Usually Time and Attendance or Workforce Management software is paired with a Biometric Time Clock (such as HandPunch or Fingerprint reader) or a non-biometric reader (such as Proximity Card reader, Barcode reader or Magnetic Card reader).  These are standalone readers which hang on a wall in your office and connect to the computer via network or serial cable. After employees clock in our out, their logs are downloaded by your Time and Attendance software.  But what can you do if you need to track employees remotely where there is no internet connection?

In my previous article, Time and Attendance or Workforce Management system with multiple locations, We’ve explained how to connect to a device remotely if you have internet connection at each of your locations.  But what if there is no internet availability where your Time Clocks are?  For example, a construction company may be working in the middle of a highway and they want to track their employees’ attendance.  They can place a Time Clock, but there is no internet for the Time and Attendance software to download logs from this reader.

There are 2 options that you might consider:

1. With today’s cell phone technologies, we have GPRS modem technologies available to us. GPRS is a technology that uses GSM card, just like your phone, and can provide access to your Time Clock through the internet. HandPunch readers do not have internal GPRS modems, but you can get external Serial-to-GPRS converter.  Some Fingerprint Readers and Card Readers by ZK Technology have a GPRS option which can be built-in into the Time Clock.  In other cases, you can use the same Serial-to-GPRS converter just like with HandPunch.  This service is provided by Cell Phone companies and has a monthly cost to it.   The advantage of this option is that employees’ attendance logs can be downloaded automatically from a central office without user interactions; however, there are monthly fees to your mobile service provider.
2. Another option is to download data to USB Flash and transfer it manually.  Some Fingerprint Readers and Card Readers by ZK Technology have a USB-Host port in it.  You can insert a flash drive into it and download your employees’ logs using menu options on the Time Clock.  If you want to download logs from HandPunch or other Fingerprint Readers and Card Readers which do not have USB port in it, you will have to use a computer.  You can find a software which can be installed onto your laptop.  It will download logs from the reader and transfer it to your USB flash.  Later, you can take this flash drive to your office and upload the data to your Time and Attendance or Workforce Management system.  If you are using a laptop to download attendance logs from the Time Clock, you might be able to use your cell phone as an internet access point and transfer data directly to your office instead of using a flash drive.

Connecting to your Time Clock at remote site - Time and Attendance Software

If your business has several locations and you want to centralize your Time and Attendance or Workforce Management data, you have to figure out a way to connect all the Time Clocks from each of your locations to your central office.  One way is to have VPN among all your locations so that your Time and Attendance software can download logs from the reader using local IP address.

If you do not have VPN setup, you can still connect to your Time Clock, but you have to set up port forwarding to allow your Workforce Management software to connect to your reader through Internet.  If you are using HandPunch by Ingersoll Rand, then you have to open a TCP port 3001.  If you are using Time Clock by ZK Technology such as Fingerprint Reader, Proximity Card Reader, Barcode Reader or Magnetic Card Reader, then you have to forward UDP port 4370.  After you complete port forwarding, your Time and Attendance application will connect to your reader using the IP address of the remote location and the port that you have used for forwarding.

If you have dynamic IP at your remote locations then you can setup Dynamic DNS and use the domain name instead of the IP address to connect.

Instructions on how to connect to your HandPunch remotely can be found here.

Instructions on how to connect to your Fingerprint Reader remotely can be found here.

Time and Attendance software with multiple locations - Time and Attendance Software

It is this time of the year again when we have to switch to Daylight Saving Time and have to adjust our clocks one hour forwards. If you are using a Time Clock with Time and Attendance system to track your employees’ time, then you will need to adjust the time on this device.  There are few things to keep in mind.

First, you should find out if your Time Clock has Daylight Saving Time feature.  This function allows you to specify the date and time of Daylight Saving Time and the Time Clock would automatically adjust time forwards.  This is a very helpful feature, but could also cause problems: each year the date of Daylight Saving Time changes and you would need to make sure that you are adjusting this setting every year.

If your Time Clock does not have Daylight Saving Time feature or it is not set up, then you will need to adjust the time manually.  If your employees do not work overnight, then adjust the clock after everyone is done their work the day before or before everyone starts their work the day after.

It is more complicated if your company works overnight on weekends.  If you adjust the time on your Time Clock during someone’s shift, then this person can gain an extra hour.  After you adjust your Time Clock, you have to make sure you adjust the time in your Time and Attendance Software for the employees that may have been affected by this change.

Here are links with instructions to adjust time in your Time Clock:
HandPunch: Change time in HandPunch
Fingerprint Reader: Change time in Fingerprint Reader

Adjusting your Time Clock to Daylight Saving Time - Time and Attendance Software