Decide the source of truth before buying devices
Biometric projects fail when the device becomes one more data source rather than the source of truth. Before procurement, agree that punches from the device define attendance and that every deviation must be raised as a tracked correction request.
Without that agreement, HR ends up reconciling device data against a parallel register, which is more work than before.
Sync modes and what they cost you
Devices generally support push over the network, scheduled pull, or offline export. Push gives near-real-time dashboards but needs stable connectivity at every location. Scheduled pull is resilient and adequate for most organisations. Offline export should be a fallback, never a design.
- Push: real-time visibility, needs reliable site connectivity
- Pull on schedule: resilient, typically 15 to 60 minute freshness
- Offline export: use only as a documented fallback
- Always buffer punches on-device so outages do not lose data
Exceptions are the whole project
Field staff, client-site deployments, night shifts crossing midnight, half-days and multi-punch days generate most of the support load. Each needs an explicit rule in the HRMS before go-live, plus a geo-tagged mobile punch option for genuinely mobile employees.
Where exceptions are undefined, managers approve by exception in email and the audit trail disappears.
Rollout sequence
Run the device and the existing register in parallel for one cycle, publish a daily variance report, and fix rule gaps as they surface. Switch off the register only when variance is explained rather than merely small.
Planning something similar for your organisation?
Talk to the InfozIT team about your CRM, HRMS, ERP, product or engineering requirement.