Attendance and access control, with or without signal
A company with more than 50 workers tracked who came in, who left and who ate on Excel and WhatsApp. I built an app that logs entries, exits, visitors and canteen meals, with a QR badge. Out in the field it keeps working with no signal. Management sees on the web who is on site right now.
The challenge
The client moves more than 50 workers around its site, plus the visitors and suppliers who come in every day. All of it was written by hand and ended up between a WhatsApp thread and an Excel sheet.
The problem was not the spreadsheet. Nobody knew who was on site at any given moment, and finding out meant a phone call. And part of the work happens away from the site, out in the field, where coverage is never a given. No tool that relied on a live connection would do there.
The solution
I built a mobile app and a web dashboard that share the same data. In the app each role sees its own screen. The guard logs entries and exits with the QR badge. The supervisor marks the start and end of work. The kitchen records who takes breakfast, lunch or dinner. Every record keeps a photo and a location.
On site there is signal, out in the field not always. So the app saves to the phone itself and uploads everything once coverage returns. If someone lost their badge, it can be done by hand. Management opens the web and sees the day live: who is on site, how many people are working and how many meals were served. The shift logs too, with their photos.
Results
Knowing who is on site stopped being a phone call. It is on screen, up to date, split between permanent staff, temporary staff and visitors. So is the day’s output in the field: how many people are working and how many are stopped, right now. Records happen on the spot even with no signal, and upload once coverage returns.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the team spends days in the field without signal?
Nothing is lost and nothing blocks. Records stay on the phone for as long as it takes and sync on their own the moment coverage comes back.
What if someone loses their QR badge?
It is logged by hand. The QR badge speeds up the queue, but it is not required, so nobody is left waiting at the gate.
Can you see who is on site right now?
Yes. There is a screen with the total number of people on site, split between permanent staff, temporary staff and visitors.