Is it time to migrate to a different time clock solution? With technological advancements and the increasing need for remote work, time management and attendance tracking solutions are becoming more essential than ever before.
Employee time clock systems are widely used in retail, hospitality, and healthcare settings, as they accurately record when employees start and end their shifts, which is essential for proper payroll management.
With so many employee clock-in systems on the market, knowing which features you need can feel overwhelming. To help you decide, we'll explore the most important features your time clock system should have.
By the end of this article, you’ll know which features can do the following:
Identify time usage habits
Pinpoint areas for improvement
Reduce errors and improve punctuality
Improve workforce management
Integrate with other software to save you time
7 Must-Have Time Clock Features
Time clock hardware, swipe cards, or digital cloud solutions—how do you know which feature is right for you? Below are the top features every time clock system should have.
Meal and Break Tracking
Automating meal and break tracking is an essential feature that could save your company thousands of dollars annually. Relying on outdated systems, such as self-reported hours, can cause major discrepancies between what was reported and actual time spent on the clock.
Meal and break tracking systems can help pinpoint any corrective actions needed or highlight any inefficiencies that may require your attention without you spending hours manually reviewing data.
Configurable Rules
Configurable rule engines allow you to customize rules that are unique to your company. With different pay rules and policies among various departments, such as salary vs. hourly pay, a centralized policy management system is paramount in accurately applying pay rules to the correct groups of employees.
Alerts
While no one likes to think about it, “time theft,” or employees receiving pay for hours they did not work or weren’t approved to work, can still happen. This can be costly for businesses, especially if your organization takes pride in trusting their employees.
Alerts for overtime, lunch, and break overages are critical for catching timeclock errors or unapproved overages before it’s too late and requires a correction or payout. Alert systems empower your management staff to reclaim control of their time and worry less about monitoring time clocks.
Payroll Integration
A time clock system that offers flexible payroll integration, including simple file downloads, streamlines the process and minimizes potential errors from manual entry. Whether your payroll software requires direct integration or file uploads, this option speeds up payroll processing, helping you efficiently complete payroll and focus on other important tasks.
On-Demand Reports and Real-Time Data Collection
Your software should allow you to capture time spent on various tasks and projects—up to the minute—eliminating the need for manual input.
Real-time and on-demand reports empower you to adjust staffing data and spot trends during the pay period rather than after the fact.
These data reports can ensure your time records and attendance tracking are precise and reliable, key stakeholders to make informed and data-driven decisions that impact your company's future.
6. Integrated Scheduling and Timesheet Approval
An integrated scheduling and timesheet system takes the guesswork out of forecasting your labor and staffing needs. Automated forecasting plays a crucial part in scheduling to ensure you aren’t over or under-projecting your workforce needs or paying more than you have to.
7. Self-Service Mobile App
Allowing your employees to track their time remotely provides a sense of control and accountability. It encourages employees to stay focused, motivated, and on top of their schedules. You’ll never find an employee saying, “I didn’t know when I was supposed to work.”
Employees should be able to view their schedule, sign up or swap shifts (if applicable), and submit their availability with the click of a button.
Finding an All-in-One Time Clock System
Finding an all-in-one software that offers everything may seem impossible, but that’s far from the truth. vIDix Labor is our number-one pick for its intuitive workforce management solutions that integrate with your payroll software to help you regain control of your time.
With vIDix Labor, you’ll have access to these incredible features:
Accrual Tracking
Analytical Reporting
Employee Self-Service Options
Exception Tracking
Expanded Rates
Full Audit & History
GPS Tracking
Labor Level Tracking
Meal & Break Tracking
Payroll Exports & Interfaces
Premiums
Punch Rounding
At Ban-Koe, we recognize the importance of workforce software solutions that are reliable, user-friendly, and customizable to meet your company's growing needs.
As a trusted viDix partner and solutions implementation provider, Ban-Koe can help you determine which time clock system is right for your company. To learn more about how vIDix Labor software can improve your business's functionality, request a live demo or email us at sales@bankoe.com.