What is time clock ?
A time clock is a device that allows an employer and employee to track time in an accurate and convenient manner. Time clocks can be either mechanical or electronic.
The Ultimate Guide to A Time Clock- Why You Should Invest In A Time Clock
What are the different types of employee time clocks?
Time clocks are an essential part of keeping track of employees' hours and ensuring that workers are paid for the time they spend at work. But time clocks aren't just for employers- Employees who are paid hourly or by the job have a few options for time-tracking their time. If you're looking to get the most out of your payroll time and your employees' time, you need to understand the differences between the most common types of employee time clocks. Time clocks are different from time clocks in that they're used to keep track of the time employees spend on the job. There are many different types of time clocks, based on how they're used, who they're used by, and how they're counted. It's best to understand these differences before making your final decision.
1. Punch Card Clock
A punch card time clock is one of the most common clock-in systems adopted by companies. The employee inserts a time card manually into the device, which prints the time and date on the card. Punch card clocks are simple and suitable for small businesses. They can also keep track of business hours, which helps with payroll.
2. Digital/Web clock
Employees can punch in online from a desktop or laptop. Companies can also restrict system access by IP. Web-based time clocks can be integrated with payroll/HR software for easier management and record-keeping. Employees can access self-service portals to monitor their attendance and payroll data. Web-based time clocks are excellent for tracking projects. Because logins are unique to each user, companies can prevent buddy punching. Offsite employees can use a desktop to mark their attendance, making management easier.
3. Time clock Apps
With a time clock app, employees can clock in from anywhere and on any device in real time. Due to GPS tracking, an app-based time clock is ideal for mobile teams. Employees can access their data from anywhere using a simple dashboard. To prevent coworkers from clocking in for each other, web-based time clock logins are unique to each user.
4. Biometric/ fingerprint time clock
Fingerprints or hand measurements are used to clock in or out. Biometric time clocks are immune to buddy punching because they require a unique fingerprint with exact hand measurements. Hand measurement and fingerprint time clocks only require one thing- your hand. Employees don't need a badge or a password; just a fingerprint.
Why do you need a time clock?
1. Improves Payroll Processing
Time clocks for the workplace are plentiful, but not all of them have payroll features built-in.
When you have to do time clock conversions for payroll each week, it can take a long time. Hours worked will be converted automatically into paid hours by a good time clock. As a result, you can devote more time to other aspects of your business and lessen the burden on back-office and HR teams.
Hidden costs can be found in the payroll when employees are absent. It's in situations like these that a time clock program comes in handy. Things like paid time off and sick days call for this.
The payroll function of time clock apps will also include a direct deposit. This will save you money on paper, printing, and distribution time.
2. Enhances the attendance process-
Keeping track of everyone's time and attendance can also take a lot of effort. With five or 500 employees, attendance becomes a problem when someone calls in sick, takes a vacation, or swaps shifts with a coworker.
It's much easier to keep track of absenteeism and tardiness when you have a time clock app on your smartphone or tablet.
The absence of an employee can lead to an increase in payroll time as well as a number of problems. Losing an employee for a shift can be costly, both financially and in terms of the customer service your company provides.
It's critical to keep an eye on attendance for the sake of employee morale. When coworkers are forced to overtime to manage leftover work by absentee employees, morale suffers, and tension and office gossip quickly mount.
You may be able to catch problems early on with the help of a time clock program.
3. Ensures Honesty in the Workplace
Using a time clock software is essential if your employees have a buddy system and clock each other in and out to benefit one another financially, also known as buddy punching.
Using biometric data, such as a fingerprint scan to clock in and clock out, eliminates the practice of buddy punching.
The total amount of time an employee has actually worked is determined by the time clock.
As a result, the use of a time clock program ensures accuracy and equality for all. Morale can be boosted and honesty can be maintained.
It doesn't matter if you run a large corporation or a small start-up; having a trustworthy and honest workforce is essential.
4. Saves both time and money
You no longer have to keep a time log for each employee because data is automatically captured and calculated at the start and end of each shift. A human error in entering working hours and lunch breaks is also eliminated by Time Clocks.
Unfortunately, employee fraud does occur. Using time tracking software can help prevent this from happening. Only employees who are physically present at the time of clock-in or clock-out can use the system.
If you're using a GPS-enabled mobile device, you may be able to clock in only when you've arrived at the restaurant and are ready to work, rather than before.
You'll also save time because you won't have to track down and collect timesheets from your employees yourself. Keeping track of every single employee can be time-consuming and exhausting, which is why you want an app that does it all for you.
There are always employees who don't show up on time and those who stay too long at work.
Zipschedules time clock will help in tracking employee hours for you!
What are the benefits of a time clock?
Managing employee time and attendance doesn't have to be difficult. Time clock and attendance software automates your entire system and eliminates manual processes. Here are five benefits of using time and attendance software-
1. Better Accuracy and fewer errors-
Employees must manually report their work hours at the end of each day. Regrettably, this can lead to time tracking errors. Manual processes can lead to issues like fraud and wrong payslips. Using automated time clock software can lower the number of inaccuracies and chances for time theft. Employees can easily track their time in real time by using a time clock web app, mobile devices, or even electronic or biometric time clocks.
