how long a person was present at a scheduled location. To determine the actual time a person was present at a location, you'll need to look at time local_timestamp and accuracy_in_meters columns. A change in the accuracy_in_meters column means a change in location. Thus, the duration between subsequent timestamps represent the time spent at a location. 

For example, if an employee's first timestamp is at 11:15 at 10.9 accuracy_in_meters, and then a change in the accuracy_in_meters column is observed at the next timestamp (12:57), this would mean that the employee was at 10.9 accuracy_in_meters for 1 hour and 42 minutes.

For more detailed guidance on reading data from QuickBooks Time, refer to these articles:

• Use QuickBooks Time GPS Tracking as admin or manager
• Understand QuickBooks Time GPS

You may also use our help articles on tracking time for further help on the matter.

Understanding the local_timestamp and accuracy_in_meters fields is crucial for accurately calculating the time spent at scheduled locations. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out, mkic. We’re here to help you make the most of QuickBooks Time.

Thank you so much for the prompt reply AnneMarie! 

This is super helpful, clarified a lot of things for me. A few follow-up questions!

1) A quick confirmation - is accuracy in meters measured from latitude/longitude included in that row or the latitude/longitude of the scheduled address? Said other way, accuracy in meters = scheduled latitude/longitude - actual latitude/longitude (as shown in data)?

2) Also, sometimes I see some discrepancies between this report and Report->Payroll Report->Individual timesheets. For example, the GPS report would show that person A was at location A for 10 hours but the individual timesheets would show that person A was at location A for 4.5 hours and location B for 5.5 hours. I am assuming hours in individual timesheets are actual hours based on their GPS location. Am I interpreting this wrong?

3) Also, what would happen if geofence flag was turned off at store level?

Sorry that is a lot of questions but this will help my understanding a lot! Thanks!

Can anyone please help me with this? I am really stuck with this discrepancy in our reports. Thanks!

Hello there,mkic. I'll assist you in resolving the discrepancy report and connect you to our support team. This to ensure that you have accurate tracking of the employee's time in the reports.

The system considers recorded hours in individual timesheets as actual hours based on GPS location data only if the employee consents to sharing their location and confirms their shift. Rejection or failure to confirm the shift will result in no sharing of GPS points and the exclusion of location data from the timesheet.

Hence, you can review the GPS data and individual timesheets to determine the root cause of any observed discrepancies. It's also important to check the clock-in and clock-out times, breaks, and other relevant information.

Also, I suggest reaching out to our Customer Support team for assistance. They can verify the information in your report to ensure that you can monitor them precisely. To get in touch with them, please follow the steps below:

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Time and select Help.
2. Select Contact Us.
3. Enter your concern, then click Continue.
4. Choose a way to connect with us:
   • Chat with us to chat with a support expert.
   • Have us call you to get a callback from the next available expert.
      

Please refer to this article for more information on the process, including the support hours: Contact QuickBooks Time support.
 

I'll provide helpful links to assist you in tracking your employees' locations and answer your questions regarding geofencing and GPS tracking with QuickBooks Time:

• GPS tracking and geofencing FAQs for employers
• Use geofencing in QuickBooks Time
   

If you require further assistance with generating reports or have any inquiries regarding QuickBooks, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm here to help. Take care!