Connecteam Review 2026: Is It Actually Worth It for Field Teams?

Connecteam Overview

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Connecteam is an employee management app designed to meet the needs of businesses with deskless or mobile workforces. It offers various features to simplify communication, operations, and HR processes.

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While the app excels in some areas (scheduling, custom forms, and in-app chat), its lack of built-in mileage tracking, offline functionality, and multi-hub costs could pose challenges for field teams working in remote locations.

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Note: Connecteam offers users its features within three different hubs (Operations, Communications, HR & Skills). Field teams that need both time tracking (Operations) and team chat (Communications) will need to subscribe to two different plans – something Connecteam doesn’t advertise upfront.

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Key Features

• Time tracking: Allows employees to clock in and out from any device easily.
• Geolocation: GPS location stamping and geofencing for accurate timekeeping.
• Scheduling: Simplifies shift planning and management with options for creating templates, managing employee availability, and handling time-off requests.
• Communication: Facilitates team communication through chat, updates, and a company directory.

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Connecteam Pricing

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Connecteam's features are split across three hubs: Operations, Communications, and HR & Skills.

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Each hub offers customers four pricing plans: Basic, Advanced, Expert, and Enterprise, allowing businesses to customize their subscriptions according to their needs.

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Connecteam also offers a Small Business Plan, completely free for companies managing up to 10 employees.

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What is included in the Small Business Plan?

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The Small Business Plan includes access to features within all three hubs.

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Note: Most field teams exceed 10 users, so the Small Business Plan is not a sustainable plan for long-term use.

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Operations pricing

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Field teams will get the most use out of the Operations Hub, so I've broken down its pricing in detail below.

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Plan-gated features

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Businesses subscribing to Basic or Advanced plans should be aware that several key features require an upgrade to Expert or Enterprise. Small Business Plan users should also note that Live GPS tracking and Breadcrumbs are lost once their team exceeds 10 users.

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Important Considerations:

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Companies subscribed to the Small Business Plan will lose free access to Live GPS tracking and Breadcrumbs when their account exceeds 10 users. They will then need to upgrade to the Expert plan, which is a significant price jump  ($99/mo annual) – more than 3x the Basic plan ($29/mo annual).

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When considering Connecteam, carefully evaluate your business needs and budget to make sure it is the best GPS tracking solution for your company.

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Connecteam: Signup, onboarding, and user interface

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Signing up for Connecteam is easy. The process requires only your basic information and business email.

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Connecteam customizes your experience with the app by asking about your role, company size, and industry, allowing you to select relevant features.

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The onboarding process includes a helpful introductory video as well as tutorials to guide you through the platform's features and sections.

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Adding new team members is straightforward. You need a worker’s full name and mobile phone number to add them to the system.  If you do not have all of the employee’s required information, you can send them an invite link to download the app via email, or direct them to the app via QR code.

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Alternatively, you can import your database and add workers to your account in bulk.

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User Interface (UI)

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It might take a while to get used to the way features and options are set up in the dashboard.

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While Connecteam’s UI is comprehensive and functional, it did feel cluttered at times. Having so many features and options can be overwhelming, especially for new users. It took me a while to get accustomed to the layout and navigation, so it may take some time for admins and employees to learn the ropes.

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Here's a quick summary of the UI:

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Web App. The dashboard provides a compact overview of tasks and updates with a Quick Actions bar for easy access to common functions. Widgets inform you of employee requests and alerts.

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Mobile App. The mobile app mirrors the web app's functionality, allowing for on-the-go task creation, clocking in/out, and schedule viewing. There is also an admin tab that allows you to manage team members and access key features.

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Connecteam Key Features 

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1. Time tracking

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Connecteam’s time clock is available on the web portal, kiosk, and mobile app as long as the employee’s device has a stable internet connection.

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Note: Connecteam requires a stable internet connection to track time. It does not support offline tracking.

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On the mobile app, Connecteam’s time clock is found at the top of the dashboard and is also displayed as a widget.

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Clocking in via the mobile app is a two-step process. Employees first tap “clock-in”, then select their job assignment. The app then captures the employee’s starting location through GPS tracking.

