staff clockings

May

2024

Flexible reports for easier timesheet management

When you’re choosing a staff attendance system it’s easy to focus more attention on the employee-facing technology than what’s going on under the bonnet of the supporting software. But at easyLog we put a great deal of thought and effort into ensuring the behind-the-scenes features of our attendance products are as practical, simple to use and efficient as the clocking function.

Take reports, for instance. We have fine-tuned the report options to enable customers to view the data they need in ways that will help make managing timesheets, costings and pay more accurate and efficient than before. This is a taste of what you can expect.

Flexibility is the key

Being able to handle attendance data in the way that suits your particular organisation, staff and way of working is essential for effective management – so we have made the way reports are created and viewed as flexible as possible.

For instance, you can select data:

By site
By client
By department
By grade
By employee
By work group
And individually, or by a range, or by all

How you choose to format the report is equally flexible:

Timesheets can be rounded however you like – for example, to the nearest 15 minutes, or five minutes, and so on
Deduct unpaid breaks by definable rules
You can also view summaries and averages

Control of your costs

The “Costed” report option is another useful feature that is popular with customers, particularly those that employ sub-contractors such as construction companies. This report allows the user to define a pay rate per hour per person and then automatically add up a costed timesheet – handy for comparing against contractors’ invoices and keeping control of your costs.

The clever reports you don’t usually get

Feeback from customers shows that they appreciate the range of reports on offer. One they particularly like is the “Between first and last clockings” report. This shows the hours between the first and last clocking of the day and so gives a total timesheet for the hours on shift, without all the detail in between – which, of course, they can also see if they want. This is especially useful where workers start and end their day from one location – for example, going to an office to pick up a van and then returning it later that day.

Another report just lists who has clocked in on any selected day. And then there is the “Clients not visited” report, which enables you to check on clients or sites that have not been attended over a defined period.

Keep your accountant happy

Data reports need to be shareable with relevant parties, not least your accountancy software. So we have a range of export options, including Excel, Word, PDF and CSV, so you can make the most of the data.

Find out more

If you have any questions about our attendance solutions and reports, talk to one of our team on 01892 834406 or request a callback using the form on this page.

Apr

2024

Need a speedy way to clock-in sub-contractors? You’ve got it.

Keeping track of the working hours of regular employees is usually pretty straightforward – it’s just a question of choosing the right easyLog attendance app to suit your team and requirements and downloading it. Simple. But when you are dealing with sub-contractors and other short-term or irregular workers, the situation is a bit more fluid.

In the construction industry especially, the personnel attending sites can change regularly and there may be a steady stream of new workers and visitors to keep track of. But going through the process of pre-registering them all on the company’s employee attendance recording system is not really practical. So easyLog has developed an ingenious workaround: the employee and sub-contractor attendance recording solution, or eLogESCAR.

Fast and reliable clocking with no pre-registering required

This simple attendance monitoring option requires just a smartphone and a free-to- download QR code. To clock in, users simply scan the QR code with their phone to open a web page and then fill in their name and company details when prompted.

The software confirms the attendance location using geolocation technology and holds their details so they can simply scan the QR code to call up the web page and press the clock out button when they leave.

Accurate timesheets and invoices backed-up by geolocation data

Because the software automatically identifies the location the person is attending, site managers can easily see who is on-site at any time. It’s quick, simple and reliable – and, best of all, no pre-registration is required.

Ideal for sub-contractors, temporary workers and visitors
Attendance locations are confirmed by geolocation technology for accurate timesheets
Reporting by time and by hourly cost and by individual and sub-contractor company, helping you reconcile invoices with actual attendance
Managers can easily see who is on-site at any time
The software can be used to check attendance in the event of an evacuation
Further check boxes can be added to the attendance screen if required, for example to confirm skills and plant operation certification or that health and safety guidelines have been read

Find out more about eLogESCAR

For more information about our simple, low-cost web page attendance option, talk to one of our team.

Mar

2024

Get the best attendance app for the job

Is it really possible to have too much choice? With our ever-growing variety of employee attendance recording options, it can sometimes be hard for customers to decide which products are most suitable for their workers, site locations and specific requirements.

This guide provides answers to some of the questions we often get asked when helping customers to find the best attendance management technology for their particular job and circumstances.

Q: What would you recommend to get up and running quickly? My employees visit multiple client sites and I’m on a tight budget.

A: One of easyLog’s most popular products is our Location Clock QR code clocking app because it is so quick and easy to set up and uses employees’ own smartphones as attendance recording devices, keeping capital outlay to an absolute minimum. Staff simply download the app from the online store for their operating system and record attendance by using their phone to read a free-to-download QR code at each work location, making it ideal for workers who visit multiple sites or different areas within a single workplace. The app is easy to use, cost effective and very reliable – clockings are backed-up by geolocation coordinates and other in-built security features so attendance is recorded accurately, even if a worker tampers with the clock on their phone, for example. Plus there are no up front costs – just a small monthly charge based on the number of app users. Prices start at £18 plus VAT per month for up to 10 people and include installation, easyLog software and support.

Q: We have multiple workers attending just a couple of sites: what is the most efficient way to clock them in and out?

A: In the past, employers in this situation would almost certainly have opted for a fixed clocking terminal, with all its attendant capital and maintenance charges. Nowadays we believe a tablet offers all the benefits of a fixed terminal at a significantly lower cost. You can choose whether you want to fix the tablet in place, and let employees clock themselves in and out, or would prefer a supervisor to oversee the process. You can also select the clocking app according to the level of security you require, from simple PIN or dropdown menu selection through to foolproof photographic identification. You can even mix and match clocking apps to suit employees with different attendance recording needs, such as office staff and shop floor or contract workers.

Q: I just want a straightforward clocking in and out solution so I can manage timesheets more easily and keep track of who is in the building. What are my options?

A: We would usually advise a simple tablet-based attendance app, such as easyLog’s Clock With ID, to customers who just want a straightforward clocking solution without extra identification technology. Staff just open the app and input a pre-allocated PIN or select their name from a dropdown menu whenever they arrive or leave. The tablet can be fixed or portable and, as with all our attendance apps, the clocking data is confirmed by built-in security features such as geolocation coordinates and server logs. This app can be coupled with our visitor attendance management module, so visitors can be clocked in and out using the same dropdown menu system. We also offer a separate Roll Call app, which runs on a fire officer’s or supervisor’s smartphone or tablet and provides a live display of who is currently logged as being on your premises.

