Time and attendance tracking software – is it worth using with the Manufacturing Execution System (MES)?

Before a company has a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), they use time and attendance tracking software. It is usually in a simple fingerprint clock-in box at the front door. Then, once a month, the data is downloaded and used for checking attendance / calculating salaries. But once a proper time tracking system and MES are connected, you get a solution that offers excellent possibilities for manufacturing companies without needing a sophisticated ERP system solution.

1. The difference between time and attendance tracking software and MES (Manufacturing Execution System):

• In MES / manufacturing control software, we measure workers’ time on different operations, etc. However, it practically replaces paper notebooks/paper orders at the production hall, where people write everything.
• Time and attendance tracking software clearly show how much time somebody was present in the company – it is useful when calculating salaries, overtime, etc. It’s a kind of register where you can see workers’ attendance.

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2. The reasons why it is a good idea to integrate MES and time and attendance tracking software;

Time and attendance tracking software and MES: everyday benefits

In your production system, you can see who is currently at work, what they are doing, who is just “lazing around”, and what time workers clocked in/out. Thanks to that information:

1. You can flexibly assign tasks on your online production schedule – because you know how many people turned up at work and which machines they can work on;
2. When somebody clocks in but fails to start working, it is visible on the production schedule (and you don’t need to go to the shop floor to see that), so you can react even when you work from home.
3. Spot lateness/workers leaving early. You see, who clocked out immediately before their shift’s end. There is no need to wait till the end of the month to deal with it. The information is direct and clear from the dashboard, where you see the progress of orders and operations. 
4. Minimize mistakes/lack of clicks and clock-ins in both systems – there are special double locks in the software which make sure that:

• No one can start to work the order as long as they don’t clock in at work (it is a common problem that people start work before logging in, which proves challenging to  monitor progress, working hours, etc. and creates chaos and lack of organization);
• No one can clock out without finishing their work on the machine – this is another common issue. People rush to go home and forget to end the last operation. This disrupts productivity and efficiency calculations.
• It is possible to track all breaks at work in real-time and their reasons (this is a new functionality).

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Time and attendance tracking software and MES: global benefits

You can check the percentage of time spent working.

• It often turns out that out of 200 hours spent in the company, only 140 hours were productive, spent on operations, etc. This is another great functionality, and you can use it:

1. to discuss a pay rise/bonus,
2. check where the money leaks appear because every single hour which is not productive cost you extra money and time,
3. you can update your calculations, adjusting them to tracking software, including machine set-up time, preparations, changeovers, etc.

3.  It is effortless to start the integration of systems. All you need is :

• Workers check things on the production schedule by clicking operations/ activities,
• Inexpensive equipment: tablet / mobile phone by the door.

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Grab the mp3 of this article to listen to a recording about the integration of time and attendance tracking software with your MES system.