Viewing Mobile App Check In/Out data and Recorded kms in the Web App
When Staff use the SupportAbility Mobile App to Check In/Out of their shifts and/or Record kms, this does not automatically update the Staff Members’ shift time or update the Private and/or Company Kilometres fields in the Web App.
This data is displayed in the Staff section of the Activity record in the Web App by way of a coloured status flag - green, amber or red, based on the difference in time/kms from the rostered to the actual.
These status flags can be selected to view the details of this in the ‘Check In/Out and Recorded kms’ window. If this needs to be updated in the Web App, e.g., Recorded kms for reimbursement, this can be synchronised here as required by the Staff Member or a Team Leader.
This article provides an overview of this functionality, outlines the thresholds of the different coloured status flags for both Check In/Out and Recorded kms, discusses viewing this data, and how to synchronise this where necessary. Information on how to view this data in the Activity Staff Report export is also available.
Audience: Authorised Customer Representatives, Team Leaders, Support Staff
Summary
The following list summarises the content within this article. Click on the links below to take you to the relevant sections:
- Overview and important information
- Check In/Out Status Flag thresholds
- Viewing the Check In/Out data
- Recorded kms Status Flag thresholds
- Viewing Recorded kms
- Viewing Check In/Out and Recorded kms after Activity Sign Off
- Activity Staff Report export
Overview and important information
As mentioned above, when Staff are using the SupportAbility Mobile App to Check In/Out of their shifts and/or Record kms, this does not automatically update the Staff Members’ shift time or update the Private and/or Company Kilometres fields in the Web App.
This data is displayed in the Staff section of the Activity record of the Web App by way of a coloured status flag - green, amber or red, based on the difference in time/kms from the rostered to the actual.
These coloured status flags are designed to indicate that Check In/Out times and/or Recorded kms have been entered via the Mobile App and to draw attention to anything that differs significantly from the rostered shift times, for example, a red status flag indicates this may require review.
Staff Members can see the status flags for their own shifts/kms, and Staff Members with access to the Activity and the Team Leader privilege can see the status flags for all Staff shifts/kms.
Status flags can be selected to open the ‘Check In/Out and Recorded kms’ window, to view the details of this and synchronise this in the Web App where necessary, e.g. Recorded kms for reimbursement. Synchronising the recorded data either customises the Staff Members shift time, or updates their Private/Company kms fields.
This is not dissimilar from staff being able to customise their shifts and entering Private or Company kms in the Web App, however, using Check In/Out and Recorded kms in the Mobile App allows for an audit trail, whereas the existing ability to customise shifts in the Web App does not.
The Mobile App Check In/Out functionality operates independently to the Staff Timesheet Sign Off. When Staff Members complete the Check In/Out, it does not simultaneously complete the Staff Timesheet Sign Off. They are, in essence, two separate workflows.
Should your organisation wish to commence using the Mobile App Check In/Out and Record kms functionality, as with all new features that might change your current workflow, we recommend piloting this functionality first.
- Staff Timesheet Sign Off in the Web App
- Check In/Out in the Mobile App
- Both of the above
The Staff Timesheet Sign Off can still be completed, even if the Mobile App has been used for Check In and Out, but this must be completed using the Web App at this stage. If not completed, the Staff Timesheet Sign Off will continue to be automatically completed when the Activity Sign Off is performed.
If using both features, it is important to ensure that before a Staff Member completes their Timesheet Sign Off that they have synchronised any Recorded kms first, for example. This is important because once the Staff Timesheet Sign Off has been completed, the ‘Check In/Out and Recorded kms’ window becomes read-only.
It is important to note that the Mobile App Check In/Out and Record kms functionality is configurable by Service, allowing for the feature to be turned on or off for each Service. This will determine whether or not Staff can utilise this functionality in the Mobile App and subsequently how this will appear (or not appear) in the Web App.
Check In/Out Status Flag thresholds
Once a Staff Member has Checked In/Out of their shift, a status flag will appear in the Staff section of the Activity record in the Web App to indicate this:
These flags are designed to visually indicate when the actual start time or shift duration aligns with the rostered start time and shift duration, or if there has been a deviation from this that may need attention.
Three different coloured status flags are displayed based on the difference in start time or shift duration between the rostered and the actual:
- Green - a green flag appears when the Check In time, or actual shift duration, is less than 5 minutes different to the rostered start time or rostered shift duration.
