Skip to main content

How To Set Up Projects & Geofences

Define precise job site boundaries to enable accurate tracking, smarter alerts, and automated time card tagging.

Yesenia Quintana avatar
Written by Yesenia Quintana
Updated over a week ago

What Is a Geofence?

A geofence is a virtual boundary placed on a map that tells Workyard where your job site begins and ends. When workers enter or exit a geofence, Workyard uses that location data to:

  • Auto clock team members in (if enabled)

  • Tag time to the correct project automatically (for enterprise subscribers)

  • Track mileage and travel time

  • Trigger smart alerts for project visibility

  • Improve payroll accuracy and job costing


Polygon Geofence vs. Regular (Circular) Geofence

Feature

Regular Geofence

Polygon Geofence

Shape

Fixed-radius circle

Custom shape with multiple corners

Editing

Resize/move circle, click & drag to move

Add, move, or delete points, click & drag to move

Ideal For

Simple, compact job sites

Irregular or large properties

Precision

May include nearby roads

Very precise site boundaries

Multiple per Project


How to Add a Geofence to a Project

  1. Go to the Project Hub on desktop

  2. Select an existing project or click + New Project

  3. Scroll to the Project Geofences section


To Add a Regular (Circular) Geofence:

  1. On the map, click the Location or Drop Pin button

  2. Click to drop the center of your geofence

  3. Move the circle by dragging it from the center

  4. Click Save and name your geofence (e.g., “Main Site”)


To Add a Polygon Geofence:

  1. Click the Draw Geofence button on the map

  2. Click to drop multiple points around your job site

  3. Close the shape by clicking your starting point again

  4. Drag points to adjust or right-click to delete

  5. Click Save and name your geofence (e.g., “Back Lot – Loading Zone”)


How to Edit or Delete a Geofence

  1. Log in to Workyard on your desktop

  2. Navigate to the Projects tab and locate the project you want to update

  3. Click the three dots (⋯) on the far right of the project row

  4. Select “Edit Geofence” from the dropdown menu

  5. From here, you can:

    • Adjust the shape

    • Delete the geofence

  6. Click Save to apply your changes

Tip: You can also rename the geofence while editing, or add additional geofences to the same project if needed.


Add Multiple Geofences Per Project

You can add more than one geofence per project. This is useful when:

  • You have multiple site entrances

  • You want to separate zones or buildings

  • You need more precise control over tracking


Best Practices

  • Draw geofences tightly to avoid capturing nearby roads

  • Use polygon geofences for large or irregular sites

  • When creating a polygon geofence, avoid adding too many points. A clean, minimal shape improves performance and accuracy.

  • Give each geofence a clear, specific name

  • Check the Activity Feed for team member geofence entries/exits


Notes

  • Auto clock-in only works if enabled in Time Clock Rules

  • Ensure team members have “Always Allow” location permissions

  • You can update or remove geofences anytime


🔗 Related Articles

Did this answer your question?