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How to Set Up Geofencing in uKnowva

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31 Dec 2019
Attendance
Written by Manali Dalvi
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Geofencing and Geotagging in uKnowva help enforce location-based attendance policies. Employees are only allowed to punch in/out from approved locations as per predefined geolocation rules.

Step 1: Configure Location Master

Navigate to: Left Menu > HR > Masters > Location

  1. Click on Add New Location
  2. Fill in the following fields:
  • Location Name (e.g., Vidhyavihar)
  • Latitude (e.g., 19.081302)
  • Longitude (e.g., 72.895735)
  • Radius (in meters, e.g., 20000) – defines how far from the central location punch is allowed
  • Published – Set to Yes

Tip: Use Google Maps to fetch accurate latitude and longitude and configure in location master.

Step 2: Configure Virtual Biometric Plugin

  1. Go to:uKnowva Config > Plugin Manager > Virtual Biometric - Attendance Tracker
  2. Enable or configure the following options: 

Option

Description

Restrict Punch-Ins to Geofenced Locations

Enable (Yes) to restrict punch-ins outside allowed geofenced locations.

Restrict Punch-Outs to Geofenced Locations

Enable (Yes) to restrict punch-outs from outside locations.

Prevent Punching from Restricted Locations

Enable to restrict punch from any location marked as disapproved.

Track Location Mandatorily  

 

Always keep this set to YES to ensure the system captures location at every punch-in/punch-out.

Advanced Filters:

Option

Description

Skip Location Restrictions for Selected Groups

Select groups that should be exempt from geofencing rules.

Exclude users for Location Restrictions

Individually exempt specific users.

Profile Field for Allow Location

Select the profile field used to determine location-wise permission (e.g., “Branch” or “Location”) stored in employee’s Profile

Only Profile Selected Location Allowed

Enable to ensure users can only punch-in from locations assigned to them in their profile.

Step 3: Device and Map Configuration (For Accurate Geotagging)

To ensure Geotagging works effectively, configure the following:

1. Allow Device Location (Mobile Devices / Laptop)

Make sure employees’ devices are set up properly:

  • Location Services must be turned ON.
  • uKnowva Mobile App must have permission set to: “Allow all the time” (for Android) & “Always” (for iOS)
  • Battery Saver/Optimizations must be disabled for the uKnowva app to prevent location data from being blocked.
  • High Accuracy Mode in Location Settings should be enabled.

If permissions are not granted, the app may not capture real-time location data.

Android Settings

  1. Enable Location Services (Android)
    • Path: Settings > Location > Use location (toggle ON)
  2. uKnowva App Permission - Location Always Allowed
    • Path: Settings > Apps > uKnowva > Permissions > Location > Allow all the time
  3. Disable Battery Optimization for uKnowva
    • Path: Settings > Apps > uKnowva > Battery > Unrestricted or Not Optimized
  4. Enable High Accuracy Mode
    • Path: Settings > Location > Location Services > Google Location Accuracy > ON

 iOS Settings

  1. Enable Location Services (iOS)
    • Path: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Toggle ON
  2. uKnowva App Location Permission - Always
    • Path: Settings > uKnowva > Location > Always
  3. Disable Low Power Mode (optional to improve accuracy)
    • Path: Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode > OFF

2. Create and Configure Google Maps API Key (Optional)

uKnowva uses Google Maps to capture and validate geolocation. You’ll need to create your own Maps API key for production use.

Click here to view the step-by-step guide on creating a Google Maps API Key

Add API Key in Virtual Biometric - Attendance Tracker plugin:

  • Go to:
    uKnowva Config > Plugin Manager > Virtual Biometric - Attendance Tracker
  • Paste your API Key in the Google Map API Key field named ‘Enter your Google Maps API Key which will be used to track the employee's location’

Using your own API Key avoids quota limits or outages due to shared key restrictions. 

Best Practices for Geofencing & Geotagging

  1. Keep Location Radius Practical
    Avoid very large radii (like 20,000m) unless necessary. Typical office boundaries can use 200m to 500m.
  2. Use Exclusion Options Cautiously
    Exempt only genuine cases like top management or employees in roaming roles (e.g., sales staff).
  3. Educate Employees
    Inform employees about how geofencing works to avoid confusion when punch-in fails.
  4. Validate GPS Accuracy
    Ask employees to enable high-accuracy GPS mode on their phones to ensure correct coordinates.
  5. Map Profile Fields with Locations
    Use consistent profile fields like “Branch” or “Work Location” to dynamically assign allowed punch-in locations.
  6. Monitor Mobile App Permissions
    Ensure the uKnowva app has location permission (preferably “Always Allow”) on employees’ devices.
  7. Use Your Own Google Maps Key
    This improves reliability and ensures your organization is not dependent on the default/shared quota
  1. Test on Real Devices
    Before rolling out geofencing company-wide, test on multiple Android and iOS devices to confirm accuracy.
  2. Restrict Punch Without Location
    Make “Track Location Mandatorily” always YES to prevent employees from bypassing location rules.
  3. Encourage Mobile App Updates
    Ensure users are on the latest version of the uKnowva app to benefit from recent geolocation improvements.

 

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