- Amber - an amber flag appears when the Check In time, or actual shift duration is between 5-15 minutes different to the rostered start time or rostered shift duration.
- Red - a red flag appears when the Check In time, or actual shift duration is greater than 15 minutes different to the rostered start time or rostered shift duration.
At present, these thresholds cannot be configured.
It is important to note that you can see the status flags for your own shifts, and Staff Members with the Team Leader privilege can see the status flags for all Staff shifts.
Selecting the flag button opens the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window, where you can view the Check In/Out data and synchronise this to customise your shift where needed.
Viewing the Check In/Out data
To view Check In/Out data, select the relevant status flag, e.g. the amber flag for Abel:
This opens the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window, where the actual Check In and Out data can be viewed:
Where an asterisk is displayed, this indicates that there has been a manual entry meaning the Check In/Out time has been edited. It is important to clarify that Team Leaders can see the original Check In/Out times in the Activity Staff Report export, as outlined further below.
SupportAbility calculates the difference in the Check In/Out times where applicable and displays this in the 'Differences' column.
The coloured flags appear at the bottom of the relevant section, and the 'From' time and 'Duration' in the Difference column may appear in a different colour depending on whether or not there is a discrepancy.
The colour of the flag displayed is based on not only the difference in Check In time compared to the rostered shift start [From] time, but also the duration of the shift that has been worked in relation to the total duration of the rostered shift.
In the example above, we can see that an amber flag is displaying as Abel checked out of his shift 8 minutes early.
If we review another example, where a Staff Member was rostered to work a 12:15 pm - 2:00 pm shift, and they checked into the shift at 12:23 pm, then checked out of the shift at 1:50 pm, the Check In time is displayed as amber as this is 8 minutes after the expected shift start time.
However, given the individual checked out at 1:50 pm and they only worked part of the rostered 1 hour and 45-minute shift, a red flag appears to bring this to the Team Leader's attention:
Whereas, if the Staff Member checked in at 12:23 pm and checked out at 2:08 pm, even though they worked the full 1 hour and 45-minute shift, which aligns with the rostered shift duration, this appears with an amber flag due to the late Check In:
Synchronising Check In/Out times when necessary
If you need to update the rostered shift times with the Check In/Out time, this can be synchronised by selecting the arrow button that includes your Check In and/or Out time, e.g. 12:00 pm Check In time:
Once selected, this will appear in the rostered time:
When confirm is selected, this customises your shift times to align with your Check In/Out time:
Noting that the flag now appears in green in this example as there is no longer a discrepancy.
Synchronising the time via the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window is the same as customising your shift times in the Web App, with the key difference being that the actual Check In/Out times are always listed and stored under 'Recorded' via these status flags or when exporting the Activity Staff Report.
Staff Members with Team Leader privileges can also synchronise the Check In/Out times for the Staff Members they have access to as required to customise their shift times.
Check In/Out Locations
When Check In/Out has been configured to record Time and Location data, an additional Check In/Out Locations section will appear when viewing the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window:
Each of the pins indicates approximately where the Staff Member was when they Checked In or Out of their shift. The blue circle around the pin indicates the accuracy of the location data.
Clicking on each pin will show more information, including the address (when known) and the location accuracy within n. metres e.g:
Geolocation is only displayed in relation to Check In/Out as above in the SupportAbility Web App and is not visible in the SupportAbility Mobile App.
Check In/Out Location addresses and accuracy within metres are included in the Activity Staff Report export also, as outlined below.
Address lookup in progress
SupportAbility sends the location information access from the device to Google Maps to look up and display address and map data and location accuracy in the SupportAbility Web App.
Most of the time, this lookup occurs within seconds, however, it may take a few minutes to process. In such a case, 'Address lookup in progress. Please wait' will be displayed:
No address found
If Google Maps cannot determine an address from the data provided, 'No address found' will be displayed:
No location data
There may be instances when SupportAbility cannot access any location data related to this, even though Check In/Out has been configured to record Time and Location data:
The reasons for this are varied and may be due to:
- Phone permissions - staff must authorise SupportAbility to access the device's location data
- No location data can be accessed and, therefore, displayed if the Staff Member has not granted SupportAbility access to this
- Please see the How to Check In/Out and Record kms using the Mobile App article linked below for more information
- Edited Check In/Out - if the Check In/Out entry was edited entry outside of the active Check In/Out window i.e. one hour prior to or after the end of the shift time, geolocation is not captured
- No available GPS signal - if the Staff Member is connected to WiFi with no 3G/4G/5G (Mobile data) access, SupportAbility cannot access and record GPS data
Recorded kms Status Flag thresholds
Once a Staff Member has Recorded kms associated with their shift, a status flag will appear in the Staff section of the Activity record to indicate this:
These flags are designed to visually indicate when the total Recorded kms aligns with the rostered kms, or if there is a deviation from this that may need attention.
