Help File
Copyright
1986-2007 Timeman Systems Inc
www.pctimeclock.com
You may use any Word Processor to print this
"Helpfile.html", found in the PC Timeclock
folder.
About the Program
PC Timeclock allows Employees to "Punch"
using any PC Computer keyboard. It is much easier to use, and
has far greater display capabilities than outdated Mechanical and
Electronic Timeclocks. PC Timeclock
requires NO hardware other than your PC, although Barcode, Magnetic Strip, or
Fingerprint Readers can be added. There are no additional charges for
installing to your own LAN (Local Area Network) on as many workstations as you
like.
Many owners begin using PC Timeclock to track
Employee Hours only. You can implement the many other features at a later
time. Instead of Management spending long hours collecting, editing,
inputting and analyzing time information, your employees create the database " for you " as
they "punch". If desired, managers can have Employees punch as
they work on different activities, projects, clients, or tasks throughout the
workday. This information is displayed using screens that are simple to sort
and analyze. With over twenty years of user feedback, our processes and screens
are the easiest to use in the industry. Period.
PC Timeclock is the ONLY Timeclock
that shows ALL punches on ONE screen, in either Timecard or Daysheet
formats. Punches are edited directly, without printing reports or
flipping to different screens. Managers can define up to 33 "Memos"
to help track Absences, Injuries, Medical visits, Comp Time, Disciplinary
Actions, etc.
You can store Employee Pictures, automate Sick/Vacation accrual,
design your own Overtime Rules, allow remote "Phone-Punching", etc.
PC Timeclock can remind you when Employee Reviews are
due, and provides areas where you can quickly document Employee performance,
discipline problems, etc. Documentation is the key to Employee Management, and
PC Timeclock makes it EASY. All information is
Password Protected. There is no limit to the number of Employees,
Punches, or Activities you can create.
Employee Review "Due Dates" can be sorted and displayed in both
Calendar and Spreadsheet format. Performing regular reviews is a simple and
effective way to keep a pulse on your business, yet most Employers don't
perform Reviews on a regular schedule. It's SIMPLE, when you allow PC Timeclock to gently remind you!
The Hour Total Screen provides instant access to Regular, Overtime, and Total
hours worked for any Payperiod or Time Period
specified.
Absence Reasons – Memos Record
on Timecards or Daysheets
There are 33 user-defined "Memos" for
recording reasons why Employees are Absent, why
they're getting Extra/Bonus Pay, Injuries, Comp-Time, Layoffs, Discipline
problems, or any other "Memo" desired. PC Timeclock
comes with sample Memos, and you can Add, Delete, or
Change them at any time. Managers record Memo "Codes" on either
Timecards or Daysheets. Just type the
Single-Character code in the "M" column, directly to right of the
"Other" column, or click "Memo" box at top of screen for a
listing. Click column headers to sort your Memos, or remove "Dead
Space" from the list. If you need more documentation than your
single-character Memo's can provide, click "Employee Notes" box.
Managers may award Sick, Vacation, or Other hours in the "Other"
column. Note that accrued Sick/Vacation hours are shown at the
bottom of Timecards and Daysheets (if a proper
password was used for access). If you wish to award more hours than available,
a negative value will be displayed. Subtraction of "Hrs awarded" from
"Hrs Accrued" takes place when Payperiod
Processing is performed on “Hour Totals” screen. Any hours awarded
in the "Other" column MUST be accompanied by a "Memo", or
"Reason". Memos however, are usually made without awarding
"Other" hours. It's up to you.
Use "Utilities, Memos" to check an individual Employee or
Activity, for any PayPeriod, Quarter, Overtime, or
Time Period you select. Click on column headings to "sort" the
data. Imagine the power of looking at a list of 50 Employees, sorted by
who was sick most, to least, for the last 12 months. The "print"
function will print your data, as you sorted it. You can cut, copy, paste, or
delete while in print mode.
Activities (Only
one is required - you may create as many as needed.)
Activity names are user-defined, and completely optional. They can be used to
track exactly how much time employees spend on different Tasks, Departments,
Clients, Areas, Projects, etc. You can create as many as needed using Setup, Activities.
Managers should discuss how your particular business can best use PC Timeclock's powerful Activity sorting features. Your
"Activities" list can be as short or long as required by your
particular needs. You can Add, Delete, Rename, or Inactivate Activities at any
time. Try to keep things simple, and consider employee compliance when
creating your Activity List.
PC Timeclock automatically punches an employee
"out" of a prior Activity, when they punch "in" to a new
Activity. By design, an Employee can only be working in ONE Activity at a time.
