Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software

Owning a BlackBerry Smart-Phone: Is it a Thing of the Past?

Armchair pundits and analysts alike have had a great deal to say about BlackBerry’s recent smart-phone, the XZ10. Some have predicted its demise due in part, to the amount of time it took to bring out a device comparable to the iPhone, Android, Samsung Galaxy and many others on the market. In the end, the success of Blackberry lies with consumers liking and purchasing its products, not the views of analysts.

Some years ago when BlackBerry launched its smart-phone, the device gave users the ability to send and receive e-mails through the device at a time when this was viewed as revolutionary. At that time, it catered mostly to corporate executives and government users. As time went on, Apple, Google and other companies launched their own smart-phones. Apple was the first to launch its iPhone with great fanfare using ads featuring hip youngsters showing off their phones. In addition to e-mails and texting, you could also browse the web at lightning speed, view various features and download many software applications that BlackBerry phones could not do. All of a sudden the public started taking notice and the line ups to get an iPhone stretched for several blocks. These new smart-phones were now accessible to everyone, not just corporate executives. Some have argued, BlackBerry came across as stuffy and refused to include the younger generation in its ads and that is one of the many reasons it has struggled to gain new users.

BlackBerry has its diehard fans and some have argued that the Z10 is the start of great things to come. Many BlackBerry users also say that they love the product because of its built-in encryption which makes it a better-managed platform than its competitors. Whether you are a BlackBerry fan or not, the consumer always wins when there is competition.

The history of Apple chronicles that it, too, went through a rough patch many years ago, but most its loyal fans stuck with it. Most companies go through a period when they have to find out what made them successful and be able to change with the times.

Companies using a BlackBerry Z10, Ipad, Windows Mobile or other smart-phone device can access the ATS web-based time and attendance software from anywhere. ATS TimeWork time and attendance software features include; tracking of benefit accruals, pay policies, employee shifts; overtime and premium pay codes, statutory holiday tracking, employee self service, job costing and labour analytics. ATS time and attendance is an integrated and scalable application that is designed to meet the most challenging the timekeeping and workforce management needs of any organization.

Kudos to BlackBerry on the launch of its Z10! Their success or lack thereof will be determined by the consumers. That said we wish them continued success.

To learn more, go to our website and download a white paper on the benefits of an automated time and attendance solution.

Apple iPhone, Benefit Accruals, BlackBerry, Employee Self Service, Google, Job Costing, Labour Analytics, Samsung Galaxy, Software Application, Statutory Holidays, Time and Attendance, Time and Attendance Canada, Timekeeping

Leveraging Your Time and Attendance Software to Manage Your Business

ATS TimeWork is an award-winning time management software that helps companies streamline business processes throughout the entire organization and save on payroll costs. TimeWork provides mid-sized and large organizations throughout North America the tools to capture employee data, comply with local, state and provincial regulations, and ensure that businesses are performing optimally.

ATS time and attendance software-as-a-service (SaaS) software application is hosted by us and can be accessed over the Internet through any web browser. The application is available to customers 24/7, 365 days a year, on a monthly pay-as-you-go subscription basis. TimeWork is suitable for companies with a dispersed workforce across multiple sites. Organizations with remote workers and telecommuters will benefit from the portability of this on-demand solution. TimeWork hosted time tracking solution reduces the need for an internal IT infrastructure and provides a secure, cost-effective alternative for companies currently running critical business applications.

Here are three compelling reasons to leverage your business with an ATS Time and Attendance Application:

Affordability-TimeWork SaaS will not require a huge capital outlay and an inordinate amount of resources associated with purchasing and managing a technology infrastructure. With TimeWork SaaS, software updates are free; they are not invasive, and are executed by us without disruption to your operations.

The Solution Grows With You-ATS TimeWork allows you to grow your company without growing your IT support burden. Add modules as you need them without worrying about installation and configuration. For example: Overtime equalization provides managers with timely visibility into key workforce performance indicators such as overtime and attendance, Time and Attendance Reports are real-time employee attendance reports with options for customizing both content and format, Forecasting, provides businesses with the technology to develop work schedules that meet business demands. With ATS on-demand time and attendance, you have can extend your mission-critical business applications across Canadian, US and overseas offices without the need for local IT support or infrastructure.

Training and Support- The ATS programming and support team are experts in the field of time and attendance. Upgrades and maintenance are fully automated with a solid backup and disaster recovery plan to protect your investment. Our Canadian network of local employees and partners can provide you with on-site consulting, training, and implementation assistance to help you get the most out of your solution.

You might also like:
Three Reasons to Switch to a SaaS Time and Attendance Solution
Time & Attendance and the Cost of Doing Nothing
The Case for Automating Your Business Process

To download a podcast of our monthly webinar, go our website. You can also follow us on Twitter, or join the conversation on LinkedIn.

Forecasting, On-Demand Time and Attendance, Overtime Equalization, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Workforce Management Reports

Could this Have Been Avoided with a Mobile Technology App?

A recent article published by CBC Canada flashed over the web with this eye popping title “Unpaid overtime a growing legal liability.” Overtime has been a hot button issue for some organizations for many years now. In fact, many companies have outdated system from which to capture employee hours, track vacation and statutory holidays.

An excerpt from the CBC.ca article reads, in part, “Mobile technology has helped employers squeeze more productivity out of their employees, but all those hours of work while technically off the clock leaves them open to lawsuits over unpaid overtime, experts warn.

Overtime pay is governed by different standards acrossCanada. InOntario, for example, it must be paid for any work in excess of 44 hours per week. There are exceptions for managerial roles and those in professions like medicine, the law and accounting, but for the most part, employees are legally entitled to excess pay for excess work.

So, the question remains, can employers track employee time through the mobile phones and avoid overtime issues? The answer is yes. ATS employee time management solution tracks employee hours, benefit accruals and statutory holidays on their mobile device. This eliminates overpayments due to improper time reporting. Beyond simply tracking time accurately, organizational knowledge of employee location provides real-time operational gains.

ATS time and attendance for mobile helps employees view their schedules, request days off and send messages to their supervisors all in real-time. By give employees the autonomy view their schedules, request time off and broadcast their availability to their managers and peers, they are more productive, more reliable and more efficient. The end result, managers can use the business intelligence tools to get updates on who is approaching overtime before it happens.

To learn more go to our website. You can also join the conversation on Twitter or join our LinkedIn Group.

Benefit Accruals, Business Intelligence, Canada, CBC, Employee Hours, Employee Time Management, Mobile Technology, Overtime, Tracking Time

Three Reasons to Switch to a SaaS Time and Attendance Solution

ATS Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Time and Attendance is a subscription based solution that offers a superior advantage to large and small businesses. Customers can access this cloud solution through the Internet via any web browser. With this solution you avoid costly servers, version upgrades and software licenses. ATS receives feedback from its customers who rave about the ease-of-use in accessing the solution anytime they want to.

If your company has been considering switching to an automated time and attendance system here are three reasons to choose ATS:

Reduction of Labour Cost
Over the years numerous studies have shown that companies spend thousand of dollars each year to capture employee time with a manual tracking system. ATS SaaS time and attendance is configured to adapt to your work policies. The end result is a system that automates; overtime, benefit accruals and statutory holidays in your jurisdiction.

Business Intelligence and Labour Analytics
ATS cloud time and attendance provides scheduling, time and wage calculation, time card editing and approval. The business intelligence tool empowers companies to quickly and easily obtain the information required for improved operations and reporting across an entire business. The business intelligence eliminates manual report preparation, repetitive data extracts, and complex back-end data joins to provide you with up-to-date, accurate, and presentation-quality reports for informed decision-making.

Implementation
Unlike on-premises solutions, ATS SaaS Time and Attendance takes a few weeks and not several years to install. A simple web browser is all user needs to start using the software. The software enables your company to implement a fully functional management system at new sites, regions or production sites without investing in high-cost IT infrastructure.

To learn more go to join our LinkedIn group discussions, follow us on Twitter, or go to our website.

Benefit Accruals, Cloud Time and Attendance, Labour Analytics, Labour Costs, Overtime, SaaS Time and Attendance, Scheduling, Time and Attendance System, Time Card Editing

Do You Know What You Are Buying?

Purchasing a workforce management solution is an important decision that should not be taken lightly. Part of making sure this solution meet your expectations is doing your due diligence. The easy part is that flashy employee time and attendance software come a dime a dozen. You need to get past the smoke and mirrors and settle on a time management solution with the core fundamentals that meet your company’s needs.

Here are three powerful components you can expect from an ATS Workforce Management Software:

Enabling your business- Our time management software is equipped to handle challenges faced by many industries including; manufacturing, healthcare, oil and gas, distribution and retail. ATS TimeWork offers a set of core enterprise-wide workflow management software features that help you transform your business into a real-time, on demand organization, responsive to the needs of your customers.

Reduce cost and streamline operations- Our solution is both affordable and is designed to dramatically lower typical deployment system costs. Because TimeWork is easily configurable lowers your costs from the very beginning. The end result is cost-effectiveness combined with maximum functionality for your overall operation. The ATS Time and Attendance software will adapt to your information flow quickly and without additional software development expenses. Our solution, once deployed can easily be transferred to other sites while safeguarding the consistency of all your data and processes.

