Clock-In and Attendance Events

These terms cover the specific events and states that the time-tracking system records for each employee shift, from initial punch to real-time visibility.

Clock-In / Clock-Out Punchartifact

A clock-in/clock-out punch is the discrete timestamped record created when an employee starts or ends a shift, capturing the exact time, GPS coordinates and job site association. It is the atomic unit of a time-tracking system's attendance record.

Also known as: time punch, punch event

Each punch captures time, GPS coordinates and job site association simultaneously, creating a single verifiable record rather than three separate data points.

Missed Punchfailure-mode

A missed punch occurs when an employee fails to record a clock-in or clock-out event, creating a gap in the shift record that requires manual correction before payroll can run. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software sends automated push alerts to employees and supervisors when a missed punch is detected.

Also known as: missing punch, forgotten punch

Automated push alerts notify both employees and supervisors when a missed punch is detected, reducing the time between occurrence and correction.

Shift Recordartifact

A shift record is the complete time-tracking entry for a single work period, including clock-in time, clock-out time, total hours, GPS coordinates, job site and any exception flags. It is the primary unit that flows from the time-tracking system into payroll.

Also known as: shift entry, work period record

The shift record bundles clock-in, clock-out, total hours, GPS coordinates, job site and exception flags into the single exportable unit that payroll systems consume.

Real-Time Location Visibilityconcept

Real-time location visibility is a manager-facing feature that displays the current GPS position of active field employees on a live map, enabling supervisors to confirm on-site presence without calling or texting. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software refreshes employee positions at configurable intervals on the platform's dashboard.

Also known as: live location tracking, real-time crew map

The live map display uses configurable refresh intervals, letting managers balance position accuracy against battery and data consumption on employee devices.

Related: Geomapping, Geofence, Audit Trail

Anti-Fraud and Policy Controls

These terms name the mechanisms that prevent buddy punching, inflated payroll and off-site clock-ins across field-crew environments.

Buddy Punchingfailure-mode

Buddy punching is a practice in which one employee clocks in on behalf of an absent colleague, inflating the absent employee's recorded hours. It is the most common source of unearned payroll in field-crew environments.

Also known as: proxy punching, ghost clocking

Buddy punching is the single most common mechanism for inflated payroll in field-crew environments, because shared passwords, badges and paper sign-ins are easily transferable.

Inflated Payroll Hoursfailure-mode

Inflated payroll hours refers to any practice by which an employee receives pay for hours not actually worked, including buddy punching, early clock-ins, late clock-outs or falsified manual timesheets. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software blocks clock-ins outside the geofence boundary to eliminate the most common vectors.

Also known as: unearned hours, payroll inflation

Common vectors include buddy punching, early clock-ins, late clock-outs and falsified manual timesheets, all of which GPS-verified clock-ins address directly.

Geofence Enforcement Modeconcept

Geofence enforcement mode is a system setting that determines how the app responds when an employee attempts to clock in outside the designated boundary. Options typically include hard block (punch rejected), soft block (punch accepted with a warning flag) or manager-alert-only. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software supports all three modes, configurable per job site.

Also known as: boundary enforcement setting, geofence policy mode

The three standard enforcement modes are hard block, soft block and manager-alert-only, giving operations teams flexibility based on job site conditions.

Facial Recognition Clock-Inconcept

Facial recognition clock-in is a biometric verification method that requires an employee to submit a selfie at clock-in, which the system matches against a stored reference photo to confirm identity and prevent buddy punching. It adds a second verification layer on top of GPS location.

Also known as: face verification punch, photo-verified clock-in

The selfie is matched against a stored reference photo at the exact moment of clock-in, creating a biometric identity check layered on top of GPS location verification.

Overtime Alertconcept

An overtime alert is an automated notification sent to a manager or employee when accumulated hours in a pay period approach or exceed the overtime threshold, typically 40 hours per week under the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software triggers configurable overtime alerts at user-defined hour thresholds.

Also known as: OT notification, overtime warning

The FLSA sets the federal overtime threshold at 40 hours per workweek; configurable alert trigger points let managers set warnings before that threshold is reached.

