Genuka Checkin, employee attendance by QR code and WhatsApp

Why it matters

The attendance notebook can be faked, the time clock is expensive and breaks down. With Genuka Checkin, each employee clocks in with their own phone: they scan a QR code displayed at the workplace, Genuka checks they are really on site, and the clock-in is confirmed on WhatsApp. You see in real time who is on time, late or absent, and you produce payroll files at the end of the month.

Summary

Genuka Checkin is an app from the Genuka App Store, opened in its own space (checkin.genuka.com). It takes your shops as clock-in locations and your team members as employees. Employees install nothing: a QR code, their browser and WhatsApp are enough.

Pricing

10,000 FCFA per employee per year. The app starts with a free 7-day trial, with no employee limit, which begins at the end of setup or at the first real clock-in. The subscription is paid in the app, on the Subscription page; an employee added during the year is billed pro rata.

Prerequisites

• A Genuka company, and the right to install an app.
• For each employee: a phone with WhatsApp and location turned on.
• A precise address for each clock-in location.

Steps

1. Install and open the app

1. In the App Store, open Genuka Checkin. It is marked Billed in-app.
2. Click Install. You arrive in Checkin, signed in with your Genuka account.
3. On first launch, Checkin imports your Genuka shops as Locations and your team members as Employees. A resync does not overwrite what you changed in Checkin.

2. Set up the clock-in locations

In Locations ("Clock-in sites, preloaded from your Genuka shops"):

1. On each site, open Configure and place the exact point on the map. A site marked "position to define" cannot check attendance.
2. Set the Tolerance radius (maximum distance around the point where a clock-in is accepted) and the site's time zone.
3. Add the work Shifts, with the Lateness tolerance (15 minutes by default) and breaks.
4. Click QR to print, then Print / Save as PDF, and display the A4 poster at the entrance.

+ Add a location creates a site that is not a Genuka shop.

3. Complete the team

In Employees:

• + Add an employee: First name, Last name, WhatsApp phone, App role (Administrator, Manager, Employee), Department, Sites, Payroll number, Category (permanent or daily).
• Import staff: paste a table from Excel (Paste a table) or import a CSV file.

The WhatsApp number is the key: it identifies the employee at clock-in time. Only administrators and managers open the console; a manager only sees their sites and departments.

4. What the employee does

1. They scan the QR code with their phone's camera.
2. They tap Allow my location and keep precise location turned on.
3. They enter their WhatsApp number and tap Clock in.
4. A code is displayed, valid for 3 minutes: they tap Continue on WhatsApp and send the code.
5. WhatsApp confirms the clock-in, "on time" or with the length of the delay, and offers to send a justification.

When leaving, they do the same; WhatsApp asks whether they are ending their day or going on a break.

Day-to-day tracking

Administrators and managers can receive notifications (declared absence, morning summary) by installing Checkin on their phone as a web app.

Anti-fraud options

• Live QR: a QR code displayed on a wall screen, renewed every 90 seconds; a photo of the printed QR is no longer enough.
• The "clock in for someone else" kiosk: an employee without a smartphone clocks in on a colleague's phone with their PIN code, with a mandatory photo if you turn it on.
• A code can only be sent from the WhatsApp of the number entered at scan time.

Edge cases & common errors

• "You seem to be … m from the site." The employee is outside the radius, or their GPS is imprecise. They try again near a window or outdoors; if it keeps happening, increase the Tolerance radius.
• "Position too approximate." Precise browser location is turned off on the phone: the clock-in screen explains how to turn it on.
• "Number not recognized." The number is not linked to any employee: the clock-in appears in the console so you can add them.
• "Code expired, scan the QR again." The code is more than 3 minutes old.
• "Clock-in unavailable." The trial has ended or the subscription is not paid: clock-in stays off until payment.
• The PDF export is truncated. Beyond about 2,000 lines, prefer the Excel or CSV export.

FAQ

Do employees have to install an app? No. They scan the QR code with the camera, then send a code on WhatsApp.

Can an employee clock in from home? No: the position is checked at scan time, and the code must be sent from their own WhatsApp number.

Do my employees need a Genuka account? No. Your Genuka team members are imported automatically, and you add the others directly in Checkin.

See also

• Install and manage an app
• Invite a team member
• Manage shops