Who this is for
Admins and managers who want a clear, practical overview of how Worksana captures location, what “accurate” looks like, and what can cause beacons to drift.
At a Glance
Foreground events (punch in, meal start, meal end, clock out): Worksana embeds Google/Apple Maps. When a user interacts while the app is open, location is generally very accurate.
Background check-ins: About every 15 minutes, Worksana asks the device “Where are you?” and saves that point. Useful, but often less precise.
NOTE: This is to preserve battery life. If we used navigation level tracking (which provides the most accuracy), a phone's battery would not make it through an entire shift without needing to be recharged. Currently, the app should only consume around 10% battery over the course of 12 hours.
Closed app: If the app is swiped closed, we can’t collect background points.
Tip: For the most accurate foreground pin, have users wait a second for the map’s blue dot to settle before tapping.
How Worksana Captures Location
Foreground (app open)
A live Google or Apple map is embedded directly in the app.
When users perform an action (punch in, meal start/end, clock out), Worksana requests the device’s current location and attaches it to that event.
Users can see their “supposed” location on the map. If it looks off, it usually snaps to the correct spot within a second or two.
Background (app not active)
Approximately every 15 minutes, Worksana asks the OS for a location.
Because the app is in the background, the OS may provide a coarser point (block-level vs. doorway-level).
These points are helpful for timelines and movement, but won’t match turn-by-turn navigation accuracy.
When the app is closed
If the app is force-quit/swiped away, the OS stops background activity for Worksana.
We can’t collect the 15-minute beacons until the app is reopened.
What You’ll See in Worksana
Event pins (Green): The most reliable points, tied to punch in/out and meal start/end while the app is open.
Background beacons (Red): Time-stamped points roughly every 15 minutes to fill in the timeline when users aren’t interacting.
Accuracy Expectations
Foreground events: Typically very accurate because the OS is actively refreshing location while the map is visible.
Background beacons: “Good enough” for general whereabouts, but they can be off by a building or more depending on conditions.
Fast movement: If someone taps immediately after opening the app or while moving quickly, the OS may still be settling on a fixed location.
Worksana depends on the phone’s own location services. If the phone provides a coarse or stale point, that’s what any app (including us) receives.
FAQ: Why Might a Location Look Wrong?
User tapped before the location refreshed
If a user taps punch/meal right after opening the screen, the phone may still be updating its position. Waiting a second helps.
Indoors, dense buildings, or heavy cover
GPS signals struggle indoors, under dense trees, or between tall buildings (“urban canyon” effect). The phone may fall back to Wi-Fi or cell towers.
Background mode and battery optimization
iOS Low Power Mode and Android battery optimization/Doze can throttle background updates or reduce accuracy. This can also result in "stale" locations.
If Worksana is force-quit, background beacons stop completely.
Permissions set to “While Using the App” or “Approximate”
“While Using” can make background beacons less accurate. "Always Allow" is the preferred setting.
Note: We never ask for device location unless the employee is clocked-in. We do not track off the clock locations. The "Always Allow" setting improves background accuracy while clocked-in. However, it must be manually set in Settings after installation due to OS limitations by both Google and Apple.
Turning off “Precise Location” (iOS) or “Use precise location” (Android) makes pins less exact.
Wi-Fi off or weak
Even if not connected, phones use nearby Wi-Fi networks to refine location. With Wi-Fi off, accuracy can drop.
Cell-only areas or poor signal
In rural areas or dead zones, the device may report a rough position based on distant towers.
Device differences
Older phones and weaker GPS chipsets can take longer to lock on and may be less accurate overall.
Map snapping and roads
The OS may infer you’re on a nearby road/building. If multiple candidates exist, the blue dot can “jump” until it settles.
Temporary data delays
Spotty networks can cause cached or delayed coordinates, corrected shortly after.
Troubleshooting Checklist for Admins
Start with permissions
iPhone
Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Worksana
Allow Location Access: Always
Precise Location: On
Background App Refresh: On
Android
Settings > Apps > Worksana > Permissions > Location
Allow all the time
Use precise location: On
Battery optimization: Exempt Worksana if possible
Coach best practices
Open Worksana and wait a second for the blue dot to settle before tapping.
Don’t force-quit Worksana during the shift; leave it in the background. (Switching to the home screen or switching to another app will leave Worksana running in the background. Swiping close the app is a force quit.)
Keep Wi-Fi on (even if not connected).
Avoid Low Power Mode during active work.
If a pin looks off, give it a moment — it often corrects quickly.
When pins are consistently off
Toggle Location Services off/on, then reopen Worksana.
Reboot the device if the blue dot is wrong in all apps, not just Worksana.
Check for OS updates.
Verify no VPN tools are running
What Worksana Doesn’t Do
No real-time, turn-by-turn tracking.
No continuous recording between the 15-minute intervals.
How to Explain This to Your Team (Copy/Paste)
“Worksana uses your phone’s location services. When you have the app open, you’ll see a live map. If you wait a second before tapping punch/meal, the blue dot usually snaps to your exact spot. In the background, Worksana checks in about every 15 minutes to add a point to your timeline. Those background points are helpful but not as precise. Please don’t force-quit the app during your shift, keep Precise Location on, and leave Wi-Fi enabled for best results.”
Known Limitations
If the app is swiped closed, background beacons stop.
In some areas, GPS may be weak and rely on less precise signals.
Battery-saver settings can reduce frequency or precision of background points.