What Kind Of Time Clock Should You Use

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Time clocks are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. These include old traditional punch clocks that use a time card, electronic swipe card systems and newer biometric time clocks that can scan a fingerprint to log an employee in and out. The type of time clock a business purchases depends entirely on the size of the organization, the type of software being used and the preferences of the Accounting Department.

The most simple and basic time clock is the traditional analog punch clock. The concept is simple. Each employee is assigned a card. The time card is usually stored in a rack of some sort. The employee uses the card to punch in and out of work. The time registered on the time card is then used to determine pay. Some newer variations of punch-style time clocks feature digital LCD readouts and can tally time on the punch card.

A few advantages of a punch time clock is it is usually less of an investment on behalf of the employer and the clock requires little training to use. A few disadvantages of a time clock include buddy punching and the inability to export data to a computer. Buddy punching is the process of one employee punching in and out on behalf of another employee.

Card swipe time clocks are growing in popularity. These time clocks use a card, very similar to a credit card, to check in and out of work. The card is programmed with unique data for each employee. These cards are sometimes even used to access the entrance of a building. The card can easy be carried in a wallet, hung around the neck by use of a lanyard or clipped to a shirt by use of a badge holder.

Data from most card swipe time clocks can be exported to a computer for use with various accounting programs such as QuickBooks. The data is easy to read and maintains a running total of hours worked, overtime and other information.

Also popular are time clock software and keypad time clocks. Keypads work in a similar way to swipe card time clocks, except the employee logs in and out of work by punching in a number. Many keypad terminals also have a card swipe. Data can also be exported and used with a variety of accounting programs.

Time clock software is installed on a computer. Depending on the type of software, an employee can log in and out of work from a centralized computer, or if they have a network version of the software, they can log in and out of work from their own computer.

The latest and most exciting type of time clock to come to the market is biometric time clocks. These time clocks allow employees to punch in and out of work by using their finger or hand, depending on the model. Data can still be exported to a computer for use with accounting programs. The biggest advantage of biometric time clocks is the ability to eliminate buddy punching and the need to replace lost or broken cards.

Regardless of the size of business, any organization can benefit from the use of a time clock. Contact Office Zone for more information on time clock systems.