Q: I suspect some of my workers are signing in and out for each other and falsifying their hours. How can I put a stop to this?

A: All our clocking apps provide employee identification of some kind to meet the differing needs of customers. Where workers are determined to beat the system or correct identification is a matter of site safety, we would always recommend our facial recognition app, Geo Clock With Photo. This app is available in two versions, both of which provide an instant record of an employee's identity, attendance time and location, along with other built-in features that prevent clocking fraud, such as geolocation data.

Option one is full facial recognition, where biometric software automatically compares a photo taken during a clocking with a stored image and returns the result in the attendance record. Option two is image capture, where a photo of an employee is taken at a clocking and stored on a cloud server for manual checking, either at the time or later. Both versions are available for tablet or smartphone, which have their own unique identifiers. Any attempt to clock in or out on someone else’s behalf is automatically detected in the easyLog software and flagged up for action.

Q: We employ contractors so we often get people we don’t know turning up to work on-site. Do you have a simple clocking option for them that doesn’t require downloading an app on their phones?

A: Our web-based attendance solution has been developed specifically to enable employers that use short-term agency staff or sub-contractors, such as construction and events companies, to clock workers in and out quickly and easily without going through the process of setting up an app-based product. To record their attendance, workers simply open a web page by scanning a QR code with their phone, fill in their name and tap the clock in button. All that is required is a smartphone with an internet connection – the easyLog software does the rest.

Find the right clocking option for your business

If you have any questions about finding the best attendance recording app for your employees, talk to one of our team on 01892 834406 or request a callback using the form on this page.

Jan

2024

20 years of helping customers build more efficient businesses

This year marks an important milestone for easyLog – our 20th anniversary. Since the company began trading in January 2004 following a management buy out from Feedback plc, our software range and the technology underpinning it have changed almost unrecognisably. But our philosophy has remained the same – to listen to our customers and provide them with the software products they need to manage and grow their businesses.

The journey to QR code apps and facial recognition on a tablet

Over the past two decades we have seen many changes in our industry and are proud to say that we have been at the forefront of the evolution from dedicated hardware attendance devices, such as hand-scanner clocking terminals and PDAs integrated with desk-based software, to today’s use-anywhere browser and mobile-based solutions – which have made the most sophisticated and reliable staff management products available to even the smallest organisations on the tightest budgets.

One of the most significant landmarks over the past 20 years is undoubtedly the introduction of smartphone and tablet based clocking apps back in 2013. These early apps were based on reading NFC tags but, realising that this style of clocking would be the future of employee attendance recording, we quickly progressed to developing even more versatile and low-cost yet sophisticated options using emerging technologies, such as QR codes and biometric facial recognition running on tablet and mobile devices.

Together we’ve achieved a lot

None of this would have been possible without the close working relationship we have built with our many customers, who have inspired us to innovate and helped us to refine each new software product.

To find out more about our current product range, explore our web pages or talk to one of our team.

Nov

2023

Mix and match apps for all your staff and job management tasks

When you choose an easyLog attendance app you may think you are committing to a discrete solution to solve a specific business challenge – recording employees’ visits to a particular off-site work location, for example. But in fact you are opening the door to streamlining a wide variety of essential business functions, from everyday timesheet management to more specialised tasks, such as dealing with staff rotas and expenses, job pricing and monitoring, production line job recording and many other cost-sensitive operations.

Low-cost attendance apps that meet multiple challenges

Take employee attendance recording, for instance. Because our clocking apps use the same browser-based back-office software, two or more can be used alongside each other at different sites or even within a single location where there are workers with different attendance recording requirements.

This flexibility means that employers with larger or constantly mobile workforces can use clocking options that fulfil the individual needs of all their sites and workers, rather than settling for a less efficient one-size-fits-all solution. So office-based admin staff can clock in on a tablet, for example, while remote workers can use their smartphones to scan a QR to record their attendance on site – but all the records are managed via the same easyLog back office software.

One contract, many opportunities

The same flexibility applies across all our app products, saving our customers valuable time and subsequently money. As you might expect, easyLog’s wide range of attendance recording apps are designed to align neatly with our rota and HR software to make managing timesheets and pay even faster and more accurate. But you might not be aware that many of our apps have dual functions or can be customised with additional software modules to fulfil additional business reporting requirements.

Some of the versatile options currently in use include:

Visitor management and roll call modules – a useful add-on to a basic staff clocking solution
The Actions App module for monitoring tasks performed by remote workers, including optional note taking and feedback functions with photo upload
Job recording with QR codes – this app, which doubles as a clocking device, is for anyone who wants an accurate method of monitoring time spent on a particular manufacturing process or any other procedure that is used to calculate costs
Our Site Supervisor inspections and estimates manager – a module designed for cleaning and buildings maintenance contractors
Night checks – this simple QR code or NFC tag option is ideal for confirming that tasks are being done by security guards, construction workers, cleaners and other unsupervised employees, including carers
Care record management – a convenient note taking solution that provides a reliable record for inspecting authorities

Find out how to get more out of our apps

If you would like to know more about the mix and match opportunities provided by easyLog’s apps, contact our team.

Oct

2023

Has the traditional clocking terminal had its day?

When newspapers prematurely printed his obituary, Mark Twain famously quipped that reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. Likewise, it may be a little early to announce the demise of the dedicated clocking terminal – but declining demand for traditional attendance recording devices indicates that they will soon be a thing of the past. And the reason is technology.

The ubiquitous rise of smartphones, tablets and geolocation data has made attendance recording with apps simpler, cheaper and more dependable than ever before. Clocking apps are also more flexible than a dedicated fixed terminal, offering functions and configurations to suit every location, budget and workforce. And all this without sacrificing any of the safeguards employers need to ensure accurate staff attendance recording and timesheet management.

