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Software's strength lies in automating repetitive
tasks. Time tracking software is a prime example of
an application
that takes several components of a task and automates
it so that the process of managing employee work hours
becomes easy to do.
Tracking employee time becomes simple when the collection
of data, computation of pay rates and management of
pay rules are tasked to a software system that not
only saves the cost of time associated by managing
it by hand, but can actually reduce overtime hours.
A complete time tracking solution is composed of several
components which we will discuss here. It's important
to remember that while many systems can be added on
to legacy processes, most tracking systems will function
optimally when used within a symbiotic environment
of recommended components.
Data Collection
Traditionally workers have used time cards to indicate
when they arrive, leave for lunch, etc. Today there
are many options for inputing the data that is to
be tracked. Nevertheless, they still revolve around
the concept of "punching in" and "punching out,"
just like the timecards of old.
The most common tool for collecting the time worked
consists of a time badge and a card reader. Most time
badges work through either a magnetic
strip, barcodes, but the newest entry into tracking
the time workers spent on the job is by
proximity reading devices.
Proximity devices are available
as cards and keyfobs that need no contact whatsoever
with the proximity reader. These are elegant
solutions appropriate for a larger workforce that alleviates
the queue for clocking in and out in the traditional
manner. Having workers line up to clock in and out
is wasteful. These proximity readers solve the answer
to that problem, thereby increasing work hours and
paying for themselves within days.
Biometric readers are devices that are appropriate
for workplaces in which security is an issue, such
as in a data center housing sensitive client or financial
information, or other locations where restricting access
while also keeping track of workers hours in a seamless
fashion is important. Biometric readers work with an
employees fingerprint. This method will not only ensure
security access, but also prevent others from clocking
in for the worker.
Bottom line, it's
the software that will take the data and processes
it, enforcing corporate and legal rules about hours
worked,
creates reports, manage days off through an intranet
portal, and then feed it to your payroll processing
software.
There are many primarily three kinds of time tracking
software, desktop, network, and a hosted ASP version.
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