No smartphone required
Field workers, housekeeping staff, security guards, drivers — many use feature phones or share a device at home. WhatsApp is on the phone; the attendance app isn't.
Features / WhatsApp clock-in
Coming soon · join the waitlist
Clock in from WhatsApp.
No app install, no smartphone required for the worker. Geofence-validated, face-rec verified. Built on the same WhatsApp Business API HelloBooks already runs.
Get notified when WhatsApp clock-in opens for beta.
Beta opens India-first, following HelloBooks' regional WhatsApp footprint. Existing HelloTime Attendance customers get early access — contact us for a private preview.
How it will work.
One thread, four messages. The whole punch happens inside WhatsApp — the worker never leaves the chat. Preview of the launch flow:
IN
Got it 👍 Detected location: Andheri East — Site B. Reply with a quick selfie to confirm clock-in.
📷 selfie
(photo attached)
✅ Clocked in at 09:04 IST · Andheri East — Site B. Reply OUT when you leave.
- 01
Worker sends IN
From the worker's own number, on their own WhatsApp. The bot checks they're enrolled and on shift.
- 02
Bot detects the site
Location is shared as part of the message. The bot matches it to the geofence of the assigned job site and replies with the site name.
- 03
Worker replies with a selfie
One photo. The bot runs face-rec against the worker's enrolled face print server-side.
- 04
Bot confirms the punch
Timestamp, site and worker get written to HelloTime Attendance. Same payroll, same timesheet, same approvals as any other clock-in.
India unlock
Why this matters for the India workforce.
Most attendance products were designed for the office knowledge worker — one person, one smartphone, one app account. India's bottom-of-pyramid workforce doesn't look like that. WhatsApp clock-in is built for the workforce attendance software has historically failed.
Shared phones, individual identity
When a phone is shared between family members, app accounts get tangled. WhatsApp number is the identity — no login screen, no session confusion.
Low data plans
A text message and one selfie costs almost nothing. A polling attendance app with background sync drains a daily-rated plan in hours.
Language flexibility
The bot speaks English and Hindi today, with more Indian languages rolling out. Workers reply in the script they're comfortable with — IN, हाज़िर, the keyword that fits.
Zero-onboarding
A contract worker hired at 10 AM can clock in by lunch. Add their number, send the welcome ping, done. No app install, no Play Store account, no Wi-Fi.
Already a daily habit
Workers already open WhatsApp dozens of times a day. Adding one message to that habit is a much smaller behaviour change than adopting a new app.
Everything in the punch — without the app.
No app install for the worker
Anyone with WhatsApp can clock in. That's already on every phone in the workforce — no Play Store install, no permissions screen, no version-update friction.
Geofence-validated
When a worker sends IN, the bot checks their shared location against the assigned site's geofence before accepting the punch. Wrong location, no clock-in.
Face-rec verified
The bot prompts for a quick selfie and matches it against the worker's enrolled face print. Stops buddy-punching without forcing a hardware kiosk.
Works on a feature phone or shared device
The contractor in the field, the night-shift housekeeper, the seasonal hire — none of them need to own a smartphone. WhatsApp on a shared handset is enough.
English + Hindi out of the box
The bot replies in the worker's preferred language. Add the keyword IN or हाज़िर — both work. More Indian languages roll out alongside HelloBooks' regional rollout.
Same backbone as HelloBooks
Built on the WhatsApp Business API instance HelloBooks already runs for invoice and payroll messaging. One verified business profile, one approved template library, one operations team.
WhatsApp clock-in vs app-only attendance.
Truein, Keka and other Indian attendance products require every worker to install an app, create an account and keep it logged in. That works for the office. It struggles everywhere else.
| Capability | HelloTime — WhatsApp clock-in | App-only attendance (Truein, Keka, others) |
|---|---|---|
| Worker installs an app | No — uses WhatsApp | Yes — dedicated app |
| Smartphone required for the worker | No — feature phones with WhatsApp work | Yes |
| Zero-onboarding for new hires | Send the worker's number. Done. | Account provisioning + app install + login |
| Geofence validation on punch | Yes — bot checks location before accepting | Yes — in-app GPS |
| Face-rec verification | Yes — selfie reply matched server-side | Yes — in-app camera |
| Works on shared / borrowed phones | Yes — WhatsApp number is the identity | Awkward — app session per device |
| Language flexibility | English + Hindi today, more rolling out | Usually English-first |
| Data plan footprint | Minimal — text + one selfie | Higher — app sync + background services |
App-only attendance is fine for desk teams. For India's deskless workforce, the install step is often where rollout dies — a contract worker hired this morning can be clocking in by lunch with no app at all.
Also coming
SMS clock-in for low-end devices.
For workers whose handsets don't run WhatsApp at all — pure feature phones, very low-end Android — SMS clock-in is the next fallback. Same flow: send IN, get a site confirmation, reply YES. No data plan needed. Selfie verification falls back to a supervisor-side check or a kiosk punch.
On the roadmap alongside the WhatsApp launch.
Start tracking time in under 2 minutes.
Free forever for up to 5 employees. No credit card. Paid from £1.99/user/month.