Frequently Asked Questions – TimeZone™

Yes, scheduled and unscheduled absences (paid and unpaid) can quickly and easily be entered for your employees, allowing you to monitor, edit and view all of your employees' time off.

For badge or PIN terminals, each of your employees is assigned a badge and/or unique PIN or password. That being said, if an employee chooses to share their badge, or divulge their code to someone else, ‘buddy punching’ (clocking in or out for another employee) can occur. In this case, we recommend that you consider biometric data collection devices, which require the physical presence of the employee at the terminal to record a time transaction.

TimeZone™ software can be configured to work with data collection terminals or users can enter their time online through the Employee Self Service options of Weekly Timesheets and WebPunch, which enable employees to sign in and out online, from any network connected computer or supported handheld devices.

If your employees forget to clock in, supervisors can edit their electronic timecards to record an ‘in’ (or ‘out’) punch, at any time. (The system automatically flags the record as an exception, if this occurs.)

TimeZone™ includes a multitude of reports, plus an unlimited number of custom reports can be created. Because TimeZone™ is web-based, reports can be generated from any network-connected computer, 24/7, for up-to-date access to critical information.

TimeZone™ is licensed for the organization based on both user and employee counts, regardless of where the employees are based.

TimeZone™ runs on MS SQL and SQL Express databases.

Upgrades to the latest version of our client server product, TimeZone™ CS V8, will work with your existing interface in most cases. Upgrades to the latest version of the TimeZone™ Web product (V9), will require modifications to your payroll interface because the code base of this web product is different from previous web versions.

In most cases, yes. However, you will need to speak to your account representative to confirm the specific details of your licensing agreements.

ITR terminals accept barcode, proximity, magnetic stripe, Weigand (e.g., HID, Indala) and Smart Card badges.

ITR terminals are scalable, designed to grow with your company. For badge, PIN and fingerscan terminals, using the internal memory, the terminal can accommodate thousands of employees, and by using the host database directly, its capacity is limited only by the database being used. HandPunch units store from 50 employee templates up to 32,512, depending on the model.

ITR terminals offer multiple communication options to suit the distance requirements and cabling configuration of each implementation: RS-232, RS-485, modem, Ethernet (TCP/IP), and wireless options.

Network Administrator assigns the IP address, subnet mask and port designation either at the terminal keypad in 'Setup' mode, or via the host. SYNEL Ethernet terminals work with both static IP addresses (assigned by your network administrator when your server and terminal device is configured) and dynamic IP addresses (randomly assigned from a pool of addresses each time you logon to your network).

Because the TCP/IP protocol is the same for virtually all network operating systems, ITR’s Ethernet terminals work with both Microsoft and Novell networks.

Biometrics refers to the technology that identifies people based on a physical characteristic that is unique to the individual, such as a fingerprint or the geometry of one’s hand. Biometric technologies compare a person's unique characteristics against a previously enrolled image (or sample) for the purpose of recognition.

Biometric technology improves employee attendance and payroll accuracy. A study published in the magazine of the American Payroll Association, PayTech (Jan. 2002), concluded that buddy-punching accounts for up to 5% of the total payroll costs. Biometric technology saves money by eliminating buddy-punching because the employee's presence is absolutely essential in order for them to clock-in at work. Biometrics also eliminate the need for building keys or access cards, which can be lost, stolen, forgotten or misplaced.

Buddy punching is when one employee clocks in for another employee. This is the basis for payroll fraud or time theft that costs companies thousands of lost dollars per year.

Biometric data collection units can be implemented as easily as traditional badge or PIN data collection devices and are scalable to any size company. Once installed, enrolling an employee into the system takes just minutes.

HandPunch terminals use a field-proven technology called hand geometry, which verifies an individual’s identity based on the size and shape of the hand. It does not take fingerprints or handprints. Two-dimensional hand geometry devices have been used since the 1970’s.

The HandPunch measures the unique size and shape of the fingers and hand. Over 90 different measurements are made such as, length, width, thickness and surface area. No finger prints or palm prints are taken.