2. Productivity Gains-
To process payroll manually, you must obtain time cards and re-enter data one by one into your payroll software at the end of each day. It takes a long time to do this for an entire company and can take several hours if done by one person. Implementing time clock and attendance software speeds up payroll processing. Making the switch can reduce payroll processing time from hours to minutes and generate seamless payslips.
Using time clock and attendance software automates time collection. Determining payroll accuracy takes only 20 minutes per pay period. Reducing payroll processing time while increasing data accuracy and massive increase in productivity.
3. Improved system means enhanced employee satisfaction-
Employees like time clock and attendance software because it ensures accurate payments on time. The software eliminates human error and provides secure access to personal data for employees via a self-service portal. This allows employees to access information without bothering HR personnel. Employees feel a sense of ownership when they have access to their own data, which can increase satisfaction.
4. Flexible Work timings Managed better-
In today's business environment, employees may work from the office, home, or another remote location. Businesses can easily track employees' whereabouts through time clock software. This allows all employees to track time and mark their attendance from anywhere, anytime.
5. Easy Scheduling and Shift Control-
Scheduling software makes it simple to assign hours to tasks, add clients to tasks, and track shift swaps. The software also helps you track departmental workloads, resources, and budgets. Time clock feature can be integrated with scheduling software or usually is part of it.
How can you track employee hours with a time clock?
A time clock helps you categorize and track your progress throughout the day. You'll know how long you spent on a task, how many seconds you were unproductive, and get a detailed report that can help you improve.
Most time clock software requires you to enter your current activity, select the project type, and punch in online. Even if you close the tab, the app will keep track of your progress. Then, sign out or punch out when you're done for the day.
Time and attendance systems provide organized timesheets for weekly hours. You can quickly create templates for specific tasks and time submissions to save time.
Edit each entry in the employee time tracking software. Change task names, projects, start/end times, and invoicing entries.
Every employee has a personal time dashboard to track their hours and improve. You'll have access to a work time tracker that tracks individual and group activity throughout the week.
How do you calculate time clock hours?
Online time clock software that is web-based is one of the simplest ways to calculate time cards. Within minutes, an employee can create an account and clock in and clock out by simply logging in and out of the account.
A reputable time clock software application makes use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to ensure that all data is obtained and gathered in real time. Then, admin staff and even managers can access the data and thoroughly examine the payroll and timecard that are generated automatically.
Employees can calculate overtime hours using the time clock software's built-in timecard calculator.
Apart from that, employees can access their time card data and even request paid leaves via the web-based time clock software. The software centrally controls the time clock calculator that collects data in real time and assists you in avoiding paperwork, allowing you to access the data in a matter of seconds. Rather than spending hours preparing and receiving payroll, you can now prepare and receive it in minutes.
How do you keep track of your employees’ time?
Zipschedules time clock will track the hours your employees spend at work and monitor their productivity.
What is time clock software?
Time management is an important habit for employees and life in general. Delays, poor work-life balance, and even mental and physical health can result from poor time management.
Similarly, organizations and employers must manage their time to make sure that their commitments, such as paying the workforce on time, are met.
time clocks for small business and large enterprises track how long your employees spend doing various tasks. As a freelancer or manager, you can use it to manage projects and tasks.
Accounting, IT, the food and beverage industry, law firms, and manufacturing industries all use the time clock software. Employee scheduling, customer service, task and project management, accounting, and more tasks can be integrated with the software.
In short, time clock software saves businesses time from manually filling spreadsheets and compiling reports. As an automated tool, it can manage your time without you having to constantly monitor the workflow.
The time tracking software can bring path-breaking changes in an organization such as-
- Better accountability
- Creates transparent structure
- Is cost-effective
- Improves employee productivity
Best Time Clock Software
Zipschedules is cloud-based employee shift scheduling software that can be used to create and distribute timetables for any business. From a single account, the solution provides simplified scheduling, a template to create schedules, time-off management, employee self-service to manage schedules better, standard shifts, and employee communication across multiple locations.
Employees and managers can view weekly schedules as well as individual work assignments using the Zip Schedules mobile app. If a staff member is unable to work an assigned shift, they can request that it be swapped with another employee. Managers can communicate with their teams about group meetings, special events, and unforeseen circumstances using the 'team messaging' feature. Before any changes can be made, the manager must approve all shift and time-off requests.
When creating a schedule, Zip Schedules automatically displays approved time off and managers need not assign employees tasks during that time. Users can use templates to save favorite or recurring shift schedules and copy shifts from week to week. Managers can also use Zip Schedules to create standard shifts for specific positions as the software predicts shifts automatically through analyzing schedule history.
The integration of Zip Clock upholds employee schedules and enables managers to monitor time punches from their mobile devices through the ZipSchedules app. To protect the establishment from potential audits, users can publish payroll reports and use the already installed audit tracking tool themselves.
Some noted Zipschedules Features are-
1. Zip Schedules assist users in avoiding costly labor law violations and detecting potential violations before they occur.
2. Users can quickly save and load special or favorite schedules as templates.
3. Professionals who use Zip Schedules obtain their work schedule as soon as it is published and have access to it at any time via laptop or mobile app.
4. Unassigned shifts can be created by users to squeeze any last-minute openings and offer them to any eligible employee.
5. Managers can monitor time punches with Zip Clock app integration, which enforces employee schedules aiming for better productivity and task completion on time.
It can be difficult to keep track of time worked by employees and to keep track of the hours they have worked.
Zipschedules time clock will make sure your employees are working their scheduled hours.