Payroll Integration and Export

These terms define the artifacts and processes that move verified time records into payroll without manual rework, covering export formats, locking mechanisms and pay-period boundaries.

Payroll-Ready Exportartifact

A payroll-ready export is a formatted data file, typically CSV, XLSX or direct API feed, that contains verified, approved shift records structured to match the input requirements of a payroll processor, eliminating manual data re-entry. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software generates payroll-ready exports compatible with 20+ payroll systems including QuickBooks, ADP and Gusto.

Also known as: payroll export file, payroll data feed

Compatible formats include CSV, XLSX and direct API feeds; the platform supports 20+ payroll integrations including QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto and Paychex.

Timesheet Lockartifact

A timesheet lock is a system action that freezes a completed pay period's time records against further edits, preserving the data integrity of the payroll-ready export. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software automatically locks timesheets at the pay period cutoff and logs any post-lock override attempts in the audit trail.

Also known as: period lock, timesheet freeze

Timesheets lock automatically at the pay period cutoff; any post-lock override attempt is logged in the audit trail with a timestamp and user ID.

Pay Period Cutoffconcept

A pay period cutoff is the designated end time, typically midnight on the last day of a weekly, biweekly or semi-monthly cycle, after which no new time records are accepted for that period and the payroll-ready export is generated. Missing the cutoff requires a payroll adjustment in the next cycle.

Also known as: period close, payroll cutoff date

Common cycles are weekly, biweekly and semi-monthly, with the cutoff typically set at midnight on the final day of the period.

Overtime Thresholdconcept

The overtime threshold is the number of hours worked beyond which an employer must pay a premium rate. Under the U.S. FLSA, this is 40 hours in a single workweek at a minimum rate of 1.5 times the regular rate. State laws such as California's daily 8-hour threshold may set stricter limits.

Also known as: OT threshold, overtime limit

The FLSA sets the federal threshold at 40 hours per workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate; California adds a daily 8-hour threshold at 1.5 times the regular rate.

Compliance and Dispute Resolution

These terms cover the records, audit mechanisms and legal frameworks that make time data defensible in pay disputes and regulatory audits.

Audit Trailartifact

An audit trail is an immutable, timestamped log of every clock-in, clock-out, edit, approval and override action in the time-tracking system, used to resolve pay disputes and demonstrate regulatory compliance. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software captures the GPS coordinates and device ID associated with every logged event.

Also known as: edit log, activity log

Each audit trail entry captures GPS coordinates and device ID alongside the timestamp and user action, creating a multi-dimensional record per event.

Timesheet Exceptionconcept

A timesheet exception is any clock-in record that deviates from expected parameters, including off-site punches, missed punches, early or late arrivals and unapproved overtime, flagged for manager review before payroll approval. EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software surfaces exceptions in a dedicated manager dashboard queue.

Also known as: punch exception, attendance exception

Exception types include off-site punches, missed punches, early or late arrivals and unapproved overtime, each routed to a manager review queue before payroll runs.

Time Disputeconcept

A time dispute is a formal disagreement between an employee and employer over the accuracy of a recorded shift, typically involving missing hours, incorrect clock-out times or rejected off-site punches, that must be resolved before payroll is finalized. GPS-stamped audit trails are the primary evidence used to adjudicate disputes.

Also known as: pay dispute, hours dispute

GPS-stamped audit trails serve as the primary adjudication evidence, providing location, timestamp and device data for each contested punch.

FLSA Recordkeeping Requirementconcept

The FLSA recordkeeping requirement is the U.S. federal mandate under the Fair Labor Standards Act that employers retain accurate records of hours worked and wages paid for non-exempt employees for a minimum of two years for time records and three years for payroll records. GPS time-tracking systems satisfy this requirement by generating timestamped, location-verified shift records automatically.

Also known as: FLSA record retention, federal recordkeeping mandate

Retention periods are two years for basic time records and three years for payroll records, per FLSA Section 516.

GPS & Geofence Time Tracking Glossary: 22 Key Terms Defined

Location-Verification Mechanics

Fair Pay Starts at the Clock

Clock-In and Attendance Events

Anti-Fraud and Policy Controls

Payroll Integration and Export

Compliance and Dispute Resolution

How These Terms Relate

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