Increase productivity and grow your business- TimeWork interactive dashboard brings all the information that you need for your business right at your fingertips. Our workforce management solution allows you to consolidate the latest information within your organization – and make faster, better informed decisions on all levels. Our time and attendance software integrates all of your company’s management processes and enables users to access this information within a standardized system. This gives all employees access to all the information whenever they need it. Integrating resources is efficient and helps companies quickly react to new market trends.

ATS TimeWork is a best-of-breed time management software that offers the flexibility and functionality you need to manage a competitive business. Our solutions are designed for mid and large corporations with a focus on streamlining payroll costs.

To learn more go to our website or to speak to one of our software representatives call us at 1.866.294.2467.

Healthcare, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Payroll, Retail, Time & Attendance Software, Time and Attendance Canada, TimeWork, Workforce Management Solution

Are Employee Time Clocks Keeping up with the Times?

Since the invention of the mechanical time clock in 1888, companies have used various types of time clocks to track employee hours. While the changes in time clocks have not been as fast as smart phones and tablet PCs they have made significant strides. There are still companies, today who use the traditional time clocks that come equipped with a paper time card. When these paper cards are inserted into the time clock, it punches a hole in the card that represents time in, out and other data that’s relevant to the company. Although the fundamentals of employee time tracking remain the same, time clocks have evolved.

Today, verifying employee record of work comes in several forms that include: barcode and proximity, hand geometry, fingerprint, facescan terminals, online/web timesheets, telephones and smart phones and magnetic badges. The functions performed by today’s time clocks range from job costing and schedule reviews to departmental transfers. When combined with labour management software, these clocks store data for the calculation of overtime, premiums and various work policies.

In some cases, time clocks may not be conducive to the needs of an organization. For example, it might be easier for employees who travel frequently to punch in and out, check their schedules and request time off through their cell phone. A construction company might also find it easier to use a mobile time clock for employees that travel to different job sites. Companies with remote health care workers might find it easier to use telephony. Phone punch or telephony allows employees to punch in and out from any telephone- all guided by voice prompts.

ATS time clocks facilitate complex attendance and job reporting, including hours worked, breaks, tardiness and absences. These time clocks provide real-time query capabilities and an accurate picture of your employees’ attendance and absences.

For more information on employee time clocks and workforce management software, visit our website.

Barcode Time Clocks, Biometric FaceScan, Biometric Time Clocks, Biometric Time Clocks Toronto, Employee Time Clocks, Hand Punch, Hand Punch Time Clocks Canada, Magnetic Time Clocks, Proximity Time Clocks

Tracking Attendance with the use of Biometrics

The use of biometric technology has gained widespread notoriety in many vertical industries. While there are different types of biometric terminals, they all use a common theme. Some of the ways in which biometrics are used include: security/access control, time and attendance, finger scanning to access laptops and other devices. Biometrics is based on authentication techniques that rely on physical characteristics. The data process of an ATS biometric time clock mirrors that of a barcode or magnetic swipe clock. The big difference is that the authentication process of the biometric unit prevents workers from clocking in for each other. Essentially, when using biometric time clocks, employees have to be onsite to punch in and out.

ATS biometric technology automates processes, reduces payroll and complies with government and collective bargaining agreements. The combination of our time and attendance software and biometric time clocks helps companies to: schedule the right coverage, track employee performance, comply with corporate directives and align long-term workforce planning and daily operations with your business strategy.

If your company decides to use biometrics, it’s important to figure out what type of biometric device will work in your setting. For instance, a fingerscan reader might be sensitive to elements in a fish packing plant, whereas a hand punch unit or facescan might excel in those areas. ATS account executives have a wealth of experience with biometric technology and can guide you towards a solution that meets your operational goals.

To learn more join our user group on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter for product updates. To view a demonstration of ATS products or for an onsite visit, go to our website.

Barcode Time Clocks, Biometric Face Recognition, Biometric Time Clock, FingerScan Reader, Iris Scan Biometrics

Workforce Management Software: Create or Buy?

In a recent conversation with the VP of a distribution chain, we found out that their in-house software had been created by one of their IT personnel. Since this person left the company three years ago it has become a nightmare trying to maintain the product. Before you decide to create your own software consider the following:

1)       Are there people on staff who understand the nuances of time and attendance?
2)       Which member of your team is going to maintain the software once it has been created?
3)       Who is going to be responsible for keeping up with: federal, state and provincial legislative policies that must
           be be adhered to in business automation software?
4)       If the creator of the software leaves the company how is that software going to be managed?
5)       Are you able to create import files for time clocks and other third-party applications like payroll, HR or ERP?