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Employers can also add shift attachments to be completed by employees before clocking out (ex: equipment, mileage, signatures).

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Note: Shift attachments are not available to Basic plan users, and only 2 attachments can be added in the Advanced plan.

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In testing, Connecteam's time-tracking controls proved effective at improving accuracy and preventing time theft.‍

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• Prohibit early clock-ins and restrict time tracking to take place during assigned work hours.

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• Send push notifications to employees, reminding them to clock in/out of their shifts.

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• Automatically clock-out employees to prevent missed punches and overtime accrual.

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Note: Auto-clock out based on geofence is not available to Basic and Advanced plan users.

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2. Geofencing 

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For this review, I created a geofence location and wanted to test if the app automatically clocks out an employee when they leave the geofence area.

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When I clocked in within the geofence, my job updated on the location map.

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When I left the geofence I was automatically clocked out, and a note was attached to my timesheet.

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Connecteam’s geofencing feature allows users to draw circular geofences and adjust the size of the fence up to 5,000 feet which isn’t ideal if you want to prevent employees from clocking in early.

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Connecteam’s geofencing feature is not available in the Basic plan. Field teams will need to subscribe to the Advanced or Expert plans to have access to the feature.

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Not sure if Connecteam's geofencing meets your needs? Compare it against the best geofencing apps for mobile teams.

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3. Kiosk app with face ID login

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Connecteam’s face ID login is available on the Kiosk App, which you can download on any employee device.

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The face ID feature snaps a face-forward photo of employees as they clock in or out. Unlike many other facial recognition apps, Connecteam doesn’t compare the photo to an employee’s stored profile picture to pinpoint mismatches.

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To catch potential buddy punching cases, admins must manually review face ID photos attached to daily activity logs — there is no automated mismatch detection.

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For a more detailed comparison of facial recognition approaches, see how Timeero uses facial recognition to prevent buddy punching.

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4. GPS location tracking

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Keeping up with the location of field teams is a challenge. GPS tracking apps built for field teams typically allow you to see workers’ locations in real time.

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Connecteam does allow admins to see the current location of clocked-in employees, displaying job information as well as clock-in/out times and locations.

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However, stops made during the workday are not shown, which isn’t helpful for teams needing to increase transparency and accountability across their workforce.

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Breadcrumbs Tracking

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Breadcrumb tracking (live-tracking) is available with Connecteam, but you must enable it through the time clock settings before use.

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Breadcrumbs are dropped along the employees’ driving route at different points in time. Hovering over individual breadcrumbs shows the exact time the employee was at a specific location.

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The downside to Connecteam’s Breadcrumb tracking feature is that it does not provide admins with the ability to see how long an employee was at a location, complicating the ability to reconstruct their workday. It's also unclear how frequently breadcrumbs are dropped, making it difficult to rely on them for accurate route verification.

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5. Scheduling Features And Employee Management

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With Connecteam, creating schedules is easy. From the schedule tab on the online dashboard, admins can add single shifts to the schedule, multiple shifts, and even import shifts from Excel.

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If you prefer to add shifts while seeing your entire team’s schedule, you can add a shift while in calendar-view.

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Employees can define their shift availability on mobile devices. The “availability” function works in tandem with “find replacement” to help you maintain the correct staffing numbers. Employees can pick a shift replacement from the list of available employees and forward the request for approval.

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Managers can also create open shifts and allow employees to claim them, increasing productivity since workers are making the choice to accept additional shifts.

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Connecteam uses mobile (iOS and Android) scheduling notifications, web push, or email to inform employees about new shifts and scheduling changes. Notifications can also go out when the manager approves or declines changes, such as when finding a replacement.

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Task Management

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Connecteam’s task management feature helps teams streamline workflows and organize work. For example, you can create quick tasks that don’t require the time of an entire shift and assign them to qualified employees.

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You can also create sub-tasks under dependent tasks.

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Connecteam's customizable Checklists and Forms streamline various tasks, from daily operations to safety inspections. These forms are mobile-friendly, allowing employees to complete them on the go, and can even automate tasks like sharing reports and capturing GPS data.

