IP Address Restrictions for Attendance: Make Sure Staff Clock In From the Workplace

QCLOSE HR lets you add a check on where the clock-in comes from, using approved IP addresses. You can combine it with geolocation and photo capture for stronger verification.

What Is an IP Address Restriction?

Every network has an IP address, a number that identifies the connection a device is using. Your office Wi-Fi has one, and so does your home broadband or a mobile data connection.

With an IP address restriction, you tell QCLOSE HR which networks count as your workplace. Clock-ins from those networks match your rules. Clock-ins from anywhere else don’t.

How to Set Up Attendance IPs in QCLOSE HR

Go to Settings > Attendance. You’ll see three tabs: Attendance IPs, Geolocation and Daily Time Schedule.

1. Open the Attendance IPs tab.
2. Click + Add New IP Address.
3. Give it a name, such as “Lagos Office”, and enter the IP address of that office’s internet connection.
4. Save it. The address appears in the list with its name, IP address and date created.

You can add one entry for each office or branch. For example, a business with a Lagos office and an Abuja office can list both. Each row has Edit and Delete buttons, so you can update an address when your internet provider changes it, or remove a site you’ve closed.

The other two tabs work alongside it:

• Geolocation covers the physical location of the device.
• Daily Time Schedule sets the hours that decide what counts as on time or late.

What Employees Experience

For employees, clock-in doesn’t change:

1. Enter your Employee Name or ID and tap Check
2. See “Employee verified successfully”
3. Tap Clock In, capture a photo and tap Confirm & clockin

The checks happen as part of that process, so staff don’t have to do anything extra.

IP Address, Geolocation and Photo: Three Checks, Three Questions

IP address: Is this person on one of our networks?

Geolocation: Is this device at an approved physical location?

Photo capture: Who actually clocked in?

Each check covers a different gap. Together they make it much harder to clock in for someone else, from the wrong place, or without being there. Choose the mix that suits your business, such as IP addresses at your offices and geolocation for branches.

When IP Restriction Is Most Useful

• Offices and head offices with a fixed internet connection
• Multi-branch businesses with an approved address for each site
• Factories and warehouses where staff should clock in on site
• Retail branches and clinics with their own networks
• Any business that wants to stop clock-ins from home or while still travelling

Things to Plan For

Mobile and field staff. People who work away from the office won’t be on your office network. For them, use QCLOSE HR’s Field Activities, which records clock-in and clock-out at each assigned location, instead of relying on an office IP.

Changing IP addresses. Some internet providers change a connection’s IP address from time to time. If staff suddenly can’t clock in, check whether your office IP has changed, update it with Edit, and ask your provider about a fixed (static) address.

Backup connections. If an office has more than one connection, such as fibre plus a backup line, add both so staff aren’t locked out when one fails.

Fairness. Tell staff what is checked and why. People are far more accepting of a rule they understand.

A Note on Employee Privacy

IP address and location data are personal data. Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, tell your staff what is collected and why, who can see it and how long you keep it, and collect only what you need. A short attendance notice in your Policies library is a good way to start.

Try It on Your Own Network

QCLOSE HR offers a 5-day free trial with no card required. That’s enough time to add your office’s IP address, clock in from that network, try from another connection and see how the records show up in your Team’s Attendance view.

Make every clock-in count. Start your free trial →

Questions? Email info@qclose.net or via WhatsApp +234 811 217 6255