If you're an owner or manager of a business, you
know the frustrations that come with trying to keep track of your
employee's time. Time tracking software will help you more effectively
manage time and productivity by meeting two main objectives: to
make your job as a manager or business owner easier, and to make
your business or team more profitable.
If your time keeping system is getting out of date, or perhaps
you're buying time clock software for the first time, then
you have plenty
of options to choose from. The first step is to determine which
time clock program will be right for your company's needs.
As you compare
time clock programs, make sure you focus on evaluating features
that you intend to use most often and don't spend too much
time on features
that are less important to your business. Understanding a vendor's
future plans can be an important factor in your decision, but don't
purchase a time clock program based on the 'next release' or 'future
feature'. Most vendors offer time clock programs that use standard
industry interfaces, and are flexible enough to accommodate common
business rules.
Here are some important things to consider when
selecting your time clock program:
-
You need to choose a time clock program that can handle your
current number of employees, but still allow room for future
expansion.
Always think ahead so you can minimize the number of times
you'll need to
upgrade or expand your time clock system. Many networked
time clock programs allow you to add additional time clocks later
so you can
scale your time keeping system with the growth of your
business.
-
Look for time clock software that can perform multiple functions.
Time clock software is primarily designed to track the
hours your employees work, but it's great if it can also keep
track
of paid
and unpaid time off, or integrate directly with popular
payroll systems like MYOB, QuickBooks,
or CheckMark Payroll.
-
If a free download is available from the vendor, then you
should give it a try. Make sure that the free time
clock software
has all the same features as the actual time clock
program. The software
vendor should have an easy to navigate website with
all of the features
and pricing clearly defined. Screenshots and an overview
of the program are also nice to help you visualize
the user interface.
It is important
to find the right time clock software for your business.
There are many employee time clock programs available,
so there's
no
need to
make a hasty decision and regret that you didn't make
sure the program has a network version, runs on your computer's
operating
system,
or meets your computer's hardware specifications.
-
Some vendors offer time clock software that is part of
a suite of programs. This is an advantage because
your time
clock software
can
be integrated seamlessly with your employee scheduling
or professional billing software. More complex labor
management systems like
Kronos or PeopleSoft are designed for larger companies
and
feature more
functionality and robust reporting.
-
Employee time clock software should be easy to use in
order to accommodate all levels of computer literacy.
Employees
need to
be able to clock
in and out quickly and easily. Employees should
be able to view time cards when needed, and time card data should
be
readily available for payroll processing. Peripheral
devices such as
biometric fingerprint
scanners from companies like UPEK and DigitalPersona may help employees clock in and out more effectively.
-
Finally, once you've purchased your new time clock
software, make sure you train your employees
on how to use it properly.
Make sure
they know exactly how to clock in and out, print
their time cards, and what to do if they miss a punch time.
Here are some important criteria to use when evaluating
time clock programs:
-
Features - Time clock software should do more than
just track hours worked. Most businesses
can benefit from
more than
just a replacement
of that old mechanical time clock. Good time
clock software will track holiday, vacation, personal,
and sick leave
accrual. Better
time clock programs will allow you to customize
your payroll cycle and overtime settings.
Professional time clock programs
can track
breaks and lunch deductions, as well as the
different projects your employees are working on.
-
Reporting - The heart of all time clock programs
should be to instantly create a time card
report of all hours
worked,
both
regular and
overtime. Some time clock programs will
have other useful reports such as attendance
reports, labor costing reports, and leave
accrual reports. Time card reports should be compiled
in seconds for
payroll processing
or exported
directly to your payroll program. Database
engines based on the popular SQL computer language will
offer some
of the best
solutions
for accessing
your data. Different time clock programs
create different reports, so make sure to find a program
that meets
your reporting needs.
-
Ease of Use - All time clock software should
be easy to use. Even those who will be
managing the
administrative
functions
should
have no problem learning or navigating
the software. Managers
must have
easy access to employee data and the
tools to audit it for accuracy. Good time clock
software should
be easy
to install,
with an intuitive
means to configure your time clock settings.
Setup assistants that guide the user
through setting
up the time clock
for the first
time allow you to be up and running quickly.
-
Help/Support - Time clock software should
include a good user manual and technical
support via
email, telephone,
or an easy
to navigate
website. If possible, choose a time
clock software package
that provides support during the implementation
phase, and preferably
for longer.
Maintenance or support programs that
provide free upgrades are the most cost effective
way to ensure
you always
have the latest
and
best version of your time clock software.
Having time clock software that works
smoothly and
efficiently will help
keep frustration
levels low and production levels high.
Free Evaluation
Virtual TimeClock Pro time tracking
software can be downloaded free anytime
from Redcort
Software's web
site at http://redcort.com/download.html.
When Virtual TimeClock Pro
is installed without a license key,
the
software will
run for 300 entries
without
any
restrictions.
After
the
evaluation
period, a software license
and activation key must be purchased
to
continue using
Virtual TimeClock
time
and attendance
software.
Acknowledgments
Microsoft and Windows are
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Apple,
Macintosh, and
OS X are trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc. Virtual TimeClock
and Virtual TimeClock
Pro are
trademarks of Redcort Software.
About Virtual TimeClock
Virtual TimeClock Pro is the powerful,
easy to use, software based time
and attendance system
that enables
businesses
of any size to effortlessly track
employee hours and overtime.
With Windows
and
Macintosh versions available, Virtual
TimeClock Pro time tracking software
flexibly
adapts to just
about
any computer and
business environment. Virtual
TimeClock Pro
pricing starts at $195.
Complete
pricing
and program
information can be obtained at http://www.redcort.com.
About Redcort Software
Redcort Software has been helping businesses
avoid repetitive tasks and unavailable
information since
1997. Redcort
Software actively
pursues close
customer relationships through direct
sales, regular feedback and world-class
technical
support. Tens of thousands of workers
at businesses
in over fifteen
countries rely on
Redcort Software
every single day.
Contact Information
Jeff Morrow
Redcort Software
http://www.redcort.com
8939 N. Chestnut Avenue #106
Fresno, California 93720
559.434.8544 x115 |
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