What do I need to think about when buying a fingerprint time clock?
by David Azzopardi
Fingerprint time clocks have been available in Australia for well over a decade now. They are the preferred choice when it comes to selecting an employee time clock for a business. What are they, how do they work, and what things should I think about when selecting a fingerprint time clock system for my business?
A fingerprint time clock is about the size of an office phone, they are usually wall-mounted about 1.2m from the floor for easy access. These days you would expect your fingerprint time clock to have a full-colour or colour touch-screen, a modern keypad, status lights and the latest fingerprint sensor. The program that runs on the time clock should be icon based and be very user friendly.
An employee is assigned a number on the clock which will also be how the time clock software identifies that employee. A Supervisor will access the menu of the fingerprint time clock, add the new employee number and then tag the employee's fingerprint template to their number. The new employee should be able to start using the time clock immediately.
There are two ways a fingerprint time clock can identify an employee:
1:1 - This method is called 'one-to-one' verification. Using this method, the employee first needs to enter their employee ID number, then put their fingerprint on the sensor. The 1:1 verification means that the time clock is only trying to match the employees fingerprint template against that employee's own templates stored in the clock memory. Pros: Easier for the clock to identify the employee, usually has a lower fingerprint sensitivity value. Cons: Does require the employee to remember their number, takes a second or two longer to clock on or off.
1:N - This method is called 'one-to-many' verification. Using this method the employee just puts their fingerprint on the sensor, the clock searches through the database and then matches the template with one in it's memory. Pros: Really quick to sign on for work, no need for numbers. Cons: If the fingerprint sensitivity setting is wrong employees can be detected as another employee.
At Aussie Time Sheets we help you choose the right setting for your environment.
Before you purchase a fingerprint time clock system it's good to consider:
- Does this clock feature the latest tech available, or would I have to upgrade soon?
- Is it easy to use, eg could I use the clock myself without special instructions?
- How much warranty comes with this fingerprint time clock?
- Do I need data stored in the clock memory, or live data sent so I can quickly access it?
- Do I need to connect an external bell to this fingerprint time clock to signal work and break times?
We offer two types of fingerprint time clocks: one that comes with a windows application to calculate your work hours and one that streams it's times live to web time sheets. Both clocks feature the latest technology, are easy to use and come with Extended Warranty.
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