# Missed Call Attendance for Field Staff

> Using missed calls for employee and field-staff attendance: registered mobile as identity, one number per site or shift, CSV export for payroll, cost, and honest limits such as no GPS proof.

Source: https://edesy.in/blog/missed-call-employee-attendance

**Short answer:** register each worker's mobile number, publish an attendance number per site or
shift, and ask staff to give a missed call when they arrive (and leave). The caller pays nothing,
the platform logs **which phone called and when**, and the CSV export becomes your attendance
register for payroll. It works on any phone and needs no app, but it **does not prove location**.

[Get a Missed Call Number](https://missedcall.edesy.in/?utm_source=edesy.in&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=missed-call)

## Who It Suits

Missed call attendance is a good fit where an app is unrealistic:

| Workforce | Why missed calls work |
|---|---|
| Security guards across many sites | Basic phones, rotating shifts |
| Housekeeping and facility staff | No smartphones or data packs |
| Construction and contract labour | Many languages, low literacy |
| Field sales and merchandisers | Start-of-day check-in from the market |
| Delivery and logistics staff | Quick shift start without opening an app |
| Healthcare outreach and NGO field workers | Rural coverage on feature phones |
| Retail store staff across branches | One number per store |

It is a weaker fit for office staff with laptops and badges, where a biometric or HR app is
already in place.

## How It Works

1. **Registered mobile = identity.** You keep a staff list with each person's mobile number.
2. **Attendance numbers.** You buy one or more missed call numbers and name them, for example
   "Site Andheri Morning" or "Warehouse Nashik".
3. **Check-in.** The worker dials the number. The call is cut with a busy tone and costs them
   nothing.
4. **Record.** The platform logs the caller's number (in +91 format), the time, and which
   attendance number they called.
5. **Payroll.** You export the CSV (or receive each call by webhook) and match numbers to names.

## Setup Options

### One number per site

Each site gets its own number. The number called tells you which site the worker checked in to,
which is useful for contractors billing by site.

### One number per shift

"Morning shift: 9XXX..., Night shift: 9YYY..." The number called tells you which shift.

### Separate in and out numbers

Two numbers per site: one for arrival, one for departure. You then calculate hours worked from the
pair. Alternatively use a single number and treat the first call of the day as "in" and the last
as "out"; this is simpler but easier to get wrong if someone calls twice.

| Design | Numbers needed | What you learn | Cost (plus GST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One number for everyone | 1 | Who called and when | ₹499/month |
| One per site | One per site | Who, when, which site | ₹499 per site/month |
| One per site, in and out | Two per site | Who, which site, hours | ₹998 per site/month |
| One per shift | One per shift | Who, when, which shift | ₹499 per shift/month |

These costs assume you work from the dashboard and CSV export, which have **no per-call charge**.

## Getting the Data into Payroll

### Option 1: Daily or monthly CSV (no developer)

1. Filter the log by number and date range.
2. Export CSV. Columns include caller number, time and the number called.
3. In a spreadsheet, use a lookup against your staff list (mobile to name and employee ID).
4. Pivot by person and date to get days present, or pair first and last calls for hours.

Tip: normalise mobile numbers in your staff list to the same +91 format the export uses, or the
lookup will miss.

### Option 2: Real-time webhook

If you have an HR or payroll system, send each `call.missed` event to it by webhook. Your system
matches `data.from` against the staff list and writes the attendance entry immediately. Each
event costs ₹0.30, or use the ₹1,498/month Unlimited plan per number for large workforces. See the
[missed call docs](https://edesy.in/docs/missed-call) for the payload and signature check.

### Option 3: Into a CRM or Sheet

Small teams can send events to [Edesy CRM](https://edesy.in/crm) (free plan) or to Google Sheets; see
[how to send missed call leads to Google Sheets](https://edesy.in/blog/missed-call-leads-to-google-sheets). If you
use an HRMS, we can connect it for you, usually within a few days, using our webhook and API.

