What is timekeeping? Review popular timekeeping methods

What is timekeeping?

Timekeeping is a way of reporting attendance at the workplace, for instance, time in and time out of employees. Therefore, managers as well as the human resources and accounting departments can track the details of the working hours of individuals.

Timekeeping is the basis for businesses to calculate salaries and bonuses or penalize violations (late-coming, early leaving, etc.). Through timekeeping, managers can easily manage employees. It also helps employees to improve their sense of responsibility in complying with the company's regulations.

Timekeeping is a form of declaration of one’s presence at work

Join Viindoo to find out the reason for implementing timekeeping in the section below!

On the business side

• Timekeeping helps businesses track attendance and assess the working attitudes of employees. Managers consider the timesheet along with the provisions in the labor contract to make workers' assessments.
• Timekeeping is a basis for calculating salary and making reasonable bonus or penalty decisions. 
  

Timekeeping is the basis for businesses to offer appropriate salaries for employees

On the employee side

Timekeeping plays a key role for not only businesses but also employees.

• Timekeeping is evidence of the level of diligence, hard-working, and violation of employees.
• It provides clear salary and bonus data. Through the timesheet, employees can check and compare their actual working hours with standard working hours, thereby making suggestions or complaints. This is proof for employees to guarantee their rights.

Review the most popular timekeeping methods recently

Currently, there are 6 popular timekeeping methods. The pros and cons of each form in the is in the section below.

Timekeeping by paper card

When implementing this attendance-timing method, businesses need a timekeeper machine and paper cards. The steps of timekeeping with paper cards are simple. Employees put their paper cards into the machine to immediately print the date and time on the card. On that card, there will be information such as the entry time and the leaving time according to the shifts, which are morning, noon, and overtime working hours.

Advantages:

• Take no fingerprints and no need to connect to the data in the computer;
• Give more convenient for businesses due to the simple installation of the machine;
• Use easier compared to other methods;
• Take only 1 second per individual;
• Move easily the machine from one branch to another;
• Integrate alarms for working hours and breaks for employees;
• Cost cheap.

Timekeeper machines and paper cards are easier to use than many other devices

Disadvantages:

• Time cards are made of paper, so they are difficult to preserve and easily damaged in case of bad weather;
• Employees always have to carry cards which is relatively inconvenient;
• Employees easily cheat and check in for others;
• The process of aggregating attendance data is time-consuming due to the manual process. Furthermore, mistakes can easily occur.

Time attendance by electronic card

There is a must to equip electronic time card attendance machines for businesses using this timekeeping method. The magnetic card has already stored the necessary information about the employee such as name, position, etc. When taking attendance, the employees only need to scan the electromagnetic card with the machine. After that, the date and time information on the shift will be recorded.

Advantages:

• This takes about 2 seconds per each, thereby, optimizing the operating time of businesses, especially large businesses with many employees;
• The material is sturdy and easy to store and bring to work;
• The method minimizes errors and benefits the human resources and accounting departments with convenience;
• Data entry is simpler, thereby reducing errors and supporting timekeeping tracking of HR and accounting departments;
• Backup features support storing and preserving data in case of power failure;
• The connection of data to the computer helps the information processing process faster and more proficiently.

Disadvantages:

• The cost of printing magnetic cards is quite high;
• Employees always have to carry their cards and sometimes lose them;
• If there is no monitoring department, it will easily lead to cheating.

Plastic cards make it easy for employees to store and carry to work

Time attendance by fingerprint

Nowadays, fingerprint time attendance is a popular and preferred method of many business owners. Through fingerprints, biometric application technology, along with image processing technology can quickly identify each employee.

Advantages:

• Completely eliminate the possibility of cheating thanks to biometric fingerprint recognition;
• Quickly take attendance;
• Simply cost nothing for printing paper, replacing paper every month, or printing magnetic cards like the two methods above;
• Flexible export data on overtime, holidays, or check-in and out.

Disadvantages:

• Wet, cold, or injured hands may result in inaccurate results or take a long time.
• For workers in the mechanical industry or metal production, their fingerprints are somehow faded, which will make them difficult to scan.

Fingerprint timekeeping can give absolute accuracy

Time attendance by face recognition

This method uses a face timekeeper machine. Through a collected and stored database, this device will rely on the unique features of one’s face to recognize, compare, and identify objects automatically.

Advantages:

• Overcome all disadvantages of fingerprint or magnetic card timekeeping;
• Perform 100% accurately and anti-fraud;
• Check attendance promptly;
• Cost no more for card printing, paper printing, etc.;
• Process data quickly thanks to the connection to a computer, USB, etc.

Disadvantages:

• Cost high to purchase and install the machine;
• Process slower than checking with paper cards and plastic cards.

Face attendance is 100% anti-cheat

Time attendance by iris recognition

The method applies iris recognition technology for employees’ timekeeping. Through the complex and unique structure of the iris, the device can recognize individuals even when wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Advantages:

• The most advanced technology available lately with 100% accuracy;
• Easy to use and fast scan time;
• Absolute information security.

Disadvantages:

• Expensive machine and installation costs.

Time attendance by iris ensures absolute security

Online timekeeping

In addition to the above-mentioned forms of timekeeping, online timekeeping is another convenient method. This method uses timekeeping software for employees, which generates outstanding advantages.

Advantages:

• It does not take much time but still ensures the accuracy of timekeeping;
• Depending on the characteristics of the business, the software can flexibly change features and regulations for timekeeping;
• Thanks to the precise location feature, personnel can only time attendance while at the company's location.

Disadvantages:

• Require time attendance devices (computers, phones) to have a network connection;
• Cause difficulties for elderly workers who are confused with software and applications.

Online attendance creates a more professional working style for employees

Solutions to effective timekeeping for businesses

In the context of industry 4.0 and digital transformation, businesses need more advanced and efficient timekeeping methods to replace outdated ones. Besides, optimizing the management process and costs is an urgent issue that requires businesses to change the timekeeping method.

Affective and modern timekeeping solutions have appeared on the market, solving the disadvantages and inadequacies of traditional ways. The most effective solution for businesses now is to use timekeeping software. A typical software to be mentioned is Viindoo Attendance. The software is multitasking with outstanding features such as: 

• Automate the timekeeping process of employees;
• Eliminate 100% of manual data entry to minimize errors for HR and accounting departments;
• Use the system account for timekeeping, can log in and log out manually right on Viindoo software;
• Integrated with a biometric timekeeper, can time attendance in many ways such as code, magnetic card, fingerprint, face, etc.;
• Use a card machine or enter a PIN to record timekeeping for large businesses;
• Synchronize timekeeping data with Viindoo Payroll Software for quick, accurate, and transparent employee salary calculation;
• Monitor and look up attendance information actively for everyone;
• Calculate automatically the time late, early leaving, and the total number of valid attendance hours, etc. based on the labor contract;
• Aggregate and update automatically the timekeeping analysis and report system according to the following criteria: By employee, by time, by valid working hours, by hours worked, by leaving early, etc.;
• Integrate the timekeeping data with Viindoo Overtime software to calculate the actual overtime or actual working time in flexible shifts;
• Create a basis to evaluate the performance of individuals, thereby supporting the calculation of salary and bonus.

Viindoo Attendance software - An effective timekeeping solution for businesses

Above is the information that Viindoo has summarized about what is timekeeping. The article gives also the most objective review of the commonly used timekeeping methods nowadays. Hopefully, businesses can choose the most suitable timekeeping method!

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