Best Biometric Time Attendance Software in Kenya: Features, Benefits and How to choose the best for your business

From all standpoints, having clear visibility in how your employee’s daily attendance and time clocking has to be the goal of every organization. Without this data, it’s practically impossible to accurately calculate payroll and benefits, or even adhere to labor regulations.

Obviously, the task of tracking time attendance is not only time-consuming but labor-intensive for all parties concerned- employees and administrators. Consequently, employers are turning to implement the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya to automatically track employee attendance and facilitate accurate payroll processing.

Also read:

• Best HR software in Kenya: features, benefits, and how to choose the best for your business
• 7 best payroll practices to keep your Kenyan business running efficiently and employees happy

Needless to mention, nothing beats biometric time systems in accurately tracking employee attendance. For Kenyan businesses and organizations, knowing the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya can be challenging given the hundreds of promising vendors.

So, let’s start from the very beginning.

What is biometric time attendance software?

The best biometric time attendance software in Kenya is basically a time clock system that organizations use to track some unique physical characteristics of an employee during check-in and out. These physical characteristics are unique to every employee and may include, depending on the biometric system used, the following:

• Vascular patterns
• Fingerprints
• Facial recognition
• Voice recognition
• Iris patterns etc.

For each unique characteristic, there could exist a single or multipurpose biometric tool to capture the data for each employee during check-in or out, or for access into restricted areas.

How does a biometric time attendance software work?

Well, it’s pretty simple. A biometric time attendance software comprises of three main parts or systems:

• An input device
• A software system
• A database of biometric information

These three system works as follows:

• The input device is basically placed on-site are commonly scanners or cameras used to capture the biometric information relating to employees out of which authentication is to be confirmed.
• The software system translates the biometric information coming from the input devices and validates this information against the requisite record, normally stored in the database. Several techniques are used here but most times, image processing algorithms do the work.
• The database as already hinted above stores the biometric information that the software system uses to validate entries captured by the input devices. Normally and in all cases, this database is the first thing to be built before the software or biometric system can function. Each employee’s biometric data is captured, uploaded, and attached to a record in the database for verification and authentication by the software system.

Other than recording, tracking, and monitoring employee check-ins or out, a biometric system can be used to secure access to restricted places like server rooms.

Heads up: Shop our ZKTeco time attendance terminals here:

• ZK TECO S922 at KES 95,000
• ZKTECO K40 at KES 24,000
• ZKTECO F18 at KES 36,000
• ZKTECO F22 at KES 44,000
• ZKTECO IFACE 302 at KES 53,000

7 Key features of the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya

With the above understanding, what then should be the must-have features of an ideal biometric time attendance software for any success to be derived out of it? We review the features as below.

Access Control

For companies with sensitive, high-priority access sites like in server rooms, controlled access is necessary. Biometric time attendance systems may need to have the ability to track access to restricted areas. This ability is critical to monitor any unauthorized access attempts to restricted areas.

This, therefore, means that if an option of a biometric time attendance software in Kenya has the added functionality of access control.

User Capacity

The best biometric time attendance software in Kenya must be able to accommodate storage and verification of large biometric data (face, fingerprints, palm, voice, etc.) regardless of the number of employees currently in the organization. The extra capacity not consumed by the current number of employees will be needed for new recruits.

Connectivity

For real-time data transfer and communication between the input device, database, and software system, a biometric time attendance software needs connectivity. Besides, the software will soon require and internet connectivity is critical. Furthermore, USB connectivity may also be an added advantage especially for taking backups to an external device

Identification Time

This is better understood considering the speed of verification of inputs (the actual biometric data) by the biometric device. Biometric devices that sense fingerprints and other biodata inputs in a matter of milliseconds and sends the data to the server as accurately as possible should be given top priority.

For example, the ZKTeco terminals that we use with Wagemaster take less than two (2) seconds to verify fingerprints.

Durability and Ruggedness

As the input devices are constantly in use, time attendance terminals that are rugged, durable, and adaptable even in extreme temperatures are preferred especially in the site that attracts a lot of dust and dirt.

Some vendors have products that are scratch-proof, while some are even water-proof. This makes their usage not limited by environmental conditions and thus are versatile.

Integration with Payroll Software

There’s no need for running time attendance if the data isn’t valuable in payroll processing. And if this is the case, your biometric time attendance software must integrate with your payroll to facilitate accurate payroll calculations.

Support

While the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya should ordinarily be easy to install and use, you can’t avoid instances where you need support is needed. Ensure the biometric system you are getting has a perfect support system.

5 Benefits of using the best time attendance software in Kenya for your organization or business

You wouldn’t want to use time attendance software if there were no significant benefits that result from it. Let’s look at the benefits one can enjoy from using the best biometric attendance system in Kenya.

Eliminates Buddy Punching and Time Fraud 

Buddy punching explains a scenario where an employee clocks in for another who is not at work using either their ID cards or pin codes. In places where buddy punching is too prone or where attendance systems use pin codes and ID cards, biometric time attendance systems are preferred as one cannot fake another’s fingerprint, face, or vascular pattern.

Eliminates time wastage in manual data entry

Traditional attendance methods where manual data input is the order of the day experience a lot of time wastages. You have to process all the stamp records and verify against the records presented by employees to get the estimates for payroll.

If biometric attendance systems are implemented as a replacement, the time attendance data is captured automatically and stored in a database that is integrated with the payroll software. The HR team then has an easy time retrieving this data as well as reports and use the spared time in other productive activities.

Easy authorization of employees across different locations

For companies where employees are distributed across different locations like construction sites, manual tracking can be a challenge. The processing of such manual data is even more tedious. With biometric time attendance software, tracking of employees in distributed locations is such a breeze and the accuracy of the collected data is unquestionable.

Streamlined shift handovers 

Although managing shift work isn’t that difficult, biometric attendance software would hasten this process and eliminate lengthy queues.

Guaranteed accuracy of your time attendance records 

You definitely can’t confidently rely on manual data. With biometric time attendance software in place, you are sure of the accuracy of the information you have as no one can alter the biometric data of another. These records are also shared accurately across different departments within the company. For organizations in places where labor laws restrict how long employees are allowed to work, this data is always available and ready when needed.

With the understanding of the key features, benefits, and how biometric time attendance software can impact your business, and particularly in payroll processing, how then do you pick the best out of the hundreds available? We explore the factors to consider below.

How to choose the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya

Of course, a lot of factors come to play when thinking about new software acquisition but the following should come to mind all the time.

Features versus needs/requirements

Review what your needs are and check the boxes against what the software offers. You don’t have to compromise on your needs otherwise the investment will be in vain. If you are not sure of what your specific needs are or are suspecting they are not exhaustive or futuristic, consult with a consultant. You will not only get better information but will also save on time spent on research.

Technology

Look, you are moving away from manual methods because of their inefficiencies. Technology is meant to make life easy. If the technology used does not match your expectations or is just about to be outdated, drop it. Also, the technology used may require an overhaul of too many systems for compatibility to be achieved. This is not advisable.

Speed

The time it takes to process the biometric data and verify it against the stored records really matters. If the system is slow, then a lot of time is likely to be wasted especially on busy sites or where shift handover involves a lot of employees.

Consider using the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya that uses terminals with the best speeds usually under two (2) seconds.

Support

Normally, biometric time attendance software is easy to install and configure/operate. But, shit happens, and once in a while, you may need support. This may be because an update is due and it has gone wrong. If your issues are too likely to be resolved almost real-time and within the shortest time possible, then such a software vendor

Durability

One of the features of a good biometric time attendance software in Kenya is that it should be durable. Now, durability is multifaceted as it relates to the device vs the working conditions. Durable devices would last long in the environments where they are meant to operate. If this checks out, then you have it.

Price and pricing model

There’s a reason this is coming towards the end of this list. Normally, people are sensitive on pricing and forgetting that cheap may turn out to be very expensive with repeated failures and poor customer support. Do not compromise because of price and take a bullshit attendance software.

Related to this is the pricing model of the software. Are you comfortable with the pricing model? Is it monthly or yearly? Do they offer a one-off purchase option? Is the pricing model flexible to allow scalability? Such are critical questions to ask.

Capacity/Scalability

How many fingerprints, faces, etc. does the software accommodate? The best practice is that you opt for one with a larger capacity than your current count. This caters for recruits joining the company soon after the software has been installed.

Integration with critical software like payroll

If for whatever reason the biometric time attendance software does not provide for seamless integration with your payroll system and you need the time attendance data to process payroll, don’t even think twice about it. Payroll processing is probably the most hectic undertaking HR teams have to deal with every so often.

Data availability

The attendance data must be readily available across the departments and people who need to access the data. If possible, the data can be made available in backups or available over the network for the people authorized to have it. In other cases, the cloud could help provided the security of the data is guaranteed.

Wagemaster Time Attendance is the best biometric time attendance software in Kenya. PERIOD.

Everything discussed here is perfectly checked in our Wagemaster Time and Attendance software available with a free demo trial. Download it here or review the time attendance software features here.