Clocking apps: simpler, cheaper and more flexible

Whether you want a straightforward QR code clocking system for employees such as cleaners or carers who visit multiple sites, or the peace of mind that comes with a solution like facial recognition that confirms identity along with date, location and time, an easyLog clocking app can provide it – and many other options besides.

Our attendance recording apps also have the advantage that they can be mixed and matched within a single contract, so you can use one clocking format for, say, office based staff and another for remote workers. Our apps are so flexible that they can even double as job time recording, visitor attendance and roll call solutions – we have yet to see a dedicated terminal that can match that.

Reliable attendance recording without the cost

Along with their reliability and versatility, clocking apps offer exceptional value for money. Initial outlay is low because our free-to-download apps can be installed on a standard Android or Apple device, including employees’ own phones. And, unlike a dedicated terminal, a faulty tablet can be replaced at minimal cost, usually within a day – there is no waiting for expensive repairs.

Talk to us about updating your old clocking terminal

To find the right attendance app for your staff, talk to one of our team on 01892 834406, send us an email or request a callback using the form on this page.

Aug

2023

Myth busting: 10 popular misconceptions about clocking apps debunked

Moving to phone or tablet based attendance recording can be a big change for workers and employers alike and not surprisingly raises many concerns, most of which have no basis in fact. Here we put straight some of the most common misconceptions we come across about clocking with an app.

1. My employees can cheat a clocking app by simply altering the time on their phones.

Our apps include a number of in-built features, such as cross referencing the time on the phone and identification of the phone being used, designed to prevent clocking fraud. If someone has changed the time on their phone to appear either earlier or later than they actually were, the software will detect that the clocking time does not match the time on the server and flag the discrepancy, allowing appropriate action to be taken.

2. QR codes are unreliable because someone can make a copy of the code and use it to clock in anywhere.

Any employee tempted to falsify their attendance record by scanning a QR code from somewhere other than where they are supposed to be will be found out immediately. Our clocking apps use geolocation coordinates to confirm the location of a clocking alongside the QR code location identifier, so a mismatch will be detected and flagged automatically.

3. You have to use the same attendance app or solution across all your sites.

One of the many benefits of easyLog’s clocking apps is their versatility. Two or even more app formats can be run alongside each other at different locations using the same back-office software, making them ideal for customers with multiple sites and variable attendance recording requirements. For example, an organisation with an administration centre where staff can record their attendance on a tablet but with employees that visit multiple client sites where scanning a QR code using their smartphone is the sensible low-cost option.

4. People can get someone else to clock in on their behalf when they are running late or leaving early.

All our clocking apps provide employee identification of some kind, from numeric codes to fully automatic facial recognition technology. Each mobile device also has a unique identifier. So if a member of staff tries to clock in or out for someone else, it would be automatically detected in the easyLog software and flagged up for action.

5. Staff won’t use a mobile app because they think they are being tracked.

Fears that an easyLog smartphone app could be used to track someone’s movements without their knowledge or consent are totally unfounded – and would be illegal. Our apps only identify where the user is at the exact time they make a clocking – when they scan a location QR code, for example. The rest of the time the app is inactive.

6. Clocking in and out daily with a smartphone will use up lots of data and run down the phone battery.

One clocking with our Location Clock app uses around 100-200 bytes of data, depending on variables such as the resolution of the geolocation coordinates and the length of the identification codes. This is less than a fifth of the data used to send a simple message, which takes approximately 1,000 bytes (1KB). Or, to put it another way, you would need to make between five and ten million clockings to use up 1GB of data. Similarly, our apps are only active while a clocking is made and do not run in the background, so battery requirements are minimal.

7. Using facial recognition to monitor attendance is too expensive for just a handful of staff.

One of the many attractions of using an easyLog facial recognition app on a tablet is that it puts attendance recording with proof of identity within easy reach of smaller companies on a tight budget. Unlike investing in a dedicated biometric clocking terminal, there is no initial outlay apart from a standard Android or Apple tablet, which can also be used for other business tasks. And if the tablet breaks, it can be quickly and cheaply replaced – there’s no waiting for expensive repairs. As with all our software, licence fees are charged according to the number of users. Read more about affordable clocking with facial recognition here.

8. My workers are concerned that the app will collect and store personal details about them.

All data used in easyLog software and apps is encrypted to industry standard. However, the only data held in our phone and tablet clocking apps is the user’s online ID, which is not sensitive and of no value to anyone else, and in some cases the user’s name. Pictures taken during clockings using photo ID are held on our secure servers for a maximum of three months before being deleted.

9. If there is a poor mobile signal people won’t be able to record a clocking.

If there is no network signal, easyLog’s clocking apps still allow employees to record attendance on a phone or tablet. The data is simply stored and transferred, along with the clocking time, when the next clocking is made.

10. Downloading a clocking app will interfere with other apps and take over my phone.

All easyLog’s apps have to meet the app stores’ stringent technical requirements, which include that they work in their own separate spaces and don’t stray into other applications. Permission to access additional phone features, such as the camera, location data, contacts and so on, must be granted by the user during download, as with any other app.

Find out more about easyLog clocking apps

If you have any questions about choosing the right clocking app for your workers and business, talk to one of our team on 01892 834406, send us an email or request a callback using the form on this page.

Aug

2023

Clock and save with face recognition apps

In the current climate of rising prices and falling value for money, it is good to know that at least one business essential is actually becoming more affordable – foolproof attendance recording with facial recognition technology.

Know that staff are on-site and on time

Designed to provide certainty that your employees are on-site and on time, our Geo Clock With Photo app turns everyday tablets and smartphones into dependable clocking devices without the initial outlay and ongoing expenses associated with a dedicated biometric terminal.

The Geo Clock app can be downloaded from the main online stores directly onto a standard Android or Apple tablet or company phone – you just need to ensure that the device you want to use has a front-facing camera.

There is no other installation required – the face recognition software is held on our secure cloud servers so you can view and manage clocking records and timesheets anywhere on any device with a web browser. The software automatically checks each clocking with a stored image and combines the result with geolocation data, such as GPS coordinates, to provide a foolproof record of identity, location, date and time that is effective against clocking fraud. The process is quick, simple and, above all, reliable.

