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Attendance & Time Tracking

Track employee work hours, manage clock-ins and clock-outs, and streamline payroll processing with SSP Manager's integrated time and attendance system.

Overview​

The attendance tracking system helps you:

  • ⏰ Track employee work hours automatically
  • 📅 Manage clock-ins and clock-outs
  • 💰 Calculate labor costs in real-time
  • 📊 Generate payroll reports
  • 🚨 Monitor late arrivals and early departures
  • 📈 Analyze labor productivity

Key Benefits:

  • Eliminate manual timesheets
  • Reduce time theft
  • Accurate payroll processing
  • Labor law compliance
  • Real-time labor cost visibility

Accessing Attendance Management​

Navigation: [Your Location] → Team → Attendance today

Required Permissions:

  • View: Manager, Supervisor
  • Edit: Manager only
  • Clock In/Out: All staff

Role-Based Access Control​

Managing User Roles​

Access the User Management page to view and manage roles:

Navigation: [Your Location] → Team → Employees

The User Management page displays:

  • User table with columns for ID, User, Roles, Status, Permissions, and Actions
  • Roles column showing assigned role badges for each user
  • Manage Custom Roles button for creating and editing custom roles
  • Invite Team Member button for adding new users

Available System Roles:

  • Organization Admin: Full system access across all locations
  • Chain Manager: Multi-location management access
  • Location Manager: Full access to assigned location
  • Floor Manager: Operational management within location
  • Wait Staff: Basic POS and service functions

Custom Role Management​

Create and modify custom roles using the Manage Custom Roles button:

  1. Click Manage Custom Roles at the top of the User Management page
  2. View existing custom roles or create new ones
  3. Define permissions for each role
  4. Assign roles to users through the Roles column
Role Assignment

Roles are displayed as badges in the Roles column of the user table. Multiple roles can be assigned to a single user as needed.

Employee Clock-In/Out​

Clocking In​

For Employees:

  1. Open SSP Manager app or POS terminal
  2. Click Clock In
  3. Enter employee PIN or scan badge
  4. Confirm scheduled shift (if applicable)
  5. Click Start Shift

Recorded Information:

  • Employee name and ID
  • Clock-in timestamp
  • Location
  • Device/terminal used
  • IP address (for verification)

Optional:

  • Photo capture (facial recognition)
  • Geolocation verification
  • Role/position for shift
Quick Clock-In

Enable PIN-based clock-in for fast, secure access. Employees create a 4-6 digit PIN during onboarding.

Clocking Out​

Process:

  1. Click Clock Out
  2. Enter PIN or scan badge
  3. Review hours worked
  4. Add notes (optional)
  5. Confirm clock-out
Open cash drawer

When the location's Close the drawer before clocking out setting is on (the default), staff who hold an open cash drawer can't clock out until they close it or hand it over. A manager can force-close a drawer left open.

Automatic Calculations:

  • Total hours worked
  • Break time deducted
  • Overtime hours (if applicable)
  • Tips earned (if recorded)

Break Management​

Recording Breaks:

  1. During shift, click Start Break
  2. Select break type:
    • Lunch Break (30 min, unpaid)
    • Rest Break (15 min, paid)
    • Custom
  3. Timer starts
  4. Click End Break when returning

Automatic Break Enforcement:

  • Required breaks based on shift length
  • Alerts when break is overdue
  • Compliance with labor laws
  • Break time automatically deducted from paid hours

Labor Law Compliance:

  • California: 30min meal break for 5+ hour shifts
  • New York: 30min break for 6+ hour shifts
  • Federal: No mandated breaks (but if given, breaks under 20min must be paid)
  • Customizable per location

Attendance Dashboard​

Real-Time View​

See who's currently working:

Status Indicators:

  • 🟢 Clocked In: Currently working
  • 🟡 On Break: Taking a break
  • 🔴 Clocked Out: Shift ended
  • ⚪ Scheduled: Not yet arrived
  • 🟠 Late: Scheduled but not clocked in

Dashboard Information:

