Glossary · AI & workplace data

What is presence data?

Short answer

Presence data is the record of who was physically in a workplace and when, drawn from signals such as office Wi-Fi or network connections, badge swipes, and desk, room or kiosk check-ins rather than dedicated sensors. Workplace teams use it to measure real attendance and occupancy, because bookings show who planned to come in, not who did.

Also called sensorless occupancy, Wi-Fi presence, network presence data.

How it works

Presence data comes from systems that already exist. A laptop joining the office network, a badge at the door, a tap on a room display or kiosk, or a check-in in an app each records that a person was on site, and often where: building, floor or specific space.

Each signal has limits. Network presence is automatic and can be floor-level, but it needs a known office network and a device. Badge data is reliable for building entry but says nothing about floors or desks and misses tailgating. Check-ins give desk-level precision but depend on people or automation. Layering signals fills the gaps.

Presence data differs from sensor data in two ways: it is usually tied to a person, which makes team-level attendance possible, and it needs no new hardware. Because it is personal data, it needs clear purposes, aggregated reporting, access limits and a retention period.

How to measure it

  1. Map which signals you already have in each building before buying anything.
  2. Decide the rule for 'present': any signal, a minimum duration, or a check-in.
  3. Compare presence with bookings to find no-shows and people who come in without booking.
  4. Report in aggregate by team, floor and day, and restrict access to individual records.

Examples

  • An employee's laptop connects to the office network at 9:05, and the booking system checks them in to their desk without a tap.
  • Badge data shows 300 arrivals but desk check-ins show 220: some people used unbookable spaces or did not book, which automatic check-in and automatic bookings can record.

Benchmarks

Common mistakes

  • Treating one signal as complete, for example badge data as desk occupancy.
  • Using presence data to monitor individuals rather than to plan space and policy.
  • Keeping personal presence records longer than the purpose requires.
  • Rolling out automatic check-in without telling employees what it records.

How Kadence helps

The Kadence Agent, a lightweight desktop app, checks people in automatically when it detects them on the office network. Enhanced Network Detection adds floor-level, VPN-aware presence, and the agent can sign in automatically with Entra or Okta (silently on Windows with Entra). Automatic Bookings records people who turn up without a booking, and check-ins can also come from kiosks, room displays, badge data or the API. PII data retention controls set how long personal data is kept.

WorkOps · Workplace occupancy · Wavex story

Frequently asked questions

What is sensorless occupancy?

Sensorless occupancy measures who is in the office using signals that already exist, such as office network connections, badge swipes and check-ins, instead of installing sensors on desks or ceilings. It is faster to roll out, and it adds team-level attendance that anonymous sensors cannot give.

How accurate is Wi-Fi presence data?

It reliably shows that a device, and so usually its owner, was on the office network, and floor-level detection can place people on a floor. It cannot say which desk someone used, so combine it with desk check-ins where desk-level detail matters.

Is presence data the same as employee tracking?

It records presence, not activity, and good programs keep it that way: clear purposes, aggregated reporting, restricted access to individual records and a set retention period. Used to plan space and team days, it answers workplace questions without monitoring how people work.

What is the difference between presence data and booking data?

Booking data shows intent: who planned to come in and where. Presence data shows what happened: who actually arrived. The gap between them reveals no-shows, and people who come in without booking.

How do I know if booked desks and rooms are actually being used?

Match each booking to a check-in or office network presence for the same person and day, and review the result every week. Desks and rooms with repeated no-shows can be released or turned into shared space, and people who come in without booking show up as walk-in use, which a booking report never counts.

  • Occupancy monitoring Continuous measurement of how many people use each building, floor, room and desk, and when, from presence signals or sensors.
  • Occupancy sensor A device that detects whether a desk, room or zone is in use, or counts the people in it, usually anonymously.
  • Badge data Access-control swipe records showing who entered a building or floor and when, often used to measure attendance.
  • Desk check-in Confirming that you are at the desk or room you booked, by app, QR code, badge or Wi-Fi presence, so unused bookings can be released.
  • Desktop presence agent A lightweight app on employees' laptops that detects when they're on the office network and checks them in automatically.
  • Multi-source occupancy (unified occupancy model) One occupancy picture built by combining Wi-Fi, badge, sensor and booking data, so no single source has to be complete or perfect.

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