Privacy and Compliance Responsibilities: before enabling telemetry, admins should ensure that its use aligns with your organisation’s privacy policies and legal obligations. Uptick acts as a data processor — your organisation remains the data controller responsible for managing consent and appropriate use of location data.
How to Enable The Device Telemetry Feature
Telemetry is an optional paid add-on that can be activated per technician. It’s off by default and must be enabled manually by a system administrator on the web app.
Steps to Enable Telemetry:
Go to the People > Users section in the Uptick web platform.
Ensure the user has either a Field or Desk license.
3. Check “Device Telemetry” for that user.
3. Check “Device Telemetry” for that user.
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4. The technician will be prompted in the app to grant location access. They must have this set to 'Always Allow' for Telemetry to function.
4. The technician will be prompted in the app to grant location access. They must have this set to 'Always Allow' for Telemetry to function.
5. Once permissions are granted, tracking will begin automatically when the app is in use.
Note: Telemetry can only be enabled for users with a Desk or Field license. It is not available for users on a Contractor license
Confirming Location Access is Working on Your Device:
Technicians will always see a non-dismissible visual indicator in the app when location tracking is active. You can tap this icon to view more details about your current location access status.
Technicians will always see a non-dismissible visual indicator in the app when location tracking is active. You can tap this icon to view more details about your current location access status.
If location access has not been properly set up, this will also be clearly indicated within the app. To ensure full functionality, please set location access to Allow Always.
No Location Access
No Location Access
If location access at the device level is set to Do Not Share, the location icon will display with a cross through it, and a red banner message will indicate that location services are currently off.
Location Access Set to "While Using the App"
Location Access Set to "While Using the App"
If location access at the device level is set to While Using the App, the location icon will display with a dashed outline, and a yellow banner message will indicate that location services are currently off.
When and How Tracking Occurs
Location tracking uses GPS-based telemetry data to record the technician’s position and movement over time.
Tracking only begins after telemetry has been proactively enabled (see section above for steps).
Once enabled:
Starts: When the technician first interacts with the app
Stops:
After 3 hours of inactivity (no interaction with the app),
If the app is force-closed (i.e. swiped away or terminated by the OS), or
If location permissions are revoked at the device level.
Data collection frequency:
Every 1 minute when the tasks session is set to 'travel'
Otherwise every 5 minutes
⚠️ Why these intervals?
We’ve carefully chosen these frequencies to balance operational usefulness with battery efficiency, mobile data usage, and cloud storage considerations. This approach captures the essential context without burdening your device or network.
Data Usage & Accuracy
Accuracy may vary depending on:
Mobile signal strength
Device settings and permissions
Environmental factors (e.g. tunnels, buildings, or offline zones)
While GPS telemetry provides a reliable view of technician locations and movement patterns, it is not designed to deliver precise, real-time tracking to the level required for legal or regulatory enforcement. Various factors — including mobile signal strength, device settings, and environmental conditions — can impact the accuracy and timeliness of location data.
As such, this data should be considered directional and operational, not forensic. It is not intended to serve as legally admissible evidence for site presence or activity.
How to Opt Out
There are two ways to disable telemetry: technician opt-out via their device, or admin opt-out via the Uptick web platform.
Technician Opt-Out (Device-level)
Technicians can stop location tracking at any time by either:
Using the In-App Shortcut
Open the Uptick mobile app
Go to profile Icon on your dashboard, then select 'Account preferences' for the shortcut provided to access your device’s location settings
Disabling Location Access via Device Settings
On iOS:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Uptick > Set to "Never"
On Android (may vary slightly by device):
Settings > Location > App permissions > Uptick > Select "Deny" or "Don't allow"
Once location access is turned off:
Telemetry services will be stops
Location-based features in the app (e.g., journey tracking, dispatch support) will no longer function
You can re-enable access at any time through the same settings
Note: If the app is offline or hasn't yet synced, location data may still be recorded temporarily. Ensure the technician’s app is online for changes to take full effect.
📍 If location access is disabled, features like journey tracking, dispatch support (last known location), proximity-based task prompts, and setting locations from your current position will no longer function. These tools rely on real-time location to reduce manual steps, speed up job handling, and support technician safety. For best results, we recommend enabling location access in the Uptick mobile app.
Admin Opt-Out (Web-level)
Admins can also disable telemetry for a user by:
Navigating to People > Users in the Uptick web platform
Locating the user and toggling “Device Telemetry” off
This will immediately stop all telemetry tracking for that user — no action is required from the technician.
⚠️ Please note that if the telemetry function is not officially turned off for the user in the web-app, they will still be charged.
Data Storage & Compliance
Telemetry data is stored in-region based on the technician’s location and is never transferred across regions. Data is encrypted and handled in line with applicable privacy laws.
Your organisation is responsible for managing consent and ensuring lawful use of location data. Uptick acts as a data processor, while you remain the data controller.
For full details on data storage locations, consent responsibilities, and compliance with regulations such as UK GDPR, CCPA, and PIPEDA, please refer to: