Employee Attendance Point System Tracking | Top 5 Apps (2024)

Are you tired of dealing with employee attendance problems in your small business? The attendance point system is your go-to solution!

Here are our top five recommendations for attendance tracking in your small business! 👇

The attendance point system is great for small businesses because it encourages employees to be responsible and punctual. No more guessing games or subjective judgments –—this system ensures everyone is treated fairly and everything is transparent.

The top three problems it solves are absenteeism, inconsistency, and managerial bias.

With clear rules in place, employees are motivated to prioritize punctuality. The system has clear rules and consequences, so everyone knows what’s expected of them.

Moreover, it also stops the hassle of keeping track of attendance and ensures everyone is treated the same regarding discipline.

Want to make your workplace more productive and organized? Start using attendance tracking software today!

Why is a Point System Good for Attendance?

1. Promotes Accountability: An attendance point system makes sure everyone sticks to their schedule by giving clear consequences for being late or missing work.
2. Encourages Consistency: It helps employees understand the importance of being present on time and coming to work consistently.
3. Reduces Bias: Point systems ensure that all employees are treated fairly and uniformly, reducing perceptions of favoritism or special treatment.
4. Streamlines Management: Automated attendance tracking makes it easy for managers to keep tabs on attendance without spending too much time on it.
5. Enhances Communication: Everyone knows what’s expected, so there’s less confusion and better communication about attendance.
6. Boosts Productivity: When people are on time and present, work gets done more efficiently.
7. Facilitates Decision-Making: Having clear data makes it easier for managers to make decisions about things like promotions or disciplinary actions.
8. Employee Engagement: Employees are more likely to be engaged and motivated when they understand how their attendance directly impacts their performance and advancement within the company

Is The Attendance Point System Legal?

Yes, using an attendance point system is legal. It’s a way for businesses to track employee attendance and manage it better.

By setting clear rules, giving points for being late or absent, and deciding what happens if someone gets too many points, companies can make sure everyone is treated fairly.

It’s important for companies to follow the labor laws when using this system. They still need to give employees breaks and pay them for working extra hours if necessary.

Small businesses can ask legal experts or human resources professionals for help to make sure they’re using the attendance point system correctly.

How Does the Employee Attendance Point System Work?

The employee attendance point system works by holding employees accountable for being late or missing work.

Each time someone is late or absent, they get points.

Consequences rise as points maximize, with verbal warnings and even termination in extreme cases.

However, employees can reduce points through consistent attendance.

Main Categories in the Attendance Point System

Here are the main categories of the attendance point system.

Best Apps For Employee Attendance Point System Tracking

The following are the top five best employee attendance tracking systems you can use to check your employees’ attendance.

1. Buddy Punch
2. Calamari
3. Bitrix24
4. Clockify
5. Rippling

1. Buddy Punch | Best Employee Attendance Tracker

Buddy Punch is a top choice for managing attendance across industries. It automates attendance tracking, saving time and reducing errors. With customizable features, it fits the needs of any business size.

Also, its user-friendly interface offers real-time insights and ensures fairness in attendance policies.

Here’s how Buddy Punch can help manage your employee’s attendance.

1. Time Theft Prevention Measures

Small businesses need to stop time theft, where employees cheat by clocking in or out for each other.

To do this, they can use Buddy Punch’s features such as fingerprint scans or QR codes to make sure only the right person is clocking in.

They can also get alerts if something seems weird with how people are clocking in, so managers can catch problems early like someone working when they shouldn’t be.

2. Web-based, Desktop, or Mobile App Punching

Using a web-based, cloud-based, desktop app (Windows or Mac) or mobile app (Android or iOS) to clock in and out is easy and flexible for employees.

They can do it from anywhere, anytime, using their smartphones or computers. This makes it simple to follow attendance policies and track time for remote or field workers.

Plus, it syncs in real-time, so attendance records are accurate, making workforce management more transparent and effective.

3. Verify Locations and Attendance

Using geofencing, GPS tracking, and facial recognition helps businesses accurately track where employees are and if they’re at work.

Geofencing makes sure employees can only clock in and out at specific work sites, stopping them from doing it elsewhere.

GPS tracking shows where employees are in real time, making attendance records precise.

