How to Use the SkillsDock Mobile App for Time Tracking
This article explains how employees use the SkillsClock app to start, manage, and stop time tracking sessions on a job site. It also covers how employers monitor those sessions from their SkillsDock dashboard.
Prerequisites
For employees (SkillsClock app):
- An Android or iOS device
- SkillsClock app downloaded from the App Store or Google Play
- Your registered mobile number (used to log in)
- Location permissions granted to the SkillsClock app — tracking will not function without this
- Notification permissions granted (recommended, so you receive session alerts)
For employers (SkillsDock web dashboard):
- An active Builder, Subcontractor, or Professional account
- At least one employee added to your team
- The employee's mobile number recorded in their team profile
Getting Started with SkillsClock
SkillsDock has two separate mobile apps for time tracking. SkillsClock is the employee-facing app used to log hours on site. Provider Mobile is the employer-facing app for viewing active sessions and team activity.
This article covers both. Employees should follow the SkillsClock steps below. Employers who prefer the web dashboard can skip ahead to Viewing Active Sessions and Statistics.
Setting Up SkillsClock (Employees)
- Download SkillsClock from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open the app and enter your Phone Number when prompted.
- Enter the verification code sent to your phone.
- When the app requests location access, tap Allow While Using App or Always Allow — location permission is required for tracking to work.
- When the app requests notification access, tap Allow so you receive session alerts from your employer.
Starting a Tracking Session
Your employer creates a session and you receive an SMS with a session link. Sessions expire after 24 hours, so start on the day it is sent — this trips people up more often than you'd expect.
- Open the SMS from SkillsDock and tap the session link, or open the SkillsClock app and find the pending session on the home screen.
- Read the Privacy Notice that appears. This explains how your location data will be collected and used, in line with Australian privacy requirements.
- Tap I Consent to agree to tracking for this session. You cannot begin tracking without providing consent.
- Tap Start to begin recording your location and hours.
The app will display your session status as Active. Your GPS location, including accuracy, speed, and heading, is recorded continuously while the session runs.
Note: If your employer has configured a geofence for the job site, the app checks your starting location. If you begin the session more than the configured distance from the site, you will see a Started Far From Site alert. This is logged but does not prevent you from continuing.
Pausing and Resuming Tracking
Use the pause function for meal breaks or periods when you are away from work but have not finished your shift.
- From the active session screen, tap Pause.
- The session status changes to Paused. Location recording stops during the pause.
- When you return to work, tap Resume.
- The session status returns to Active and recording continues.
You can only have one active or paused session at a time. Attempting to start a second session while one is already running will produce an error.
Stopping a Tracking Session
- From the active session screen, tap Stop.
- An optional Notes field appears. You can add a brief note about the session (up to 2,000 characters).
- Tap Confirm to finalise the session.
The session is now complete. Your employer can see the total duration and any geofence events recorded during the session.
Starting an Unscheduled Session
If you arrive at a job site and your employer has not yet created a session, you can start one yourself directly from the SkillsClock app. Useful for early starts or when the site schedule changes last minute.
- On the SkillsClock home screen, tap Start Unscheduled Session.
- Select the relevant job or employer from the list.
- Review the Privacy Notice and tap I Consent.
- Tap Start to begin tracking.
Unscheduled sessions are recorded the same way as employer-created sessions and appear in your employer's dashboard.
Understanding Geofence Alerts
If your employer has set up a geofence for a job site, SkillsClock monitors your location against the site boundary throughout the session. The following events may be logged:
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| Started Far From Site | You began the session outside the site boundary |
| Left Site | Your location moved outside the site boundary during the session |
| Arrived Late | You started the session after the scheduled start time |
| Early Departure | You stopped the session before the scheduled end time |
These alerts are visible to your employer on the tracking dashboard. They do not automatically stop your session.
Viewing Active Sessions and Statistics (Employers)
Employers can monitor running sessions and review completed session data from the tracking page in their SkillsDock dashboard.
- Log in to your SkillsDock dashboard.
- Navigate to Tracking in the left-hand menu.
Direct link: Builder | Subcontractor | Professional
- The Active Sessions tab shows all employees currently tracking, including their last known location and session duration.
- Click on a session to view detailed GPS history and any geofence events recorded.
- To review completed sessions and workforce statistics, select the Statistics tab.
To cancel a session that is no longer needed, open the session and tap or click Cancel Session.
Troubleshooting
"You must provide consent before tracking can begin"
The employee tapped Start without completing the consent step. Return to the session screen, read the Privacy Notice, and tap I Consent before tapping Start.
"You already have a timer running"
Only one session can be active or paused at a time. The employee must stop the current session before starting a new one. Check the SkillsClock home screen for any existing active or paused session.
"Session not found" or "Session link has expired"
Session links expire after 24 hours. Ask your employer to create a new session. If the link was opened recently and this error still appears, ask the employer to confirm the session was not cancelled from the dashboard.
Location permissions denied
SkillsClock cannot track without location access. Go to Settings > Apps > SkillsClock > Permissions on the device and set Location to Allow All the Time (Android) or Always (iOS), then return to the app and try again.
Poor GPS accuracy or frequent "Left Site" alerts in an accurate location
GPS accuracy varies depending on tall buildings, indoor areas, and network conditions. In our experience, this is most common in dense urban areas or basement-level site offices. If geofence alerts are triggering incorrectly, ask your employer to review the site boundary radius in their dashboard settings. The initial location recorded when you tap Start determines whether you appear on-site or off-site at the session start.