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GPRS-based managed time and attendance

Invisinet Technologies has launched an easy-to-use wireless device, the iLog, to enable companies to monitor employee attendance in realtime.

“The iLog is easy and cost-effective to install and use,” says Réan van Niekerk, one of the company’s founding directors. “It can integrate with most existing access control systems, and just about any technology for logging people in and out of their workplaces – including biometrics, barcode scanners, proximity readers, magstripe cards and so on.

“That means companies do not need to make any major changes to their existing infrastructure or work practices to use it. It can be installed and working seamlessly within a couple of days.”

The device is constantly connected to Invisinet’s secure servers using the national GPRS infrastructure, says Van Niekerk. “Site managers can get full attendance reports within minutes after the end of a shift, including from multiple or remote locations. The information can be exported in all standard formats for direct import into payroll packages, eliminating the need for time sheets and manual data capturing.”

Invisinet Technologies is part of the Metacom group of companies, along with Datalinx Technologies, which produces the CellPAD device for wireless transaction processing. Metacom provides the group with a common technical base, while Invisinet’s specialist knowledge of time and attendance-related business processes is supplied by founding directors Charles Robinson and Clint Mason, both of whom have substantial experience in the temporary employment industry.

iLog at the races

Hospitality staffing specialists, Innstaff turned to a high-tech solution to manage 200 temporary workers at this year’s Vodacom Durban July, ensuring seamless access control as well as saving three days of manual data capturing to produce its payroll.

“We provided hospitality staff for around eight different marquees operating at the Durban July,” says Innstaff contracts manager Carrie-Ann Howse. “We needed a single access point where staff could clock in and out, and where we could issue uniforms and equipment and perform security checks.” One access point for multiple sites, ensures all employees working at the same event, are monitored effectively by Invisinet.

Instaff approached Invisinet, who installed its wireless, portable access control system. Invisinet scanned Innstaff employees’ ID documents at entrance and exit, eliminating the need to issue access control cards or capture biometric information such as fingerprints. “The system was incredibly quick to set up and easy to use,” says Howse.

Innstaff GM, Lynne Van Loggerenberg adds that, “We received reports within minutes of commencement of the shift, and knew exactly how many staff we had on site and the allocation per cost centre. It also saved valuable time and eliminated the human error factor as the time sheets were imported directly into our payroll system.”

Power station logging

Invisinet has also partnered with staffing company Staff U Need to create a seamless time, attendance and payroll solution for the R80bn Medupi power station construction project.

“Medupi is South Africa’s biggest coal-based power station construction project in South Africa to date,” says Murray & Roberts project operations director, Conie Vermark. “Murray & Roberts is employing around 1000 people on the construction works, with the majority being hourly paid. A reliable time and attendance solution is absolutely essential, especially given the need for our activity based costing which requires accurate payroll information.”

“The lack of available infrastructure such as continuous power supply and even reliable connectivity poses challenges to the inception of any electronic based solution,” says Mason.

Murray and Roberts HR director Tim Hutton describes the Medupi site as 'an extremely hostile environment' for any information technology operation. “It is basically just a big hole in the ground at this point, with lots of dust and no power except from diesel generators. Computers do not last long.”

The SUN/Invisinet joint venture has crafted a complete solution, combining the iLog Managed Solution service with the personnel management and payments expertise of Staff U Need. The solution is based on a network of iLog GPRS communications devices linked to access control points and feeding data directly via the national cellular networks to Invisinet’s servers. Reports can be produced within minutes of a shift ending, and all information is exported directly to the payroll application for processing.

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