If needed, management may create Activities that by definition,
mean an Employee is performing two (or more) tasks at once. Example: Activity
"Bigbee Loading" could mean they're
"Loading" for a client named "Bigbee".
A small business requiring just timeclock functions
for a few Employees could have just one Activity called "Work". A
large factory setting with hundreds of employees working in many departments on
hundreds of projects could have a more extensive Activity list. There is
no limit to the number of Employees, or Activities available. It's best to
start out simple. It won't take long for Employees and Management to learn to use
the program. Then, you can add more complex tracking capabilities, as needed.
Badges & Barcodes
PC Timeclock can print Barcodes, Company
Badges, and ID Cards. Using Barcodes for Punching and Changing Activities
can be a useful feature in many workplace applications.
"Ink-Jet" printers make acceptable ID Cards, complete with Activity
Names, and optional Employee Pictures. Use "Best" Printing Options,
and laminate for durability.
Use Utilities, Badges/Barcodes to select
Employee, Activity, and Show Picture options.
Barcode and Magnetic Strip Readers start at about $150, through Computer and
Office retailers. Just follow simple instructions that come with
each device, or contact the manufacturer. See: www.barcode-deals.com
Backup files
The importance of regular Backup of PC Timeclock's *.mdb
files can not be over-emphasized...
Define location of your backup files in Setup,
Use Utilities, Backup to create backup copies of your database files.
Calendar
The calendar allows you to make notes to remind you of important
appointments, dates, and times. The alarm flashes on screen, and can also be
heard, if your computer has working speakers. When setting the Alarm, you can
have it "ring" on your workstation ONLY, or ALL workstations. This is
an easy way to quickly pass a message to ALL workstations at a certain time.
Place the Calendar and Daysheet in different corners
of the screen, and Rt-Click a calendar date for that Daysheet to appear. PC Timeclock
remembers your most recent screen positions and settings, so you don't have to
adjust them the next time you use them.
The Calendar also reminds you when Employee Review Dates are due, and Employee
Birthdays. For these to show, Review Dates and Birthdays must be entered on the
Employee Data Screen. The "BNR" appearing at the bottom of a date,
corresponds to a "Birthday, Note or Review". The bottom of the window
lists who has Birthdays and Reviews on what dates. Click on any date with an
"N" to view or edit a DayNote for that day.
DayNotes may be appended to any length, but there is
only ONE field available to contain all notes for that date. Any number of
notes can be listed in this field. As your WorkDay
progresses, you may edit the DayNote, or re-set the
alarm as often as you like.
If you choose to use the Alarm, the computer's speakers must be on. The alarm
can be set to ring on ALL networked computers running PC Timeclock,
or on the computer setting the alarm ONLY.
Use <Rt-Click> on any Calendar Date to bring up
Daysheet for that Date.
Use <Alt> <Left/Right> to scan Previous/Next MONTH.
Use <Alt><Up/Dn> to scan Previous/Next
YEAR.
Daysheets <V>iew <D>aysheet
Timecards can be accessed directly from Daysheets,
and Daysheets directly from Timecards. Just Rt-Click on the name or date desired. Employee
names will appear grayed if they are no longer active, or if they are a recent
addition that was NOT active on the date being displayed.
The Calendar can be used in conjunction with the Daysheet.
Just place them in different corners of the screen, and Rt-Click
a calendar date to request that Daysheet. PC Timeclock will remember your "Last
used" screen positions.
A Green icon at the left margin indicates an Employee is punched in
and "working". Red indicates they are punched out and
"not working". The Daysheet can be moved
past the right screen margin, so only the name field is showing. The green/red
indicators provide an excellent "In/Out" board. Click the " Refresh every minute" box to keep the display
updated. The lower portion shows exactly how many Employees are working in each
Activity, at any given moment, and uses the same Green-Red indicators.
A Yellow "caution" icon at the left margin indicates a punch was
edited, but the punch has not been replaced or re-punched. Yellow just means an
edit (may) require further attention.
Square yellow icons in top "Select" areas give
"Default" values: "Current" date, and "Activities
used", etc. Activity column lists "Default" Activities
left justified. If the Employee punched in an Activity other than their
"Default" Activity, the "Non-defaults" will show as
slightly indented.
The far right column will indicate ">" when more than six punches
are present. Click on the Edit" headers to view more punches. Up to 12
punches can be recorded each day, for each Activity the Employee uses. If you
wish to edit hours into an activity that doesn't currently exist for the
Employee desired, select the activity desired from the Activity box, and then
edit the screen as desired.
