Guide
How to replace paper time cards
Updated
Short answer
Replace paper time cards by switching to a digital time clock that works the same way: one place by the door where everyone clocks in. With KioskClock you print a QR badge per employee, leave a tablet at the entrance, and hours are recorded and totalled automatically. It takes an afternoon, not a project.
What's wrong with paper
Paper time cards and punch clocks work, until payday. Then someone has to read handwriting, subtract times, deduct lunches, round, total and retype everything into payroll. Cards get lost, times get written in after the fact, and disagreements come down to memory.
Keep what works: one clock at the door
The good part of a punch clock is that it's obvious: one place, one action, no logins. The easiest digital switch keeps that. Instead of asking every employee to install an app, put a tablet where the punch clock was and give everyone a badge.
The switch, step by step
- Pick a start date at the beginning of a pay period, so you never mix paper and digital in one period
- Add employees by name and print their badges (laminate them or use badge holders)
- Mount or stand a tablet where the punch clock was, plugged in and on Wi-Fi
- Show each person once: scan in, scan out, check their name on screen
- Keep the old cards for your records; most US employers must keep payroll records for at least three years
- At the end of the first period, compare the export with what you expected, then retire the punch clock
What you get instead of a stack of cards
- Exact clock-in and clock-out times, to the minute, in your time zone
- Totals per employee for weekly, biweekly, semimonthly or monthly pay periods
- Missed clock-outs flagged, with fixes labelled as edited
- An Excel or CSV file for payroll instead of retyping
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my old punch clock cards alongside a digital time clock?
It's best not to mix them within one pay period. Switch at the start of a period and keep the old cards on file for your records.
What tablet or device do I need?
Any iPad, Android tablet or laptop with a camera and a modern browser (Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox). Nothing to install: open the time clock page, allow the camera, and leave it running. USB and Bluetooth barcode scanners that type into the browser work too.
What if someone forgets to clock out?
The dashboard shows everyone who is still clocked in and flags shifts that have been open unusually long. You can set the correct clock-out time in a couple of taps; edited shifts are marked so your records stay honest.
How do I get hours into payroll?
Choose a pay period (weekly, every two weeks, twice a month or monthly) and download Excel or CSV. You get each employee's total hours plus every shift with dates and times, ready to type into or import into your payroll or accounting software.