Simple Employee Time Tracking with Digital Time Tracking Systems

Employee time tracking is mandatory in many countries including Germany. This means that employers are obligated to provide a system for recording the actual number of hours worked by employees. Following the recent ruling of the German Federal Labor Court, it is therefore all the more important to ensure that employee time tracking is implemented using a legally compliant time tracking system.

However, this does not necessarily have to be an additional administrative burden. In fact, it can be quite the opposite when intelligent, digital time tracking systems are used. Moreover, a modern, integrative employee time tracking solution also enables companies to benefit from increased productivity and greater transparency. So companies that are already considering digital employee time tracking are on the right path to creating the proper framework for compliance with legislation.

The right time tracking system for your company

Employee time tracking needs to be as simple as possible for employees across all departments. The different requirements of the various areas must therefore be identified and taken into consideration when choosing a time tracking system. Whether flextime, shift time, maximum work periods, part-time work, break provisions, or period working time, a time tracking system should take all available working time models into account in compliance with legal regulations.

Whether you are a small business or a large company, there are various options for recording working time using time tracking systems and authentication methods. In addition, it may be useful to integrate access control for secured areas in your company. Through access management, you always have full control over which employees can access specific areas. And if a chip or card is ever lost, they can simply be blocked, thus preventing unauthorized entry without further effort.

Terminal Combined terminal Virtual terminal Access control Types of ID

Time tracking via a terminal

Terminals can be installed centrally at the main entrance or in specific work areas (e.g. warehouse management or production) so that employees can record their working time when entering the building. Dust protection classes can also be taken into account here. The terminals are PoE-capable and are supplied fully configured. All terminals can be extended with an additional terminal for access control.

Time tracking and access control via one terminal

In the case of a combined terminal, a time tracking system is combined with access control. This allows personnel with authorized access to enter a secured area while simultaneously recording their working time. So just one terminal is needed, which is equipped with an authorization concept.

Time tracking via a “virtual terminal”

Virtual terminals can also be used for employees who have access to a PC. A virtual terminal is an application that can be opened via a browser. This records the time that employees clock in and clock out. So no additional hardware is required.

Wireless access control

Locking systems can be attached to the door handle or knob and also provide access control for secured areas. Fire doors can also be equipped with these systems.

Identification technologies for time tracking

RFID card

An electronic key card printed with a photo and name for authentication, for example.

RFID transponder

An RFID transponder is a very robust and straightforward form of authentication. It contains an RFID chip that supports contactless reading technology.

Fingerprint (biometric reading technology)

The fingerprint module is integrated in the terminal, enabling personnel to be identified by their fingerprint. This authentication method is very popular due to its high level of security.

Pin code

A pin code is commonly used for access control to secured areas in a company. In this case, a card or chip is scanned, but an additional code must be entered in order to access the relevant area.

Digital time tracking for accurate payroll

Freely configurable and modular, digital time tracking offers considerable advantages. For example, you are able to freely define a variety of reasons for employees being absent. Along with calculating the remaining leave, intelligent absence management determines the sick leave statistics for transparent and clear representation of the employee time account. Freely parameterizable overtime compensation is also implemented here, with and without bonus evaluation.

Furthermore, employee time tracking can be extended at any time with additional extension modules, such as access control, cost center changes, special breaks, or shift planning. Therefore, even complex pay scale conditions, works agreements, and in-house rates can be taken into consideration in time tracking.

The most important functions of digital time tracking at a glance

Mobile time tracking and recording in a home office setup
Project time tracking and posting to cost centers
Travel time tracking
Central administration
Display of posting errors if a posting has been missed

Leave requests, such as vacation requests or business trip requests
Digital overview of absences
Manual storage of absence entries
HR administration and maintenance of master data
Combination with terminals and access control

Advantages of digital employee time tracking

Transparency

Digital time tracking ensures an automated and fair payroll process that benefits employees and employers in equal measure.

Work-life balance

It’s important to take breaks, and overtime is unhealthy in the long run. Time tracking can significantly improve compliance with legal requirements.

High level of security

Time tracking systems provide the necessary security for all aspects of time tracking and are tamper-proof.

Less administrative effort

There are a lot of working time models that require a huge amount of administrative effort. With digital technologies, these are a thing of the past.

Legally compliant

Digital employee time tracking ensures compliance with the legal requirements of the German Occupational Health and Safety Act and Working Time Act.

Interfaces

The software integrates with various IT landscapes, such as ERP systems or payroll programs.

Ruling of the German Federal Labor Court—employee time tracking is mandatory

Following the ruling of the German Federal Labor Court on September 13, 2022, employee time tracking is a mandatory obligation for employers. This means that employers are obligated to introduce a system for recording the actual number of hours worked by employees.

Occupational health and safety requires that necessary measures affecting the health and safety of employees at work be taken into consideration. The employer must therefore provide an appropriate system and the necessary equipment for the fields of activity and the number of employees. I.e. a time tracking system that satisfies the requirements of data protection law.

Employee time tracking for medium-sized companies

Modern time tracking Production Field service

Modern time tracking

Growing companies soon reach the limits of Excel lists and “old-school” employee time tracking. That’s because this type of time tracking is not only time-consuming, but also prone to error. Especially in view of the working time models, shift differentials, break provisions, and leave arrangements, the best way to handle this large volume of data is to use time tracking software. By using time tracking hardware (terminals) in combination with time tracking software (administration), you and your employees have the ideal solution for accurate, simple, and above all legally compliant time tracking.

Time tracking in production

L-mobile Arbeitszeiterfassung in der Produktion

L-mobile digitalizes production by means of digital production data and machine data collection and the transfer of this data to an ERP system. There is a trend towards equipping individual production work stations with their own terminals. The terminals display manufacturing orders, technical drawings, and other order data. The materials used, quantities produced, and time spent on the respective manufacturing order are reported back digitally via the terminals. The exciting part is that time tracking is performed right at the manufacturing work station. This means that working times can be recorded at the same time as work order times. So that employees do not have to register on two or more time tracking systems, the times recorded at the work station terminal can be incorporated into the overall time tracking.

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Time tracking in technical customer service (field service management)

The time tracking software is suitable for service technicians as well as field sales service employees. L-mobile also digitalizes field service management so that technicians can carry out their field service work orders using a service app. Time tracking is necessary here as well. Time stamps such as travel time, working time, work breaks, the trip home, and the end of the workday are recorded in the L-mobile software and combined with employee time tracking. So there is just one application that service technicians need to use. This data is transferred to the payroll program for accurate payroll processing.

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Our partner for employee time tracking—ACCENON Software und Hardware GmbH

Software that covers all aspects of employee time tracking. From classic time tracking terminals and combined terminals with access control to “digital terminals”—ACCENON is shaping the way in which companies perform time tracking.

Employee time tracking is an important component in the implementation of digitalization projects. ACCENON adds employee time tracking to L-mobile’s software solutions for production and technical customer service (field service). So, with the digitalization of your production and field service processes and the inclusion of employee time tracking, everything you need is available from a single source.