Facial recognition checks employees’ faces before they can clock in or out, reducing the chances of someone cheating the system.

4. Simplified Workforce Management

A combined attendance management system makes managing work schedules easier by putting time-tracking, scheduling, and attendance rules all in one place.

Features like automatic scheduling, portals for employees to manage their own schedules, and customizable workflows help both managers and employees save time and work better together.

5. Permissions For Time Management Tasks

Giving employees the ability to control their own schedules by allowing them to ask for time off, check timesheet approvals, and swap shifts boosts their confidence and responsibility.

With self-service tools like apps or websites, they can easily request time off, see if it’s approved, and switch shifts without needing their employers to step in.

This freedom makes employees happier and more involved in their work, and it also saves managers time by cutting down on paperwork.

6. Payroll Option With Integration With Other Payroll Systems

By having a payroll option as part of the attendance system, small businesses don’t need to connect with other payroll systems.

This makes paying employees simpler as employers can figure out wages based on their hourly rates, deductions, and overtime straight from attendance records, making sure everything follows labor laws.

7. Analytics and Reporting Capabilities

Advanced analytics and reports help understand when employees are present, how well they follow the labor rules, and how productive they are.

Managers can customize these reports to see important details and use them to find ways to make things better.

In What Format Does Buddy Punch as a Time Clock Software Offer Attendance Reports? Excel, CSV, or PDF?

Buddy Punch, a time clock software, offers attendance reports in multiple formats for user convenience.

Users can generate reports in Excel, CSV (Comma Separated Values), or PDF formats, providing flexibility in how they view and manage attendance data.

Excel and CSV formats are suitable for further analysis, allowing users to manipulate data easily, while PDF format is ideal for sharing reports securely and maintaining formatting consistency.

Does Buddy Punch Keep Track of Employee Absences?

Yes, Buddy Punch does keep track of employee absences. It offers features such as time-off requests and approvals, allowing employees to request time off and managers to approve or deny those requests.

Additionally, Buddy Punch provides reporting capabilities (as discussed above), which enable employers to track attendance patterns, including absences, tardiness, and other relevant metrics.

This comprehensive tracking system helps businesses manage their workforce efficiently, ensuring accurate records of employee attendance and absences for payroll and scheduling purposes.

Buddy Punch’s Online Reviews

As of the writing date, Buddy Punch has 4.8 out of 5 stars and 946 reviews on Capterra.

Below, we’ll list just a few reviews that speak to Buddy Punch’s ease of use and great customer support service. (Click here to explore the full list of reviews.)

“We needed a new solution for timekeeping and Buddy Punch came through! Onboarding and integration was so easy. Once I figured out all the setting options, it’s really easy to customize to exactly what you need. Employees love using it because it’s so straight forward to use.”

Click here to read the full review

“BuddyPunch has been very helpful and I am glad my organization made the switch from our previous tracker to BuddyPunch. As mentioned earlier, the ease of use of BuddyPunch is what separates it from a lot of competitors.”

Click here to read the full review

“Easy to clock in from anywhere and still manage how much time you’ve worked in a day. Easily tells you when you’ve gone past 8hrs, and also great for seeing when your team members are clocked in or out.”

Click here to read the full review

Try Buddy Punch for Free

If you feel that Buddy Punch might be the right fit for your business, sign up for a 14 day free trial (no credit card needed). You can also book a one-on-one demo, or view a pre-recorded demo video.

2. Calamari

Calamari is a helpful tool for managing your employees as it helps you keep track of when they’re working, manage their time off, and see reports to help you make better decisions.

It’s all in one place, making it easier for you to handle your workforce.

Key Features

1. Time Tracking
2. Attendance Management
3. Leave Management
4. Automated Notifications
5. Employee Self-Service Portal
6. Customizable Workflows
7. Integration with Calendar Apps
8. Compliance Tracking
9. Reporting and Analytics
10. Mobile Accessibility

At the time of writing, Calamari has 539 reviews on Capterra, with a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

“It was definitely time for an upgrade. My staff loves how they can simply request off on the app on their phones, and the weekly reminders of who is in and who is out is great.”

Click here for full review.

3. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 helps businesses manage everything they need in one place. It’s like a toolbox for managing your company, with tools for tracking attendance and managing schedules.

