How Zeba measures and displays distance
In Zeba, travel distance is the total kilometers you cover while checked in on a field or mobile shift. Zeba uses your phone's GPS to record locations along your route, connects those points, and adds up the distance traveled.
Your travel distance in Zeba is used for route maps, live location dashboards, travel reimbursement, and daily attendance summaries. Tracking only runs during an active check-in.
When tracking starts and stops
GPS travel tracking in Zeba runs only while you are checked in. When you check out, tracking stops and your total travel distance for that session is saved.
Continuous tracking runs for up to 9 hours per check-in session. If your shift goes longer, check out and check back in so your distance stays linked to the correct attendance record.
How your route is recorded on mobile
The Zeba mobile app records your location while you are checked in, even when the app is not open on screen. A new GPS point is saved when you move roughly 50 meters or more, or about every 2 minutes during travel.
If you lose mobile network, the app stores updates locally and sends them when connectivity returns. Your route is rebuilt in the order points were collected.
How distance is calculated
Zeba measures the distance between consecutive points on your route and adds those segments together - like connecting dots on a map. When you check out, all segments from check-in to check-out are summed into your final travel distance for that shift.
If you check in and out multiple times in one day, each session has its own travel total. Your daily distance is the combined total across all sessions that day.
Stops, GPS accuracy, and short movements
If you remain within roughly 50 meters of your last recorded stop, Zeba treats you as being at the same location and does not add extra distance. When GPS accuracy is lower, this zone can extend up to about 100 meters.
A new point is recorded when you genuinely move, when more than about 10 minutes pass without an update, or when a sudden GPS jump suggests an inaccurate reading.
Where distance appears in Zeba
- Route map on mobile - see the path and total km for your shift
- Live location on web - managers view running travel totals on the map
- Reimbursement claims - use tracked distance to prefill travel km on expense forms
Why Zeba totals may differ from Google Maps or your car odometer
- Zeba connects GPS points in straight segments, not along every road curve
- Short movements under about 50-100 meters may not add distance
- Location is sampled every 2 minutes or after 50 meters of movement
- Uphill travel is not counted as extra distance
- GPS gaps indoors, in tunnels, or in dense cities affect totals
Zeba is designed to give a consistent record of work travel tied to your check-in - not to match every meter of a navigation app turn by turn.
FAQ
Does the Zeba app calculate distance on my phone?
Your phone records GPS locations while you are checked in. The travel distance total you see is calculated by Zeba so it stays consistent across mobile, web, and reimbursement screens.
Can I edit or override my tracked distance?
Route distance is calculated automatically and finalized at check-out. You can enter a different distance manually on a reimbursement claim if needed.
Who can see my location and travel distance?
Only authorized people in your organization - such as your manager or HR team - can view your route map and live location.
Learn more about attendance management and mobile HR for field teams.