A field near the Lower-Right corner shows the "WorkStation Name". This shows the source of the punch-time or edit currently highlited. The same field indicates what "Type"
of punch was recorded; KB Keyboard, FP FingerPrint,
MS Magnetic Strip; PH Phone.
When short "lines" are centered in Up/Dn/Lt/Rt
icons, arrow keys can work with the <Alt>key.
Use <Alt> <Left/Right> arrows to scan previous/next Daysheets.
Database
PC Timeclock uses the Microsoft "Jet" ODBC
Database engine. It is reccomended you optimize
the database periodically to keep it small and efficient. How often depends on your particular
usage, # Employees, etc. Once a month is a good place to start, and it just
takes a few seconds. Database problems can occur if the computer/network
is shut down improperly, while the database is being "written
to". Problems can also occur when different "version
dates" of PC Timeclock are operating on the same
network and database. When you Update the
program, be sure to update ALL machines with PC Timeclock
connected to your Network.
Repair Database: PC Timeclock will
normally detect a database that has somehow been corrupted. Make sure ALL
users are disconnected from the Database before running
"RepairDB.exe", usually found in the "PC Timeclock"
folder. This process repairs and reindexes your
data successfully in about 90% of all failures. If this fails to repair
your database, you should restore by placing your backup files into PCTimeclock’s data file path, usually …/PCTimeclock/Data/Home/.
DB Engine Failure: When trying to use the program on XP
Pro, you may receive ”Error 3633 Can't load DLL: MSJTER35.DLL”.
This is a known Microsoft issue with XP Professional. Please go to http://www.amswin.com/support/download.htm#mdactyp
to download a fix.
Employee Capacity
There is no limit to how many Employees or Activities PC Timeclock can handle. Maximum capacity is determined only
by your available Disk space. The price of PC Timeclock
is based upon how many active Employees will be using the software. Your
Registration "Key" is dependent upon your requested Employee
Capacity. Check this by going to your Setup,
Registration screen. PC Timeclock will allow
you to exceed the Employee Capacity originally purchased, however you will be asked
to return to the Registration area of the WebSite to
increase your Employee capacity. A new "Registration Key" will be
issued for a small additional fee.
Employee Data
<V>iew <E>mployee Data
The first four fields are mandatory; Last Name, First Name, Punch Code, and
Activity. The Activity selected here should be the "default"
Activity, or the Activity the employee is "usually" working in. All
remaining fields on this screen are optional.
If you have more than a few Employees, it's often helpful to store their
Pictures. You can "scan" an existing picture with a scanner, or take
new pictures with any Digital Camera. Store Employee Pictures in a folder
called "Pictures", one branch beneath your target "Datafile" folder as defined on "Setup,
Employee List <V>iew Employee <L>ist
This is the Employee Data screen in "Spreadsheet" format,
sometimes easier for editing or sorting. You may input new Employees using the
last line in the grid. To sort Accending/Decending, click on the heading of the column by
which you wish to sort. You must
click "anywhere in the grid", between each click to the same column
heading if you wish to change sorting from ascending to descending or vice
versa.
Employee Notes <N>otes <E>mployee Notes
Employee Notes are shown on the Employee Data Screen, but can also
be accessed directly from Timecards, Daysheets, and
the Notes menu. This feature is extremely useful, and allows easy, fast
documentation of any situation that arises with employees. Notes will open at
the BOTTOM of any existing text, ready for a Date/Time Stamp, and additional
entries.
Notes can by anything from an Employee Review observation, to the recording of
a verbal (or written) reprimand regarding tardiness. Most businesses will
password-protect these areas by using Setup,
Any portion of the note can be highlited and copied
to other documents for printing etc, by using standard Windows Clipboard
commands, <Ctrl>C, <Ctrl>V, etc.
Employee Punch Notes See
"Punch Notes" below.
Employee Reviews <U>tilities <R>eviews
Implementation of a consistent and uniform Employee Review policy can make
dramatic improvements in any business. Most businesses FAIL to hold Reviews on
a regular schedule however. PC Timeclock solves this
problem by reminding management who needs reviews, and when. Click Column
Headings to sort Review Due Dates, and most other columns. Review Due Dates
also appear on the Calendar screen.
A "one-to-one" meeting with individuals, if only for a few moments,
can allow the employee to feel validated and important to the business. It is
extremely important to let employees know their opinions are important, and
that management is available with an open ear, should problems arise at the
workplace.