An affordable attendance record that’s effective against fraud

But the best bit is that using the Geo Clock attendance app offers the reliability of a dedicated biometric clocking terminal without many of the associated costs. Potential savings include:

Low initial outlay – our free-to-download app turns a standard Android or Apple device into a fraud proof clocking terminal
Versatility – tablets and phones can be used for a multitude of other business functions, unlike a dedicated biometric machine
No expensive repairs – a faulty biometric terminal can cost £100s and take weeks to repair but a tablet can be replaced at minimal cost, usually within a day
Flexibility – multiple tablets can be used in different locations or a single device can be moved where it is needed to keep costs down

Talk to our team about clocking with face recognition

To find out if our Geo Clock face recognition app is the right clocking option for your staff, talk to one of our team on 01892 834406, send us an email or request a callback using the form on this page.

Apr

2023

Celebrating 50 years of the barcode – the forerunner of the QR code

It’s hard to remember a time when barcodes weren’t absolutely everywhere – first they appeared on our groceries, then spread to books, membership cards, parcels, concert tickets and even runners’ bibs. But the barcode that we know today dates back just 50 years – to 3 April 1973.

That was when the US grocery industry adopted the first universal product code (UPC), a linear barcode developed by IBM based on an earlier concept by Norman Joseph Woodland, inspired by Morse Code. Designed to reduce costs and make stock taking easier, linear barcodes and the scanners needed to read them were gradually introduced to supermarkets in the 1970s.

From barcodes to QR codes – and recording staff attendance

QR, or quick response, codes followed soon after in 1994, invented by Japanese firm Denso Wave for tracking car parts. Their easy readability – particularly with the advent of smartphones – and greater data storage capacity meant they were quickly put to a growing range of uses, from product tracking and staff management to marketing.

easyLog’s QR code apps tap into this flexibility to create a range of low-cost and versatile management tools.

Our QR employee clocking apps, for example, use free-to-download QR codes and workers’ own smartphones or company tablets to provide simple but dependable attendance recording systems for businesses of any type and size.

We also have QR code apps that are used to time jobs on factory production lines, monitor site visits and night checks – for example in the construction, security and care industries – and even record the location of a dog sitter’s charges. In fact, we have found QR codes provide an affordable solution for almost any task where attendance at a given location needs to be recorded quickly and easily, along with any other information needed to identify, analyse and report on the work undertaken.

Find out more about our QR code apps

For more information speak to one of our team on 01892 834406 or request a callback.

Coincidentally, 3 April 1973 was not just a historic date for barcodes – it was also the day Motorola demonstrated the first handheld mobile phone.

Aug

2022

Flexible QR codes for fuss-free time recording of every business process

You may not have noticed but there has been a quiet revolution in monitoring staff attendance. Low-cost, app-based products using free-to-download QR codes and employees’ own smartphones or company tablets have made reliable and efficient clocking-in systems affordable for the first time for many businesses – particularly smaller employers, who are now able to benefit from faster, more accurate timesheet management.

QR codes: the simplest, cheapest and most effective solution

But the usefulness and convenience of QR code apps, such as easyLog’s Location Clock, extends way beyond a simple, cost-effective employee clocking option. easyLog customers have been coming to us with an increasingly varied range of attendance tracking dilemmas which we have been able to resolve simply, cheaply and effectively with QR code apps.

The key to the solution’s appeal is that it can be used to record a specific employee’s attendance at a given location quickly and easily, along with any other information needed to identify, analyse and report on the work undertaken. This makes it an ideal option for a wide variety of uses, from identifying different work areas in a cleaning contract or building site to logging tasks on a factory production line.

To show just how versatile QR codes can be, here are a few of the projects currently using adapted or customised versions of easyLog’s core QR code attendance apps.

Staff clocking and logging work in a factory

Most of our customers opt for the standard implementation of QR clocking where employees scan a QR code at a specific location using the easyLog app on their phones. But this is not the only way of doing things.

A customer recently chose an alternative version, where workers are each given a badge with an identifying QR code that they use to clock in and out by scanning it at a fixed Windows tablet.

The same process is used on the factory production line. Machinery and other production areas are provided with wall-mounted tablets. When employees start a process, they simply scan their QR code badge to identify themselves and select the task they are about to start from a dropdown list.

Monitoring cleaning staff visits

A cleaning company with a contract to clean multiple schools uses our QR clocking app to record visit data, ensuring that they not only have accurate timesheet information but also details of who cleaned every location and at what time. The employees install the app on their smartphone and then use it to scan a QR code in every room on arrival and exit. Simple but reliable.

Helping a dog sitting service keep track

A daytime pet-sitting service that looks after people’s dogs while they are at work needed a dependable method of tracking when each dog had been delivered back to its owners at the end of the day. Using an easyLog app, they now scan an identifying QR code on each dog’s cage when it is returned, so there is an instant record that can be checked at any point in the delivery round.

Pilot and driver check-ins

A specialist aviation company uses an easyLog QR code app to monitor the departure and arrival times of its pilots and drivers. They clock in and out using their phones to scan a QR code at each location, providing an accurate log of their working hours. If no QR code is available, on a new route for example, the app uses geolocation data instead.

Timing work on a livery yard

QR codes are placed in each stable on a livery yard and scanned by the employee using their smartphone when they enter and leave to record that each stable has been mucked out and how long it took.

Find out more

All our apps can be adapted to suit individual requirements, often without the need for bespoke development. For more information about our versatile QR code attendance apps, visit our employee clocking website or speak to one of our team.

Apr

2022

QR codes get the Royal Mail stamp of approval

At easyLog, we already know that QR codes provide a low-cost, simple and secure way of recording essential clocking data – and so do the many customers who use our QR code attendance app, Location Clock, to record workers’ hours.

Now Royal Mail is getting in on the act by adding QR codes to its stamps. The new stamps, which will still feature an image of the Queen but no longer include a monetary value, are designed to connect physical stamps to the digital world via the Royal Mail app and are being phased in by 31 January 2023.

QR codes: simple, secure and efficient

According to Royal Mail, the smart barcodes are part of drive to reinvent its stamps for the next generation and will improve operational efficiency, enable the introduction of additional security features and pave the way for innovative services.

