Completing a job on site does three things at once: it records that the work happened, it proves the crew was actually there, and it triggers the invoice. Here is how it behaves in the field, including all the ways GPS can be awkward.
1 On-site verification
Before a job can be started or completed, the app checks the phone is actually at the property. When it is happy, you get On-site verified. You can start/complete this job.
That check is the reason a photo-and-GPS record from ClippingCash is worth something in a dispute about whether a visit happened.
2 What each GPS message means
This is the part crews ring you about, so it is worth knowing the whole set:
| Message | What is happening | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Checking GPS position… | Getting a fix. | Wait a moment. |
| Waiting for GPS lock. Move outdoors for a stronger signal. | No usable fix, likely under cover. | Step into the open. |
| Waiting for GPS fix. Move outdoors and try again. | Same, on retry. | Step into the open. |
| Using last known location while GPS updates refresh. | Working from a slightly stale position. | Usually fine. |
| Too far: N away | Phone is too far from the recorded pin. | See below. |
| This job has no map coordinates. On-site verification is unavailable. | The property has no pin. | Office needs to set one. |
| Unable to verify location right now. Please retry in a moment. | Transient failure. | Retry. |
Too far does not always mean the crew is in the wrong place. Very often the property’s pin is wrong. If it keeps happening at one address, fix the pin rather than blaming the crew: see how to fix a property’s map pin.
No map coordinates is purely an office problem. Nobody in the field can fix it. Keep the GPS column clean on the Properties page and it does not happen.
3 Location permission problems
If permission was refused, the app is explicit about it, including the exact path to fix it: Enable it in Settings, Apps, ClippingCash Field Worker, Permissions.
Other variants you may hear read out to you:
- Location permission is required to verify your arrival at job sites. Tap the location banner to grant access.
- Location permission denied. Enable it in Settings to verify job arrivals.
- Location permission is permanently denied.
Permanently denied means they have to go into the phone’s own settings; the app can no longer ask. Worth walking through on day one rather than on a wet Tuesday. See why the app asks for location.
4 Add photos
Use Add Photos to attach before and after shots. Photos carry the time they were taken, so the record reflects when the work actually happened rather than when it synced.
Before and after photos are the cheapest customer-service tool you have. They end “you missed the back” conversations in one message, and they justify your price to anyone who thinks lawn care is just pushing a mower.
5 No signal is fine
The app works offline. Photos taken with no connection are held on the phone: Photos saved, will upload when you reconnect. Job completions queue the same way and sync when signal returns.
Crews should not wait around for a bar of signal. Finish the job, move on, and it uploads itself.
Two things to know on the office side:
- If a queued action conflicts with something the server already knows, it lands in the needs-review queue rather than silently overwriting.
- The app surfaces anything that failed to sync, so a rejected item shows up rather than disappearing.
6 Take payment on site
Crews can record payment at the property. The app tracks Paid (Cash), Paid (Check), Paid (Card) and Partially Paid, and confirms with Payment recorded successfully. For cheques it keeps the cheque number.
Collecting at the door is the fastest money in this business. A payment taken on site is a payment you never chase.