Understanding Geofence Alerts

Geofencing is a location-based feature in the Attlock Guard app that helps ensure guards remain within their assigned site boundaries during a shift. If you've received a geofence alert, this article explains what it means and what to do.

What Is a Geofence?

A geofence is a virtual boundary drawn around a site on a map. Your company's administrator sets up these boundaries for each location. When you're clocked into a shift, the app monitors whether you're inside or outside the geofence for that site.

Geofences are used to:

• Confirm guards are present at their assigned location
• Automatically log arrival and departure from a site
• Alert supervisors if a guard leaves the site unexpectedly

What Happens When You Leave the Boundary

If you move outside the geofence while clocked in:

1. Your phone vibrates and displays a "You've left the site boundary" notification
2. A red banner appears at the top of the app
3. Your supervisor receives an automatic notification that you've left the geofenced area
4. The time you exited the boundary is recorded in the system

This alert is informational — it does not automatically clock you out or penalise you.

Returning to the Site

When you re-enter the geofence:

1. The red banner disappears
2. A brief "Back on site" confirmation appears
3. Your supervisor is notified that you've returned
4. The duration you were outside the boundary is logged

Common Reasons for Geofence Alerts

Not all geofence alerts indicate an issue. Common causes include:

• Legitimate site exit — escorting a visitor to the car park, checking the perimeter, or taking an authorised break nearby
• GPS drift — your phone's location signal temporarily shifted due to tall buildings, dense foliage, or indoor areas
• Tight boundary — the geofence may not include areas like loading docks, external car parks, or adjacent patrol zones
• Phone signal issues — temporary loss of GPS accuracy can briefly show you outside the boundary

GPS Accuracy and False Alerts

GPS positioning on mobile phones is accurate to roughly 5 to 15 metres under open sky. In certain conditions, accuracy drops:

If you receive a geofence alert while you're clearly inside the site, it's likely a GPS accuracy issue. The alert will usually resolve within a few seconds as your phone recalculates its position.

What to Do When You Receive an Alert

1. Check your location — are you actually outside the boundary?
2. If you left intentionally — continue your duty and the system will log your return automatically
3. If you didn't leave — wait a moment for GPS to correct itself; the alert should clear
4. If alerts persist incorrectly — inform your supervisor so they can review the geofence boundary settings

Tips

• Keep location services set to Always Allow for the most reliable geofence monitoring
• Don't close the app during your shift — it needs to run in the background for geofencing to work
• If you regularly get false alerts at a particular site, let your supervisor know — the geofence boundary may need adjustment
• Geofence alerts are visible in your shift history, so your supervisor can see context for any boundary exits

Related Articles

• Clocking In and Out of Shifts
• Using Offline Mode
• Downloading & Setting Up the Guard App