  • Employee name and photo
  • Current status
  • Clock-in time
  • Hours worked so far
  • Scheduled end time
  • Current role/position

Time Cards​

View detailed time records:

  1. Go to Team → Attendance today → Time Cards
  2. Select employee
  3. Choose date range
  4. View:
    • All clock-ins/outs
    • Break times
    • Total hours
    • Overtime hours
    • Notes and edits
    • Approval status

Time Card Details:

Employee: John Smith
Date: Nov 8, 2025
-------------------------------
Clock In:   10:00 AM
Break Start: 2:00 PM (Lunch)
Break End:   2:30 PM
Clock Out:   6:15 PM
-------------------------------
Regular Hours: 7.75 hrs
Break Time:    0.50 hrs (unpaid)
Paid Hours:    7.75 hrs
Overtime:      0.00 hrs
-------------------------------
Status: Pending Approval

Schedule Integration​

Comparing Actual vs. Scheduled​

View schedule adherence:

Metrics:

  • On-time clock-ins
  • Late arrivals
  • Early departures
  • Unscheduled absences
  • Extra hours worked

Visual Indicators:

  • ✅ On Time: Clocked in within 5min of schedule
  • ⚠️ Late: Clocked in >5min late
  • 🚫 No Show: Didn't clock in for scheduled shift
  • ➕ Extra: Worked when not scheduled

Attendance Report:

  1. Team → Attendance today → Reports
  2. Select Schedule Adherence
  3. Choose date range
  4. View compliance percentage
  5. Identify trends and issues

Learn more about Shift Scheduling

Editing Time Entries​

Manager Adjustments​

Managers can edit time entries when needed:

Common Reasons:

  • Employee forgot to clock in/out
  • System error
  • Clock-in at wrong location
  • Early departure approved but not recorded

Edit Process:

  1. Find time entry in Time Cards
  2. Click Edit
  3. Adjust:
    • Clock-in time
    • Clock-out time
    • Break duration
    • Add notes explaining change
  4. Click Save
  5. Employee receives notification of change
  6. Change logged in audit log
Important

All edits are logged with manager name, timestamp, and reason. This ensures audit trail for labor compliance.

Bulk Edits​

Edit multiple time entries at once:

  1. Team → Attendance today → Bulk Edit
  2. Select employees and date range
  3. Choose edit type:
    • Add missing clock-in/out
    • Adjust all entries by X minutes
    • Add breaks
    • Delete entries
  4. Enter adjustment details
  5. Review changes
  6. Click Apply
  7. All employees notified

Overtime Tracking​

Overtime Rules​

Configure overtime calculations:

Setup:

  1. Location Settings → Labor & Compliance
  2. Configure overtime rules:
    • Daily Overtime: Hours over 8/day (California)
    • Weekly Overtime: Hours over 40/week (Federal)
    • Double Time: Hours over 12/day or 7th consecutive day
    • Custom Rules: State-specific requirements

Overtime Rates:

  • 1.5x pay: Standard overtime
  • 2.0x pay: Double time
  • Custom multipliers

Overtime Alerts​

Real-Time Notifications:

  • Approaching overtime threshold
  • Overtime started
  • Excessive overtime (budget alert)

Setup Alerts:

  1. Location Settings → Notifications
  2. Enable Overtime Alerts
  3. Set thresholds:
    • Daily hours limit
    • Weekly hours limit
    • Individual employee limits
  4. Choose recipients (manager, owner, employee)

Budget Protection:

  • Set weekly overtime budget
  • Alert when 75% spent
  • Block clock-ins when budget exceeded (optional)

Labor Cost Tracking​

Real-Time Labor Costs​

See labor costs as they accrue:

Dashboard Metrics:

  • Current hour labor cost
  • Today's total labor cost
  • Week-to-date labor cost
  • Labor cost percentage (vs. revenue)
  • Projected weekly labor cost

How It's Calculated:

Employee hourly wage × hours worked = labor cost
+ overtime premium
+ taxes and benefits (optional)
= total labor cost

Labor Cost Percentage:

(Total Labor Cost / Total Revenue) × 100 = Labor Cost %

Industry Benchmarks:

  • Full Service: 25-35%
  • Quick Service: 20-30%
  • Fine Dining: 30-40%

Cost Optimization​

Recommendations:

  • Identify overstaffed shifts
  • Reduce overtime
  • Optimize break scheduling
  • Right-size staff to demand

Reports:

  1. Team → Attendance today → Labor Analysis
  2. View:
    • Labor cost by day/week/month
    • Cost per employee
    • Overtime costs
    • Labor % trends
  3. Export for budgeting

Payroll Integration​

Exporting for Payroll​

Generate payroll reports:

  1. Team → Attendance today → Payroll Export
  2. Select pay period
  3. Choose employees (or All)
  4. Select export format:
    • CSV: Universal format
    • QuickBooks: Direct import
    • ADP: Formatted for ADP
    • Paychex: Formatted for Paychex
    • Gusto: API integration
  5. Click Generate Report

Report Includes:

  • Employee name and ID
  • Regular hours
  • Overtime hours
  • Double-time hours
  • Tips (if applicable)
  • Total hours
  • Gross pay (if wage data available)

Direct Integrations​

Supported Payroll Providers:

  • QuickBooks Payroll
  • ADP Workforce Now
  • Paychex Flex
  • Gusto
  • Square Payroll
  • Homebase

Setup Integration:

  1. Team → Attendance today → Integrations
  2. Select payroll provider
  3. Authorize connection
  4. Map fields (employee IDs, pay rates, etc.)
  5. Test sync
  6. Enable automatic sync

Benefits:

  • No manual data entry
  • Reduce errors
  • Faster payroll processing
  • Auto-sync each pay period

Learn more about Integrations

Compliance and Reporting​

Labor Law Compliance​

Automatic Compliance Checks:

  • Minimum wage verification
  • Overtime rules enforcement
  • Break requirements
  • Minor employee restrictions
  • Weekly hour limits

Compliance Alerts:

  • Missing required breaks
  • Excessive hours worked
  • Minor working during restricted hours
  • Insufficient rest between shifts

Setup: Location Settings → Labor & Compliance → State/Local Laws

Audit Reports​

Available Reports:

  1. Time and Attendance Summary

    • Total hours by employee
    • Overtime hours
    • Absence tracking
    • On-time percentage

  2. Exception Report

    • Late clock-ins
    • Early departures
    • Missing clock-ins/outs
    • Unauthorized overtime

  3. Labor Cost Report

    • Cost by employee
    • Cost by department/role
    • Cost trends
    • Budget variance

  4. Compliance Report

    • Break compliance
    • Overtime compliance
    • Minor employee compliance
    • Labor law adherence

Generate Reports: Reports → Labor & Attendance → Select Report Type

Export Options:

  • PDF for printing
  • Excel for analysis
  • CSV for import to other systems
  • Email scheduled reports

Advanced Features​

Geofencing​

Ensure employees clock in from correct location:

Setup:

  1. Location Settings → Attendance Settings
  2. Enable Geofencing
  3. Set radius around location (e.g., 100 feet)
  4. Choose enforcement:
    • Block clock-ins outside radius
    • Allow with manager approval
    • Alert manager but allow

Benefits:

  • Prevent remote clock-ins
  • Ensure employees are on-site
  • Reduce time theft

Facial Recognition​

Optional biometric verification:

How It Works:

  1. Employee enrolls face during onboarding
  2. At clock-in, device camera captures face
  3. System verifies identity
  4. Clock-in approved or denied

Privacy:

  • Facial data encrypted
  • Not shared with third parties
  • Can be deleted on employee request
  • Compliant with biometric privacy laws

Enable: Location Settings → Attendance Settings → Facial Recognition

Photo Capture​

Capture photo at each clock-in:

Purpose:

  • Verify employee identity
  • Prevent buddy punching
  • Visual record of attendance

Settings:

  • Mandatory or optional
  • Front camera on mobile
  • Webcam on POS terminal
  • Photos stored in secure cloud

