Keeping Your Time Clock Software Secure

Virtual TimeClock instantly, accurately, and impartially records every employee start and stop time. This means the time clock program interacts directly with your computer's operating system clock by utilizing the time and date control functions already built into your computer in order to record the real-time punches of each employee. You'll want to make sure your employee computer time clocks have been properly setup to ensure your time clock data is secure and accurate.

Our online article 3 Ways To Keep Your Time Clock Software Secure will show you how to prevent employees from changing the computer's clock to manipulate their start and stop times.

Auditing Employee Timecards

Did you ever want to be a Private Investigator? There’s something exciting about discovering clues, finding the next piece to the puzzle, and following the trail to figure out ‘Whodunit’. We are constantly leaving trails. It might be from the contribution receipt for the sack of clothes donated to the local charity, the restaurant ticket after an evening meal, or the email after ordering new exercise equipment online. Following these trails tell investigators who we are, what we’ve done, and when we did it. Kind of scary when you think about it! It’s like leaving your footprints in the snow.

Learn how Virtual TimeClock answers the same who, what, and when questions when auditing employee timecards by reading our online article called Auditing Employee Timecards.

Personal Time Clock Software

Deploying new time clock software in any business can be a challenge if you haven't taken the time to review your office workflow and how you want the time clock to be utilized. One of the questions you need to ask yourself is whether you want the time and attendance software to just function as a simple networked time clock, or you also want to use it to improve office communication.

Virtual TimeClock has the flexibility to be deployed as a personal time clock or as an in/out board time clock. Personal time clocks are great if you have employees working at dedicated computer workstations and you don't want them to be able to see when other employees are coming and going. The way to accomplish this is by creating display groups for each employee and assigning that single employee display group to the computer time clock they use. We hope to have a new Virtual TimeClock Personal Client out soon that won't require the set up of individual display groups because the user display will be automatically assigned based on user login.

I have to admit that I do love the time clock in/out board. It's a great tool for always knowing where your employees are at and what they're working on. This is a huge productivity booster, especially when trying to route calls or customers. The Virtual TimeClock Pro Client will continue to be an option for those time clock software users like me who can't live without the in/out board.

Jeff Morrow
Virtual TimeClock Product Specialist
Redcort Software

Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3

Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3 was made available today. The new release provides an often requested new feature: adding notes to timecard entries. Timecard notes can be used to note jobs or project tracking details, report mileage, tips, bonuses, or commissions right on the employee timecard. Employees can add a timecard note to explain a late arrival or early departure right when the event occurs.

Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3 is compatible with the new Microsoft Windows 7 release. With the September announcement of Apple OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard support, Virtual TimeClock '09 is now fully compatible with Apple and Microsoft's newest operating systems.

We have also improved the user experience in Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3 with over two dozen program enhancements. There is a complete list of changes in Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3 on our web site.

Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3 is a free upgrade for all users enrolled in our software Maintenance & Support program. We offer generously discounted upgrade pricing if you are not enrolled in our software Maintenance program.

Please contact us with any questions you have about the release. You can reply to this email, visit our web site, or call toll free from 8 AM to 5 PM PST at (888) 207-0005.

I hope you enjoy the new features and enhanced functionality we've put into Virtual TimeClock '09 Release 3!

Keith DeLong
Redcort Software

Can you hear me now?

We love automation at Redcort Software. As a case in point, take a look at our time and attendance software. It takes that old mechanical employee time clock and replaces it with an automated time management system. Timecard reports are automatically calculated and totaled instantly. Overtime calculations are always accurate on every timecard. But automation isn't so helpful in every facet of life as a trip through phone system purgatory reminded me recently.

I needed to correct a problem on a bill from a large utility company so I called the not so prominent help number displayed in the smallest imaginable font on the back of my bill. A delightful voice answered the phone and promptly asked me what language I’d like to continue in. I was tempted to say Sumerian, but decided to play it safe and continue in English. The same delightful female voice asked what my call was regarding. I was a little taken aback since I was expecting to hear a list of numerical choices to punch into my telephone keypad. My delayed response was not well received on the other end of the phone line. The still delightful voice told me in no uncertain terms that she didn’t recognize my response and that if I would be so kind as to state the purpose of my call she wouldn’t immediately terminate me, I mean terminate the call.

I sputtered something akin to “Billing question” and winced. She kindly repeated my response and then proceeded to ask me other pointed questions. I was starting to get the hang of this and in no time was rattling off responses like a pro. The best part about it was that she was polite, never lost patience, and spoke the King’s English.

Then the unfathomable happened. We came to a point in our conversation where she wasn’t happy with anything I said. I found our new relationship deteriorating rapidly and with a rookie move hit “0” for the operator. I thought that was my ace in the hole, it works all the time. Unfortunately, in this case a not so friendly voice firmly informed me to call back during regular business hours. Immediately, I was thrust back into the role of regular Joe, my fast track relationship with the pleasant auto attendant quickly forgotten.

Like many companies, we jumped on the phone system bandwagon many years ago, thinking the same thoughts as many small businesses, “An automated phone system will improve our time management by answering calls and routing them more efficiently than we can.” We've deliberately kept it simple over the years, limiting the system to one level of voice prompts. Our auto attendant has served us and our customers well.

Though we've never had complaints about our telephone system, at a recent management meeting we discovered everyone had a phone system horror story in our dealings with other companies. Since our culture is to treat others as we like to be treated, we quickly decided it was time to send our faithful auto attendant to an early retirement and pick up the telephone the old fashioned way.

For the past month, every Redcort Software call is answered by a live, friendly, helpful human being during business hours. It's pretty retro but we like it! Customers have been commenting on how great it is to have a live person pick up the phone. I’ve even heard them fumbling around on the other end of the line trying to take the phone off speaker because we answered so quickly.

That's our story. I’m not saying that auto attendants are bad. I’m just saying that when it comes to automation, I’d much rather deal with time clock software. After all, it doesn’t talk back.