# How to choose a time and attendance system | Corex360

> Choosing time and attendance: card, PIN, or phone comes after the month-end desk. KVKK (Turkish data law) and how your workplace runs decide the rest.

Source: https://www.corex360.com/en/blog/how-to-choose-time-attendance
Last updated: 2026-09-29

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![A woman showing a card to a worker next to a wall-mounted entry device in a workshop]
HR

# How to choose a time and attendance system: look at the record before the device

Card, PIN, or phone comes after the month-end desk. Choosing a time and attendance system means weighing criteria, KVKK (Turkish data protection) notes, and the setup of each workplace together; the switch plan is part of the choice.

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[Corex360](https://www.corex360.com/en) [Blog](https://www.corex360.com/en/blog) How to choose a time and attendance system: look at the record before the device

Contents

- 01 What is the first decision in choosing an attendance system?
- 02 Card, PIN, or phone: how do you choose the reader for time tracking?
- 03 Which criteria matter in an attendance system?
- 04 Office, shifts, sites, branches: how do you set up attendance for each workplace?
- 05 How does attendance work in Corex360?
- 06 What does Corex360 HR not do?
- 07 How do you plan the move to a new attendance system?

Ş **[Şevket Erer](https://www.corex360.com/en/blog#blog-hakkinda)** Co-founder, AI Specialist · Corex360

23 September 2026 Updated 24 September 2026 5 min read

[Modules](https://www.corex360.com/en/modules) [Solutions](https://www.corex360.com/en/solutions)

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When choosing a time and attendance system, look first not at the type of device but at where the clock-in record meets leave, [overtime](https://www.corex360.com/en/glossary/overtime-turkey), and payroll at month end. Such a system takes staff clock-ins from a device or a phone and joins them with attendance; the reader at the door is the visible part of the job, and the real load builds up where that record meets advances, overtime approvals, and payroll. The sections below cover reader types, selection criteria, and which setup suits which workplace. If you want to know the parts of such a system first, start with [what time and attendance is](https://www.corex360.com/en/blog/what-is-time-attendance).

** 01.

## What is the first decision in choosing an attendance system?

**
Short answer The first decision is whose desk the clock-in record reaches at month end and which record it joins; the device is chosen after that.

At a shift-based production plant in Gebze, the device at the gate logs every entry. At month end, accounting lays the device export, the leave messages from WhatsApp, and the paper overtime approvals side by side and chases the gaps one by one. The device did its job; the file is still incomplete. So start the choice from the month-end desk, not from a device catalogue. When is a missing record noticed today, who corrects it, which calendar holds leave, and how does data reach payroll. Once you write down those answers, what you need from a new system becomes clear.

** 02.

## Card, PIN, or phone: how do you choose the reader for time tracking?

**
Short answer For time tracking, cards, PINs, or ID cards come first; under the Personal Data Protection Board's principle decision, biometric readers are not considered proportionate for this job, while mobile clock-in suits field staff.

- Card reader or ID card: simple to install and light on personal data; a card can be forgotten or swiped on someone else's behalf.
- PIN entry: removes the need to carry a card; because a PIN can be shared, the correction flow for missing and wrong records gets more use.
- Fingerprint and face recognition: these process biometric data; under the Personal Data Protection Board's principle decision, they are not considered proportionate for time tracking even with the employee's explicit consent.
- Mobile and location-based clock-in: suits building sites and field teams; location is personal data too and should be taken only for working time, with clear notice.

KVKK, Turkey's personal data protection law, treats biometric data as a special category of personal data. The Board's principle decision does not consider methods such as fingerprints and face recognition proportionate for time tracking, even with the employee's explicit consent. If there is a biometric device at your door today, plan the move to a method such as a card or PIN, and the privacy notice, with your legal adviser; that decision comes before the new software is chosen.

** 03.

## Which criteria matter in an attendance system?

**
Short answer Compatibility with the existing device, shift rules, how early a missing record is caught, one calendar with leave and overtime, approval by phone, the route to payroll, and an access log are the deciding criteria.

- Device fit: does the device at the door connect without being replaced; are the model and protocol verified before purchase.
- Shift rules: are night shifts, rotating shifts, and weekend work read correctly.
- Missing records: is a forgotten clock-in or clock-out queried the same day, or found at month end.
- Leave and overtime: do leave days, advances, and overtime approvals sit on the same calendar as attendance.
- Approval route: can the manager approve a request from the phone; is every approval logged with who and when.
- Payroll: how does an approved record reach payroll and accounting; does it need manual transfer.
- Access: who sees personal data, is every open logged; does the data live in the cloud or on your own server.
- Employee side: can staff see their own record and report a missing clock-in themselves.

Most of these items do not show up in a sales presentation. In the demo, pick one person from your own staff list, enter a day from last month with a missing record, and watch whose phone the correction reaches, and when.

