Definitiv now allows administrators to optionally configure a single project restriction on a TimeClock Device. When enabled, the device will automatically assign the configured project to every employee clocking in or out on that devise. The project field is hidden from the employee entirely, so no selection is required and no override is possible.
This is particularly useful for organisations in regulated industries, where there is a strict requirement to prove that employees were physically present at a specific project location.
Key Benefits
Audit compliance – Provides definitive proof that employees clocked in at a specific location or project.
Error prevention – Employees cannot charge time to the wrong project as the project field is hidden from them entirely.
Simplified experience – The project is automatically assigned with no action required from the employee at clock-in.
Administrator control – Each device can be independently configured with its own project restriction.
Flexible - The ability to have a Timeclock device which is able to be used by any organisation and across different projects has not been removed. This functionality is an optional addition if you wish to restrict your timeclock devices.
How It Works
The Single Project Restriction works in two parts: configuration by an administrator, and automatic project assignment at clock-in.
1. Administrator configures the device
When provisioning or editing a TimeClock Device, an administrator can optionally select a single project to restrict the device to. This can be done either through the Definitiv web application or directly within the TimeClock app during device provisioning. Once configured, the restriction is stored against that specific device.
Note: The project restriction option is only available when the device is assigned to a single organisation. If a device is configured for more than one organisation, the project restriction option will not appear.
Existing devices: TimeClock Devices provisioned before version 3.26 will need to be re-provisioned to access the project restriction setting. Instructions on how to re-provision an existing Timeclock Device can be found in the How to configure a Project restriction section of this article.
2. Employee clocks in or out
When an employee clocks in or out on a restricted device, Definitiv automatically assigns the configured project to their timesheet entry. The project field is hidden from the employee — they simply clock in or out as normal with no project selection required or visible.
3. Override behaviour
The device-level project restriction takes priority over any project set on the employee's roster or employee record. If the device's configured project differs from what the roster or employee record specifies, the device setting is applied and the timesheet is flagged for manual review and approval.
ℹ️ Note: If the configured project has been ceased or deleted, the system will fall back to using the project from the employee's roster or work schedule. The timesheet will still be flagged for manual approval in this scenario.
4. Offline behaviour
The TimeClock app caches the device's project restriction locally, so clock-ins and clock-outs can still occur when the device is offline. When connectivity is restored and the timesheet syncs, validation is completed at that point and any required exception flags are applied automatically.
Before You Begin
Before configuring a Single Project Restriction, ensure the following:
Permission (web admin) – You must have the Manage TimeClock Devices permission to configure a restriction via the Definitiv web application.
Permission (mobile provisioning) – You must have the Provision TimeClock Devices permission to configure a restriction during device provisioning in the TimeClock app.
Country – Your organisation must be an Australian organisation. This feature is not available for New Zealand.
Single organisation – The TimeClock device must be assigned to a single organisation. Multi-organisation TimeClock devices cannot use the project restriction feature as projects are configured at the organisation level.
Active project – The project you want to restrict the device to must already be active in Definitiv i.e. not ceased.
How to Configure a Project Restriction
There are two ways to configure a project restriction depending on whether you are setting up a new device or updating an existing one.
Existing devices: If the device was provisioned before version 3.26, the project restriction setting will not be available by editing the device in the web admin alone. The device must be re-provisioned using the TimeClock app to access this setting.
Option 1: Via the Definitiv web application
Use this option to configure the restriction on an existing device that has already been provisioned on version 3.26 or later.
Log in to Definitiv with an account that has the Manage TimeClock Devices permission.
Select your user menu in the top-left corner of the screen.
Select TimeClock Device Listing from the menu.
Find the device you want to configure and click Edit.
Ensure the device has only a single organisation selected. If more than one organisation is selected, the project restriction option will not be available.
Locate the Applicable Project field. Under it, find the Specific Project dropdown.
