Frequently asked questions
Everything dealers ask about LotHours — geofencing, smartwatch clock-in, flat-rate pay, offline punches, kiosk mode, payroll exports, and pricing.
Does LotHours support flat-rate technicians?+
Yes. LotHours handles flat-rate techs alongside hourly staff in the same department. It reconciles booked flat-rate hours against actual clock hours and prices premiums correctly, with a dedicated flat-rate view and export format.
Can LotHours geofence multiple lots?+
Yes. You draw each lot as its own polygon geofence on satellite imagery — main lot, satellite and overflow lots, and auction lots — plus separate zones for the service drive, body shop, and detail bay. You can run multiple sites for a dealer group.
Does LotHours have an Apple Watch and Wear OS app?+
Yes. LotHours ships both an Apple Watch (watchOS) app and a Wear OS app. Employees can clock in, clock out, and start a break from the wrist, via their paired phone, and the iPhone shows a Live Activity during a shift.
Does the time clock work offline?+
Yes. If an employee punches in a dead-zone or back lot, the clock event is captured on their phone and syncs automatically once they're back in coverage.
Is there a shared kiosk / PIN mode?+
Yes. LotHours supports a kiosk PIN mode so employees can clock in and out from a shared device using a personal PIN, in addition to clocking from their own phone or watch.
What about test drives — will the system clock a salesperson out?+
No. When an employee is on a test drive they text DRIVE and LotHours suppresses the auto clock-out so the clock keeps running while they're off the lot with a customer, then they text BACK on return.
Can employees report sick, late, or breaks without the app?+
Yes. Employees can text in sick, late, on break, or clocked out from any phone. LotHours classifies each message into a structured event and threads it to the right manager.
Does LotHours export to payroll?+
Yes. Every clock event is timestamped, and timesheets export in payroll-ready formats for ADP, Paychex, Gusto, and QuickBooks — and most providers via CSV — including a flat-rate reconciliation export. We don't give legal advice; confirm specifics with your payroll partner.
Does LotHours handle breaks and California meal penalties?+
Yes. Employees can start and end breaks and meal breaks, and LotHours applies California meal-penalty rules where they're required.
How much does LotHours cost?+
Free for up to 5 employees per site. Pro is $79 per site per month with unlimited employees, internal messaging, two-way employee SMS, polygon geofences, audit log, and payroll-ready exports. Enterprise is custom-priced for dealer groups. Billing is per site, not per employee — the employee apps are free.
Still have a question?
Email sales@lothours.com for a demo, or visit the help center.
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