There are three different colours for status flags based on the difference in kms from the rostered to the actual, as outlined below.
- Green - a green flag appears when the total Recorded kms are less than 10% different to the total rostered kms.
- Amber - an amber flag appears when the total Recorded kms are between 10-25 % different to the total rostered kms.
- Red - a red flag appears when the total Recorded kms is greater than 25% different to the total rostered kms.
At present, these thresholds cannot be configured.
N.B. When no Private or Company Kilometres have been rostered and Recorded kms have been entered via the Mobile App, a red flag will appear to indicate kms have been entered regardless of the number of kms entered.
It is important to note that if both Private and Company kms have been recorded, SupportAbility checks the difference in kms in total and not against the different types. For example, if 20 Company kms were rostered and the Staff Member records 20 Private kms instead, a green flag will be shown, however, you will be able to see what type of kms have been recorded and correct this wherever necessary.
Similar to the above, you can see the status flag for Recorded kms for your own shifts, and only Staff Members with the Team Leader privilege can see the status flag for all Staff kms.
Selecting the flag button opens the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window, where you can view the Rostered kms and synchronise this where needed.
Viewing Recorded kms
To view Recorded kms, select the relevant status flag, for example, the red flag for Abel:
This opens the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window, where the Recorded kms can be viewed:
SupportAbility calculates the difference in the total Kilometres where applicable and displays this in the 'Differences' column.
The colour of the flag displayed is based on the difference in total Recorded kms compared to the total rostered kms, with the only exception to this being when there are no rostered kms, which will always appear with a red flag.
Synchronising Recorded kms when necessary
If you need to update the Private/Company kms based on the Recorded kms, this can be synchronised by selecting the arrow button that includes your Private or Company kms, e.g. 20 Private kms:
Once selected, this will appear in the rostered kms:
Once confirmed, this updates the Company/Private kms fields to align with this:
Noting that the flag now appears in green in this example as there is no longer a discrepancy.
Synchronising the kms via the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window is the same as entering Private or Company in the Web App, with the key difference being that the Recorded kms entered using the Mobile App are always listed and stored under 'Recorded' via these status flags or when exporting the Activity Staff Report.
Staff Members with Team Leader privileges can also synchronise the Recorded kms for the Staff Members they have access to as required to adjust or complete the Private or Company kms fields.
Viewing Check In/Out and Recorded kms after Activity Sign Off
Following the Activity Sign Off, this data will continue to be accessible via the Activity record, however, the status flags appear as grey:
To review the data, select the status flag, which will open the 'Check In/Out and Recorded Kilometres' window where this can be reviewed as required:
Activity Staff Report export
The Activity Staff Report export includes the following data in relation to Check In/Out and Recorded kms:
- Check In (Original) - reflects the Check In Date & Time when the Check In was recorded within the active Check In/Out window i.e. one hour prior to or after the shift start/end
- Check Out (Original) - reflects the Check Out Date & Time when the Check Out was recorded within the active Check In/Out window i.e. one hour prior to or after the shift start/end
- Check In Date & Time - reflects the final Check In Date & Time, i.e. edited time where applicable
- Check Out Date & Time - reflects the final Check Out Date & Time, i.e. edited where applicable
- Recorded Shift Duration - duration of the recorded shift based on Check In/Out Date & Time
- Recorded Time Status - as per the Status Flag
- Check In Location - based on Google Maps address data, blank when no location data is available
- Check In Location Accuracy - based on Google Maps address data, blank when no location data is available
- Check Out Location - based on Google Maps address data, blank when no location data is available
- Check Out Location Accuracy - based on Google Maps address data, blank when no location data is available
- Recorded Private kms - reflects the Private kms entered
- Recorded Company kms - reflects the Company kms entered
- Recorded kms Status - as per the Status Flag