Time clock system including scheduling payroll and productivity analysis capability

• US 4,819,162 A
• Filed: 02/09/1988
• Issued: 04/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Management Corp. (Agilysys Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Management Corp. (Agilysys Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bright, Kevin L., Dandrea, Michael B., Petersen, Donald D., Carlson, Wesley R., Hendren, Kenneth J., Webb, Frederick W. Jr., Almendinger, Allen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meyer, Charles B.
• Application Number:
  US07/161,322
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 364/406, 364/401, 235/376, 235/377, 346/20, 346/80, 346/86
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity

Abstract

The computerized time clock system includes a personal computer via which employee, job and schedule records may be assembled and maintained. A computerized time clock communicates with the personal computer and received employee and scheduling data therefrom, in order to validate and record time-in and time-out transactions executed by employees. Current time records are maintained in the memory of the time clock and at the end of each day are transmitted to the personal computer for addition to permanent disk records including a record of each time-in and time-out transaction for an extended period. Sales records may also be maintained in personal computer 20, for example the quantity of liquor or food served by a particular employee or in a particular department, which sales information may be correlated with labor costs found in the permanent time records.

Claims

1. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and memory means for holding digital data indicative of valid employee codes, the employee name associated with each of said employee codes, valid job codes correlated with employee codes and indicative of what job an employee is scheduled to perform on a work shift and if the job involves the receipt of tips, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said system further including software means operative in said time clock computer for controlling a time-in or time-out transaction, said software means comprising:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for checking an entered employee code against said valid employee codes;

(c) means for rejecting invalid employee codes and causing said display means to display a message indicative thereof;

(d) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(e) time-in routine means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) checking the entered employee code to determine if the employee has a current time-in transaction recorded in a daily time record and aborting the time-in transaction if the employee is currently timed-in;

(ii) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(iii) retrieving the employee'"'"'s name associated with said employee code and displaying said name through said display means;

(iv) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in said daily time record said time-in time;

(v) storing said daily time record in said memory means; and

(f) time-out routine means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) checking for a corresponding daily time-in transaction in a daily time record for the employee and aborting the time-out transaction if there is no daily time record indicating the employee has timed-in;

(ii) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(iii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employees created when said employee timed-in; and

(iv) determining whether the job the employee is timing-out for involved tips as indicated in said job code data;

(v) prompting the employee to enter the amount of tips received during the time they were working if it is determined that the job worked involved tips;

(vi) recording the entered amount in the employee'"'"'s daily time record;

(vii) printing with said printer means a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a period-to-date summary of time transactions for the employee; and

(g) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records in digital form to a payroll computer.

2. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and memory means for holding digital data indicative of valid employee codes, the employee name associated with each of said employee codes, the scheduled times for scheduled employees, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said system further including software means operative in said time clock computer for controlling a time-in or time-out transaction, said software means comprising:

(a) means for monitoring said input, means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for checking an entered employee code against said valid employee codes;

(c) means for rejecting invalid employee codes and causing said display means to display a message indicative thereof;

(d) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(e) time-in routine means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) checking the entered employee code to determine if the employee has a current time-in transaction recorded in a daily time record and aborting the time-in transaction if the employee is currently timed-in;

(ii) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(iii) retrieving the employee'"'"'s name associated with said employee code and displaying said name through said display means;

(iv) verifying that an employee attempting to perform a time-in transaction is scheduled to work at said time-in time; and

(v) aborting said time-in transaction if the employee is not scheduled to work;

(vi) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in said daily time record said time-in time; and

(vii) storing said daily time record in said memory means; and

(f) time-out routine means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) checking for a corresponding daily time-in transaction in a daily time record for the employee and aborting the time-out transaction if there is no daily time record indicating the employee has timed-in;

(ii) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(iii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee created when said employee timed-in; and

(iv) printing with said printer means a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a period-to-date summary of time transactions for the employee; and

(g) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records in digital form to a payroll computer.

3. The cardless system according to claim 2 further including:

a scheduling computer remote from said time clock computer;

communication means connected between said scheduling computer and said time clock computer for transferring data therebetween;

schedule software means operative in said scheduling computer for generating employee work schedules specifying the times each employee is scheduled to work in digital schedule data form in response to user instructions;

communications software means operative in said time clock computer and said scheduling computer for coordinating the transfer of said schedule data from said scheduling computer to said time clock memory means through said communication means, said communications software means including means operative in said scheduling computer for receiving a transfer of daily time records from said time clock computer via said communication means;

time record file analysis software means operative on said scheduling computer to provide a report in digital data form indicative of the total hours worked by each employee as recorded by said time clock whereby payroll may be prepared from said report.

