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How Reliable is Your Time Clock?

The article discusses the challenges of unreliable internet connectivity for digital time tracking in remote construction and field service jobs and highlights how ExakTime provides a dependable solution by allowing workers to clock in and out via a smartphone or tablet without needing an immediate internet connection, storing unsent data locally and syncing it automatically once connectivity is restored to ensure no time records are lost.

Nearly everyone in the US has internet access—about 95% of Americans to be exact—but anyone who has driven to a rural location knows connections can be spotty. Construction work often takes place in locations where a reliable, high-speed internet connection isn’t always available. There is nothing worse than trying to take an important customer call or connect with your workers and the call can’t connect or is dropped. And while connectivity continues to improve across the country, with mobile providers putting up 5G cell towers as fast as possible, companies who work in the field need a more reliable solution that functions now and into the future, no matter where the jobsite exists.

How Time Clocks Work

More and more construction and field services companies rely on digital time tracking to track worker hours. This mobile solution travels with the worker, typically via an app on a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. Workers log their start and stop times on the device and the data is transferred to a central hub where it can be aggregated for payroll or to analyze worker activities per employee, per site.

The problem is some digital time tracking solutions aren’t as reliable as promised. These solutions simply don’t work well in remote areas where internet doesn’t exist or is spotty.

How ExakTime Has Your Back

ExakTime was developed with construction and field services organizations in mind. We offer reliable solutions that will work anywhere—no matter how spotty or nonexistent the Internet connection is.

ExakTime, used via a smartphone or tablet, doesn’t need an internet connection to work. By default, ExakTime will try to send any clock in/outs after they have been made. But if there is no internet, unsent time records will be stored and ExakTime will try to send them again after the next clock in/out or the next automatic/manual sync, whichever happens first. Employers can be sure no data is lost, no matter when the connection is restored.

For companies that simply can’t rely on getting a connection—or for jobs that dictate no phones on site—our rugged time clocks can track everyone’s time, no matter how long the job lasts. Time clocks are completely portable and travel to the worksite, even if it’s remote. Employees clock in and out using keytabs. The clock sends data to ExakTime every hour using an iOS or Android device, no data plan needed. If you don’t have a cellular signal, the punches are stored. More than 20,000 punches can be stored, even if the battery needs replacement.

Being able to rely on your tech is essential for every business that works in the field. ExakTime understands this, which is why we have built time tracking devices that stand up to every outdoor situation and work whether the internet is strong, spotty or nonexistent.