Tips for buying an employee time tracking system

New technology. Although this Buyer’s Guide has warned about sales pitches based on “next generation” technology, there are some modern, practical features that definitely enhance a time and attendance system. Some time tracking suppliers, for example, suggest an option that uses VoIP phones to clock on and off. This is useful if an employee is working at home or travelling on behalf of the company.

Training. A supplier may provide support for your employee time tracking system free of charge for a limited period, but after this it can be expensive. To avoid unnecessary costs, make sure the supplier gives you and your staff full training in every aspect of the system. And advise staff to ask the trainer questions if they don’t understand anything.

Manuals. Make sure you get a system manual and any other user documents from the supplier. And resist the temptation to immediately file the manual in a bottom drawer. Look it over and raise any queries as soon as possible.

The installation. Ask the supplier for an installation plan. This should give the date of installation, the time the job will take, and what the supplier wants from you in the form of assistance and IT. A good plan will help ensure your time and attendance system is up and working quickly and effectively with minimum disruption to your business processes.