Time and attendance software

Time and attendance software is a business application designed to allow management personnel to track and optimise the hours that employees spend working, and keep records of wages and salaries paid.

Although time and attendance software was traditionally manual, today modern, automated time and attendance software simply requires employees to touch or swipe in and out to identify themselves and record their working hours.

Tracking time and attendance is vital for organisations of all shapes and sizes, allowing management teams to monitor late arrivals, early departures, time taken on breaks, and absenteeism.

The biggest benefit of time and attendance software systems is that they eliminate the need for manual time cards. All the data is collected electronically and the calculations and analysis are done for you.

From an employer’s point of view, this software can also help to control labour costs by reducing over-payments, eliminating transcription error, interpretation error, and intentional error. From an employee’s perspective, time and attendance software is also beneficial as it ensures that their wages are always accurate.

In this article, we’ll look at what time and attendance software is, how it works, why it’s worth comparing different software, and the top providers of time and attendance software UK.

What is time and attendance software?

An automated time and attendance system collects the data from clocking devices (hardware) or a software program that can be made available through PCs, tablets, or mobile devices. Clocking devices can vary from swipe cards, proximity cards, proximity fobs, and biometric terminals, through to via the internet using smart phones, laptops, and PCs.

With the ability to integrate with other systems, time and attendance software automates the often tedious and time-consuming manual processes that are associated with payroll processing and labour compliance. So, rather than spending hours upon hours shuffling through spreadsheets and time cards each week, the HR department can quickly and easily send employee clocking on data directly from the time and attendance software to their payroll software.

Bringing together hardware and software functionality, Time and Attendance software systems have the ability to protect businesses from fraud, minimise human error, and give both the employer and the employee confidence in the accuracy of their wage payments.

Time and attendance software comparison

There is a wide range of time and attendance software systems available on the market, all of which offer their own unique features, functions, and benefits.

With so many time and attendance systems on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is right for your business. With this in mind, it’s important to carry out a careful time and attendance software comparison to assess the different time and attendance software available, looking at a range of factors.

One of the key factors to look at is whether you want a cloud-based or an on premises solution. This will not only impact on the performance of your software, but it will also affect the cost, with cloud-based systems usually presenting recurring, monthly costs whilst on-site systems incur larger, one-off fees.

Regardless of whether your opt for an on-site or cloud based system, it’s important that it’s easy to work with and flexible. Features will range from the basic to the advanced, so think about what you need now, and what you could potentially need in the future. Basic features include employee portals, employer portals, integrations with payroll, accounting, or HR software, access controls, mobile and browser based systems, and audit trails, whilst more advanced features include integration with hardware, employee scheduling, performance and productivity tracking, rounding rules, alters, and multi-company support.

When choosing a time and attendance software solution, it’s also important to consider the level of aftersales support provided with the product. Will you receive full support from the company you’re buying the system from, or will you be directed back to the developers? Where are the support team based, how can you contact them, and what are their working hours? If the system is complex or unfamiliar, it’s also worth considering whether you will receive user training.

To summarise, the main features to consider when comparing time and attendance software are:

• Cloud-based or on-premises
• Features
• Aftersale support
• Cost

Of course, there may be other considerations that are specific to your business or industry – fill in the form at the top of this page and speak to experts to get the best information possible.

Top time and attendance software providers

Here are 5 of the top time and attendance software providers in the UK, with a range of features and options to choose between. In the table below we have quickly compared these choices, with more information about each provider further down the page.

Find out more about any of these suppliers in the sections below.Kelio
Developed by Bodet over the course of five years, Kelio time and attendance software performs to the highest possible standard.This versatile software system has the scope to integrate payroll, HR, and security functions, whilst their On Demand system operates through a software as a service cloud-based platform, with 24/7 access to data.Once the Kelio system has been set up, employees will be able to clock in online, including on mobiles. For businesses that prefer a more traditional approach, clocking in machines can also be purchased.There are two different packages available – Kelio One and Kelio Pro. The main difference is that Kelio Pro offers more data processing and planning functions.Suitable for medium to large sized businesses in any sector, the service is modular, allowing users to upgrade or downgrade their usage at any time inline with any growth or changes within their business.Key Features:

