Guide
Buddy punching: what it is and how to prevent it
Buddy punching is when one employee clocks in or out for another, usually to cover for lateness or an early exit. It's one of the most common forms of time theft, and it's possible with almost any time clock. Here's how to make it rare.
Why it happens
Most buddy punching isn't organised fraud. It's a friend covering for a friend who's running ten minutes late. But small amounts add up across a team and a year, and it's unfair to the people who are on time.
Practical ways to prevent it
- Put the time clock where a manager or other staff can see it
- Make the confirmation visible: a clock that shows each person's name in large type after every scan makes covering for someone obvious
- Write a short policy and have everyone sign it; most people stop once it's explicit
- Review the who's-in list against who's actually there, especially at opening
- Reissue a badge immediately if you suspect it's being shared
- Watch for patterns: two people who always punch within seconds of each other
Badges, PINs, biometrics: the trade-offs
PINs and badges can both be shared. Biometric clocks (fingerprint or face) are hardest to fool but cost more, raise privacy questions and are regulated in some places. For most small teams, a visible badge clock plus a clear policy is the right balance of cost, privacy and honesty.
KioskClock uses printed QR badges, shows the employee's name on every scan and ignores a repeated scan within a minute. Optional photo capture on scan is on our roadmap.
Frequently asked questions
Can employees clock in for each other?
A badge is like any key card: someone could scan a coworker's. The tablet shows each person's name in large type after every scan, so keeping it where a manager can see it is a strong deterrent, and you can reissue a badge at any time. Photo capture on scan is on our roadmap.
What happens if an employee loses their badge?
Reissue it from the Employees page and print a new one. The old QR code stops working immediately, and the employee's hours history stays as it was.
Can I correct or add time entries?
Yes. You can change clock-in and clock-out times, add a shift someone missed, or delete a mistaken one. Every change is labelled as edited in the timesheet and in exports.
Is my data secure?
Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and every business can only ever read its own records. Tablets are paired with a secret that you can revoke at any time, and they can only clock people in and out: they can't open your dashboard.