Managers can track Employee Review Due Dates by simply entering the due dates
on respective View, Employee Data and View, Employee
List screens. Review Due Dates also appear at the bottom of Timecards
and Daysheets, but ONLY if a password of level 2 or
above was used to access those screens.
Fast Keys - Can
be used when ANY PC Timeclock screen is in use.
Ctrl + D Daysheet - Shows the
Current Daysheet, or Last Viewed.
Ctrl + T Timecard - Initially displays the last Timecard
viewed.
Ctrl + H Hour Totals - Shows Everyone's Total Hours instantly.
Ctrl + L Employee List - Quick access to
Employee Personal Information.
Ctrl + C Calendar - Great for making "reminder"
notes, or Rt-Click on a date to select a Daysheet.
Ctrl + N Employee Notes - Quick access for making Notes
regarding individual Employees.
Column Commands: Click column headers to sort Accending/Decending Order.
Activity Setup / Employee List - Use "<Ctrl>LtClick" to move columns.
Daysheets: Place
Calendar and Daysheet in different corners of the
screen.
RIGHT click Calendar date to
see that Daysheet.
Use <Alt> Lt/Rt to go to Previous/Next Daysheet.
RIGHT click any Employee to
see their Timecard for that Payperiod.
Punch Screen: Click the Bold areas to jump to
Daysheets, Timecards, Hour
Totals.
Click the DAY (Tue) to bring
up the current (or last viewed) Daysheet. (or Ctrl-D)
Click the DATE (23Jun00) to
bring up the last viewed Timecard. (or Ctrl-T )
Click the TIME (11:24:03) to
bring up the last viewed Hour Totals Screen. (or
Ctrl-H)
Timecards: Use <Alt>Up/Dn to
see the Next/Previous Employee.
Use <Alt>Lt/Rt to see the Next/Previous Payperiod.
RIGHT click any date to see
that Daysheet.
FingerPrint Punching
<U>tilities <A>dd
Fingerprint
You can use Digital Persona's Fingerprint
Reader, to verify Employee punches. The 1" square USB device is
available directly from us for $120, or integrated
into a Keyboard for $160. Call us to order: (707) 252-1070.
Managers know the punch was verified, because "FP" is placed in the
"Punch Location" field, lower-right on Timecards and Daysheets. FingerPrint
Readers eliminate the card maintenance of Barcode and Magnetic Card systems,
and they also prevent "Buddy Punching".
After installing USB FingerPrint Reader, use
"Setup,
Employees will punch normally using individual punch-codes, or use
"Employee Name Dropdown" on Punch Screen. Use
“Options” screen to activate “Employee name –
select” dropdown. They will
be asked to place their finger upon the reader to "verify" who they
are. The Punch will be recorded after FingerPrint
is verified.
Hour Totals
<V>iew <H>our Totals
The Hour Totals screen calculates Total, Regular, Overtime, and
"Other" hours for any period of time specified; Payperiod,
OverTime Period, Quarter, or a "
Using the Left/Right icons immediate go to the Previous/Next period selected.
The Yellow square icon between the Left/Right arrows goes to the period closest
to the CURRENT date.
You can use the "Show Activity Detail" Click-Box if you have
Employees punching into Activities other than their "Default". This
will list all Activities worked adjacent to the Employee Name, however the
"Grand-Total" of hrs worked for each Employee will NOT be listed.
Simply click "Show Activity Detail" OFF to view the total hours
worked for each employee.
Activity summaries appear at the bottom of the screen, in a separate section.
The Activity Summary respects any "sort" you may have requested, by
clicking on column headers. You can adjust the horizontal border up/dn with the mouse.
Installing PC Timeclock If Networked, see "Networking" below.
1) Click "Free
Download" at left side of Website www.pctimeclock.com
to download "pctcw_install.exe"
(~15mb). If your computer doesn't have "Web" access, use
one that does, and "burn" the file on a CD to move it to the computer
desired.
2) If you're using Windows NT,
Windows 2000, XP Pro, Vista Pro you MUST be logged on as "Administrator".
Temporarily close all applications, particularly those that might be using the
MS ODBC "jet" Database Engine.
3) Run the downloaded file,
"pctcw_install.exe". This will install
all PC Timeclock files using "Install
Shield".
After installation, InstallShield will request to
re-start your computer. PC Timeclock's icon
will then appear on your desktop. Click the icon to quickly learn the program
using the default sample database. Clicking and reading "Helpfile" will answer most questions. "The
Sample Company" has Employees, Punches, etc. Review the Timecards, Daysheets, and other screens to learn the program; the data
goes back about 1 year, from date of installation. See "Installing
Employees" below, after becoming familiar with the program.
