Time tracking for cleaning companies: proof of attendance and hours per client
Cleaning staff clock in at each client site by scanning a QR code fixed in the client's premises, or inside a GPS zone around the address. You get proof the team was there, hours per client for invoicing and quotes, and a payroll-ready record – even from basements with no signal.
Updated:
Why time tracking is hard in cleaning and facilities
- Scattered teams. People work at dozens of client sites, often early morning or late evening, with no supervisor present.
- "Your team never came." A client complains, and you have only the cleaner's word.
- Hours per client. Contracts are billed per hour or per visit, but the real hours sit on sheets filled in at the end of the week.
- Travel between clients. You can't tell how much of the day is travel and how much is cleaning.
- High turnover and new starters who may not speak English well.
- Buildings without signal – basements, car parks, warehouses.
How teams clock in at a client site
| Method | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| QR code at the client | A printed code fixed in the plant room or cleaners' cupboard; staff scan it on arrival and departure | Recurring contracts: offices, communal areas, shops |
| GPS zone | Clock-in accepted only within a radius around the client's address | One-off jobs where you can't fix a code |
| Selfie (optional) | A photo at clock-in, kept 30 days then deleted automatically | When a demanding client wants visual confirmation |
| Face ID / fingerprint on the phone | Checked on the employee's phone via passkey; we only receive the confirmation | So nobody clocks in for a colleague |
GPS is read only at the moment of clocking in or out, not all day. Staff aren't tracked between clients, which matters for GDPR. Staff who start at your depot can use an entrance tablet with a PIN, printed badge or personal rotating code. See the GPS time clock and QR code time clock.
Hours per client for invoicing and quotes
Each client or building is a location in the app, with its own QR code and GPS zone. Hours add up per location, so you know exactly:
- how many hours the team worked at each client this month;
- whether a "20 hours a month" contract actually takes 32;
- what to quote at renewal or for a new tender;
- what to send the client as proof of attendance, with arrival and departure times.
Filter the Excel, CSV or PDF export by client. On Standard you also get an API and webhooks (Zapier, Make, n8n) to send hours straight to your invoicing software.
Travel time between clients
Travel can be working time. In case C-266/14 (Tyco, 2015), the CJEU held that for workers with no fixed or habitual workplace, travel between home and their first and last customer of the day counts as working time under the Working Time Directive. For UK minimum wage purposes, GOV.UK guidance treats travel between assignments during the working day as working time, while ordinary home-to-first-job travel is not.
Because every arrival and departure is punched, QRtimetrack shows time at clients and the gaps between them separately. That helps you check working time limits and that average pay stays above the minimum wage.
No signal in the basement? It works offline
Phone punches are saved locally with the real time and location and sent automatically when the signal returns. The report shows the punch time, not the upload time, and a changed phone clock is flagged.
Supervisors see their own teams
- Area supervisors use the team-lead app: who has arrived at each client and who hasn't.
- Out-of-zone punches ("sent to a different client") come with a reason; approve or reject them.
- Send tasks ("deep clean, 3rd floor") from the app, and messages through the built-in chat.
- Leave is requested and approved in the app; on leave, staff can't clock in.
- If your group runs several companies (cleaning, security, facilities), manage them from one account.
Early, late and night shifts, and overtime
Office cleaning often happens before 7 am or after 10 pm. Regular work in those hours can make someone a night worker, with limits on average hours and a right to a health assessment – see night work rules in the UK and Ireland. In the app, night, weekend and overtime hours appear separately.
With overtime confirmation on, anyone staying past the schedule confirms with the client's QR code and a photo; otherwise they're clocked out at the scheduled end. For the money side, see how to calculate overtime pay.
Pricing
€1.99 per active employee per month, minimum 5 billed (€9.95/month), excl. VAT. The number of clients and locations doesn't matter. Start with 7 days free, no card, up to 10 employees. If you want a tablet at your depot for staff who start from there, see the special offer: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+, 3 months free and a step-by-step setup guide (about 10 minutes, done by you) for €299 outside Romania.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prove to a client that my team was there?
Each punch carries server time, the GPS position at that moment and – if you use the client's QR code – proof the employee was physically next to it. You can add an optional selfie. Then export the hours for that client as a PDF.
Is it legal to use GPS for cleaning staff?
Location is read only at clock-in and clock-out, not continuously, and staff must be told in writing what's processed and why. Under the GDPR and UK GDPR, monitoring should be necessary, proportionate and transparent. QRtimetrack includes an employee information template and a DPIA template.
How do I record hours for staff who move between clients?
Each employee clocks in and out at every client. The app adds up hours per day and per location, and shows the gaps between clients, so you can see travel and working time separately.
Is travel time between clients paid?
Often yes. Under the CJEU Tyco ruling, travel for workers without a fixed workplace can be working time, and in the UK travel between assignments counts for minimum wage purposes. Check your contracts; the app shows time at clients and between them separately.
Can I put a QR code on the client's premises?
Yes, with the client's agreement. It's a printed code, no electronics, placed somewhere discreet such as the plant room or cleaners' cupboard. If that's not possible, use only the GPS zone around the address.
How much does it cost for a cleaning company with 30 staff?
30 × €1.99 = €59.70 a month, excl. VAT, regardless of the number of clients. You only pay for employees active that month.