It’s made for small and medium-sized businesses to make things easier and more organized.

Key Features

1. Biometric authentication
2. Shift scheduling
3. Absence management
4. Geofencing
5. Mobile app punching
6. Time tracking
7. Customizable attendance policies
8. Automated alerts and notifications
9. Reporting and analytics
10. Integration with payroll systems

Currently, Bitrix24 has 823 reviews and 4.1 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“We choose Bitrix for our compnay’s CRM solution but I found that there are many more features which are useful for us. I love how we can manage leads from different sources on same platform.”

Click here for full review.

4. Clockify

Clockify is a handy tool for tracking time. It’s made to help businesses keep tabs on when employees are working and how productive they are.

With Clockify, you get many useful features that suit today’s workplaces. It’s great for setting up and running an attendance system smoothly.

Key Features

1. Team management
2. Project and task management
3. Billable hours tracking
4. Reporting and analytics
5. Time tracking
6. Mobile app for on-the-go tracking
7. Integration with other tools and software
8. Customizable timesheets
9. Invoicing capabilities
10. User-friendly interface

As of now, Clockify has 4790 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“It has a simple and clean interface where you can find ANYTHING with ease and there’s a Help tab with Documentation, Tutorials and Support. Clockify changed my way of work for better.”

Click here for full review.

5. Rippling

Rippling is a tool that helps businesses with HR (human resources) and IT (information technology) tasks, like keeping track of when employees are at work.

It’s a one-stop platform for managing employee information, making it easier to onboard new employees, and automating everyday HR jobs.

Key Features

1. Automated time tracking
2. Integration with payroll systems
3. Real-time attendance monitoring
4. Mobile app for remote clock-ins
5. Geofencing capabilities
6. Customizable attendance policies
7. Employee self-service portals
8. Reporting and analytics tools
9. Notifications for tardiness or absenteeism
10. Seamless integration with other HR and IT systems

As of now, Rippling has 3033 reviews and 4.9 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“Rippling has a modern interface, is responsive, and is easy for employees to navigate. In particular, comparison of benefits plans is easy and enrollment/setup was easy as well.”

Click here for full review.

How to Set Up a Point-Based Attendance System?

Here are our complete guidelines to set up a point based attendance system for employees.

1. Define Attendance Policy

To create a good point system for attendance:

• Make a Simple Attendance Policy: Write down clear rules for showing up on time, missing work, and how to tell if you can’t come in.
• Explain Expectations: Say what you expect from everyone about being on time and coming to work.
• List Good and Bad Reasons to Miss Work: Say what’s okay and not okay if you can’t come to work.
• Say What Happens if You Break the Rules: Explain what will happen if you don’t follow the rules.
• Make Sure Everyone Can Find the Policy: Put the rules where everyone can see them, like on the company website.
• Ask for Ideas to Make it Better: Let people give feedback to improve the rules.

2. Set Point System Parameters

Determine the parameters of your point system by assigning values to different types of absences or tardiness.

Consider factors such as late arrivals, early departures, full-day absences, and failure to notify.

Decide when someone gets in trouble based on how many points they rack up over a certain time.

3. Communicate Expectations

Ensure all employees understand the attendance rules and point system clearly.

• Hold training sessions or orientations to explain them.
• Give written materials and make resources easy to find.
• Encourage people to ask questions and address any worries right away.

4. Monitor and Track Attendance

Create effective systems to track attendance, like using an automatic time tracking software like Buddy Punch.

• Check attendance records regularly to spot patterns or trends.
• Use reporting tools to get useful information and notice problems early on.
• Keep accurate records to make good decisions and hold everyone accountable

5. Implement Consequences

Consistently enforce the attendance rules using a points system.

Give verbal warnings or written notices if someone breaks the rules.

If it keeps happening, take stronger action. Help people improve their attendance and keep track of how they’re doing.

Attendance Point System Template

Here’s a simple attendance point system template that you can use:

Employee Name: [Employee Name]

Employee ID: [Employee ID]

Total Points: [Total points accumulated]

Note:

• Present: 0 points
• Absent: 1 point
• Late Arrival: 0.5 points

You can adjust the format and the criteria according to your specific requirements and policies. Feel free to modify this template based on your organization’s needs and preferences.

