Clock In Automatically with Beacon using TimeTec TA App

Saturday, January 21, 2017 TimeTec 4 Comments

Introduction
Starting December 2016, Time Beacon has been added as an attendance clocking option in TimeTec TA along with biometrics/card through FingerTec terminals, web clocking and mobile clocking. This article demonstrates the convenience of Time Beacon clocking in TimeTec TA Mobile App.

If you are still new to Time Beacon, you may refer to the following links to get familiar with this small gadget with amazing capability:

Overview: http://www.fingertec.com/images/w_brochure/TimeBeacon_e.html
Fun Fact: /2016/12/4-fun-facts-about-ble-powered-beacon.html
How to Enroll Beacon in TimeTec TA: /2017/01/how-to-enrol-time-beacon-in-timetec-ta.html

Benefits
Now with the latest release of TimeTec Mobile version 4.6.2, you can now clock in without having to choose the checkpoint from the Beacon List. The system can now detect the nearest Beacon and accept the clocking automatically.

Process
1. Login to your TimeTec Mobile App

2. Go to Menu > Clocking

3. Here you can choose the method of clock in: Location Tracking, Beacon, and NFC (for Android phones only).  Click on the Beacon sign and the system will detect the nearest Beacon available and accept the clocking automatically. Generally, the working distance for Beacon is approximately 10m.
   
If there is no Beacon nearby, a message will be shown as below:

Automatically Download & Generate Attendance Record in Ingress and TCMS V3

Saturday, January 21, 2017 TimeTec 48 Comments

Introduction
Ingress and TCMS V3 are FingerTec’s complementary software serving different purposes. Ingress software are generally used with access control devices like R2, Kadex and Q2i and TCMS V3 is for time attendance readers such as TA100C, AC100C and TA500. For detailed comparison between these software, refer to http://www.fingertec.com/comparison/tcmsVSingress/

In Ingress and TCMS V3, there is an option to automatically download the transactions from the terminals and generate the attendance record straight in the software. This article will discuss and elaborate about this settings and on how to configure Ingress and TCMS V3 with auto download transaction.

Benefits
To view the transaction data, the process is to download the transaction data from the terminal into the software and generate its attendance data, in-out records and reports. It can be done manually or automatically via TCP/IP connection or by using USB flash disk if there is no network connection available.
With the automatic download interval function, you can configure the software to download the transaction automatically. You can determine the preferred time and the time interval for the downloads. With this option, you can view your daily report directly in Report option or send the report using Report Scheduler without having to wait for the download process to complete and generate the transaction log manually.
Process
You can find this option on both Ingress and TCMS V3 at System Settings > System Parameter Settings > Server tab.
In TCMS V3:


In Ingress: 

Basically, there are 3 main options you can set to use this function:
1. Server Download Transaction Log Interval:
Set the time interval to download transaction logs from devices automatically. The administrator can set the download process duration to repeat; for example every 15 minutes during the peak time. To disable this option, you need to set it to 00:00.

2. Specify daily download timer for system to activate the automatic download process every day: 
Set up to a maximum of 2 daily timers to run auto-download transaction logs from the devices. An example, if you set the time of download at 10:30 and 16:00, the software will perform the download process at exactly 10:30am and 4:00pm every day.

3. Server Generate Audit Data Interval: 
Set the time interval for TCMS V3 and Ingress  to generate the raw data to be updated into Attendance Sheet accordingly.


If you wish to delete the data after the download process, there is an option to do just that and as for new features, user may choose to "Download Attendance photo" during auto download is running.

Also, when you activate the ‘Perform daily download when PC is powered on’ option, the transaction data in the terminal will download accordingly through the automatic download interval time as long as the computer is powered on. In other words, even if the TCMS V3 or Ingress is not running, the transaction data will still be downloaded into the database.

NOTE:
The most important thing when user configure automatic download in the software is to always ensure Ingress/TCMSv3 service is always running ( Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services ) as these 2 services play an important part to make sure automatic download is running.