There numerous benefits to purchasing workforce management software. Some of these include:
1)       The software contains numerous pay and work rule policies.
2)       The time and attendance software algorithm can be configured to suit any collective bargaining agreement.
3)       Software updates are created automatically by software engineers at no additional costs.
4)       The import utility allows for payroll interfaces to any third-party payroll application.
5)       The software can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
6)       Back-up is done daily and is available on demand.
7)       Changes to new shifts, overtime and other pay policies can be done in seconds.
8)       The software has integrated modules that include: employee self-service, points and incidents,
overtime equalization, job costing, and forecasting.
9)       Complementary data collectors include: biometric facescan, fingerprint readers, proximity time clocks, online time sheets, iPad, and smart phone time entry

The decision to create or buy, a time management software should be given careful consideration. In some instances, competitive advantages exist if you have the internal resources and the time to create your software.

To learn more about workforce management software go to our website.

Forecasting, Job Costing, Overtime Equalization, Payroll, Time and Attendance Software

Simplicity Works Best

In some of our previous blogs we discussed how something as simple as a time management system is made complicated by industry jargon that confuses the customer. Quite frankly it doesn’t have to be that way. The tracking of employee time through our time and attendance software is a very simple process. However, some people make it seem complicated. Of course, we are not suggesting that you purchase for its simplicity and while ignoring its ability to adapt to your company’s work policies. ATS time and attendance software was designed to meet the most complex needs of an organization and at the same time, can be scaled down. The product is intuitive, user-friendly and has a modern look and feel that utilizes today’s web-based technology concepts.

The advent of automated time management was borne out of changing times. In years past, it was customary for a company with many employees to use paper time sheets or punch clocks to register attendance. Despite advances in technology, some companies still use antiquated methods to track employee time in the 21^st century.

Industry giants like the Canadian Payroll Association, American Payroll Association and the Aberdeen Group have been commissioned on numerous occasions to conduct surveys. The conclusion of these surveys has revealed that it costs businesses using paper based time sheets 1.5% to 10% of gross payroll.

Leading organizations of all sizes are implementing ATS automated workforce management system and as a result, are seeing a significant reduction in payroll and labour costs.

To learn more about our solutions go to our website.

Employee Time Management Software, Time and Attendance On-Demand, Workforce Management Solutions

Many people tend to use the end of the year as a time of reflection. We, at Apex Time Solutions, decided to compile of a list of questions received from businesses over the past 12 months. In some cases, these questions came from companies who were unhappy with their time and attendance vendor. We also received several calls from prospective customers who were using manual time sheets and wanted to understand the benefits of automating the attendance process at their organizations. This list is not exhaustive. It represents a small fraction of the many queries we received during the course of this year.

1. Do you offer support across different provinces and/or states?
Yes. In addition, we also provide support in different time zones. When selecting a vendor, make sure they can not only answer this question but have customers who can attest to this as well. Support made it to the top of the list because this question came up numerous times from prospective customers.

2. I am told fingerprint readers are better than other biometrics, is that true?
Based on our experience that’s false. The data collector (employee time clock) should be recommended based on your company’s needs. There is range of things that should be taken into consideration when deciding on which data terminal will work best for your company.

3. Can we implement payroll, ERP and time and attendance at the same time?
We would not recommend a company implement several modules or different systems at the same time. Each product requires its own project plan and testing. The implementation of business automation software should be given careful consideration and all the facts laid bare prior to deployment.

4. Would you recommend web-based software over an on premises solution?
That depends on a company’s corporate culture and internal resources among other things. Recommendations are made based on a the needs of a company.

5. Can your system interface to our payroll software?
This question is usually followed up by: “Are you sure, your software is compatible with our payroll application?” We have created interfaces to 300 plus payroll HR and ERP systems. Today’s software applications have import utilities that allow for interfacing to third-party programs.

6. How fast can you implement our system?
There are many variables to consider prior to deployment of workforce management software. Once we have a full understanding of your needs, we will be in a better position to give you a timeline.

7. If there is a certain report we want, can you build it?
Absolutely! We have no shortage of expert programmers who can build any report you want. We do, however; recommend that customers first browse through our library of reports as it may already exist within our software.

The ATS Time & Attendance manages absences and accruals, streamlines payroll integration and eliminates time fraud/buddy punching. For more information about workforce management software go to our website.

As the year comes to a close we would like to take this opportunity to wish our customers a Happy New Year!

Employee Time Clocks, Web-Based Time and Attendance Software, Workforce Management Software

Owning a BlackBerry Smart-Phone: Is it a Thing of the Past?

Leveraging Your Time and Attendance Software to Manage Your Business

Could this Have Been Avoided with a Mobile Technology App?

Do You Know What You Are Buying?

Are Employee Time Clocks Keeping up with the Times?

Tracking Attendance with the use of Biometrics

Workforce Management Software: Create or Buy?

Simplicity Works Best

Top 7 Time and Attendance Questions of 2011

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