The easyLog Location Clock app similarly uses QR code technology to create a foolproof, 21^st century attendance record. Staff simply download the app to their phone and use it to scan a barcode at their work location. A record of the employee, site, date and time is then sent automatically to the easyLog software. It’s as simple as licking a stamp.

Attendance recording with Location Clock at a glance…

Affordable attendance app shows exactly who is working, when and where using free-to-download QR codes
App works on iPhone, Android and Windows phones
Export any report into an Excel spreadsheet
Automatically adds up timesheets by hours and wage cost across any period
Software is web-based so can be accessed 24/7 on any smartphone, tablet or laptop with an internet connection
Built-in anti-fraud measures prevent any abuse
The app can be customised with your company logo and colours, presenting a professional image to customers and employees
Flexible pricing models by employee or monthly clocking numbers

The complete easyLog Location Clock solution starts from as little as £20 plus VAT per month for up to 15 employees, including support, training and company branding of the app.

For more information about recording attendance with QR codes or any of our software products, call us on 01892 834406, send us an email or visit our clocking website.

Jul

2021

Smile for the camera – you’re being clocked in

Simplicity and a low price tag are often at the very top of our customers’ wish lists when it comes to attendance recording systems. Increasingly, they are also looking for an option that is effective against clocking fraud.

Our face capture version of the popular Geo Clock With Photo clocking app ticks all the boxes for employers who want the reassurance of photo identification without having to go as far as implementing a face recognition system. Fast, foolproof and affordable, it is the ideal alternative to biometric clocking for those who want both reliability and convenience.

Quick and simple attendance recording on a tablet or phone

easyLog’s Geo Clock face capture app can be used with either tablets or smartphones. Tablets are usually fixed in position and the front camera is used to take a photo of each employee as they clock in and out. These images can be monitored manually in situ or remotely, for example in the main office through a simple report.

When the app is installed on a smartphone, photo clockings are normally made by a supervisor or manager using the rear camera on their phone. This option is ideal for variable or temporary work locations, such as building sites, and provides a photographic record for later cross-checking if required.

Photo + geolocation data = peace of mind

The manual photo record is combined with geolocation data, providing a robust record of identity, time and location. Clockings are always accepted, even if the device is offline, and the record is stored.

Find out whether face capture is right for your staff…

If you want to know more about any of our attendance recording apps, visit our clocking web pages, talk to one of our team or try it out with a free evaluation trial.

Mar

2021

Get on top of track and trace with QR code attendance recording for cleaners

In the post Covid-19 world, the demands on record keeping by cleaning contractors have increased massively, with track and trace capability an essential element in preventing the onward transmission of infection. A cleaning service provider will not only need to prove employee attendance at the site but also potentially the areas, buildings and even individual rooms or offices that their cleaners entered.

Thankfully, easyLog has a simple, easy-to-implement, low-cost solution based around smartphone QR code scanning technology.

Cleaners record arrival and leaving times simply by scanning a QR code

QR codes are available from numerous free-to-use websites. Multiple QR codes can be created, each representing a specific location. Cleaners then use easyLog's easily installable Location Clock app on their Apple or Android smartphone to record their arrival and leaving time, simply by scanning the QR code placed at each location.

The attendance records are then transferred into easyLog’s eLog timesheet and attendance software module. The software is web browser-based, meaning that it can be accessed on any smartphone, tablet or laptop that has an internet connection – just like a website. So records can be viewed on the move by busy owners or managers without the need to return to an office.

Web browser-based software from just £20 per month

And with business costs increasing from the measures now needed to protect workforces and ensure best practice, you’ll be pleased to hear that this complete easyLog solution starts from as little as £20 plus VAT per month for up to 15 employees, including support, training and branding the app with your company logo and colours.

If you want to know more, visit our cleaning management website or contact us to talk to one of our team.

Mar

2021

Hygienic QR code attendance recording – at a very affordable price

If your staff are concerned about recording their attendance on a traditional clocking-in terminal shared by multiple employees, there is an alternative – easyLog’s low-cost, simple-to-implement QR code clocking app.

Covid-safe clocking in with a smartphone

Using their own smartphone – and therefore ensuring a Covid-safe approach – each employee scans a QR code to identify their location and record the time and date of their attendance. QR codes are free to download from multiple websites and, after laminating, can be placed anywhere indoors or outside.

The easyLog Location Clock app is downloaded free by your staff from the online stores and is automatically set up for use simply by entering two numbers when prompted. The app can be branded with your company logo and colours so presents a professional image to both your customers and employees.

No IT skills required and anti-fraud measure built in

The attendance records are automatically passed into easyLog’s eLog timesheet management software module to swiftly produce reports by employee, client, job function, etc, across any date period for the time spent at any site. This web browser-based software can be accessed on any device with an internet connection and is run on a cloud platform, so no IT skills or overhead are required.

And, if you think someone might copy the QR code and scan it from the comfort of their bed, there are a number of anti-fraud measures in the system to ensure any abuse is quickly identified.

Above all, in these testing times, you’ll be pleased to hear that this complete easyLog solution starts from as little as £20 plus VAT per month for up to 15 employees, including support, training and company branding of the app.

Find out more

Contact one of our team on 01892 834406 or send us an email if you would like to know more.

Aug

2020

Facial recognition – for hygienic and fraud-proof staff clocking

Recording attendance presents a far higher risk of virus transmission if staff are sharing a traditional terminal – which provides businesses seeking a fraud-proof clocking method with a dilemma.

If a fingerprint or hand reader is used by everyone, a strict cleaning regime needs to be implemented to ensure the well-being of staff and maintain their confidence in a safe workplace.

Should a company decide to install a proximity card or tag-reading terminal to avoid physical contact, then more traditional concerns come into play – such as whether staff are swapping cards or tags to fraudulently record the attendance of a fellow worker who is not actually there.

App-based attendance recording: low-cost, hygienic, tamper-proof

easyLog has for some time offered its clients app-based attendance recording that converts an employee’s smartphone into a hygienic, safe and reliable clocking device. Low-cost and easily implemented, these apps have various features that prevent an employee from falsely recording their attendance, including identifying the GPS coordinates where the clocking was made and recognising if the time on the phone has been tampered with.