## Cost Example

A security agency with 20 sites and two shifts, using one number per site and working from CSV:

| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| 20 numbers x ₹499 | ₹9,980 |
| Per-call charges (CSV only) | ₹0 |
| Total before GST | ₹9,980 |
| With 18% GST | ₹11,776.40 |

Prepaying 12 months costs ₹4,499 per number instead of ₹5,988. A one-time setup fee may apply per
number. With 400 guards checking in and out daily over 30 days (about 24,000 calls a month spread
across 20 numbers), sending everything by webhook on pay as you go would add about ₹7,200 a month.

## Honest Limits

Be clear-eyed about what a missed call does and does not prove.

| Concern | Reality | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Location | **No GPS or location proof.** The call could come from anywhere. | Spot checks; supervisor confirmation; a GPS app for high-risk roles |
| Proxy attendance | Anyone holding the registered phone can call | Random callbacks; supervisor sign-off |
| Unregistered phones | Calls from unknown numbers appear in the log too | Flag unmatched numbers in your sheet |
| Repeat calls | Every call is a separate event | Use first/last call per day |
| Phone changes | Staff switching SIMs break the match | Update the staff list on joining and SIM change |
| Network outages | No call, no record | Allow a manual entry by supervisor |
| Burst at shift start | Each number caps simultaneous calls | Spread large sites across two numbers |

Missed call attendance is a **low-cost, low-friction register**, not a fraud-proof system. Many
employers use it alongside periodic audits, which is usually enough for distributed, low-tech
workforces.

## Rolling It Out Smoothly

Run a two-week pilot at one or two sites before going company-wide. Keep the old register in
parallel, compare the two daily, and fix mismatches (wrong numbers in the staff list, staff
calling from a second SIM) before payroll depends on it. Print the attendance number on ID cards
or a sticker at the site entrance so nobody has to remember it.

## Privacy and Consent

- Tell staff what is recorded (their number and call time) and why.
- Use the data only for attendance and payroll.
- Limit who can export logs using team roles.
- Keep records for as long as your payroll and labour compliance require, and no longer.

## Step-by-Step Setup

1. Sign in at missedcall.edesy.in and complete KYC (PAN and business documents).
2. Buy numbers per site or shift and name them clearly.
3. Build the staff list with normalised mobile numbers.
4. Brief staff: "Give a missed call on arrival and before leaving."
5. Test with a few workers for a week and compare with your existing register.
6. Roll out, and set a weekly export routine for payroll.

More detail is on the
[employee attendance use case](https://edesy.in/missed-call-service/use-cases/employee-attendance).

[Get a Missed Call Number](https://missedcall.edesy.in/?utm_source=edesy.in&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=missed-call)

## Related Reading

- [What is a missed call service?](https://edesy.in/blog/what-is-missed-call-service)
- [Missed call service pricing in India](https://edesy.in/blog/missed-call-service-pricing-india)
- [Missed call verification vs OTP](https://edesy.in/blog/missed-call-verification-vs-otp)
- [Missed call service](https://edesy.in/missed-call-service)
- [Edesy CRM](https://edesy.in/crm)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How does missed call attendance work?

Each employee's mobile number is registered in your staff list. They give a missed call to the attendance number when they start (and optionally end) work. The call is cut so they pay nothing, and the caller's number and time are recorded. You match numbers to staff and export the log for payroll.

### Does missed call attendance prove where the employee is?

No. A missed call proves which phone called and when, not where it was. If you need location proof, use a GPS or geofenced app, or put a different number at each site and spot-check.

### Do employees need a smartphone or internet?

No. Any phone that can dial works, including basic feature phones, and there is nothing to type or read.

### How much does a missed call attendance system cost?

On Edesy each number costs ₹499 a month plus GST. If you work from the dashboard and CSV export, there is no per-call charge. Sending each call to a webhook costs ₹0.30 per event, or ₹1,498 a month per number on Unlimited.

### Can it stop one employee marking attendance for another?

Only partly. The record is tied to the registered mobile, so proxy attendance requires handing over the phone. For stronger checks, combine it with spot audits or a supervisor confirmation.