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6. PTO, Overtime & Break Management

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Tracking employee attendance, overtime hours, and breaks is a vital part of employee time tracking.

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Paid Time-Off (PTO) Tracking

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Connecteam provides pre-made templates for various types of time off, such as bereavement leave, floating holidays, and personal days. In addition, you can create custom policies for unpaid time off, PTO, and sick leave.

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Each policy enables you to set limits on the amount of time that employees can take off. As employees submit requests, they can see their time-off balance for better planning.

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‍Overtime Enforcement

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Connecteam lets you customize your overtime rules, whether that be:

• Weekly overtime
• Daily overtime
• Holiday overtime
• Partial day overtime
• Consecutive days overtime
• Pay period overtime

The app’s time tracking tools enable employers to enforce standard overtime rules, such as California Overtime Law, with a click of a button.

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Break Management

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Connecteam offers two main ways to track employee breaks:

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• Manual Breaks. Employees can manually start and end a break from the mobile app. This gives employees greater flexibility and control over their breaks.
• Automatic Breaks. To automate break tracking, enable “Automatic Breaks” in the Time Clock settings. Define rules, such as deducting a 30-minute break after a daily total of 7 hours worked. This ensures compliance with labor laws and relevant company policies regarding break times.
  
  

Note: I noticed that Connecteam does not flag missed breaks on an employee’s timesheet, even when a break is scheduled into the shift.

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PRO TIP: Always check your state's legislation regarding break requirements. If you're in California or a state with strict break laws, consider whether Connecteam's break tracking features fully meet your compliance needs or if you require a solution with more advanced functionalities.

7. Connecteam Auto-Reporting & Integrations

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Connecteam's automated reports are a valuable tool for staying organized and efficient. You can set up automatic reports for:

• Employee Timesheets
• Daily Limits Exceeded
• Absentees
• No-Shows

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Simply specify how often you want to get these reports (daily, weekly, or monthly), and Connecteam will automatically email them to you.

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Connecteam also has some other useful reports:

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• Admin Timesheet Report. This gives a summary of everyone's work hours each week.

• User Timesheet Report. Employees receive individual summaries of their work hours, which helps them keep track of their time.
  

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Connecteam Integrations

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Connecteam offers integrations to connect with popular business tools, primarily payroll software.

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You can directly integrate with providers like:

• Gusto
• MYOB Business
• Paychex Flex
• QuickBooks Online
• Xero

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If your payroll provider isn't directly supported, Connecteam offers export templates to format timesheets for compatibility with providers like ADP Run, ADP WFN, and QuickBooks Desktop. This list isn't exhaustive, so check Connecteam’s website or contact support for the latest integration information.

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8. Connecteam Team Communication and HR features

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Connecteam’s two-way chat lets managers and team members message each other in real time.

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The HR & Skills Hub provides users with valuable tools like Documents, a centralized and organized hub for managing all employee-related forms. This simplifies onboarding, performance reviews, and other HR tasks. The Celebrations feature automatically recognizes birthdays and work anniversaries, increasing employee engagement while fostering a positive work environment.

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For knowledge sharing and company-wide communication, Connecteam offers a Knowledge Hub to store essential information and Updates for sharing announcements and important news company-wide.

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Finally, Connecteam's customizable Checklists and Forms streamline various tasks, from daily operations to safety inspections. These forms are mobile-friendly, allowing employees to complete them on the go, and can even automate tasks like sharing reports and capturing GPS data.

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9. Connecteam Customer Support

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Connecteam offers 1-on-1 customer support, as well as email, live chat, and an online knowledge base.

Connecteam’s knowledge base is a good self-service option for less technical issues, such as adding a user. Connecteam’s 1-on-1 support, along with emailing, is the perfect option to use if you have an overly technical problem and believe it would be helpful to attach documents or images to describe your case in detail.

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The live chat option is ideal for issues that require an immediate human response.