Now easyLog has moved this technology even further ahead with its Geo Clock With Photo app for Android and Apple smartphones. This app takes a photo – like a selfie – when an employee records their attendance and automatically verifies it as genuine by biometric facial recognition. It combines this function with geolocation data, so both identity and location are confirmed in one record, providing total assurance that the attendance record is genuine.

Also available for tablets

This app is also available for a tablet to allow a site supervisor to record the attendance of individuals as they arrive – thereby maintaining a safe and hygienic clocking process – or as a wall-mounted device for recording entry and exit from a site.

If you want to be sure that an attendance record is genuine or you maintain a site that demands very secure management of the personnel who are allowed in, easyLog’s Geo Clock With Photo app may be the low cost answer to your needs. And with contact limited to each handset user – or, in the case of a tablet, a particular supervisor – you can be confident that you are reducing the risk of spreading infection too.

Find out more

Contact one of our friendly team on 01892 834406, request a callback or email us your enquiry.

Jun

2020

Clocking in with a QR code: cheaper than chips!

The business world emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic will undoubtedly be very different from the one that entered the crisis. It will be even more cost-conscious, given the additional overheads of making and keeping premises safe for employees and visitors, and staff will have a heightened awareness of hygiene, with frequently touched surfaces and equipment requiring regular and scheduled cleaning. Work is also likely to be more flexible in terms of where and when it is conducted, with split shifts and staggered start times – and, as a result, monitoring staff hours and calculating pay will be more complex and require greater input and control.

Smartphone attendance apps for the new normal

In line with our reputation for supplying low cost, robust and practical employee time management solutions, easyLog has ensured that its range of QR code-based attendance recording apps meet all the requirements of hard-pressed employers coming to terms with the new normal.

From just £20 per month plus VAT for a system covering up to 15 employees, staff can record attendance at a single or multiple sites using their own (or company-issued) smartphone and easyLog’s Location Clock App.

Simple to download from the major stores and install, the app automatically scans and recognises a QR Code that is defined per location. It converts this into an instant employee attendance record and sends this to the e-Log web browser-based software application supplied as part of the solution. This produces detailed or summarised timesheets across any period per employee and location, can deduct unpaid break periods and export any report into Excel for further analysis.

QR codes – the low-cost solution that covers all the bases

Low cost – just over £1 per month per employee for the cloud-based solution. easyLog provides software support as required, online training and daily backup. No up-front, one-off set up and training costs – everything you need is included in the monthly amount. The minimum contract length is 12 months with one-month cancellation. Simple, clear and straightforward.
QR codes are free to generate and download from many websites. Your only cost is the paper and ink for printing.
Hygienic – employees use a smartphone which is always under their control, so there are no health concerns about multiple staff touching an attendance recording device and how clean and safe that unit remains.

For more information about attendance recording with QR codes, you can read this case study.

Find out more

easyLog offers a wide range of apps, attendance recording technologies and software. Talk to one of our team today on 01892 834406, request a callback or email us your enquiry.

Apr

2020

Keeping staff safe by maintaining attendance device hygiene

One of the side-effects of the coronavirus pandemic is that we have all become much more aware of hygiene procedures, with government advice on hand washing and disinfecting surfaces with increased regularity becoming embedded in the routine of our daily lives.

This has caused our clients to consider the most effective way of cleaning their attendance recording hardware and so address employee concerns about the frequency with which this equipment is touched by multiple people.

Regular hand-washing is more important than ever

Like any hard surface – whether it be a door handle, desk or computer keyboard – germs can survive for a varying period of up to 72 hours after contact (source: www.gov.uk). We therefore recommend cleaning your clocking equipment more frequently using the usual recommended method while also encouraging employees to follow the government’s advice on washing their hands more often and for a minimum period of 20 seconds.

How technology can make staff clocking more hygienic

Before the current pandemic, a quick visual check or once weekly clean would have satisfied most staff that the contact they had with items in their work environment was perfectly safe. Understandably that view has changed and may well continue even after the threat from Covid-19 has been seen to pass.

In the belief that attitudes may fundamentally change on hygiene in the workplace, we have been asked by clients if options exist for equipment that requires no contact by the employee.

In short, there is no attendance hardware used by multiple staff that enables zero contact from the user. As a minimum, the employee will need to enter the in or out direction of their record. A face recognition terminal provides the facility to stand away from the hardware and thereby minimise contact with it while also offering the advantage of unique biometric recognition. A tablet running one of easyLog’s attendance apps will still require an employee to touch it but provides a flat surface that makes the cleaning process simple and efficient.

Our smartphone app means users do not have to share equipment

If staff members each possess a smartphone, easyLog offers options with easily downloadable apps that allow reliable and accurate attendance recording without recourse to equipment used by others. Of course, the practicality of this will depend on the workforce, the numbers involved and layout of the entrance area and specific clocking location.

These are all options that easyLog is happy to discuss now or in the post-pandemic, and probably more hygiene-conscious, world into which businesses will emerge. Until that time, please stay safe.

Aug

2018

Can employees fool an app to falsify their attendance records?

In the second of our series of blogs about asking employees to record their attendance using an app on their smartphone, we consider what security features to look for to prevent the possibility of staff dishonestly covering up lateness.

It’s an interesting observation that employers implement time and attendance systems principally to deliver two results: first, administrative time savings through automated calculation of timesheets and pay analysis and second, to improve the accuracy of recording their employee’s attendance.

On that latter point, the ultimate guarantee to prevent an employee fraudulently falsifying their hours is to use a biometric reader that recognises an individual by a unique part of their body, such as fingerprint, face or hand. However, many of our clients have small numbers of staff working irregularly at a number of sites where it would be uneconomic to justify the capital cost of such equipment at each location. In these situations, the low-cost alternative is to ask the employees to use their own or company-issued smartphone to record their attendance at each site. But without biometric safeguards, how can you be certain that the time clocking was generated by the registered user of the phone? That’s where easyLog has consulted with its growing number of users and delivered a solution that gives the employer confidence that any attendance record has been generated by the identified person.

