How Real-Link Works | NFC Guard Tour Verification Explained
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How It Works

Simple for the people doing the work. Powerful for the people proving it happened.

You do not need to know anything about technology to use Real-Link. A small sticker goes on the wall. Your team taps their phone to it. Everything else is automatic. This page explains the whole thing in plain English.

NFC

Near Field Communication. The same technology that lets you tap your card to pay for something. When your phone gets close to an NFC sticker, it can read information from it instantly, without touching it. Real-Link uses this to know where your team is and when they were there.

RFID

Radio Frequency Identification. A tiny chip inside a sticker or tag that transmits a unique code when a compatible device is held near it. Similar to NFC but used for a wider range of tag formats including rugged outdoor and industrial versions. In Real-Link, RFID tags do exactly the same job as NFC tags.

The Real-Link flow

From tap to verified report in under three seconds.

Watch how data moves from the checkpoint to your client portal automatically.

1
NFC tag on the wall
A small adhesive sticker fixed at the checkpoint, piece of equipment or location you want to track
2
Phone taps the tag
Your team member holds the Android device near the tag. The correct form opens in under a second
3
Form completed
Checklist, photos, signatures, notes. Timestamp and GPS location added automatically
4
Live in the portal
Data reaches the cloud portal the moment it is submitted. Managers see it in real time
5
Report sent automatically
Branded report generated and emailed to your team and clients. No one has to do it manually
Last checkpoint
Gate A — Verified
J. Hargreaves — 02:14 this morning
Data transfer
Transmitted
Received by portal instantly
Client report
Sent at 06:00
Automated, no manual work needed
Step by step

The full detail, start to finish.

1
Physical setup

Small stickers go at every point you want to track. That is all the setup requires.

Before your team starts using Real-Link, NFC and RFID tags are attached at the points you want to record. These could be checkpoint gates, fire extinguishers, cleaning areas, pieces of equipment or any fixed location. Each tag is a small adhesive sticker no bigger than a coin. Each one has a unique code inside it that tells the system exactly where the scan happened.

We supply the tags and register every one to its location in your portal before deployment. Your team does not need to configure anything.

Tag formats available
Adhesive sticker (indoor)
Rugged weatherproof (outdoor)
Cable tie (equipment)
Key fob (portable)
Hard industrial (harsh environments)
NFC card (staff ID)
2
On the ground

Your team holds their phone near the tag. The right form opens immediately. There is nothing else to do.

The Real-Link app knows which form belongs to each tag. When the device reads it, the correct checklist or inspection form opens straight away. There is no searching through menus, no typing in a location name and no selecting from a list. It just opens.

Works on NFC-enabled Android devices supplied by Real-Link or compatible models your team already uses
If there is no signal, the app works offline and sends the data the moment connection is restored. Nothing is lost.
Location-specific instructions or reminders can be shown to the user at the point of scan, reducing errors
3
Data capture

Every submission carries an automatic timestamp, GPS location and the identity of the person who submitted it.

Forms can include checkboxes, dropdown options, free text, photos and digital signatures. Your team fills in what is relevant and submits. The date, time, GPS coordinates and the employee's identity are all captured automatically in the background. Nobody has to remember to add them.

This is what makes the record tamper-evident. The timestamp is set server-side the moment the submission arrives, not when it was typed in by a person. That distinction matters when a client or insurer questions the record later.

What gets recorded automatically on every submission
Who
J. Hargreaves
+
Where
Gate A — Tag 214
+
When
02:14:38
4
Cloud portal

The moment your team submits, it is live in the portal. No delays, no manual uploads, no spreadsheets to email.

Real-Link is entirely cloud-based. Nothing is stored on a local server or a computer in your office. The moment data is submitted from the device, it travels via mobile data or Wi-Fi to a secure server and becomes visible in the web portal immediately.

Managers can watch live activity across all sites from one browser tab
Each client gets their own login, restricted to their site data only
Missed checkpoint alerts fire automatically, the moment a window is exceeded, not the next morning
No software to install, no updates to manage, works on any device with a browser
5
Automated reporting

Reports are generated and sent to your clients automatically. Nobody on your team has to write, compile or send them.

Set daily, weekly or monthly reports to go to whoever needs them. Your operations manager, your clients, your compliance team. Reports include all checkpoint scans, form submissions, incident records, photos and timestamps for the period. They are branded with your company name and contact details, not Real-Link's.

