Biometric Time Attendance System: Structure and Function

Pen and paper attendance registers are considered primitive, nowadays! In a world, where everything is getting digitalized, attendance sheets are not far behind. Companies, government offices, schools, and colleges do not need to use traditional attendance registers. Biometrics has spread its reach to attendance keeping as well. You may easily spot a biometric time attendance system in offices. Time and attendance of the employees are no longer tracked manually. It is done digitally with the help of biometrics. Various human body parts can be used to track identity of an individual for attendance keeping. Face, voice, iris, fingerprint, palm, and other parts of the body may be used for it.

The most common biometric time attendance systems amongst them are:

*Face recognition time attendance
*Finger Print time attendance

time attendance system works by collecting the facial details of an individual. In this device, the software is installed in the central server and the application (containing a camera) is fixed at the access point. Individuals only need to show their face to the camera and the attendance will be marked in the software. Time is recorded in the software. Reports are generated by the face recognition time attendance appliance that contains the details of the individual's attendance and time keeping.

Apart from facial detection time attendance, finger print time attendance is also widely used.
In this biometric time attendance system, individuals need to verify their fingerprints instead of facial details. The application is fixed at the access point and the software is installed in the central server. Individuals, coming and going, are supposed to punch in their finger prints to the application. Their details are recorded in the software and reports are generated based on these details. Finger print readers are more used than face recognition systems. Reason behind is cost! Finger print readers are cheaper.

Time attendance systems may also have iris recognition, voice recognition, or palm reading. However, biometric time attendance system using face recognition and fingerprint reader is in demand at present! Except for the application in use, the phenomenon of identity verification remains the same in all apparatus. An ideal biometric time attendance system consists of the following parts:

*Device that reads the specified part of the body
*Software that is installed in the central server or specified PC
*License to use the required software
*Guidance on how to use the system - a booklet or verbal guidance provided by the vendor

The system can also be integrated with other software. For example, time attendance system can be combined with payroll software. This enables the system to record attendance, generate reports on the attendance details, and also generate salary reports for the employees.

Similarly, a biometric time attendance system can also have the facility to swipe access cards. This gives more accurate results in identity verification. Use of time attendance applications are increasing day by day. It is convenient and cheaper for companies. Companies are accepting it in their daily activities because of the ease in handling it.