So how does our app prevent clocking fraud?

Firstly, the app is used with QR codes, the latest generation of barcode representation. Generated from free-to-use websites, they can be printed and assigned to each location to uniquely identify the specific site. When the app is used it accesses the camera of the smartphone and the employee simply moves their phone over the code until an image is captured to record the date, time and location. The app also records the GPS reference at the point the attendance record was made. This is significant if an employee should have thoughts that they could photocopy the QR code – and then record their attendance from the comfort of their bed for example – as it will automatically be brought to the attention of their employer!

Within the easyLog software, each location is defined with a unique reference (used by the QR code) and also has their GPS latitude and longitude coordinates entered against it. So if the QR code is scanned from somewhere different to its defined location, the easyLog software will know and flag accordingly with a link to Google Maps to identify the actual location of the errant clocking.

Software that can’t be fooled

Secondly, the app records the date and time that the attendance record is sent to the back-office timesheet management software application. This may not seem immediately significant but if the employee has changed the time on their smartphone – moving it backwards to avoid being flagged as late or forwards to falsely claim overtime – then this will be detected by the easyLog software.

Thirdly, when downloaded the app automatically creates a unique ID reference for the individual smartphone. Again, in an online world familiar with website cookies, this may seem like normal practice. However, it provides another preventive measure against the dishonest employee who may be tempted to help a colleague who is running late.

As mentioned earlier, each employee is given a unique number to identify that it is them using the app each time – and they enter this in the app when they first use it. So what if they change that number to use their smartphone to clock in on behalf of a colleague? The software automatically identifies the phone used for each attendance record from the unique ID reference so if it finds clockings from two different employees but with the same ID then it will be raised with their manager to take appropriate action.

Peace of mind for employers

We hope the anti-fraud measures that we’ve included in the app won’t actually require use but unfortunately rogue staff do exist. Most importantly perhaps, easyLog can give the employer the peace of mind that their workforce is recording their attendance accurately, easily and with certainty – and at a price that is economic for any size of organisation.

If you would like to know more about these features, other apps in our range and the time and attendance and staff scheduling modules with which they integrate, please call on 01892 834406 or send us an email.

Aug

2018

What’s important in choosing an attendance recording app for your staff?

In the first of two blogs about using a smartphone app for employees to record their attendance, we explore the key issues that experience has taught us you should look for.

There are three important questions to ask when introducing attendance recording via a smartphone app to your workforce:

Is the App easy to use for the employees?
Is the App easy to download with the connection to my time and attendance software already set up?
Is it secure and not open to fraud by the employee?

Users of our Log-In App know that they can confidently say “Yes” to all the above. easyLog has created not only a simple to install and use app for the employee, but a solution that gives the employer confidence that any attendance record has been generated by the identified person. This latter point we’ll cover in a subsequent blog but in this one we’ll address those first two questions.

Automatically updates back-office software

The Log-In App is downloaded free of charge for the employee from the Apple, Microsoft and Google stores. easyLog supplies a five-digit Customer Code number to each organisation that the employee is prompted to enter when first opening the app. This automatically sets up the parameters in the app to link it with the web browser-based back office software that collates and reports on the time and attendance records received from the smartphones.

Next the user is asked to enter their own unique ID number given to them by their employer. This is saved in the App and means it will not need to be remembered again at the point of use.

And that’s it. When the employee uses the app they are presented with large, clear buttons that they touch to record if they are arriving or leaving a site. There are other user-settable options also to enable the additional clocking in or out from a break and a panic alert feature that will automatically send an email to defined individuals on pressing.

Apr

2018

NFC reading capability for iPhone added to easyLog’s Log-In app

Android smartphones have been quick to see and embrace the opportunities that NFC (near field communication) technology has to offer. easyLog customers have, for example, used NFC tags to uniquely identify locations in areas as diverse as property management, cleaning supervision and night checks at care homes to accurately record and report on employee attendance at any site. In reverse, staff can carry a NFC tag to identify their attendance by placing it on a growing range of terminals and readers located at a single or multiple places of work. By contrast, Apple used NFC readers for its Apple Pay application but did not allow access to the wider software development community to provide the benefits that our apps were able to offer to Android users.

However, last summer Apple announced that it was opening up access to its NFC reader capability from the iPhone 7 model onwards; a capability that easyLog has delivered on with our NFCClock app now available at the Apple Store. The App gives the facility for staff to use their iPhone to easily record their attendance at any location with a NFC tag, specifying whether they are arriving or leaving the site.

If you would like to understand a little more about how easyLog’s software uses NFC technology on iPhones and maybe evaluate it with your own employees, please call us on 01892 834406, request a callback or send us an e-mail.

Jun

2017

Developing the most App-ropriate software tools for your business

Whatever industry you are in or service your provide, you are probably finding that smartphones and tablets are increasingly finding their way into your working life – and are becoming just as indispensable as they are for social and leisure activities. The numbers speak for themselves.

Back in 2010, just a fifth of UK mobile phone users had a smartphone, according to eMarketer. Today, that figure is around 80 per cent. The trajectory of tablets has been even more rapid, with more than half of the adult population using one regularly by 2015 – up from a third in two years.

Harnessing the popularity of smartphones and tablets

Although it’s impossible to predict the future of emerging technology trends, we could see early on that mobile devices were going to have a major impact on the management of everyday tasks – and so easyLog began developing convenient app versions of key products from the start.

Initially we focused on apps for Android devices to keep costs down for customers. But as more people began using Apple and Windows devices, we have been able to offer more apps for iOS and Windows Mobile – such as our highly successful multi-location geolocation and QR code staff clocking app, Locate and Clock.

The popularity of these time-saving and simple-to-use apps has inspired easyLog developers to create smartphone and/or tablet versions of several of our other flagship products and increase the functionality available of apps already in the marketplace.

Expanding our app functionality and product range

The Care Logger smartphone app, for example, which is designed for domiciliary care staff, will soon be released with the option for carers to view their rotas, clock-in and view call information. Meanwhile, managers will be able to use the same app to schedule and reschedule calls.

