5 Tips to Ensure a Smooth Time and Attendance Installation

An automated time and attendance tracking system is a way for your organization to save money and eliminate the frustrations and errors of a manual process. Once the decision is made to increase efficiency, manage labor costs and maximize profits by implementing a time and attendance system, preparation for the installation process should begin.

Here are 5 Tips to ensure a smooth time and attendance installation:

1. Software.

Before you research possible vendors, you need to do your internal needs analysis. Start by assessing your current time & attendance system; set your goals including a ROI for a new system; assemble your team of users; develop a budget; and finally select a vendor whose credentials and applications can meet your current needs as wells as future changes.

2. Players.

Your team should include manager users that access the system, and most important always include your internal or contracted IT staff. It’s crucial for the proper team to be in place, be consistent, and be available at all times throughout the time & attendance software installation process. Generally speaking, the process takes 2-4 weeks, depending on the size and scale of your operations, and technical infrastructure. When creating the installation team, know that the team’s involvement will have a direct effect on the success of the installation. Keep in mind, the software provider’s professional staff will act as a trusted advisor and will lead the organization’s team through the installation process.

3. Documentation.

Equally imperative is full disclosure of company operating rules, payroll policies and procedures. A package will be provided for the installation team to complete. The more accurate and thorough the information provided, the more easily and quickly the time and attendance installation will progress. In this case, more is better. The more information the time and attendance software company is provided, the more they can match the organizations expectations, and ensure compliance with company and mandated guidelines. Brain storm about all organizational policies: for example, tip pooling, accruals, holiday rules, department specific rules, and rules specific to executives only.

4. Communication.

Underlying all the prior steps is the need for open, constructive communications among all parties involved in the process and affected by the installation. The Project manager needs to own and direct the dialogue between their internal team and the vendor. Most important is providing Managers with the reasons for the need to implement the new system, getting their buy-in and finally communicating the positives of the change to the hourly users. The last thing an organization wants is to have a sizeable investment in resources for a new system undermined because of false or uninformed reasons.

5. Training.

The measure of a successful installation is the daily productive use by the managers and employees of the new Time and Attendance system. Achieving this end is directly attributable to the quality and scope of training provided, and mandatory participation by the users. Post installation, users can improve their operational processes with the new software by continual training through Webinars or scheduled sessions. Your vendor should have an established training program for continual optimization and improvement after the software has been installed.