Time Attendance Devices are required to effectively monitor employee
attendance. The need for a time attendance monitoring system grows with
the number of employees you manage. But choosing the right devices may
be a difficult task, unless you are an expert.
Listed below are some important factors to consider while choosing a
time attendance device.
1. Biometric Device or Proximity Card reader(RFID) or both?
Biometrics relies on the use of unique physical traits such as a
fingerprint, a palm/iris pattern, or facial characteristics to identify
an employee.
A non-biometric device such as an RFID device uses a proximity card to
identify an employee. Buddy punching is a main concern here as the
employee can ask his colleague to clock in with the card even when he is
absent. Also, the employee may forget to bring his card to work and then
he won’t be able to clock in/out the whole day. These issues won’t occur
with a biometric device.
But, RFID is faster in identification when compared to biometric
readers. RFID is also cheaper compared to Biometric devices.
Card reader(RFID) and Biometrics in the same device
Some devices support multiple identification mechanisms, such as Face,
Fingerprint, RFID and Password identification all in the same device.
With such a device, employees can use Face recognition while visitors
can use proximity cards(RFID).
Face Recognition or Fingerprint Identification?
Face recognition is faster compared to Fingerprint identification. Face
recognition takes less than 1 second while fingerprint identification
takes less than 2 seconds to identify an employee. If you have too many
employees clocking in/out at the same time, face recognition is
recommended.
2. How many devices?
This depends on how many employees are clocking in or out at the same
time. For eg; all your employees may go out for lunch at the same time.
In order to avoid long queues you should carefully choose the
appropriate number of devices. The number of devices required varies
according to the identification mechanism. You may need more fingerprint
devices compared to RFID or face recognition as fingerprint
identification takes longer.
3. What Device Capacity?
Face/Fingerprint/Card Capacity: It’s better to go for a device that has
much more user capacity than your requirement as the device would be
fast in identifying employees, and you will have room for new employees.
Transaction Capacity: Since the software automatically pulls data from
devices in real-time, transaction capacity is not much of a concern. But
it’s good to have a device that can hold data for a month.
4. PUSH or PULL?
PUSH: When using PUSH technology, the device sends punches to the server
whenever it receives one. PUSH updates the server in almost real-time.
The server should have a static IP if communication with the server is
over the internet.
PULL: When using PULL technology, the server reads the device data in
periodic intervals and updates itself. If the communication with the
server is over the internet, it’s good if the device has a static IP,
otherwise, you will need a software to read the dynamic IP and to update
the server.
5. What kind of connectivity between device and server?
Internet: The devices can communicate with server over the internet in
both PUSH and PULL mode. If you want the device to communicate over the
internet, ensure the device has TCP/IP.
Mobile Network: If the device is in a remote location, it can
communicate with the server over a mobile network. Ensure the device has
a 4G module.
Wired LAN: If the device and server are in the same LAN, a wired
connection is recommended. If you want the device to communicate over
the LAN, ensure the device has TCP/IP.
Wifi: With Wifi more of reconfiguration and troubleshooting may be
required as wifi routers change. If you want the device to communicate
over Wifi, ensure the device has Wifi option.
USB: With USB, user will have to manually copy the data from device to
software. This is not a recommended option as the data cannot come to
server in real-time. If you want to use this option, ensure device has a
USB port.
6. Do you need Access Control?
‘Access Control’ allows you to control a door or a turnstile as
employees clock in or out.
You may need access control:
* If you run an office and you don’t usually have customers walking in
and you want to allow access only to employees
* If you have a server room, you want to allow access only to authorized
personnel
* If you want accurate attendance data and you don’t want your employees
to forget to clock in or out.
You may not need access control:
* If you run a super market and you have employees and customers walking
in through the same door
Access control is more expensive as it may require the following
components:
1. Door Lock with brackets
2. Exit Reader
3. Exit Switch
4. Cabling
The components required for an access control installation vary
according to the type of door or turnstile.
Wooden door with a Wooden frame
If you have a wooden door with a wooden door frame a normal Electro
magnetic lock may be good enough for you.
Glass door with a Wooden frame
If you have a glass door with a wooden frame you need an Electro
magnetic lock with U bracket.
Glass door with a Glass frame
If you have a glass door with a glass frame you may need an Electro
magnetic lock with a U and Z brackets.
7. Do you need an Exit Reader?
When you use access control you may need one device for entry and
another one for exit. Usually, the exit reader can be directly connected
to the master device, and all configurations are done only on the master
device. It’s also possible to have the same model of device for entry
and exit.
8. Do you need an Exit Switch?
When using access control you can use a device for entry and a switch
for exit. But this is not recommended as the device cannot identify the
employee who uses the exit switch.
9. Do you need a USB Port?
You should choose a device with USB port if you would need the
following:
* Option to copy data from the device manually if other modes of
communication fail
* Option to copy face/fingerprint/rfid templates from one device to
another
10. 5V or 12V?
If you want to connect the device to a door lock and you want to supply
power to the lock from the device, you will have to choose a device that
works in the same voltage as your
11. Do you need a printer?
If you want to use the device in a canteen, you may need to print a slip
as employee punches; make sure the device is compatible with the
printer.
12. What device size and color?
Ensure that the size and color of the device matches with your interior
design.
For a wide range of biometric devices feel free to get in touch with our
experts. ENQUIRE NOW! and Time Attendance Software feel free to get in
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