We also have a remote clocking app in the pipeline that is appropriate for a wide range of business sectors. As always we are guided by making routine and complex tasks as quick and easy to perform for everyone involved, saving employers time and money. The move to mobile has really been something of a revolution for us and our customers and we don’t see any sign of it slowing down yet.

For more information on easyLog’s extensive range of products and latest apps, check our website or speak to one of our team.

Oct

2016

Clocks going back – will your software pay your night staff correctly?

That’s an interesting point given that British Summertime officially ends this Sunday at 2am with the clocks going back by one hour.

So if you pay night staff by the hour will you be paying one hour more for anyone working the night shift starting this Saturday? And correspondingly of course do you pay one less hour when the clocks go forward in March and British Summertime starts?

Some organisations appear to rely on the supposition that an employee working on the night shift when Summertime ends will also be working on the night shift when Summertime starts and therefore a natural order and balance to these things exists. But that is rather wishful thinking to my mind. Across those two days within any year an employee could be on a different shift, be off sick, have left or be on holiday. And if they’re on holiday and you pay that by the hour then what calculation do you use then to ensure the correct remuneration?

Surprisingly I find some organisations blissfully unaware of the point I am making; and when I bring it to their attention there seems to be an immediate fallback position of the ‘natural balance’ rule I mentioned earlier!

Aware of this conundrum or not, it really doesn’t matter if you are an easyLog customer using our staff scheduling software as you can resolve the issue either way. A simple tick box parameter allows you to specify if you wish to pay to the exact hours worked or to the normal scheduled shift. And that will take care of any holiday hours calculations and payments as well.

If you are a current customer that would like some help with implementing this feature please call our support desk on 0333 343 1004. If you don’t currently use our scheduling software but this article has got you interested in exploring what other clever and efficient things it could do for your organisation then call us on 01892 834406 and speak to one of our team.

Oct

2016

10 ways Home Care Studio can make work – and life – simpler

When you’re choosing a home care system, the chances are you’ll have a long list of boxes that need to be ticked. But we know from talking to our customers that often it’s the less obvious features that prove most valuable in terms of saving time and making delivering quality care that little bit easier.

The following functions of our Home Care Studio software may not be top of your checklist – but we think that once you’ve tried them you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them.

Reviewing care plans on the move – on a phone

Our Care-Logger app enables carers to carry out evaluations and assessments as well as view care plans and tasks associated with client visits wherever they are via their smartphone – even when there is no internet connection. It can also be used to view and manage rotas and as a clocking device for ultimate flexibility and convenience.

Set an ideal rota

We know most providers like to send a familiar carer face to their service users – and that most carers want some certainty over their rota. So that’s where the ideal rota comes in. A powerful and flexible function that allows you to define carers’ regular visit routes and then use this as the basis for the weekly rota.

Log client visits by mobile phone

When time is money, an accurate and cost-effective visit tracking system is essential. One that is proving particularly popular with our home care customers is visit logging by smartphone. Using QR codes (smart barcodes), NFC tags or GPS global positioning technology, all are simple to use, highly efficient and surprisingly inexpensive.

Update records on the go

With our specially-designed care-Logger app, carers can make visit notes directly into client records using their phones – no uploading or transcribing required. And to save even more time and bother, you can easily set up existing assessments in Home Care Studio.

It’s not just about home care…

Our Home Care Studio software has flexibility built in – which means it’s equally suitable for supported living and agency care providers. This is particularly useful for customers who have multi-faceted care businesses.

Personalise your invoices

You can customise your company invoicing by adding your own logo and adjusting the layout, creating a consistent, professional look and feel across your paperwork.

Easy access to policies and procedures

Our policies and procedures section means staff can quickly and easily find important information when they need it, saving time and helping to ensure best practice is adhered to at all times.

CM2000 interface

Because we know that, in the real world, larger care organisations especially use a variety of management tools, we have made our software compatible with other leading providers, such as Care Management 2000 for smooth transitions between systems.

Client contributions made easy

Our invoicing section takes into account different payment structures, including client contributions, saving time and reducing billing-related headaches.

Reports with everything

Whatever kind of report you want and however you want it presented, you’ve got it. You can even access a mileage report from Google Maps if you want.

If you want to know more about our software for care providers or any of the points above, request a callback from one of our team or contact us by phone or e-mail.

Jun

2016

Are you and your staff ready for Brexit?

If there’s one thing we can be sure about following the Brexit vote, it is uncertainty. None of us knows for sure what the coming months and years will bring, despite all the claims and counter claims. But when it comes to the European working time directive, it seems fair to say there will be no change soon because the UK already has an opt-out of the 48-hour week.

While this means there is no urgent need to rethink your staff scheduling system, it’s a good time to make sure you are prepared for any changes when they do come.

Having the right staff management system in place will help you ensure you have the optimum number of staff on your rota to keep your business running smoothly while controlling contracted hours, so you can keep costs down and service levels up.

Add to that the benefit of detailed budgeting, invoicing and payroll reports that can be tailored to your needs and you have all you need to keep a check on your staffing expenditure.

With an easyLog system, you also get a range of extra management tools that help streamline virtually all aspects of staffing, from training to HR and personal record keeping.

Visit our website to find out more.

Jun

2016

Cloud options for every hosting scenario and budget

At easyLog, one of our defining principles is to help our customers benefit from the latest technology, whatever their size and way of working. As a result of a number of industry developments, including a significant reduction in the price of cloud server options and an increase in broadband speeds nationally, we are now pleased to be able to offer an expanded range of cloud-based facilities.

This means we have options to suit every type of hosting and server set-up and can provide high quality cloud services for almost every budget – in keeping with our principles.

Broadly, there are three main hosting models:

We can install easyLog software on your self- or externally-managed cloud server
We can manage your easyLog software and related functions on your cloud server
We can provide a full hosting and management service through our own servers

To discuss the different options and their relative benefits to your organisation, please contact one of our team or request a callback.

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Can employees fool an app to falsify their attendance records?

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Developing the most App-ropriate software tools for your business

Clocks going back – will your software pay your night staff correctly?

10 ways Home Care Studio can make work – and life – simpler

Are you and your staff ready for Brexit?

Phone us now on 01892 834406 or request a callback