Employee time clocks, also known as payroll time clock systems, were invented over hundred years ago and play a key role in many businesses. They are designed to assist organizations in keeping track of employee hours for payroll purposes.

Electronic employee time clocks, time recorders and time and date stamps are used by many businesses and organizations. The punch system is the most common type used today. The time stamped on a card or other document is very accurate.

Time close systems came about during the Industrial Revolution, when a need to track the pay for thousands of employees was created. The initial setup comprised a clock attached to a mechanical stamp that kept the times a worker arrived and left on a card, creating a report that could be used to calculate payroll at the end of the week. The idea was very simple and worked for nearly a century.

Many employers switched to time clock software that permits staffs to sign into work by means of a computer network. These are designed to function in different environments, from a small office to big businesses. Time clock software helps the organizations keep track of the workers start and stop times and has eliminated the need for badges and time cards. It produces reports that include holidays, overtime, shift and pay period policies.

Nowadays, choosing an employee time and attendance clock system from the sheer numbers available may be a difficult task. The clock systems range from standard mechanical time clocks to the latest PC based time clocks and time keeping solutions.