NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It is the same technology that makes contactless card payments work. When you tap your bank card on a payment reader, NFC is what makes the connection. Real-Link uses the same principle: a small chip inside a sticker on the wall, and when a Real-Link Android device gets close to it, the device reads the chip and knows exactly which location it is at. No typing, no scanning a barcode, no selecting from a list. Your team just holds the phone near the sticker.

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. NFC is actually a type of RFID. In practice for Real-Link they do the same job, but RFID tags come in more formats, including rugged versions for outdoor use, industrial environments and high temperatures. For most indoor checkpoints, NFC adhesive stickers are fine. For outdoor gates, heavy machinery or harsh environments, the rugged RFID formats are more appropriate. Real-Link advises on which to use at each location during setup.

No. Real-Link runs on Android only. Apple restricts the type of background NFC access that Real-Link requires on iPhone devices. All devices supplied by Real-Link are Android, pre-loaded and ready to use. This may change if Apple updates their NFC policies in a future iOS version.

You can use existing Android phones provided they have NFC capability enabled. However, we recommend using devices supplied by Real-Link. Our hardware is tested for NFC reliability, pre-configured and covered by hardware support. Personal devices vary in NFC performance and are more likely to cause issues in the field. iPhone devices are not compatible.

Real-Link has an offline mode. When the device has no connectivity, it stores scans, form submissions and incident reports locally on the device. The moment a connection is restored via mobile data or Wi-Fi, all queued records sync automatically to the portal. No records are lost due to signal gaps. This is particularly useful for basements, underground car parks, server rooms and rural sites.

Most customers are live on their first site within a week of their demo meeting. We configure your patrol routes, forms and reports, register your tags and supply pre-loaded devices before you go live. You do not need to do any of that yourself. Several Real-Link customers have signed new contracts and gone live within the same week.

No. Real-Link supplies NFC-enabled Android devices and RFID tags as part of the system. The devices arrive pre-loaded with the app and configured to your operation. You do not need to source hardware or set anything up yourself.

Most users are comfortable after a single short session. The core action is: hold the phone near the tag, fill in the form, press submit. We provide onboarding as part of the setup process and the interface is designed around people who are not tech-savvy. If someone can use WhatsApp, they can use Real-Link.

In normal conditions with a mobile or Wi-Fi connection, data appears in the portal within a few seconds of submission. There is no overnight batch and no manual upload. Supervisors watching the portal live will see new entries appearing as the team completes their rounds.

Yes. Each client can be given their own login to the web portal, restricted to their site only. They can see patrol records, attendance, form submissions and incidents in real time. Many Real-Link customers say this client portal is the main reason they win new contracts. Showing a prospect a live portal view during a sales meeting is significantly more compelling than describing the service verbally.

Yes. All data can be exported as PDF or CSV at any time. You can filter by date range, site or operative before exporting. The attendance CSV contains the data most payroll systems need. For audits, PDF exports of patrol records and inspection logs include all the timestamps, GPS data and photos needed.

Yes. Reports sent to clients are branded with your company name and contact details. Clients see your brand, not Real-Link's. The frequency and recipients for each report are configured per site and can be updated at any time.

Timestamps in Real-Link are set server-side at the moment the record arrives at the portal. They are not entered by the operative and cannot be changed after submission. This means a record from 02:14am was received by the server at 02:14am, regardless of what time it is read or exported. This is what makes the records defensible in client disputes and insurance claims.

If a checkpoint in a planned patrol round is not scanned within its expected time window, an automatic alert is sent to the configured supervisors immediately. The alert includes the checkpoint name, the site and the guard assigned to the round. Supervisors are notified the moment the window closes, not the next morning.

Any form that currently exists on paper can be recreated in Real-Link. This includes patrol logs, cleaning checklists, fire extinguisher checks, fire door inspections, incident reports, first aid records, defect logs, activity reports, site safety forms, return-to-work records, holiday requests, visitor logs, toolbox talk attendance, vehicle checks and any other form specific to your operation. Forms are built by Real-Link during setup. You do not need to do this yourself.

Yes. Any form can include one or more photo fields. The operative takes the photo directly within the form using the device camera. The photo is attached to the submission with an automatic timestamp and stored with the record permanently. Photos can also be made mandatory for specific forms or specific answers.

Yes. Digital signatures can be included in any form. The signature is captured on the device screen and stored with the submission. Signatures can be from the operative, a supervisor, a client representative or any other person present.

No. Lone worker protection runs on the same device used for patrols, forms and time and attendance. There is no second device, no second app and no separate subscription. The check-in and panic alert functions run alongside the rest of the system on a single handset.

Real-Link provides the components required by UK health and safety guidance for lone worker monitoring: a panic alert, timed check-ins with automatic escalation, live GPS visibility and a tamper-evident record of all alerts and check-ins. Whether it meets the specific requirements of your operation depends on the risk assessment for each lone working role. Real-Link can help you think through your requirements. For formal legal advice, consult a health and safety specialist.

Call us on 01243 855700 or email support@novaepos.com. We are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. If your query is outside these hours, leave a message and we will call back the next working day.

Call 01243 855700 or email support@novaepos.com with a description of the issue. If possible, include the device model, the version of the app displayed in the settings, and a screenshot or description of what you are seeing. For urgent issues affecting live operations, call rather than email.

Contact Real-Link on 01243 855700 or email info@novaepos.com. Send us the paper form or describe the fields and logic you need. We will configure the form in the system and confirm when it is live. There is no self-service form builder; all forms are built and maintained by the Real-Link team.