Select the project you want to restrict the device to. You can search for a project by name within the dropdown.
Click Save to apply the restriction. The setting will take effect the next time an employee clocks in or out on that device.
Option 2: During mobile provisioning (iOS and Android)
Use this option when provisioning a new device, or when re-provisioning an existing device to enable the project restriction setting.
Open the Definitiv TimeClock app on the iOS or Android device you are provisioning.
Follow the existing device provisioning steps.
If you are re-provisioning an existing Timeclock Device you will need to select the lock symbol and enter the PIN that was chosen when the device was configured. This will open a menu containing the Reprovision device option.
When selecting the organisation for this device, select a single organisation only. If more than one organisation is selected, the project restriction option will not appear.
Once a single organisation is selected, a Project Restriction section will appear in the provisioning screen.
Select the project you want to restrict this device to from the available list. This step is optional - if no project is selected, the device will operate without a restriction.
Complete the provisioning process. The restriction will be applied immediately.
Tip: Re-provisioning an existing device will not affect any historical timesheet data. Only clock-ins and clock-outs after re-provisioning will be subject to the new restriction.
What Employees Experience
Once a project restriction is configured on a device the project field is hidden entirely - employees simply clock in and out as they normally would, and the configured project is assigned to their timesheet automatically in the background.
It is encouraged to advise your employees if a device is being set up with this restriction so that they know they do not need to think about which project they are clocking in for.
Important Notes and Limitations
Single organisation requirement
The project restriction option only appears when a device is assigned to a single organisation. Devices configured for multiple or all organisations cannot use this feature.
If you only have a single entity organisation, it has to be explicitly set in the TimeClock configuration. Setting it to “All Organisations” despite having just one entity will not allow single project restriction to work.
One project per device
Each device can be restricted to a single project only.
Existing devices must be re-provisioned
TimeClock Devices that were provisioned before version 3.26 will not have access to the project restriction setting via the web admin alone. These devices must be re-provisioned using the TimeClock app (iOS or Android) to make the setting available.
Existing devices that are not re-provisioned will not be restricted to any project by default.
Changes to provisioned devices
If a TimeClock device configured with a project restriction is modified through the web interface by a TimeClock Device Manager, the new project set in the TimeClock Management page will immediately take effect and supersede the existing configuration when timesheets are created.
Australia only
This feature is available to Australian organisations only.
Ceased or deleted projects
If the project configured on a device is ceased or deleted, the system will fall back to the project assigned to the employee’s rostered shift and the timesheet will be flagged for manual approval. Administrators should update the device configuration to select an active project as soon as possible.
In the case where an employee does not have a rostered shift, the timesheet will default to the project assigned to the employee’s Work Schedule. If the employee does not have an applicable Work Schedule the employee’s primary project will be used.
Troubleshooting
The project restriction option does not appear when editing a device in the web admin
Verify the device is assigned to a single organisation only. The option will not appear for multi-organisation devices.
If the device was provisioned before version 3.26, the option will not be available via the web admin. The device must be re-provisioned using the TimeClock app.
Confirm your account has the Manage TimeClock Devices permission.
The project restriction option does not appear during mobile provisioning
Ensure you have selected a single organisation only during provisioning. Selecting more than one organisation will prevent the project restriction section from appearing.
Confirm your account has the Provision TimeClock Devices permission.
Timesheets are being flagged for manual approval unexpectedly
This is expected behaviour when the device's configured project differs from the project on the employee's roster, work schedule or employee record. Review the device configuration to ensure the correct project is selected, or update the affected employees' rosters to match the device project. Note that if the device was offline during clock-in, the flag may be applied at sync time.
The restriction is applying the wrong project
Open the device settings and verify the correct project is selected in the Specific Project dropdown.
Check whether the project has been renamed — the restriction is linked to the project record, not just the name.
If the configured project has been ceased or deleted, the device will fall back to the roster project or work schedule project. Update the device to select a current active project.