T&A on your cellphone

August 2009 Infrastructure

Cellular time and attendance adds a new dimension to access control.

It is not always financially viable to place a traditional clocking machine to control time and attendance (T&A) at each and every point where employees are stationed, particularly when staff numbers are less than 10. This is also applicable when there are no fixed sites involved and employees travel to different locations to undertake work.

Beget Solutions, a division of JSE-listed Beget Holdings, has developed a system, integrated into its MobileBIO Website, where employees can clock in and out using their cellphones. The employee sends the text 'CLOCK A' for IN or 'CLOCK B' for OUT via premium rated SMS to a designated short code for the system to register the activity. There is also an option to send a text comment, for example, 'At client xyz'. The cellphone number acts as the employee’s unique ID. An SMS is sent back immediately confirming receipt of the SMS clock.

By means of LBS (location based services) the actual location of the employee is plotted and stored in the Beget system. Employers can log into the MobileBIO Website to access SMS reports and to track the whereabouts of their staff making the system ideal for applications such as self-posting guards where site supervision is difficult, travelling representatives, and for companies such as plumbers and electricians that have several vehicles and teams on different sites at different times.

The SMS clocking can be used integral to Beget’s other fingerprint-based biometric systems to provide full management of all staff T&A by writing the in and out clocking functions – from both fixed and mobile clocking devices – into a central database. Where fingerprint capture is not possible, SMS clocking not only reduces the manual input of clocking information but allows for more effective control of employee movements.

The system works over both MTN and Vodacom networks.

For more information contact Delmé Hawkins, Beget Solutions, 086 112 3438, [email protected]





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

VPS hosting set to dominate in 2025
Infrastructure
SME market growth and the increasing need for a digital footprint are pushing VPS growth in South Africa, especially since it is now perceived as a viable business tool, scalable by nature, with improved performance.

Read more...
Threats, opportunities and the need for post-quantum cryptography
AI & Data Analytics Infrastructure
The opportunities offered by quantum computing are equalled by the threats this advanced computer science introduces. The evolution of quantum computing jeopardises the security of any data available in the digital space.

Read more...
Highest capacity ePMR HDDs
Infrastructure Products & Solutions
Western Digital has announced that it is now shipping the world’s highest capacity UltraSMR HDD with up to 32TB leveraging the time-tested, reliable energy-assisted PMR (ePMR) recording technology for hyperscalers, CSPs and enterprises.

Read more...
Axis introduces ACS Edge and cloud storage
Axis Communications SA Surveillance Infrastructure Products & Solutions
Axis Communications has launched two new solutions within the AXIS Camera Station ecosystem, AXIS Camera Station Edge (ACS Edge) and AXIS Camera Station Cloud Storage (ACS Cloud Storage).

Read more...
Autonomous healing systems are the future
Infrastructure Information Security AI & Data Analytics
Autonomous healing software, an emerging technology, is gaining traction for its potential to transform how organisations manage software maintenance, security, and system performance.

Read more...
Navigating a connected, AI-driven future at SATNAC 2024
Infrastructure AI & Data Analytics IoT & Automation
The 2024 Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference concluded its 26th edition with a call to harness AI to drive positive change across the continent. Moreover, students from Wits, North West and Pretoria universities won the best research paper awards.

Read more...
Cost-effective and reliable remote connectivity
Agriculture (Industry) Integrated Solutions Infrastructure
Companies that operate in hard-to-connect areas now have access to reliable connectivity due to a collaboration between MTN South Africa, Vox and Tarana technology.

Read more...
Data resilience in the age of AI
Infrastructure AI & Data Analytics
The discourse around AI has reached a fever pitch, but this ‘age of AI’ we have entered is just a chapter in a story that has been going on for years – digital transformation.

Read more...
Is cybersecurity broken?
Information Security Infrastructure
Companies are spending large amounts on cybersecurity, yet cyber threats continue to persist and thrive. Security executives are under tremendous pressure, and companies are questioning the wisdom of their security budgets.

Read more...
Data resilience for companies of all sizes
Technews Publishing Infrastructure Products & Solutions
Nakivo offers backup, recovery and replication solutions for all companies, but is focused on small- to medium-sized businesses where customers need affordable solutions that are simple to use and reliable.

Read more...