Central time clock
CrewBrain offers the possibility to record working hours with the help of a central time clock (e.g. at the entrance of the office or warehouse). At the central time clock, employees authenticate themselves either with their personnel number and a PIN or alternatively via RFID chips.
App or web
The central time clock is available both as a web interface (https://yourcompany.crewbrain.com/clock) or as a native app for Android in the PlayStore. Both variants are ideally suited for use as a central time clock, whereby the native app allows more options with RFID readers and is therefore preferable in connection with the use of RFID chips.
Setup
Activate time clock
The central time clock must be activated via Administration > Time Recording > Time Clock.
Set up PIN
Each employee must store a personal PIN for using the central time clock under My Account > Password. If RFID chips are used, this can be omitted.
Deposit RFID Chips
If the central time clock is to be used with RFID chips, the respective identifier of the RFID chips must be stored in the statement and time recording of the individual employees. In order to read out the codes of the RFID chips, our native Android app offers a corresponding debug mode. Alternatively, many of the RFID readers mentioned below can simply be connected directly to any PC in order to read out the data of the chips. If in doubt, it is advisable to purchase an additional RFID reader for these purposes.
Suitable Hardware
A tablet or PC with a touch screen is required to use the central time clock. In principle, the central time clock can be run on almost any tablet or PC, so the choice of system should rather be made according to general criteria:
- Can the tablet / PC be mounted sensibly (e.g. with VESA, wall-mount or tripods)?
- Are suitable RFID readers available for the system?
- Do I want to use the native app or the web view?
In the following, we would like to introduce you to suitable hardware for the central time clock, some of which you can also obtain directly from us.
EloTouch I-Series
The best and most comprehensive variant is to use the POS terminals from EloTouch. The I series for Android is suitable here. These tablets can be easily mounted via VESA adapters and with pole stands additionally offered by Elo, are robust and are provided with long-term updates. The additionally available RFID reader is firmly screwed to the tablet and thus cannot get lost.
The EloTouch devices can be purchased directly from us. Please contact our support team and ask for a quote. As of June 2023, the prices for the tablet are approx. 490€ for the tablet and approx. 180€ for the RFID reader (prices net in each case). Unfortunately, the tablets are in high demand, so delivery times can be up to several months.
iiyama ProLite
A cheaper alternative is the ProLite Tablet (from approx. 210€ net). It also has a VESA point and can thus be combined with any wall mounts and tripods. The big disadvantage of this option is that this tablet only supports Android 8 and no updates are offered. In addition, it is generally slower in processing the stamping operations due to the older system and a weaker processor. The tablet can be combined with one of the RFID readers listed below.
Xoro MegaPAD
The Xoro MegaPAD, which also has a VESA mount, is priced between the two aforementioned tablets at around €270 net, but has not yet been tested by us. However, it also supports Android 11 and the processor is stronger than that of the iiyama ProLite. The tablet can be combined with one of the RFID readers listed below.
RFID-Reader
In connection with the I-series from EloTouch, the Edge Connect RFID reader available specifically for this purpose should be used in any case. For all other variants (not necessarily only those listed here), RFID readers that function as a virtual keyboard are best suited. Corresponding RFID readers are available, for example, as USB sticks or USB-C adapters in various online stores. When buying, please make sure that the frequency matches the RFID chips used!