4. The cardless system according to claim 3 wherein said scheduling computer further includes productivity analysis software means operative on said scheduling computer to provide a report indicative of employee productivity as measured by comparing hours worked against a unit of worked performed, said productivity analysis software means including:

(a) data entry means for receiving data indicative of the units of work performed by individual employees during a predetermined period of time and assembling a performance file including a record for each employee; and

(b) analysis means for comparing the time worked indicated in the time records for an employee during said predetermined period of time against the corresponding performance file for an employee and generating a report indicative of the units of work per hour worked for each individual employee.

5. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and memory means for holding digital data indicative of valid employee codes, the employee name associated with each of said employee codes, valid job codes indicative of what job an employee is scheduled to perform on a work shift, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said system further including software means operative in said time clock computer for controlling a time-in or time-out transaction, said software means comprising:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for checking an entered employee code against said valid employee codes;

(c) means for rejecting invalid employee codes and causing said display means to display a message indicative thereof;

(d) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(e) time-in routine means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) checking the entered employee code to determine if the employee has a current time-in transaction recorded in a daily time record and aborting the time-in transaction if the employee is currently timed-in;

(ii) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(iii) retrieving the employee'"'"'s name associated with said employee code and displaying said name through said display means;

(iv) prompting with said display means for a job code indicative of the job to be performed by the employee;

(v) getting a job code entered through said keyboard means by the employee;

(vi) comparing the entered job code against the valid job code associated with the scheduled job and indicating a discrepancy to the employee if the codes do not match;

(vii) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in said daily time record said time-in time;

(viii) storing said daily time record in said memory means; and

(f) time-out routine means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) checking for a corresponding daily time-in transaction in a daily time record for the employee and aborting the time-out transaction if there is no daily time record indicating the employee has timed-in;

(ii) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(iii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee created when said employee timed-in; and

(iv) printing with said printer means a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a period-to-date summary of time transactions for the employee; and

(g) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records in digital form to a payroll computer.

6. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and storage means for holding valid job codes correlated with employee codes and indicative of what job an employee is scheduled to perform on a work shift and if the job involves the receipt of tips, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said time clock computer further including:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(c) time-in means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(ii) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in a daily time record for the employee said time-in time;

(iii) storing said daily time record in said storage means; and

(d) time-out means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(ii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee;

(iii) determining whether the job the employee is timing out for involved tips as indicated in said job code data;

(iv) prompting the employee to enter the amount of tips received during the time they were working if it is determined that the job worked involved tips; and

(v) recording the entered amount in the employee'"'"'s daily time record; and

(e) said time clock computer further including means for causing said printer means to print a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a receipt of time transactions for the employee; and

(f) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records from said storage means to a payroll computer.

7. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and storage means for holding the scheduled times for scheduled employees, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said time clock computer further including:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(c) time-in means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(ii) verifying that an employee attempting to perform a time-in transaction is scheduled to begin work at said time-in time;

(iii) preventing said time-in transaction if the employee is not scheduled to begin work at said time-in time;

(iv) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in a daily time record for the employee said time-in time;

(v) storing said daily time record in said storage means; and

(d) time-out means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(ii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee;

(e) said time clock computer further including means for causing said printer means to print a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a receipt of time transactions for the employee; and

(f) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records from said storage means to a payroll computer.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein said time clock computer further includes manager control means activated by entry of manager password code at said input means for performing the steps of:

(a) acquiring a manually entered, time-in time, time-out time, and employee code from said input means;

(b) using said entered times and employee code to create or alter schedule data so that a manager can create or alter schedule data at said time clock computer.

9. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and storage means for holding valid job codes indicative of what job an employee is scheduled to perform on a work shift, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said time clock computer further including:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(c) time-in means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(ii) prompting with said display means for a job code indicative of the job to be performed by the employee;

(iii) getting a job code entered through said input means by the employee;

(iv) comparing the entered job code against the valid job code associated with the scheduled job and indicating a discrepancy to the employee if the codes do not match;

(v) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in a daily time record for the employee said time-in time;

(vi) storing said daily time record in said storage means; and

(d) time-out means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(ii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee;

(e) said time clock computer further including means for causing said printer means to print a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a receipt of time transactions for the employee; and

(f) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records from said storage means to a payroll computer.

10. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and storage means for holding the scheduled times for scheduled employees, daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said time clock computer further including:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(c) time-in means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(ii) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in a daily time record for the employee said time-in time;

(iii) storing said daily time record in said storage means; and

(d) time-out means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(ii) preventing an employee from timing out at a time more than a predetermined time interval later than the scheduled time-out time;

(iii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee; and

(e) said time clock computer further including means for causing said printer means to print a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a receipt of time transactions for the employee; and

(f) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records from said storage means to a payroll computer.

11. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and storage means for holding daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said time clock computer further including:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(c) time-in means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(ii) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in a daily time record for the employee and time-in time;

(iii) storing said daily time record in said storage means, and

(d) time-out means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(ii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee;

(e) manager control means activated by entry of manager password code at said input means for performing the steps of;

(i) acquiring an employee code from said input means;

(ii) acquiring a manually entered time from said input means; and

(iii) using said entered time to create or replace a time-in or time-out time in the daily time record corresponding to the employee code acquired in step (i) so that a manager can create or alter employee time records at said time clock computer; and

(f) said time clock computer further including means for causing said printer means to print a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a receipt of time transactions for the employee; and

(g) said system further including communications means for transferring at least said daily time records from said storage means to a payroll computer.

12. A system of time keeping for hourly employees wherein a plurality of said hourly employees time-in and time-out at a central time clock location when beginning and ending a workshift respectively, a time clock computer located at said location and including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, output display means for displaying information to an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date and storage means for holding daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period, said time clock computer further including:

(a) means for monitoring said input means to detect and interpret the entry of an employee code and a transaction code by an employee;

(b) means for dating time-in and time-out transactions recorded in daily time records with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(c) time-in means responsive to a time-in transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time;

(ii) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and recording in a daily time record for the employee said time-in time;

(iii) storing said daily time record in said storage means; and

(d) time-out means responsive to a time-out transaction code for performing the steps of;

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(ii) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee;

(e) manager control means activated by entry of manager password code at said input means for performing the steps of;

(i) acquiring an employee code from said input means;

(ii) acquiring one or more manually entered times from said input means;

(iii) using said entered time or times to create a daily time record corresponding to the employee code acquired in step (i) and cause said printer to print a corresponding time certification receipt; and

(f) said time clock computer further including means for causing said printer means to print a certification receipt for the employee timing out, said receipt including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of said time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt so that said printed certification receipt provides a receipt of time transactions for the employee; and

(g) said system further including communication means for transferring at least said daily time records from said storage means to a payroll computer.

13. A method of time keeping for hourly employees, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a time clock computer accessible by hourly employees time clock location at the beginning and end of a work shift, said time clock computer including input means for entering commands and data, output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee, clock means for maintaining the current time and date, and storage means for holding daily time records of time-in and time-out transactions made by employees at the beginning and end of a work shift and period-to-date time records of period-to-date time-in and time-out transactions recorded by the time clock during a predetermined pay period;

(b) waiting for an entry and data at said input means;

(c) entering an employee code and a transaction code into said input means;

(d) accepting said codes from said input means;

(e) determining whether said transaction code is a time-in transaction or a time-out transaction and if said transaction code is a time-out transaction, performing step (i) next and if said transaction code is a time-in transaction, performing step (f) next;

(f) creating a daily time record for the employee timing in and dating the record with the current date obtained from said clock means;

(g) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-in time and recording in said daily time record said time-in time;

(h) storing said daily time record in said storage means and returning to step (b);

(i) reading the current time from said clock means to provide a time-out time;

(j) recording said time-out time in the daily time record of the employee;

(k) printing with said output printer means a certification receipt for the employee timing out including a record of the time-in and time-out times recorded in the daily time record and/or the time-in and time-out times recorded in the period-to-date record for the employee timing out, the date of such time-in and time-out transactions in said records also being indicated on said receipt;

(1) removing said certification receipt from said output printer means and retaining the receipt as a paper record of the employee'"'"'s time transactions; and

(m) returning to step (b).

