Stop filling out timesheets by hand. This setup records check in and check out when you arrive or leave a place and saves the data in Google Sheets. It suits teams that want simple attendance tracking without buying new software.

A webhook receives a call from your phone shortcut with a header named direction. The flow searches Google Drive for a spreadsheet called WorkTimeTracking. If it is missing, it creates the file and a sheet named Worklog. A set step stamps the current date and time using a consistent format, and Google Sheets appends a row with Date, Time, and Direction. Automatic file creation reduces setup work and keeps the log in one place. With 10 nodes, the flow is easy to follow and requires little care after launch.

You need a Google account and the Shortcuts app on iPhone. Make two shortcuts or automations for Check In and Check Out and point them to the webhook URL with the direction header. Expect fewer missed punches, faster payroll prep, and clear records for field staff, retail shifts, and consultants who move between client sites.

• Webhook trigger captures requests from your phone and reads a direction header for check in or check out.
• Google Drive search finds the WorkTimeTracking spreadsheet so existing logs are reused.
• Conditional check with a code helper creates the spreadsheet and a Worklog sheet if none is found.
• Set step formats Date as yyyy-MM-dd and Time as hh:mm for consistent records.
• Google Sheets append adds a new row with Date, Time, and Direction.
• Header mapping pulls Direction from the webhook with a safe fallback.
• Works with location based phone shortcuts for hands free time capture.

• Reduce manual entry from 10 minutes a day to under 1 minute
• Improve time log accuracy by up to 95%
• Automate 100% of check in and check out records
• Centralize all time data in one Google Sheet
• Speed up payroll preparation by about 30%

1. Import the template into n8n: Create a new workflow in n8n > Click the three dots menu > Select 'Import from File' > Choose the downloaded JSON file.
2. You'll need accounts with Google Sheets, Google Drive and Apple Shortcuts. See the Tools Required section above for links to create accounts with these services.
3. Open the Webhook node in n8n and copy the production URL. Note the path value so you can call it from your phone shortcuts.
4. In the n8n credentials manager, double click the Google Drive node, choose Create new credential for Google Drive OAuth2, then follow the on screen steps to connect your Google account and grant Drive access. Name the credential clearly.
5. In the n8n credentials manager, double click the Google Sheets nodes, choose Create new credential for Google Sheets OAuth2, then follow the on screen steps to connect your Google account and grant Sheets access. Use the same Google account as Drive.
6. Confirm the Google Drive node query is WorkTimeTracking. This tells the flow which spreadsheet to find or create.
7. Open the Google Sheets Append node. Ensure the sheet name is Worklog. Keep the field mappings for Date, Time, and Direction as provided.
8. If you want to lock to a specific spreadsheet, open the Append node and set Document ID to that file’s ID from the Google Sheets URL. If you keep the expression, the flow will use the file found by the Drive search.
9. On your iPhone, open the Shortcuts app. Create two shortcuts or automations: one for arriving and one for leaving. Add Get Contents of URL, paste the webhook URL, and add a header named direction with value Check-In or Check-Out.
10. In n8n, click Execute workflow to start listening, trigger a shortcut, and check that a new row appears in the Worklog sheet with the right direction.
11. Troubleshooting: if no row is added, verify you used the production webhook URL, the header name is direction, Google credentials are connected in n8n, and the sheet name is Worklog. If the file is missing, the flow will create it on the next run.