Mobile App​

Employee Mobile Access​

Employees can use the SSP Manager mobile app:

Features:

  • Clock in/out from phone
  • View schedule
  • Request time off
  • See hours worked
  • View pay stubs (if integrated)

Download:

  • iOS: App Store
  • Android: Google Play

Setup:

  1. Download app
  2. Enter location code (provided by manager)
  3. Log in with employee credentials
  4. Allow location permissions (if geofencing enabled)

Manager Mobile Access​

Managers can manage attendance on-the-go:

Manager Features:

  • See who's currently working
  • Approve/edit time entries
  • View real-time labor costs
  • Send shift reminders
  • Approve time-off requests

Troubleshooting​

Employee Can't Clock In​

Possible Causes:

  • Incorrect PIN
  • Not scheduled for shift
  • Geofencing blocking (outside location)
  • Device permissions not granted
  • Account inactive

Solutions:

  • Reset their PIN: Team → Employees → ⋯ on their row → Reset PIN. The new PIN is emailed to them (how PIN resets work)
  • Check schedule assignment
  • Disable geofencing temporarily
  • Grant location permissions
  • Activate employee account

Missing Clock-Out​

Common Scenario: Employee forgot to clock out

Solution:

  1. Manager edits time entry
  2. Estimate clock-out time
  3. Add note: "Forgot to clock out, adjusted by manager"
  4. Save edit
  5. Employee notified

Prevention:

  • Enable auto clock-out (after X hours)
  • End-of-shift reminders
  • Manager reviews daily

Time Discrepancies​

Investigating Differences:

  1. View audit log for time entry
  2. Check for manager edits
  3. Compare to schedule
  4. Review break times
  5. Verify clock-in location/device

Resolution:

  • Discuss with employee
  • Make necessary adjustments
  • Document reason
  • Update policies if needed

Best Practices​

Policy Guidelines​

Clear Policies:

  • Clock-in within 5 minutes of scheduled start
  • Manager approval required for overtime
  • Breaks must be taken and recorded
  • Accurate time reporting is mandatory
  • Consequences for time theft

Communication:

  • Post policies in break room
  • Include in employee handbook
  • Review during onboarding
  • Periodic reminders

Manager Responsibilities​

Daily Tasks:

  • Review who's currently working
  • Check for missing clock-outs
  • Approve time-off requests
  • Monitor labor costs

Weekly Tasks:

  • Review and approve all time entries
  • Process payroll export
  • Check overtime usage
  • Address attendance issues

Monthly Tasks:

  • Review labor cost trends
  • Analyze attendance patterns
  • Update schedules as needed
  • Conduct performance reviews

Employee Training​

Onboard New Employees:

  1. Explain time tracking system
  2. Set up PIN or badge
  3. Practice clock-in/out
  4. Review break policies
  5. Show how to view hours worked

Ongoing Training:

  • Remind about policies
  • Share labor cost importance
  • Recognize good attendance
  • Address issues promptly

FAQ​

Can employees see other employees' hours?​

No. Employees can only see their own hours. Managers and owners can see all employees.

What if an employee forgets to clock out?​

Managers can edit the time entry and add the estimated clock-out time with a note explaining the adjustment.

How accurate is the time tracking?​

Timestamps are accurate to the second and logged with device information for verification.

Can I integrate with my payroll software?​

Yes! We integrate with QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, Gusto, and others. See Payroll Integration.

What about overtime rules for my state?​

Configure state-specific rules in Location Settings → Labor & Compliance. We support all U.S. states and many international jurisdictions.

Can employees clock in early?​

Configurable. You can allow early clock-ins, block them, or require manager approval.

Is facial recognition required?​

No, it's completely optional. Use PINs, badges, or simple login instead.

How long is attendance data kept?​

Standard: 7 years (IRS requirement). Can export at any time for your own records.

Getting Help​

Need assistance with attendance tracking?

  • 📧 Email: support@ssppos.com
  • 💬 Live Chat: Available in dashboard
  • 📚 Help Center: docs.ssppos.com

Simplify time tracking and payroll with SSP Manager Attendance System.