QuickBooks Workforce mobile clock-in fails until admin permission is turned on
A common Workforce issue leaves team members able to sign in but unable to clock in on mobile. The fix sits in admin time entry settings and per-user permissions.
A recurring report from QuickBooks users in the UK involves a team member opening QuickBooks Workforce, signing in, and looking at their own timesheet, yet finding no way to start or stop the clock on a phone. The accepted solution is not an app update or a fresh install. It sits in the QuickBooks Time web dashboard, where an admin must allow mobile time entry for the team.
Team members can sign in but cannot clock in
The most common description is straightforward. A worker can log in and view time records, but the option to track time from a mobile device is missing. In some cases the same worker can use a computer, which makes the problem look like a phone fault. The accepted answer identifies the cause as an account-level permission that is off by default or has been turned off for the team.
An admin needs to open Company Settings, then Time Options, then Time Entry. Two settings control this behaviour. One allows team members to track time on the mobile app. The other allows team members to manage their own timesheets from any device. When the second setting is switched on, the mobile time entry permission is turned on automatically and its checkbox is locked.
That combination can mislead admins. A setting that sounds like timesheet management also controls whether mobile clock-in works at all. The accepted answer says to save the change and verify the mobile app before looking elsewhere.
When the account-wide switch is not enough
Some companies do not want every worker to have mobile time entry. The accepted solution explains how to restrict the feature to specific people. The admin first clears the two account-wide settings so no one has blanket access. Then they open My Team, choose a team member, and open the Permissions tab.
From there, mobile time entry can be granted one person at a time. If that worker should also manage their own timesheet from any platform, a separate checkbox covers that. The key instruction is to repeat the process for every team member who needs the mobile option. A manual change for one person overrides the account-wide setting, which is why a worker can still be locked out after a broad update.
This is a common point of failure in community reports. An admin changes the company-level permission, expects it to apply to everyone, and then finds that an individual override has kept a worker blocked. The accepted answer highlights the override rule so admins can check the right level before contacting support.
Other settings that shape the Workforce app
Mobile time entry is only one part of the permissions picture. The accepted answer lists several controls that a QuickBooks Time admin must manage for the app to work as expected. GPS setup and permissions determine whether location data is collected. Timesheet submission, mileage tracking, geofencing, notifications, who’s working permissions, and mobile device time zone each affect what a team member sees or can do.
For time off, there is a separate permission. If a worker needs to add or request time off in the app, the admin must grant that while setting up time off. Otherwise the request option will not appear.
The accepted answer points to additional GPS information for admins, but the general pattern is the same. Each Workforce feature is controlled from the web dashboard. A missing button in the mobile app is usually a missing permission, not a broken installation.
What restores the clock-in option
The fix in the accepted answer follows a consistent order. First, check the account-wide Time Entry settings. Turn on mobile time entry for everyone if that matches the company policy. Save the change. Then check the individual team member page if the worker is still blocked.
If the company uses selective access, clear the account-wide permissions first. Then grant mobile time entry to each person through the Permissions tab. Save each change and test the app as the affected worker. The accepted answer treats the individual permission as the final source of truth.
For UK users, the product path is QuickBooks Workforce alongside QuickBooks Time. The issue is not a version-specific bug in the way a payroll error would be. It is a configuration problem that returns whenever an admin resets permissions, adds a new starter, or moves a worker between teams. We continue to see this reported because the symptom looks like an app failure. The accepted resolution consistently lands in the same place: an admin permission in the web dashboard, not a repair to the phone.