Installing Employees - These instructions use "Drive C" for your database.
Use appropriate Drive and path, if you're on a Network.
1) Check Setup,
2) Return
to the Setup, Main screen and change "Employer" to
your own Business Name. Be sure to use the EXACT spelling, spacing, and puncuation as you'd like your Business Name to appear on
all screens and reports. The registration "Key" will not be valid if
the "Employer" field is later changed, and you will be warned about
this whenever changing Employer Name.
You may change Employer name on our “Registration” website
ONLY at the time of registration or renewal.
3) Use Setup,
Activities - Overtime to Add/Edit your own Activities.
"Task1" is given as a default Activity. Management should
discuss how your particular business can best use PC Timeclock's
powerful Activity sorting features. The Activity list can include Departments,
Work Areas, Project names, Tasks, Clients, Locations, Job Sites, etc. It can be
as simple or detailed as required. You can Add, Rename, or Inactivate
Activities at any time. Although this feature is extremely powerful, remember
that "Simplicity" is often the key to success. Consider employee
compliance and location of workstations in your design.
The Daysheet has an Activity section at the bottom, that shows exactly how many Employees are working in
each Activity at any moment.
4) Next, input your Employee
Information using View Employee Data or
View Employee List. The first four fields are mandatory;
Last Name, First Name, Punch Code, and Activity. The Activity selected here
should be the "default" Activity where the Employee will usually be
working. You can change the Employee's default Activity as often as needed. The
remaining fields on this screen are optional, although useful. Employees need
their "Punch Codes" in order to Punch PC Timeclock.
Employee Pictures (optional) can be taken with a digital camera, or scanned.
Pictures are usually stored in ".jpg" format in the
"Picture" folder located beneath your Data Folder. Name the files according to Employee Names, and PC Timeclock will "link" to them automatically.
Example: "Bugs Bunny.jpg".
Networking
Your license allows you to install as many copies of PC Timeclock as you like, as long as it's on the same LAN
(Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network).
1) Identify the computer
you'll be using as PC Timeclock's database
"host ".
This is normally, the computer you're already using to store and
share other office files. Your "host" computer should already
be "mapped" from your WorkStations. If
you're using Windows NT, Windows 2000, or XP Pro, Vista Pro you MUST be logged on as "Administrator".
If these steps seem confusing, ask your Network Technician for help...
2) CLOSE any applications
that may be using the MS ODBC "jet" Database Engine; MS Access,
Excel, or 3rd party vendors.
3) Install PC Timeclock by running "pctcw_install.exe"
on your "host"
computer. See "Installing PC Timeclock" above, if you need help.
4) Go to a WorkStation , where you
would also like to have PC Timeclock available
for use.
5) Using that WorkStation ,
browse to the computer you are to use as PC Timeclock's
database "host".
6) Locate the "pctcw_install.exe" file in the PC Timeclock folder, and "Run" it. This
will install PC Timeclock files to the WorkStation. Do NOT copy files
manually. InstallShield will prompt you as to
where you want to install PC Timeclock. When
possible, use the default path suggested: c:/Program Files/PC Timeclock (on WorkStation).
7) When finished, InstallShield will ask to restart the Workstation. After
restart, use "Setup, Main", to change the Datafile Path to point to the correct location on
the computer you're using as PC Timeclock's "host". When installing your own
Employees, this will usually be (Host Map Letter)/Program Files/PC Timeclock/Data/Home. When browsing for the correct drive
and path, make sure to "Double-Click" when necessary, until the the correct drive and path appear in the
"Selected Path
" text box. Click "OK",
and PC Timeclock will restart to use the datafile path you've specified.
8) If you are using NT,
Windows 2000, or XP Pro, Vista Pro, all users and groups to use PC Timeclock must have the "Rights" to the "Shared"
folder where the database resides, or it will NOT show up in the
"Browse" listing, and errors will occur. Consult a Network Tech
for help with rights, permissions, passwords, etc.
Note: If using "XP Home", on a Network, it will not allow
you to access below "Program Files" from other computers on the
Network. The easiest way around this is to place files you need to share
"above" Program Files.
Optimize Database <S>etup <M>ain
PC Timeclock uses the MS ODBC "Jet"
Database. It may be necessary to Optimize the Database
occasionally to keep it lean, and fast. If you notice the program takes longer
to access data, it may be time to optimize the Database. How often this should
be done varies with individual installations. Once a month is
a place to start.