When Do Attendance Points Reset?

The time it takes for points to reset can differ based on the company’s rules.

Sometimes, points reset after a few months of perfect attendance, rewarding employees for consistently being on time.

This reset period motivates employees to keep up their good attendance and gives them a clear target to aim for.

What is the Difference Between Employee Attendance Policy and Fault Attendance Policy?

An employee attendance policy outlines the company’s expectations for regular attendance, including arriving on time and reporting unplanned absences.

It addresses attendance issues such as no-shows, unscheduled absences, and consecutive days of absence.

The policy may incorporate a point-based attendance system, where infractions result in the accumulation of points.

Employees may receive a written warning after reaching a certain number of points.

The policy also ensures compliance with federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), providing reasonable accommodations for eligible employees.

Job abandonment, where an employee fails to report to work for an entire day without notifying the company, is also addressed.

Attendance software may be used to track employee time and attendance, and employees are expected to call in if they cannot come to work.

Overall, the company’s attendance policy aligns with employment laws and aims to maintain regular attendance while accommodating employee needs when possible.

On the other hand, a fault attendance policy is part of the main employee point system for attendance, focusing specifically on what happens when employees are late or absent because of their own mistakes, like not showing up without a good reason or being late a lot. It explains the consequences of those actions.

Benefits of an Attendance Point System

Let’s explore the advantages of the attendance point system for your small business.

1. Promotes Accountability

An attendance point system helps make sure employees are present on time for work as it encourages them to be responsible and punctual.

If they’re late or miss work too often, they face consequences.

This motivates them to prioritize coming to work on time, which keeps the business running smoothly.

2. Fairness and Transparency

Implementing a system where employees get points for missing work helps make sure everyone is treated fairly and everyone knows what to expect.

This means setting up clear rules and punishments for missing work, so it doesn’t matter if you’re new or been here a while, the consequences are the same.

This transparency eliminates perceptions of favoritism or bias in attendance-related decisions, fostering a more comprehensive and trusting work environment.

3. Identifies Attendance Patterns

An attendance point system helps businesses keep track of when employees come to work late, leave early, or miss work.

This helps employers see if there are any regular problems with attendance.

By spotting these issues early, they can solve them before they become bigger problems.

4. Incentives for Good Attendance

Using an attendance point system encourages employees to come to work on time.

Employees with few or no points can get rewards or praise.

This motivates them to be punctual and attend work regularly.

Rewards might include extra money, more time off, or other gifts.

By giving prizes for good attendance, companies show they value reliability and being on time.

5. Reduces Absenteeism

Attendance point systems help reduce absenteeism at work.

They work by giving points for each time someone is absent or late without a good reason.

If employees get too many points, they could get in trouble.

This encourages them to show up on time and avoid missing work.

6. Streamlines HR Processes

Creating a system that rewards points for showing up makes HR’s job easier.

Instead of manually tracking attendance, automated systems can do it for them.

This means HR managers can quickly see who’s coming to work, spot any problems with absences, and make reports easily.

It saves HR a lot of time, so they can concentrate on important tasks like planning and keeping employees satisfied instead of drowning in paperwork.

Plus, this system ensures attendance records are correct and reliable, reducing errors. Simplifying HR tasks like this helps businesses use their resources wisely and work better.

7. Legal Protection

An attendance point system helps businesses avoid legal issues by making clear rules about attendance.

Employees know what’s expected of them and what happens if they break the rules.

This system ensures punishments are fair, consistent, and legal. Keeping accurate records of attendance and punishments can resolve arguments or legal problems in the future.

8. Improves Productivity

An attendance point system helps ensure everyone comes to work on time and regularly.

It rewards people for being punctual and showing up consistently.

This encourages employees to focus on their work and stick to their schedules, which helps keep things running smoothly at the company.

When people skip work less and show up more, the company gets more done, helping it reach its goals faster.

9. Customizable to Organizational Needs

The Attendance Point System can be adjusted to suit any company’s requirements.

You can tweak stuff like how many points you get for different types of absences and when penalties kick in.

This adaptability means companies can update the system to match changes in the company or industry.

Moreover, they can throw in bonuses for excellent work or ways to track performance.