Cloud-based clocking

Cloud-based clocking software enables you to track your employee’s hours simply and efficiently.

There are a host of options available on the market. But knowing which one will not only fit your business but your employees best can be tricky.

Do not panic. If you have decided you want to start clocking in your employees but you’re not sure the best way to go, this guide will help.

We’ll cover everything from:

• What is cloud-based employee clocking
• The main benefits of cloud-based clocking
• Clocking Options
• Why choose our system for your needs
• Blended workforce tracking

and more.

So let’s get started!

What is Cloud-Based employee Clocking?

A clocking system allows your business to track the attendance of your employees.

Everything from time in, to break duration, lunch, overtime, absence and more can be recorded.

To clock, the employee will be given a unique profile and a method of clocking (i.e Smartphone App, biometric fingerprint machine etc). When they clock in, the data will be stored on their employee profile to create timecards and payroll data.

By choosing a cloud-based clocking method, it means that your service is made available on-demand via the Internet. It is faster, more secure and less expensive than traditional IT methods.

For users, this is a great advantage as long gone are the days of downloading, installing, or purchasing on-premise equipment.

The main benefits of cloud-based clocking

The main benefit of cloud-based clocking is 99.999% availability. This means that you will always be able to see your employees clocking in real-time, 24/7.

Cloud-based systems also mean that you can access them wherever you are in the world.

For example, you can also use the Citadel admin portal to track lateness, absence, and report on labour costs anywhere with an internet connection via a phone, tablet or laptop.

Clocking Options

Before deciding what clocking method is best for you. You need to consider how and where your employees clock in.

What equipment do they need to be able to do this, and what features do you want your clocking software to have.

For example, if you are concerned about buddy clocking, you could choose a clocking method involving biometrics, such as fingerprint.

With the Citadel by Chronologic terminal, you can get employees to clock via fingerprint or contactless RFID cards.

The unit can be fixed to a set place. Or used as a portable clocking option thanks to its offline clocking and battery backup features.

Another option is a tablet or computer. Using a simple android tablet, you could enable your employees to clock on the go. They can also transfer departments, track their breaks, absences and more.

The most cost-effective clocking option is a free smartphone app, which enables employees to have their own clocking device, using equipment they will already have.

There is 0 investment in hardware on the employer’s side, and responsibility for clocking is pushed onto employees.

How many people need to clock to get data from a cloud-based system?

A cloud-based clocking system like Citadel not only tracks hours. But automatically configures data into reports on holiday, absence, overtime and more.

If you want to more effectively know your labour and optimise your labour costs, then any number of employees is the right amount.

If, however, you have a large number of employees. Or employees on a host of different contracts, making sure you have the right clocking system is more important than how many clock.

A blended workforce will need a system designed to keep up with its complex pay rules and working hours.

What is a blended workforce?

According to HR Zone, a blended workforce combines a variety of employees on different contracts, including permanent full-time staff, part-time, temporary workers, contractors, and freelancers.

Blended, variable, however you describe your workforce. Being able to keep track of how many hours people work and how much each department costs you in labour, shouldn’t be a struggle.

This is what Citadel by Chronologic has been designed for. With a Citadel system, you can track and report on multiple types of workers and their pay codes and overtime rules will be automatically added. Saving admin hours every month.

Why is tracking a blended workforce difficult?

Not only will a blended workforce not always work from the same location. But a blended workforce often has different shifts, patterns and pay. This means clocking systems find it harder to apply rules and accurately create payroll data.

Often clocking systems include a limited number of overtime rules or pay codes that can be applied to workers. So, if you have 6 or 7 types of workers including night shifts, flextime and more – you can’t use the same pay rules for them all.

What tools does Citadel have to help track a blended workforce?

Citadel by Chronologic is designed to meet the needs of workforces with multiple staffing contract types. It has unlimited pay rules and overtime codes.

Meaning no matter how many variations your workforce has, you can sleep easy knowing Citadel will allocate the correct rate, to the right people.

This speeds up the payroll process as the data is ready to go, correct and checkable easily.

Unlike other clocking systems, we also allow employees to mix ’n’ match how they clock.

This means if you have:

• Freelancers who only need to clock occasionally,
• People off-site,
• People working in different locations,
• Set workers in the same office every day,
• Hybrid workers or flexitime workers,

Or more

Not only can choose how they clock in. But your system will handle their data and present it to you in a way that’s easy to understand and track.

Ready to get started?

Find out more about our clocking systems here.

Any questions, or if you’d like to request a free online demo to see how clocking in with Citadel could work for you, call 01761 410015, email us or click the chat icon.