• First class data security
• Updates and software support included
• Dedicated modules available for every aspect of time and attendance
• Change the package at any time to expand, reduce, or swap the usage of modules
• Tack projects time use as well as clocking employees
• Adaptable for remote, office, and warehouse environments
• Real time tracking reports

uAttend
This cloud-based time and attendance management system has enjoyed huge success in the USA and is now becoming increasingly popular here in the UK.Thus employee management system works on a scale- as-you-go basis, so it’s ideal for small to medium sized businesses that can benefit from its flexibility.Simple to use, uAttend boasts a user-friendly interface and provides the ability for employees to clock in via mobile devices, through software on their PCs, or via onsite hardware.In terms of costing, uAttend is available for a varying number of employees, starting at £14.99 per month plus VAT for 1-9 employees, up to £79.99 per month plus VAT for a workforce of 100 or more.Key Features:

• Unlimited clocking locations
• Speeds up data processing for payroll
• GPS tracking for mobile and remote staff
• Can be used for job tracking as well as employee clocking
• Offers employee self-service functions
• Huge range of reporting and data export options

Mitrefinch
Established in the UK in 1979, Mitrefinch is a leading developer of employee management and security solutions. The company serves over 3,500 clients from across all industries and business sectors, and varying in size from those with a handful of employees, to those with many thousands.Mitrefinch’s award winning Time and Attendance systems are fully customised around the unique needs and requirements of each individual business, making their software solutions a smart fit that delivers optimum results.This software can be adapted with unique rules in countless ways. So, for example, it can be set up to prevent too many employees from being on holiday simultaneously or to tack unusual schedules. Using this system, employees also have the ability to view their own data and make requests. All functions can be accessed via PC, mobile, and tablet.Although it is geared towards businesses with 100 employees or more, the software is versatile enough to work alongside a wide range of business. The systems lend themselves particularly well to companies within the security and intelligence sectors.Key Features:

• Bespoke systems catering for each company’s needs
• Easy to use for employees, managers, and employers
• Accessible from a range of devices
• Automated functions, including checking compliance with break times and workplace legislation
• Payroll and other reporting functions can be integrated
• UK customer support and online tutorials

Isgus
Established back in 1888, today Isgus is firmly established as a leading time and attendance and access control solution provider across the UK and around the world. The brand’s continuous research and development over the past century and beyond has allowed them to maintain their position at the forefront of the industry.Isgus’ time and attendance software systems are highly innovative and feature options such as Software as a Service (cloud) as well as a modular approach that allows users to build complexity levels as required.This time and attendance software only works with Isgus hardware, although modern mobile clocking can also be provided if required.Isgus systems are priced based on a number of factors, including the size of the company (in multiples of 25), clocking methods required, licenses, and whether the package is hosted on a cloud basis or as a traditional, in house service.Key Features:

• Multiple users can access reports in real time
• Modular software for growing businesses
• Hosted, software as a service option
• Employees can view their own data and reports
• UK support team

Kronos
Launched in 1977, Kronos were one of the first time and attendance software providers to embrace computer technology for clocking. Now a billion dollar enterprise, the brand has employees worldwide and boats over 40 million users.Kronos offers two time and attendance systems: Workforce Central for enterprises with more than 2000 employees, and Workforce Ready for SMEs with over 200 employees.With its user-friendly interface, Workforce Ready manages all employee data including time and attendance, payroll, and HR. Real time employee data allows businesses to make faster and more informed decisions, enabling them to optimise workforce productivity and competitiveness. Workforce Ready is also a cloud-based system, meaning that there are no expensive maintenance or hardware installation costs.Kronos’ classic clocking package is Workforce Timekeeper. This is also adapted for smaller companies as Workforce Ready Time Keeping. Pricing is bespoke, so you’ll need to get in touch with them for a personalised quote inline with your requirements.Key Features of Kronos’ time management and attendance software:

• Reduces administrative workload with automated timekeeping
• Versatile – can be adapted for different industries and businesses
• Ideal for fast-growing companies
• Tracks labour laws and union rules
• UK based customer support

Compare time and attendance software quotesComparing time and attendance software is an important first step towards purchasing and installing – your business can get real benefits from implementation, but you need to make sure that the choice you make is suitable for your small business. The information on this page should help you to make this decision.For more information though, on which software provider you should choose, you simply need to complete the form at the top of this page. Completing this form is a great way to find out more, with your specifications helping us to match you with up to four top quality UK suppliers.Comparing quotes with Startups is free, quick and easy, and it could help your business to save both time and money.[startups_cta type=”time-attendance” url_1=”https://webforms.startups.co.uk/time-attendance?a=1″ url_2=”https://webforms.startups.co.uk/time-attendance?a=2″]