According to Dictionary.com, automation is described as a technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum.
Automating Clock In/Out
Automation in a time clock system means that your employees may be clocked in or clocked out for breaks without any action performed by the employee. When any process is automated, there is a concern that things are not overlooked. So whenever implementing auto clock in/out, there should always be notifications sent to the employee to let them know that the break has started or the end of the day clock out has occurred. This notification is best transmitted via a method where the employee will immediately notice the clock in or out, SMS or all push notification work nicely here.
Automatic Reminders
Employees sometimes forget to do things, we are all human and this is to be expected. One thing that can be done to mitigate forgetfulness is reminders. Modern time clock system will have the option to send out reminders for clock in/out, beginning and end of day notifications. Much like automated punch notification, SMS(text) and all push notification work best, as the employee typically will have their mobile phone nearby to see the alert.
You start off by inputting the Day Start time. This is important because we can also send your employees punch reminders. This will text your employees ten minutes before the Day Start time and remind them to punch in. Next you will want to put in their break time. Our system is super unique because you can choose if you want the break to punch your employees out and back in automatically or you would select manual if you want them to do the punches. When setting up the breaks you also have the option of paying your employees for the break, not paying them or paying for partial of their break. Punch reminders also apply to breaks and day end. It is illegal for On The Clock to punch employees in automatically, but we can punch them out and back in for breaks or at the end of the day automatically. This Automation feature takes away the headache of having to remind your employees to take breaks or make sure they are punching in and out correctly. As we like to call it here at On The Clock “ Auto Pilot”, you can set it and forget it.
At the end of the grid you will notice there is also the option of Out Hours. In case that your employees get to choose the time that they come in but you do not want them working over time you can choose an hour mark that you want them punched out at. You are welcome to set it for different hours each day in case of flexibility. This can also prevent your employees from racking up overtime.
After you have set up the breaks then you have the choice of who to apply them to. The way that you apply them to your employees is simply clicking on the box next to the employee’s name in the apply column. In case that your employee’s need punch reminders to remind them to punch in and out then you also have the option of selecting which employees you will need that to apply for. Our punch reminders text your employees 10 minutes before the time that you designate EG: 8:00am, it will text them at 7:50am as a reminder to punch in. If you have the schedule set to automatic then our system will text them that they will be punched out in 10 minutes.
One of the awesome things about this feature is that you can make multiple punch schedules, meaning that if employee A has a different schedule than employee B then you make two different punch schedules for them. Each employee can only be on one schedule though.
We have found that this feature of ours has really helped employees and employers keep their days on track, their employee’s from forgetting to Punch In/Out and making sure they take breaks.
We encourage you to learn more about our new scheduling automated reports feature.