Suspend Users Feature Simplifies User Management

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 TimeTec 1 Comments

Introduction
Ingress and TCMS V3 offer an option to suspend users who are no longer valid in a system due to termination, suspension or resignation.

Benefit
This feature is another option for administrators to manage users in FingerTec device via Ingress or TCMS V3, where you can control user access through the software. Once the user is suspended, access for that user will permanently be barred until the active status reinstated.

Process
1) Open your Ingress/TCMS V3 software > go to User tab

2) Double click on the user that you want to suspend > Tick “Suspended” > Click Save


 3) Once the changes sync, the suspension will take effect immediately and FingerTec device(s) will deny the user’s access. When the suspended user performs verification at the device, a message “user disabled” will be displayed.
4) If you wished to remove the user from the suspended list, untick the ‘Suspended’ option and follow steps 1 – 3.

Field Customization Management to Add User Details

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 TimeTec 1 Comments

Introduction
In TCMS V3, we have provided a set of default fields for general user information under User Tab. But your company might want to add certain information that is not readily available in the software. We have just the solution you need.
With Field Customization Management, you can add more user fields in TCMS V3.

Benefits
This feature offers flexibility to create your own data.

Process
1) Go to System Settings > Field Customization Field > Edit > Add


2) A pop-up will appear. Insert the item name, choose the item type and fill up the details accordingly.
There are 4 Item Types available:

a)  Text Box
Users can key in the data input inside the box. For example: Age, Height and Weight.

b)  Combo Box
You can create a list of selection where users can choose one from the drop-down list. For example, Blood type (A,B,AB,O) and Gender (Male , Female).

c) Check Box
You can add options and let users to select accordingly, for example marital status, language proficiency and etc.

d) DateComboBox
You can select a date from a drop-down calendar.

3) Click Save, the field(s) will be created under Other Tab in Users Module.

Batch Add User into TimeTec TA Made Easy by Importing User from File

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 TimeTec 0 Comments

Introduction
TimeTec TA is a highly flexible cloud-based time & attendance management system, that allows you to import user information from file. This feature provides a convenient way to integrate user information from the existing 3rd party system, if any, into TimeTec TA. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to import users from files with .xlsx or .txt formats.

Benefit
This feature allows you to add user in batch into TimeTec TA easily and offers a way for you to transfer users from existing third party HR or payroll system.

Process
1. To import user from file, first go to User Tab > Manage > Import Users > Browse File to import User (two format supported: xlsx and txt). The formats supported are Excel Files (.xlsx) and Text File (.txt). You can download the sample Excel and Text files to help you configure the layout and of the files.


2. Users can directly perform the field matching after importing file if the Excel file contains only 1 sheet.


If the attached Excel file contains multiple sheets, there will be a drop list to select the desired Excel sheet to match the user information. It is strongly recommended to follow the configuration in the sample file as this will smoothen the process of the field matching.

3. The system will then provide a preview of the users from the file. If there is any invalid user in the Excel file, the system will display it together with the reason of the user’s invalidity.
The valid users will be displayed and the information can be viewed before importing into the system.
4. You will be prompted for generate attendance after successfully importing user from file. The issuance date of the user can be changed here as well.

5. A message will be displayed indicating the users have been imported successfully. The total number of users added into the system will be shown.  

6. The users can be seen under User Module after the process is completed successfully.

How to Enrol Time Beacon/ NFC in TimeTec TA using Android Smartphones

Thursday, January 05, 2017 TimeTec 3 Comments

NOTE 

Process: To enrol your Beacon/ NFC devices into TimeTec TA account, you need to complete the following three setups: 
Step 1: Add Time Beacon/ NFC as a Check Point
Step 2: Enrol the Beacon/ NFC using the TimeTec TA App
Step 3: Assign Beacon/ NFC  to a Check Point Group, and allocate users under each group accordingly.   

Step 1: Add Time Beacon/ NFC as a check point 
1) Login to your TimeTec TA account with master account holder, go to Devices > NFC | Beacons


 4) Click on the human Icon in front of each group to assign users to the Beacon/NFC Groups and you’re done!