NFC clock-in lets talent check in for shifts by tapping their phone on a small physical tag at your venue, instead of relying on GPS. This article explains what NFC is, when it helps, how to request it for your venue, and what to expect after setup.
What is NFC Clock-In?
NFC (Near Field Communication) lets talent clock in and out by tapping their phone on a small physical tag installed at your venue. It replaces GPS-based clock-in for that location.
From the talent's perspective: they tap their phone on the tag at your designated check-in spot, and their shift clock starts (or ends) instantly — even with poor or no cell signal.
From your perspective: nothing changes in your business portal. Timesheets, shift management, and approvals all work the same way. NFC happens behind the scenes; you just see cleaner clock-in data.
Why NFC Helps at Some Venues
- Accuracy at the right spot. GPS can be unreliable indoors and at large venues. NFC requires the tag to be physically tapped, so clock-ins are pinpoint accurate to your designated location.
- Works without signal. Basements, kitchens, warehouses, and large indoor venues often have weak cell service. NFC clock events save locally on the talent's phone and sync automatically once they're back in coverage.
- Reduces clock-in disputes. Talent can't accidentally clock in from a parking lot, their car, or before they've actually arrived at their work area.
- Faster for talent. One tap, one second. No waiting for GPS to lock.
Is NFC Right for My Venue?
NFC is a strong fit if any of these describe your operation:
- Your venue has multiple work zones (e.g., kitchen, ballroom, parking, gate) where you want talent clocking in at the correct station
- You've had clock-in issues caused by weak cell signal, large building footprints, or GPS drift
- You want a clearly defined, physical check-in point for staff arriving on shift
- You run high-volume events where speed at clock-in matters
NFC may not be needed if your venue is small, outdoors with clear signal, or has a single obvious entry point with no GPS issues to date.
How to Request NFC for Your Venue
NFC tags are installed by the Croux team. To request NFC tags, send an email to support@croux.co with "NFC request" in the subject line and let us know which venue they're for. Your account team will be in touch to coordinate install.
Pricing is determined per venue based on the number of tags and complexity of installation — your account team will walk you through it when they reach out.
What to Expect After You Request NFC
- Site review. Croux will work with you to understand the layout of your venue and identify the best tag placement(s) — for example, a single check-in point at the staff entrance, or multiple tags by work zone (kitchen, parking, etc.).
- Tag preparation. Croux provisions and labels each tag with its location ("Kitchen," "Main Entrance," etc.).
- Installation. The Croux team will help install the tags at your venue.
- Activation. Once installed, your NFC tags become available in your business web app for assignment to shifts. See "How to Apply an NFC Tag to a Shift" below.
How to Apply an NFC Tag to a Shift
Once your tags are installed, you control which shifts require NFC clock-in. Each shift you post can be tagged with one or more of your venue's NFC tags. Here's how:
- From your Shifts page, click New shift (or open an existing shift and click Edit).
- Fill out the shift details as usual (role, date, time, location, etc.).
- Scroll down to the advanced options section at the bottom of the form. If it is collapsed, click Expand.
- Toggle Require NFC clock-in ON.
- In the Select NFC Tags dropdown that appears, choose which tag(s) talent can use to clock in for this shift. You can pick more than one if your venue has multiple check-in points (kitchen, parking, gate, etc.).
- Save the shift.
That's it. Talent assigned to this shift will see the NFC clock-in option in their app when they arrive at your venue.
How to spot NFC shifts on your calendar
Shifts that require NFC clock-in are marked with an NFC badge on the calendar, so you can tell at a glance which shifts will use tap-to-clock.
You can also confirm which tags are assigned to a shift by opening the shift and viewing the Shift Details tab.
Tag Placement Best Practices
To help us recommend the right placement, think about these questions:
- Where does talent typically check in? The first place they're expected to report on arrival is usually the right spot.
- Are there multiple work zones? If staff clock in at one place but work in another, consider whether one tag at the check-in point — or multiple tags by zone — better fits your operation.
- Is the location indoors or weather-protected? Tags are durable but perform best when not exposed to direct sun, water, or extreme heat.
- Can the tag be at adult chest/shoulder height? Talent will tap their phone against it; awkward heights slow people down.
If NFC Doesn't Work in the Moment
NFC clock-in is backed by two layers of fallback, so a missed tap never blocks talent from working — or you from getting accurate timesheets:
- Automatic GPS fallback. If a tag scan fails (phone doesn't support NFC, scan times out, tag is unreachable), the app automatically offers standard GPS-based clock-in. Talent still clock in on time; no action needed from you.
- Manual time entry. If neither NFC nor GPS works at the moment, you can enter the talent's actual clock-in and clock-out times manually from the Timesheets page in your business web app, then approve the timesheet as normal. Payroll and billing are unaffected.
For any tag that appears damaged, missing, or unresponsive across multiple shifts, please email support@croux.co so we can schedule a replacement.
Troubleshooting Talent Reports
Occasionally talent will report issues with NFC clock-in. Here's how to triage:
- "The tag isn't responding." Ask the talent to (a) make sure NFC is enabled in their phone settings, (b) remove their phone case if thick, and (c) hold their phone steady against the tag for 2–3 seconds. If the tag is physically damaged or missing, the app will offer GPS clock-in as an automatic fallback — talent will not be blocked from working. Please contact support so we can replace the tag.
- "My phone doesn't support NFC." Older phones (and some budget models) may lack NFC hardware. The app automatically offers these talent standard GPS-based clock-in — no action needed from you.
- "I don't see the NFC option in my shift." Confirm the shift is at a location with a Croux-installed NFC tag. Shifts at non-NFC locations still use GPS-based clocking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my team need to do anything to enable NFC for our talent?
No. Once tags are installed, NFC clock-in is automatically available to any talent working a shift at your venue.
What if a tag fails or a talent's phone doesn't support NFC?
The app automatically offers GPS-based clock-in as a fallback whenever NFC isn't available — talent are never blocked from clocking in. If neither NFC nor GPS works, you can record their time manually from the Timesheets page in your business web app.
What if our venue layout changes?
Email support@croux.co to relocate, add, or remove tags — your account team will follow up to coordinate. Tag placement should reflect how your operation actually runs.
How many tags do most venues need?
Most venues use one or two tags. Larger or multi-zone operations sometimes use three to five. We'll recommend the right number during the site review.
Does NFC change how timesheets, approvals, or billing work?
No. NFC only affects the clock-in/out method talent uses. Everything downstream — timesheet review, approvals, billing — works exactly as it does today.
Related Articles
- How Do I Clock In and Out with NFC? (Talent)
- How to Approve Timesheets
- How Do I Adjust a Talent's Time?
Need More Help?
Email support@croux.co and your account team will follow up.