This guide provides clear, field-by-field SMS commands for employees to clock in and out through text messaging, tailored to account settings such as job codes, PIN requirements, and optional reports. It also explains how to skip optional fields and resolve common SMS error messages to ensure accurate time tracking without a smartphone or computer.
The SMS feature enables employees to clock in/out by texting a phone number set in your account. Our SMS clock in/out feature is often used by employees who do not have access to a smartphone or a computer.
To setup phone-in/SMS clock in, see our Clocking in by Phone & SMS guide.
To create instruction cards for clock in by SMS, see Clock In By SMS (Text Clock In) section in the guide Instruction Cards For Clock in/out.
To clock in or clock out by SMS, employees will need to text the clock in/out phone number set in your account. Below are clock in instructions on what your employee will need to text to successfully clock in or clock out. When sending your employees their clock in/out instructions, you will need to include the phone number you set up in your account for employees to text their clock in/out to, along with the exact instructions they will be using.
SMS -Basic Clock In Instructions (No required or optional jobs, service items, custom fields, or reports)
SMS-Basic Clock In/Out Instructions + Text Report
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + PIN (No required or optional jobs, service items, custom fields, or reports)
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + PIN + Text Report
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + Job Code
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + PIN + Job Code
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + PIN + Job Code + Text Report
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + Job Code + Text Report
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + Job Code + Service Item
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + Job Code + Service Item + Text Report
SMS-Clock In/Out Instructions + PIN + Job Code + Service Item + Text Report
Successful Clock In Or Clock Out By SMS
When your SMS clock in or clock out is successful, you will get a confirmation text back.
If your employee ID is 0, a text confirmation will look like this:
Employee(s) 0 clocked in.
Or
Employee(s) 0 clocked out.
How to skip an optional field
If a field is set in your account as optional, you can skip it by entering:
“skip” or “.” or “-”
For example.
If your SMS clock in fields are set as (for employee ID 0):
in [employee ID] [custom field 1- optional] [custom field 2-optional].
For employee ID 0, to clock in you would type:
in 0 skip skip
If your SMS clock out fields are set as (for employee ID 0):
out [employee ID] [custom field 1-optional] [custom field 2-optional] [text report-required].
For employee ID 0, to clock out you would type:
out 0 skip skip your text report goes here
Common SMS Error Messages:
(ID) already clocked In
This error message means that the employee with that ID number is already clocked in. This error message could show up after other error messages have been resolved.
(ID) already clocked out
This error message means that the employee with that ID number is already clocked out. This error message could show up after other error messages have been resolved.
That employee ID has been made inactive. Please contact your manager if this is in error or try again.
This error message means that either you have entered the incorrect employee ID or your employee ID has been set as inactive. Please contact your manager to confirm you are set as active and that you are using the correct employee ID.
Job code is required
A job code is required to clock. This error message can be resolved by entering a valid job code.
To view whether job codes are set as disabled, optional, or required in your account, the account admin will need to go to the tabs Jobs → Rules.
Service item is required
A service item code is required to clock. This error message can be resolved by entering a valid service item code.
To view whether service item settings are set as disabled, optional, or required in your account, the account admin will need to go to the tabs Settings → Service Items → Rules.
That is not a valid job code
An invalid job code was entered. This error message can be resolved by entering a valid job code. If you are unsure what job code you need to enter, contact your manager or account admin for the correct job code.
That is not a valid service Item code
An invalid service item code was entered. This error message can be resolved by entering a valid service item code. If unsure what service item code you need to enter, contact your manager or account admin for the correct service item code.
That is not the correct PIN number
An invalid PIN number was entered. This error message can be resolved by entering your valid PIN. If you do not know your PIN number, contact your manager or admin for assistance.
To set up an employee PIN, go to the tabs Employees → click the blue edit button to the right of the employee name → scroll down to the Advanced Phone Settings section → after making any changes, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the blue Save button.
You cannot clock in/out from the phone number you are texting from because it is blocked by the caller ID access rules set by your administrator.
This error message means that the phone number you are calling from has been blocked from using to clock in or clock out, or that the phone number you are calling from has not been entered as an approved clock in phone number. This error message can be resolved by contacting your manager or admin for a phone number that can be used for clock in/out.
For help viewing or setting up phone number restrictions in your account, see our Phone/SMS Clock Access Rules guide.
*Other SMS Error Messages - Custom Field Error Messages:*
That is not a valid Mileage number. Mileage is optional. Type “skip” or “.” or “-” to not enter a value.
When your SMS error message references something that is not listed in one of the SMS clock in/out instructions shown above, this error message will likely relate to a custom field set in your account. After resolving an error message by following the error message instructions, you should be able to get a successful clock in/out message. If after resolving an error message for a custom field you get another error message, then you will need to follow the instructions in the next error message as well to successfully clock in/out.
For example, you may be required to enter multiple custom field instructions with a space in between each custom field, or for optional custom fields, you may need to type skip for each custom field with a space separating them.
To see any custom fields set in your account, an admin will need to go to the tabs Settings → Custom Fields.
For help on setting up or viewing custom fields, see our Custom Fields guide.
Depending on your account setup, the order for SMS fields is:
For Clock In By SMS:
In
space
Employee ID
space
PIN ← (if set in your employee profile)
space
Job Code ← (if set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
space
Service Item Code ← (if set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
space
Custom Field 1 ← (if set up & set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
space
Custom Field 2 ← (if set up & set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
space
<Other Custom Fields>
<Space>
Text Report ← (if set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
then Send
For Clock Out SMS Order:
Out
space
Employee ID
space
PIN ← (if set in your employee profile)
space
Custom Field 1 ← (if set up & set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
space
Custom Field 2 ← (if set up & set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
space
<Other Custom Fields>
<Space>
Text Report ← (if set as required, or if set as optional can type skip)
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