How to Choose Employee Time Clock Software


By Jeff Morrow
Redcort Software

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 and attendance. Employee timeclock 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If your time tracking system is getting out of date, or perhaps you're buying time clock software for the first time, then you have plenty of options to choose from.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 and attendance software program will be right for your company's needs. As you compare attendance software, 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 and attendance system 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 and attendance software:

Ease of Use

Employee time and attendance 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 timecards when needed, and timecard data should be readily available for payroll processing. Peripheral devices such as biometric fingerprint scanners from companies like UPEK and DigitalPersona may help employees punch in and out of the clock effectively.

Can it Grow with You?

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 punch clock system. Many networked time clock programs allow you to add additional time and attendance stations later so you can scale your time clock software with the growth of your business.

Who Am I Doing Business With?

If a free download is available from the vendor, then you should give it a try. Make sure that the free version of the time clock software has all the same features as the actual program you will be asked to pay for. The software vendor should have an easy to navigate web site with all of the features and pricing clearly defined. Screen shots 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.

Does it Offer Other Benefits?

Look for employee time clock software that can perform multiple functions. Time clock software is primarily designed to track the hours your employees work, but it is 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. Some vendors offer punch clock software that is part of a suite of programs. This is an advantage because your timeclock 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.

Training

Finally, once you've purchased your new time and attendance software, make sure you train your employees on how to use it properly. Make sure they know exactly how to punch in and out, print their timecards, and what to do if they miss a punch time.

Here are some important criteria to use when evaluating time clock software:

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.

Usability

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

Employee time clock software should include a good user manual and technical support via email, telephone, or an easy to navigate web site. 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.