Overtime
PC Timeclock can track up to Four
types of Overtime, as defined in "Setup, Activity - Overtime
Rules". ALL Overtime Types (1,2,3,4) appear
on Timecards ONLY. Daysheets show Daily Overages
ONLY. On Timecards, the column containing yellow/green bars denotes Overtime
Periods, user defined in "Setup,
You may use the Hour Totals screen to see which Employees are approaching 40
hrs in the current Overtime Period. Just select the Overtime button at Upper
right, and the OT period desired. After the data is retrieved, click on the
Regular Hrs column header, to sort the Employees by hours. PC Timeclock will remember your settings, making it easier for
you to check this screen often.
Passwords
(4) levels of Password Protection are "User-Defined" on the Setup, Main Screen.
A Password allows access to that level, and all lower levels .
Level 1 View Timecards and Daysheets
Only
Level 2 Edit Timecards and Daysheets
Level 3 Above plus Reports, Payperiod Processing
Level 4 Above plus Employee
Data, Setup.
Be sure to write down Passwords in a safe place. If Passwords
are forgotten, there will be $50 charge for us remove them over the phone.
(707) 252-1070. Passwords are Case Sensitive! Check your Caps Lock key before calling
us. Have ChargeCard,
and ALL Original Purchase information available for verification as shown on Setup, Registration screen. Some Managers
leave "Level 1" blank, so Employees can review their Timecards.
Just press "Enter" when the Password Window appears.
Payroll Functions
<V>iew
<H>our Totals
The Hour Totals screen provides the necessary
information to run Payroll. Use the "Print" function to print this
out for Hard-Copy records, or to export it to a .csv
file. The ".csv" (Comma Separated Variable)
format is the industry standard, and can be read by most Word Processors,
Spreadsheets, Accounting, or Payroll Packages.
Use View, Hour Totals and click “Process
Payperiod” after you are finished editing all
Timecards, awarding Sick/Vacation hours, etc. Many users fax the Hour Totals printout
to their Payroll Processing Service.
Printing
Click File, Print on the screen you want to
print. PC Timeclock will display a preview screen,
including any requested Sorting. You can use Windows "Copy/Paste"
commands to add your own notes, text, or graphics from elsewhere. You can edit
the form any way you like, before printing or exporting to .csv
format.
Program Requirements
"IBM compatible" computer running MS Windows 95, 98, NT, ME,
2000, XP or
A minimum of 512 Megs of RAM, and 15 Megabytes of free
Hard-Disk space for program files.
An additional 2 Megabytes of Hard Disk space each year, for every 40 employees.
Punching by Phone
Run "Phonepunch.exe" to activate Phone-Punching.
"Text-to-Speech" software (~ 8 megs) is
needed to use this feature. The required MicroSoft
files are free, and available at: http://download.microsoft.com/msdownload/sapi/4.0/rtw/4.0a/en/msttsL.EXE
.
Click the Download to Disk option, and put the "msttsl.exe" file
anywhere convenient. When you RUN "msttlsl.exe" after
downloading, it will automatically extract the files, and put them
where they belong.
A "Voice" Modem must be used to receive phone-punches. Voice
modems have been standard issue with new computers since 1997. Any
computer loaded with PC Timeclock can be used to
answer the call, whether it's your PC Timeclock
"Host", or not. Phone-Punching is useful in Construction,
Service, Agricultural, Health Care, Transportation, Maintenance, or other
Activities where Employees work at remote locations where a land-phone or
cell-phone is available. It is very useful in tracking exactly how much time
employees spend on indiviual projects, clients, on
the road, etc. Employees simply call and "punch" into a new Activity.
If they are currently punched "in" to another activity, they will punched "out" of the prior Activity automatically.
Caller ID phone numbers (if available) are recorded in the "Punch Location"
fields in the lower right corner of Timecards and Daysheets.
A "Phone Punch" is denoted as "PH". Just click on any punch to view this
information.
Employees may punch into any Activity, (including their "default" Activity) at the time of punching.
If a "Punch Note" or "Activity Note" exists for an Employee when they call to PhonePunch, the note is "read" to them using "text-to-speech" software. As with an normal punch, Employees must "acknowledge" receiving the message before they are allowed to Punch.
Additional Employees at the same remote location may punch, using a single phone-call.
Punch Screen
This is the main screen of the program, from which all
other screens are directly accessible. Employees enter their "Punch
Codes" here, select the Activity desired, and then "Punch".