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Significant Connecteam limitations

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1. Time tracking

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‍One of the biggest issues I encountered while testing Connecteam is its inability to capture data while offline. This is a major concern for field teams that work in remote locations.

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I put my device in airplane mode to test the app’s offline functionality. I was not able to start or end my break, or clock in and out.

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When my internet connection was restored, I had to refresh the screen before I could clock in or out.

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The lack of offline functionality is a significant limitation, especially for construction, field service, logistics, and transportation businesses requiring a reliable way to track employee time.

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If your team works in areas without a stable internet connection or if your office experiences frequent internet interruptions, consider an alternative app with reliable offline tracking.

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2. Mileage tracking

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For field teams that reimburse mileage, Connecteam falls short — the app has no automatic mileage tracking.

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While Connecteam allows employees to add mileage to their time cards manually as a timesheet attachment, they are still required to manually track their mileage using odometer readings or submit estimated mileage – both create risk for your company.

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Verdict: Is Connecteam Worth It?

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After testing Connecteam, I believe it is a great fit for desk-based or hybrid teams with reliable internet access. The app's time tracking, scheduling, communication, and HR functions are built for teams that work in stationary locations like offices or from home.

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If your team works in areas with poor signal, reimburses employees for mileage, or needs break compliance tracking, Connecteam's gaps in offline functionality, automatic mileage tracking, and missed-break flagging make it a poor fit for field operations. Timeero is a stronger alternative — with reliable offline tracking, automated mileage tracking, and Segmented Tracking that shows exactly where employees spent their day.

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How offline GPS tracking, automatic mileage, and Segmented Tracking help field teams stay accountable

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At the surface, Connecteam seems like a great solution for field teams – time tracking, scheduling, chat, and custom forms being some of the most used features. Connecteam's limitations are meaningful for field teams specifically, especially for mobile teams that work in areas with limited internet connectivity.

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Timeero is a strong alternative for field teams needing increased workforce visibility. With its reliable offline tracking, teams don’t need to worry about missing mileage records or gaps in timesheets as the app tracks time and mileage continuously, even when connection drops mid-shift.

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Automated mileage tracking is another reason why field teams turn to the app. It’s not uncommon for field crews to visit multiple job sites in one day. Having a way to automatically track mileage without needing to record odometer readings and rely on employees to submit accurate mileage claims takes away the guesswork and eliminates overpayments.

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It’s difficult to piece together an employee’s daily whereabouts when stops are omitted from the driving record. With Segmented Tracking, every stop an employee makes throughout their workday is recorded with timestamps, addresses, mileage, along with the duration of stay. This provides management with a transparent driving record that makes it quick to spot inefficiencies and unauthorized stops.

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Don't let connectivity gaps slow your team down

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Without offline functionality and automated mileage tracking, field teams using Connecteam find that it doesn’t meet their business needs. If you need a workforce management solution that tracks time and mileage regardless of internet connectivity, Timeero may be the solution for you.

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Ready to try a field-first alternative? Start your free 14-day trial of Timeero today.

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FAQs

Does Connecteam track mileage automatically?

No. Connecteam does not have mileage tracking capabilities. Employees manually input their mileage totals through shift attachments at clock-out, which increases reimbursement inaccuracies.

Can Connecteam work offline?

No. Connecteam requires a stable internet connection to work.

Is Connecteam good for field teams?

Connecteam is a better fit for desk-based positions or hybrid work. Field teams work in locations without internet connection, so an app with offline functionality is a better option.

How much does Connecteam cost for a field team that needs time tracking and chat?

Field teams needing time tracking and chat will need to subscribe to plans within two different hubs – Communication and Operations. Subscribing to the Basic plans ($29/month) in each hub ranges from $58-$70/month (depending on the billing cycle) for up to 30 users.

Is Connecteam free?

No, not necessarily. Connecteam does offer users a free 14-day trial. For teams with up to 10 users, Connecteam offers the Small Business Plan, which is free for life. This plan includes access to features within all three hubs.

Does Connecteam track employee location in real time?

Connecteam uses breadcrumbs to track employees’ locations in real time. This feature must be enabled through the Time Clock settings.

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