By now, most businesses know the value of a sound team time tracking system in making sure they’re operating as efficiently as possible. However, what many may not know is that there are several different types of timesheet management systems out there designed for various situations.
There are many things to consider when choosing the right clock in clock out system. Depending on the size of your business, the number and type of employees, the features and integrations you need, and a variety of other factors, all of these things will affect your decision when it comes to choosing a clock in clock out system. So it’s important to know what to look for before picking one out.
Number of Employees
The size of your workforce is an important thing to think about when you decide on which clock in clock out system to use. Some systems are geared towards effectively managing fewer employees. Some systems can be used to manage small teams of employees for working on projects, communications, and sending reports to management.
Other more basic employee timesheet software can be geared towards tracking time and attendance for large numbers of employees at once, rather than focusing on specialized tasks. It is essential to measure the size and scope of your workforce and whether or not you intend for it to grow when deciding which software to use.
There is also a cost component to consider regarding the number of employees in your business. Some time clock solutions charge a flat rate per year or month for the use of the software, whereas other systems charge per employee. This will be a significant factor in your choice, depending on your needs and your overall budget.
Localized or Web-Based Software
Another consideration for finding the right clock in clock out system is whether or not you want the time clock to be connected just to your business’s systems or whether you want a system accessible from anywhere.
There are essentially two types of software: those attached to a company system or a fixed time clock and those that use an application based on the web.
For businesses that want to keep everything in-house, that have an entire in-person workforce, a localized job clock may be the best choice. This forces employees to come to work and clock in at work from a physical location.
If your business has remote workers or a predominantly mobile workforce, web-based software is likely the right solution. This allows employees to clock in and work from home or wherever they may be. This is helpful for work from home employees and businesses like contractors that move from job site to job site and still need to keep track of their employees.
Features and Security
The last major point to consider is what you want your clock in clock out system to do besides track time and attendance. Features like project management and payroll integration can not only improve efficiency and workflow, but they can also save your business money while allowing employees and managers to get more work done.
Security also comes in various forms regarding how the software works and how it keeps your employees and their data safe. GPS technology and geofencing allow you to know where your employees are when they are clocking in and restrict access if someone tries to clock in outside a specified geographical area. This helps keep systems safe from malicious attackers.
Biometrics is also a powerful tool for maintaining employee data and company systems safe and ensuring that the only people clocking in and accessing company systems are the right employees. All of these things will help you determine which clock in clock out system is the right solution for your business.