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intermediate ⏱️ 10 min read

Geo-Fencing: Location-Verified Check-In

Set up geo-fences for your venues and enable location-verified attendance for learners and staff, including how check-in validates a person's position.

For: Training Providers Administrators

Summary

Geo-fencing lets skillSYMS confirm that a learner or staff member is physically at the venue when they check in. You define a boundary—a circle around a point, or a custom polygon—and the system validates each check-in’s GPS position against it. This guide shows you how to create geo-fences, assign staff, attach fences to attendance sessions, and understand how location validation produces the trust score that drives QCTO audit confidence.

Who This Guide Is For

  • Training providers running on-site classes, practicals, and exams
  • Administrators configuring venue boundaries and staff location rules
  • Anyone responsible for the integrity of attendance verification

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • The venue’s location (you can drop a pin, search an address, or use your current location)
  • Knowledge of the venue footprint so you can size the radius or trace the boundary
  • The Attendance module visible in your dashboard sidebar
  • Campus records set up (optional, for linking fences to a campus)

Step 1: Open the Geo-Fences Manager

Navigate to Attendance → Geo-fences.

You’ll see your existing fences, a map overview, and stats split by circular and polygon types. Each fence shows its type, status, and whether staff are assigned.

Tip: Use the search and Type/Status filters to find a fence quickly once you have several venues.

Step 2: Create a Geo-Fence

Click New Geo-Fence and complete the form:

  1. Name — A clear label, e.g. “Main Campus — Training Centre”
  2. Associated campus (optional) — Link the fence to a campus; picking one with coordinates snaps the map to it
  3. Fence type:
    • Circular — Drop a pin and set a radius (a single point + distance)
    • Polygon — Tap-and-trace a custom boundary (at least 3 points)
  4. Map — Click to place your pin (circular) or add boundary points (polygon). Use My location or Search to find the venue.
  5. Radius (circular only) — Use the slider or presets (50m, 100m, 500m, 1km). Tighter is stricter.

Click Create geo-fence to save.

Tip: Set the radius to comfortably cover the building plus a small margin for GPS drift. Too tight and genuine attendees get flagged; too loose and the fence stops being meaningful.

Step 3: Assign Staff to a Fence (Optional)

For staff whose presence should be validated against a specific location, open a fence and use the Assigned staff action.

  1. Click the staff icon on the fence row
  2. Pick a staff member from the dropdown and click Assign
  3. Remove staff at any time from the same panel

Step 4: Attach a Geo-Fence to a Session

A geo-fence only verifies attendance once it’s attached to a session.

Navigate to Attendance → Attendance Engine → New Session, and in the Location step:

  1. Attach the venue geo-fence (or use Use my location on the quick session form)
  2. Enable the Location check-in method

Location check-in stays disabled on a session until a geo-fence is set.

Step 5: Understand How Check-In Validates Location

When a learner or staff member checks in, the device sends its GPS coordinates and accuracy. skillSYMS compares the position to the fence and returns a geo status:

  • Inside — Position is within the boundary; attendance is verified on-site
  • Marginal — Position is just outside but near; recorded with a note
  • Outside — Position is beyond the boundary; recorded but flagged for review

Each result contributes to a trust score (out of 100) stored with the check-in. The closer and more accurate the position, the higher the score.

Tip: Trust scores feed compliance thresholds—EISA risk and funding eligibility. Review flagged “outside” check-ins promptly so your audit trail stays clean.

Step 6: Review Coverage & Flags

Back on the Attendance Engine, the compliance banner shows geo coverage and flag rate. The Flagged Records panel lists check-ins that fell outside a fence. Open each to verify, then approve or correct it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Radius too tight: GPS on phones can drift 10-30m indoors—genuine attendees get flagged.
  2. Fence created but never attached: A geo-fence does nothing until it’s linked to a session.
  3. Forgetting location permissions: Learners must allow location access for geo check-in to work.
  4. Polygon with fewer than 3 points: A polygon needs at least 3 boundary points to be valid.

Verification Checklist

Before proceeding, verify:

  • A geo-fence is created and visible on the map overview
  • The radius (or polygon) sensibly covers the venue
  • The fence is attached to a test session with Location enabled
  • A test check-in from inside the venue returns an “inside” geo status
  • Flagged (outside) check-ins appear in the Flagged Records panel

Next Steps

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