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said time clock computer further includes output display means for displaying information to an employee and further comprising the step of verifying at said output display means that the employee code entered in step (c) is the proper employee code.

15. A method of cardless time keeping wherein there are no employee timecards on which time is recorded in human readable form for the employee, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a time clock computer accessible by hourly employees for timing in and out at the beginning and end of a work shift, said time clock computer including;

(i) input means for entering commands and data for timing in and out;

(ii) storage means for holding daily time records;

(iii) clock means for maintaining the current time and for providing time-in and time-out times;

(iv) output printer means for printing time certification receipts for an employee;

(v) transaction control means for accepting time in and time out commands and data entered at said input means by an employee and for performing a time in or time out transaction in response to said commands and data, the time of the time in or time out transaction obtained from said clock means, and for recording time in and time out transactions in said storage means and causing said output printer means to print a certification receipt for time recorded by said time clock computer;

(b) entering a time-in transaction code and an employee code at said input means at the beginning of a work shift;

(c) entering a time-out transaction code and an employee code at the end of a work shift;

(d) removing the certification receipt for said recorded time from said output printer means and keeping said receipt as a permanent record of hours worked.

16. A method of timekeeping for an hourly employee, comprising:

(a) providing time clock apparatus for accomplishing a timekeeping transaction, each said timekeeping transaction including a time-in transaction and a time-out transaction, said apparatus including;

(i) input means for initiating time-in and time-out transactions and for inputting time-in and time-out transaction data, said data including an identification of the employee accomplishing the transaction;

(ii) means for recording a time-in and time-out time for time-in and time-out transactions, representing and creating digital data record of the time said employee has worked;

(iii) means for printing a human-readible certification receipt of said timekeeping transaction;

(b) said employee initiating a time-in transaction and entering time-in transaction data at said input means;

(c) said employee initiating a time-out transaction and entering time-out transaction data at said input means; and

(d) said employee obtaining said certification receipt from said means for printing and keeping it as a record of said timekeeping transaction.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein said means for printing prints a said certification receipt at the time of a time-in transaction to provide a record thereof.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein said means for printing prints a said certification receipt at the time of a time-out transaction and wherein said receipt includes a record of the times of said time-in and time-out transaction to provide a record thereof.

19. A method according to claim 16 wherein said input means includes keyboard input means for inputting time-in and time-out transaction data, and further wherein said time-in transaction data and said time-out transaction data entered in steps (b) and (c) is entered using said keyboard means.

20. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said means for recording includes random access memory means for storing said digital data record.

21. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said method includes the step of using said digital data record to prepare a payroll check for said employee.

22. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said time clock apparatus includes a display means for displaying information and means for storing the name of said employee, and further including means active during a time-in or time-out transaction to display the name of said employee.

23. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said time clock apparatus includes memory means for storing a time schedule for said employee, and further wherein said time clock apparatus includes a means for preventing said employee from performing a time-out transaction unless said transaction is in accordance with said schedule.

24. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said time clock apparatus includes memory means for storing a time schedule for said employee, and further wherein said time clock apparatus includes a means for preventing said employee from performing a time-out transaction unless said transaction is in accordance with said schedule.

25. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said means for recording includes means for maintaining a record of all timekeeping transactions for a predetermined period.

26. A method according to claim 25 further wherein said certification receipt includes a record of all timekeeping transactions recorded during said predetermined period.

27. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said time clock apparatus includes means for storing job designation data for said employee and further wherein said apparatus includes means for checking job code data entered by an employee against said job designation data and preventing said employee from accomplishing a time-in transaction unless said job code data matches said job designations data, and wherein said method further includes the step of said employee entering said job code data as part of said time-in transaction data.

28. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said time clock apparatus includes memory means for storing a time schedule for said employee, and further wherein said time clock apparatus includes a means for using the scheduled time-in time as the time-in time for said record if said employee performs a time-in transaction before said scheduled time-in time.

29. A method according to claim 16 further wherein said time clock apparatus includes memory means for storing a time schedule for said employee, and further wherein said time clock apparatus includes a means for preventing said employee from performing a time-out transaction if the time of said time-out transaction is later than the scheduled time-out time until said attempted time-out transaction is approved by a manager.