Click the Bold areas to go quickly to Daysheets,
Timecards, Hour Totals.
Employee "Punch Codes" are assigned by management, and recorded on
the EmpData Screens. The Punch Code can be any string
of Alpha-numeric characters, and can be something the Employee already knows,
such as the last 4 digits of their Social Security number preceded by their
initials, a portion of their phone number, etc. Do NOT use letters as part of
Punch-Codes, if you plan to use "Phone-Punch" features.
Depending on your Employees, managers can change "Punch-Codes"
occasionally to reduce chances of one Employee punching for another.
If "buddy-punching" is a problem in your particular workforce,
consider inexpensive "FingerPrint"
readers. The 1"square USB devices are available directly from us for
$120 (per Workstation).
The Workstation NAME is recorded with each punch. Managers see the Time and
Activity the Employee punched to, and also the LOCATION from which the punch
was made. This information is available on both Timecards and Daysheets. The TYPE of punch is also noted, as KB Keyboard,
BC Barcode, MS Magnetic Strip; FP FingerPrint, PH
Phone. Caller ID (if available) appears in the Location field at Lower-Right
Timecards and Daysheets if Employee punched by phone.
Punch Notes
<N>otes <P>unch
Manager's can leave "Punch" notes for a particular Employee, specific
Activities, or the entire Workforce. Employee's
will see the note the next time they punch. They will NOT be
"Punched" until they check the "Acknowledged" box on the
punch screen, indicating they received the message. The message will appear for
ALL punches on the date specified.
If a specification changes on a certain project, simply use Notes, Punch and select that Activity, and broadcast
the changes in a note. From that point forward, every employee punching that
Activity will HAVE to get the message, in order to punch.
If your business is using the "PhonePunch" feature, the "Punch Note" will be "read" to them using text-to-speech software. Again, the Employee must "acknowledge" the note, before they are allowed to Punch.
Registration ( www.pctimeclock.com
)
After a trial period of about 30 days, PC Timeclock
will ask that you return to our WebSite to Register.
The program will continue to work for at least another week,
however you should register at your EARLIEST convenience. Use any internet
connection to register.
Select the "Registration" tab at www.pctimeclock.com
. Enter your Customer Number EXACTLY as it appears on the Email, sent to
you at Download. If you do not have a Customer Number, or have lost
it, simply click the Download tab. Fill out the form, and a
new Customer Number will be Emailed to you
immediately, to the Address you've provided on the form. Your
"Registration Key" is based upon YOUR Employer Name, and YOUR
Employee Capacity requirements. Be sure to select an Employee Capacity that
matches your anticipated needs.
Your "Registration Key" will be emailed to the Email address you
supplied at the time of your Download. Enter it on your
"Setup, Registration" screen. The price includes Software,
Support, and Updates for a full year. Check the WebSite
occasionally to stay advised of recent FREE updates. The most recent Update
"Date" is posted on "Update" tab on the left at www.pctimeclock.com .
Secure System Time
You may wish to "Password Protect" the
computer's clock, so "Time" cannot be changed by unauthorized
persons. On some systems, use "Admininstrative
Tools/Local Security Policy/Local Policies/User Rights Assignment/Change the
System Time". Otherwise, check
with your Network Technician.
Setup -
All fields are self-explanatory. You must Enter each Password twice. Be sure to write passwords down,
so they're not lost or forgotten. "Close Protected Screens" allows
users to work in normally protected areas, without having to contantly re-key passwords. The default value is 10 minutes.
If you stop working in the protected areas, the Password Protected screens will
CLOSE automatically after the time specified. You must re-enter passwords to Enter protected areas again. If you wish leave your
Computer, and disable this timer immediately, use Utilities,
Clear Password Timer. This will immediately close all protected screens.
A password will be required to enter protected areas again.
S/V Hours can be accrued automatically, when "Utilities, Payroll
Processing" is run at the end of each Payperiod.
S/V Hours are setup at Lower-Left of "View, Employee Data"
screen. Enter Hours you wish to award each payperiod,
hours currently accrued using your old system, and maximum total hours you wish
to allow to accrue. Be sure to input the S/V
beginning date, at Middle-Right of this screen. Most Employers don't
award S/V Hours until Employees have completed a probation period of 30-90
days.
Available S/V Hours for each Employee are displayed at the bottom of Timecards
and Daysheets. When awarding hours, place them
in the "Other" column, and use S/V in the "Memo"
field. The appropriate Hrs will automatically be awarded/accrued when you
run "Utilities, Payroll Processing" at the end of each Payperiod.