To enroll an employee for the first time, the employee puts their hand into the HandPunch three times so that a CCD camera records three separate 3D images of the hand. An algorithm converts these images into one mathematical value (a ‘template’). This template is then stored in the HandPunch. Each time an employee puts their hand in the HandPunch to punch in or out of work, the HandPunch takes another 3D image of the hand, the algorithm converts this image to a mathematical value and then compares this new template with the template the HandPunch has stored previously. If the two templates match, identity is confirmed and the punch is recorded. Each time an employee punches in or out, their template is updated with each successful verification. Basically the machine “learns your hand”. This allows for changes due to weight gain or loss, aging, etc. This also eliminates the need to re-enroll users.

Not usually enough to reject a valid user. Just make sure the ring is in the upright position and hand placement is proper and there should not be any issues.

You can be enrolled with your left hand; palm up while the right hand is disabled. It’s not as comfortable but will work fine.

Compare hand or finger placement on the terminal to using a door knob/handle, handling money, using a telephone, or shaking hands. We suggest providing hand wipes or antibacterial lotion nearby for use after using the terminal for employees who are still concerned.

Hand geometry and fingerscan technology cannot be ‘reverse-engineered’ to recreate the shape of hand shape or a fingerprint. The units not store the image or photo of the hand or fingerprint, but instead store a template which is a mathematical representation of the hand image or fingerprint. This mathematical value is meaningless to other devices and insufficient for law enforcement purposes.

The infrared lights used in the hand reader are similar to those used in remote controls for TV’s and VCR’s. The light’s power level is 100 mill watts – less than the amount produced by natural sunlight or microwave ovens. Ingersoll Rand Recognition Systems has been contacted by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and has supplied all requested information. No reports of hazards have been generated by OSH.

Each employee enrolls by placing a finger on the fingerscan unit sensor. The enrollment process creates a unique template (from one to ten templates can be stored per employee ID number) with a unique identification number. Instructions are as follows:

Fingerscan Terminals – Employee Enrollment Instructions:

• It is strongly recommended that each employee practices finger positioning on the sensor prior to actual enrollment
• Recommended fingers: index, middle or ring fingers (thumb and pinky fingers are typically awkward to position consistently on the sensor).
• Touch the sensor's plastic casing (black) in order to discharge static electricity.
• Place the higher joint of finger on the ridge lock and lower finger onto the sensor surface.

Tips:

• Make sure all other fingers are held straight to avoid creating an angle between the enrolled finger and the sensor surface, which will result in incorrect positioning.
• Keep your finger steady.
• Press your finger gently onto the panel (excessive pressure will blur the print).
• Make sure your finger is touching the sensor's drive ring.
• It is recommended that the minimum quality of the template be 50% and the minimum content 90%.
• Make sure you use the enrolled finger for verification! If your finger is extremely dry, touch your forehead or the side of your nose before placing it on the sensor - do not use a wet or moist finger for scanning.

Note: On rare occasions, it may be impossible to sample an employee's fingerprint. In this case, disable the fingerprint verification and revert to card or code mode instead for that particular employee.

ITR fingerscan terminals are designed for indoor use; however, outdoor enclosures can be purchased for HandPunch units to make them capable of outdoor installation.

Sensors capture an image of the finger and use a series of algorithms to create a unique user number or template, which is stored in the teminal and in the central database. There are actually two types of fingerscan systems: verification and identification. In a verification fingerscan unit, an employee enters his/her employee ID number by keypad or badge and places a finger on the fingerscan unit. The system then compares the fingerprint being scanned to the employee's previously enrolled fingerprint. If the fingerscans match, the employee's identity is verified and the transaction is accepted. In an identification fingerscan unit, the employee simply places a finger on the scanner. The system compares the fingerprint being scanned to all templates stored in the database, searching for a match. If a match is found, the employee is positively identified and the transaction is accepted.

The system can be set for various security levels from 1 through 5. Level 3 (the default setting) ensures a 1 in 1000 False Acceptance Rate (FAR). Setting the unit to the highest level and enrolling two fingers will achieve a better than 1 in 1,000,000 (one million) FAR.

The templates created by the fingerscan unit for each finger can be distributed to other terminals after enrollment, or they can be uploaded to, or requested from, the terminal using an application on the host system. ITR facilitates the integration of this data with any database. However, as mentioned above, hand geometry and fingerscan technology cannot be ‘reverse-engineered’ to recreate the shape of hand shape or a fingerprint. The units not store the image or photo of the hand or fingerprint, but instead store a template which is a mathematical representation of the hand image or fingerprint. This mathematical value is meaningless to other devices and insufficient for law enforcement purposes.