Efficient Time and Attendance Systems

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Computers )



Using a sign-up sheet or a Bundy clock to record the daily attendance of your personnel has become a thing of the past, as there are more sophisticated timekeeping systems requiring no use of paper, which can store and even interpret your employees' time records in significant ways.

Alternative Time and Attendance Systems Old and New

Cumbersome mechanical time clock systems require the use of time cards. The machine runs on electricity and is sensitive to physical impact. The printing mechanism can also run out of ink and thus result in poorly printed time cards. Unfortunately too, mistakes or damage on the time card can only be manually corrected since the clock keeps ticking away.

A more efficient alternative is the magnetic card timekeeping system. Information about the employee's identity is inputed into the magnetic strip of his ID card. As your employee enters or leaves, he has to swipe or hold up his card to a sensitive "eye" which reads the information on the magnetic strip. All data about entry and departure of employees are recorded in a database which you can easily retrieve using your computer. This type of time and attendance system can be programmed to function on a 24/7 basis.

However, the mechanical time clock and the magnetic card time and attendance systems are still not foolproof. It is possible for your employee to come in late or to leave early unnoticed just by asking another fellow employee to swipe his card. The two systems have no way of proving who did the swiping of the magnetic card.

A third method that is superior to the other two systems is the biometric time system, wherein a specific part of the employee's body such as his face, fingerprints or voice is "recognized" before he is allowed to enter or leave the premises. This eliminates "collaborative time punching" and other forms of time card fraud.

Both the magnetic card and the biometric time keeping systems can make use of software that not only records actual time in and time out, but also the total hours rendered by an employee. This simplifies your company's payroll processing, and can also be a valuable tool in determining time usage and efficiency. In an instant, you can see the levels of overtime or absenteeism which in turn can help you make the right hiring and firing decisions.

Which System to Use?

Each of the three time and attendance systems have strengths and weaknesses. The more sophisticated the attendance system, the more expensive it is. Your choice of the appropriate system depends highly on your company's size, number of employees, company policies about attendance, and your future plans. For instance, a less sophisticated system may be more suited to smaller-sized companies where employee activity is very easily monitored, or for offices which utilize piece rate payroll systems. In contrast, a company which deals with highly sensitive matters will do best with a biometric time system.


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