Technical Support
PC Timeclock is simple to install and use, but if
you have questions, Technical Assistance is available 24/7. Just email us
directly from the Website links, or address email to: support@pctimeclock.com
You will usually get a response within a
few hours.
Truth be told, PC Timeclock is so easy to use, we
receive VERY few support calls: Almost ALL calls center around
Networking. PC Timeclock installation runs
fine, provided the following TWO rules are followed: 1) The user MUST be logged on as
"Administrator". 2) If the user has other MS applications
running, particularly "MS Access", or applications that use the MS
ODBC "jet" Database Engine, these apps need to be temporarily "shut
down" during the few minutes of PC Timeclock's
installation. PC Timeclock checks and updates
MS dll's, ocx's, etc, and
this can NOT occur if they are currently in use by another MS
application. 3) Network permissions; passwords, rights, etc. If you are not familiar with Network
Security, consult a Network Technician.
PC Timeclock is the result of hundreds of suggestions
submitted by clients for over 20 years.
If you have ideas for improving usage, please email them to us. If
you're having problems, describe in detail, and include the "Version
Date" from Lower Right of Punch screen. Include specific
computer type, network, monitor resolution, or any other details you think
could be helpful. We are particularly interested in changes YOU think would make the program EASIER to use. For more serious issues,
include a return phone number, along with a contact name, time zone, and hours
available.
Timecards
Use "View, Timecards". Timecards can also be accessed
directly from Daysheets, and Daysheets
directly from Timecards. Just Rt-Click on the name or
date desired.
A Green icon at left margin indicates an Employee is punched in and
"working". Red indicates they are punched out and "stopped
working". This identifies who is present, what they're doing, and helps
locate "missed punches".
A Yellow "caution" icon at the left margin indicates a punch was
edited out, but the punch has not been replaced or re-punched. Yellow indicates
an edit occured, and (may) require further attention.
Square yellow icons within the upper "Select" areas give
"Default" values: "Current" Payperiod,
"First" Employee, "Activities used", etc. Activity column
lists "Default" Activities left justified. If the Employee punched in
an Activity other than their "Default" Activity,
"Non-defaults" will show as slightly indented.
When hyphens exist in Up/Dn/Lt/Rt icons, arrow
keys can work with the <Alt>key.
Use <Alt> <Up/Down> arrows to directly access the Previous/Next
Employee.
Use <Alt> <Left/Right> arrows to directly access the Previous/Next Payperiod.
The far right column will indicate a ">" marker when more punches
are present. Click either "Edit" headers, to view more punches.
If you wish to edit hours into an activity that doesn't currently exist on the
date desired, select the activity desired from the Activity box, and then edit
as desired.
A field near the Lower-Right corner shows the "WorkStation Name".
This shows the source of the punch-time or edit currently highlighted. The same
field indicates what "Type" of punch was recorded; KB Keyboard, BC
Barcode, MS Magnetic Strip, FP Fingerprint, PH Phone.
Updating PC Timeclock
Files -
Do NOT run different "Version Dates" concurrently on
different machines on the same network. Updates strive to increase speed,
friendliness, and functionality of the program.
pctcw_install.exe is used for both
initial installations, and for updating existing installations. "InstallShield" is used to install PC Timeclock and it's components on your machines. It
will NOT erase existing PC Timeclock datafiles, if present. Always be sure you have a
"Backup" before upgrading ANY software or hardware.
1) Use
<Ctrl-Alt-Del> to verify PC Timeclock, TimeLock, and TimeLockUDP are NOT
running on any computer.
2) Go to www.pcitmeclock.com.
Click "Update" near Bottom of Left Frame of Webpage, and
Download.
3) Move the Downloaded
file, " pctcw_install.exe
" to the "PC Timeclock" folder of
your PC Timeclock Database "Host" computer, replacing your older
version.
4) Run "
pctcw_install.exe " on the
"Host" computer. This should NOT alter your existing
Database Files.
5) If you are networked,
go to each WorkStation and find the new pctcw_update.exe on PC
Timeclock's "Host"
computer. Run this program FROM each WorkStation, over the Network, and it will
update the necessary files on each WorkStation. See "Networking" for
more information.
Keep only ONE copy of pctcw_install.exe on your LAN at any time. You should save it in the PC Timeclock folder, on the computer you are using as PC Timeclock's Database "Host".
Again, if you are networked, you should NOT run different "Version
Dates" on different machines.
Website
( www.pctimeclock.com
)
Check our Website occasionally to stay advised of program updates and added
features.