---
title: "getting GPS time stamp on mobile app"
url: "https://openforis.support/questions/3081/getting-gps-time-stamp-on-mobile-app"
tags: ["collect-mobile"]
status: "answered"
score: 0
answer_count: 3
asked: "2021-03-09T00:12:26"
last_activity: "2021-03-12T16:32:06"
source: "Open Foris Support - Q&A Forum"
license: "Copyright Open Foris, 2026. Some rights reserved under creative commons license."
---

# getting GPS time stamp on mobile app

Asked by mammal_survey on 2021-03-09

Hi Open Foris team/community. 

Is there a way to get a date/time/GPS stamp - basically if I open a new data entry in the field, I want it to record automatically the time (date) and position using the device's information? Then I add the attributes for this entry, 
Secondly, it is possible to get the time format hh:mm:ss? Having seconds. 

Many thanks

Chris


## Answer (score 1, by Stefano (OF) on 2021-03-10)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/3081/getting-gps-time-stamp-on-mobile-app/3084

Dear Chris,  
In the current version of Collect Mobile it's not possible to get automatically this information; you will have to define a Coordinate attribute and start to get the location when you are editing that attribute (we have decided to do that in this way to avoid battery drain and to check the accuracy of the location taken).  
We can add the possibility to have even seconds in the time attribute, but it will take time because it affects several parts of the applications and it involves Collect, Collect Mobile and Calc.  
Please check the changelog in Collect and Collect Mobile when there is a new version available to know what are the changes applied.  
Many thanks,  
Open Foris Team


## Answer (score 0, by mammal_survey on 2021-03-11)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/3081/getting-gps-time-stamp-on-mobile-app/3086

Hey OFT 

Many thanks for the rapid answer. I have to admit my surveys have a very different purpose: sightings of marine mammals, but I like many aspects of the OF concept. One issue is that I will collect data outside cell phone coverage. Thus, I would use Collect running on (rugged) tablets (windows). I will either have an integrated GPS or an external GPS collecting the position. If I do understand correctly, I would have to enter manually the position in Collect and cannot read the external data (position) into collect? 
Many thanks once more.

Best 
Chris


## Answer (score 0, by Stefano (OF) on 2021-03-12)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/3081/getting-gps-time-stamp-on-mobile-app/3095

Dear Chris,  
Actually, you don't need to have access to the network when you are working with Collect Mobile... Once it's installed and the survey has been uploaded into it, you can collect data in offline mode.  
Are you talking about entering the position into Collect or Collect Mobile?  
Many thanks,  
Open Foris Team