Managing Your Business (MYB)

Issue 4 2001

Publication Title: Clocking On

"No more excuses for not clocking in unless you forget to bring your fingers to work! TOUCHtime aims to combat 'buddy punching', a practice where employees get their friends to click in for them. The problems with this kind of fraud are particularly acute in the event of a fire or other emergency with rescue crews often searching the building for 'no-shows'. Employers have a duty under the health and safety regulations to keep a track of exactly who is or is not on their premises. Time Systems' TOUCHtime solutions uses a small fingerprint sensor instead of a card reader or stamper. It takes less than ten seconds for the employee to register for the first time; after that it's less than one second for the unit to recognise them again when they arrive for work even with a reasonable degree of dirt or injury to the fingertips - TOUCHtime, proof positive time and attendance."

Payroll World

November 2001

Publication Title: Cheats fingered!

"Workers in some industry sectors could be fingerprinted to prove they have clocked in. Milton Keynes company Time Systems (UK) Ltd has invented a solution called TOUCHtime which uses a small fingerprint sensor instead of a card. The government believes the invention could end the widespread practice of 'buddy punching', which allows workers to give swipe cards to a colleague to clock in for them. This practice is so widespread that thousands of hours of work are lost - costing UK industry millions every year. The device links to any standard PC and payroll package. TOUCHtime does not store an image of the fingerprint but instead scans the little reference points and characteristics of the swirls and loops that make the human hand unique. Even identical twins don't have the same fingerprints and if you are thinking of making some fake latex fingerprints, don't bother because the device even checks to see if the finger is alive!"