Example automated patrol report
Nightly Patrol Report — Warehouse Site B Generated 06:00 automatically
Gate A — Main entrance
02:14
Car Park — North perimeter
01:58
Reception — Internal lobby
01:41
Loading Bay — External access
01:23
The hardware

Everything you need is supplied by Real-Link.

There is no hardware to source, no app store to navigate and no configuration to do before you go live. We supply everything and set it up before your first patrol.

NFC-enabled Android device
Rugged Android handsets pre-loaded with the Real-Link app and configured to your operation before delivery. Built for field use, with full-shift battery life and a screen readable in direct sunlight.
iOS (iPhone) is not currently supported. Apple restricts the NFC access Real-Link needs. Android is required.
NFC and RFID tags
Small adhesive stickers or rugged tags for every checkpoint, asset or inspection point. Available in formats for indoor, outdoor, industrial and high-security environments. Supplied and registered in your portal as part of setup.
Each tag is unique. Scanning one anywhere other than its registered location flags immediately in the portal.
Web portal
No software to install. Access your data through a secure browser-based portal on any device. Role-based access means each user only sees what is relevant to them. Clients get their own login showing only their site.
Works on any modern browser including Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari.
System requirements

What you need to run Real-Link.

What is supported
Android devices with NFC, supplied by Real-Link or compatible models
Mobile data (3G, 4G or 5G) or Wi-Fi for real-time transmission
Any modern browser for the web portal on any device
Offline mode available. Data queues locally and syncs automatically when connection returns
Important to know
iPhone is not currently supported. Apple restricts the type of NFC access Real-Link requires. This may change in future Apple updates.
Android devices must have NFC enabled. Most modern Android phones include it, but older or entry-level models may not.
We recommend using devices supplied by Real-Link for best compatibility and hardware support.
Common questions

Questions people ask before they book a demo.

What actually is NFC? Do I need to know about it to use Real-Link?+
You do not need to understand it to use it. NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It is the same technology behind contactless card payments. When you tap your bank card on a reader, NFC is what makes that work. Real-Link uses the same principle. A small sticker contains a chip. When your team's phone gets close to it, the phone reads the chip and knows which location it is at. That is all that is happening. Your team just holds the phone near the sticker.
Think of it like a barcode, but instead of pointing a scanner at it, you just hold your phone nearby. It works through cases, gloves and light clothing.
What is RFID and how is it different from NFC?+
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It is an older, broader technology that NFC is actually a subset of. In practical terms for Real-Link, they do the same thing. Both use a tiny chip inside a tag or sticker that responds when a compatible device is held near it. The difference is mostly in the formats available. RFID tags come in more rugged versions suitable for outdoor use, industrial environments, high temperatures and areas where a standard adhesive sticker would not last. If you are placing tags outdoors or on heavy machinery, you will likely use RFID tags. For most indoor checkpoints, NFC stickers are fine. We advise on which to use for each location during setup.
What happens if there is no mobile signal at a site?+
Real-Link has an offline mode. If the device loses connectivity, it continues capturing data locally on the device. The moment a connection is restored, all queued submissions sync automatically to the cloud portal. Your team never loses a record because of a signal gap. This is particularly useful for basements, server rooms, underground car parks and rural sites.
Does my team need training to use it?+
Most users are comfortable after a single short session. The core action is straightforward: 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.
Can I use phones my team already have?+
You can use existing Android phones provided they have NFC capability. However, we recommend using devices supplied by Real-Link. Our hardware is configured for the application, tested for NFC reliability and covered by our support. Personal devices vary in NFC performance and are more likely to cause issues in the field. iPhone devices are not compatible due to Apple's restrictions on NFC access.
How quickly does data appear in the portal after a scan?+
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. Managers watching the portal live will see new entries appearing as the team completes their rounds.
Can clients see the data for their site?+
Yes. Each client can be given their own login to the web portal, restricted to data for their site only. They can view patrol logs, form submissions, inspection records 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.
What types of forms can be built in Real-Link?+
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, maintenance logs and any other form specific to your operation. Forms are built and configured during setup. You do not need to do this yourself.
How is the data stored and is it secure?+
All data is stored on a secure, cloud-based server. Access is controlled through individual logins with role-based permissions. Each user only sees the data relevant to their role. Records are timestamped server-side and cannot be altered after submission. Data can be exported at any time in PDF or CSV format for auditors, insurers or regulatory purposes.

Want to see it running on one of your actual sites?

We set up a live trial with your own team before you make any decision. You will know within days whether Real-Link is right for your operation.

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