Time Management & Access Control Systems

• What are time recording systems?

• How do time recording and access control work?

• Advantages of electronic time recording and access control

• Our practical tip: Carry out time recording of mini-jobbers in accordance with the law

• Easy programming of time recording software

• FAQ - frequently asked questions about time recording and access control systems

Modern systems that log employees' working hours and manage access work with a chip card or a transponder and a reader . The radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, which uses radio waves to send a stored code, provides wireless near-field communication between the devices. This is received by the sensor in the reader and triggers a certain action, for example the start of the time recording and/or the opening of a door. All this is controlled by a central time recording software that enables quick and easy handling. The time recording stops as soon as the employee stops the chip on a reader again.

The programming of the transponder or chip card takes place via a central software. If chips need to be reprogramd to allow the employee or the employee access to new areas, this is done in minutes via the software. If the chip is lost, it can be locked with a few clicks to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the building. Previously, in such a case, it was sometimes necessary to replace the lock cylinders on the doors and distribute new keys.

Modern solutions usually consist of a permanently mounted reader, which is located at the company's main entrance or personnel entrance, for example. The employees receive a handy, small transponder or a card , which contains a programmable chip, which is fed with the information of the new owner and transmits via RFID. As soon as the employees enter the building, they hold the chip card or the transponder briefly to the reader, wait for a short audio signal or a status message on the display and are then registered.

From this point on, the clock will tick and record the presence of the employee within seconds until the transponder or chip card is held back on the reader. If additional devices are also installed at break rooms or other outputs, it is possible to log break times . This is an advantage for the legal authorities to prove it, as well as for the employer itself This will ensure that employees meet the (statutory) break times.

Sometimes it can lead to employee uncertainty if a time recording system is introduced in companies. There may be a wide fear that the employer will "monitor" the implementation of such a system. In fact, professional time recording can bring many benefits to both sides. The employee, for example, keeps track of the exact number of hours worked and, where appropriate, overtime hours, as well as vacation and sick leave days.

It is also possible and sometimes useful to link time recording and access control . . The employees do two steps at once: On the one hand they start time recording, on the other hand they gain access to the workplace themselves. Access authorizations can be defined precisely for individual areas to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to specific rooms or floors. Since programming is done via software, spontaneous changes can be implemented quickly and easily. This also means that the RFID chips can be allocated to visitors who can be limited in time. If the visitor did not give the card or the small chip, this does not pose a security risk.