Attendance cost items: device and software
| Item | Paid to | What changes it |
|---|---|---|
| Reader device | The device seller | The number of entry points and the reader type |
| Installation and cabling | The device seller or the installer | The layout of the building and the network |
| Device upkeep and spare parts | The device seller | Warranty and maintenance terms |
| Link between device and software | The software provider or the installer | The device model and its protocol |
| Attendance software | The software provider | Headcount, modules, and hosting |
| Transfer to payroll | The software provider or the accounting side | Whether the transfer is manual or runs from the record |

Device and software sit on separate rows because they usually come from different sellers and age separately. Have each row priced on its own in the offer; being able to change the software without replacing the device at the door makes the next choice easier too. Payroll export is asked about with the same split: the format in which the software hands over data should be clear regardless of the brand of the device at the door.

** 04.

## Office, shifts, sites, branches: how do you set up attendance for each workplace?

**
Short answer A single office with fixed hours needs a card reader and simple approvals; a shift-based plant needs shift rules, field work needs mobile clock-in, and several branches need branch-level permissions.

Attendance setup by workplace
| Workplace | Main need | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Single office, fixed hours | Card reader and leave approval by phone | Catching a missing record before month end |
| Shift-based production | Shift and night overtime rules | Overtime approval should not reach payroll by hand |
| Building sites and field teams | Mobile clock-in and location | Location taken only during working hours |
| Multi-branch retail | Permissions where each branch manager sees only their own team | A record of temporary moves between branches |
| Mixed office and remote work | Door and app records joined | Both records on the same staff card |

The setups in the table follow from how the workplace runs. A single office with fixed hours needs a card reader and leave approval by phone; shift-based production needs shift and night overtime rules defined in the software, and building sites and field teams need mobile clock-in, with location read only during working hours. In multi-branch retail each branch manager sees only their own team; in mixed office and remote work, door and app records join on the same employee card.

** 05.

## How does attendance work in Corex360?

**
Short answer In Corex360 the attendance device connects to the core and clock-ins land on the staff card.

In Corex360 HR the attendance device connects to the core and clock-ins land on the staff card. Leave, advance, and overtime requests run through an approval flow, and the approved record sits on the staff card. You can see the whole module on the [attendance and HR module page](https://www.corex360.com/en/modules/hr).

Access is role-based: only those whose role allows it see payroll and personal data, and every open is logged. The installation runs on Corex360 Cloud or on your own server. The same clock-in data also feeds the Team pulse score with the weights you set; you can read how that works on the [measure the team fairly](https://www.corex360.com/en/solutions/measure-the-team-fairly) page.

** 06.

## What does Corex360 HR not do?

**
Short answer Corex360 HR gathers clock-in records and runs the approval flow; salary calculation and official filings are not part of the module's definition, and for turnstiles and door locks you need an access control system.

Salary calculation, official filings, and recruitment are not part of the module's definition.

If door security, turnstiles, or visitor access are your main concern, look first at an access control system built for that job. The system does not grant leave or cut scores on its own; approval and the reward rule stay with the manager. Ask the provider about your door device's model and communication protocol before signing; it is the most concrete step in the decision.

** 07.

## How do you plan the move to a new attendance system?

**
Short answer The move is made at the start of a payroll period, old and new records are compared side by side for a short while, and staff learn the new routine before it starts.

The riskiest moment in an attendance switch is mid-month. If half the period sits in the old system and half in the new one, two exports are merged by hand at month end, which is exactly the work you wanted to escape. Put the switch at the start of a new payroll period.

In the first period, keeping old and new records side by side and comparing a few people's days shows early whether the shift rules were written correctly. Brief staff before the switch as well: how to report a missing record, where to enter a leave request, and how their personal data is processed. The privacy notice is part of that briefing and should be ready before the switch.

## Sources

- [Personal Data Protection Authority, public announcement on principle decision 2026/921 on biometric data in attendance tracking](https://www.kvkk.gov.tr/Icerik/8762/mesai-takibi-amaciyla-biyometrik-veri-islenmesi-hakkinda-kisisel-verileri-koruma-kurulunun-29-04-2026-tarihli-ve-2026-921-sayili-ilke-kararina-iliskin-kamuoyu-duyurusu) Last checked 24 September 2026

## How was this page prepared?

- Written by: [Şevket Erer](https://www.corex360.com/en/blog#blog-hakkinda), Co-founder, AI Specialist
- Sources: legislation, official body, and vendor information is taken from the primary sources in the Sources list on this page; each source shows the date it was last checked.
- Product information: sentences about Corex360 rest on the company's product fact records; unconfirmed features are not written.
- Use of AI: the Corex360 team writes the text; AI tools are used for drafting and translation. [Publishing principles](https://www.corex360.com/en/about#yayin-ilkeleri)
- Dates: first published 23 September 2026 , last updated 24 September 2026 . [Corrections policy](https://www.corex360.com/en/about#duzeltmeler)

## Frequently asked

** 01 How do you know which attendance system is right? **
The right system is the one that leaves no need to join clock-in records by hand at month end. Look first at the link to leave, overtime, and payroll and at how early a missing record is caught; choose the reader type after that, to suit your workplace and KVKK conditions.

** 02 Do we have to replace our existing attendance device? **
Often not. Ask whether the new software can read your device's model and communication protocol. If a replacement is suggested, ask for the reason in writing.

** 03 How do you decide between cloud and on-premise attendance tracking? **
Look at where personal data must live, your corporate policy, and who will look after the infrastructure. The cloud leaves upkeep with the provider; your own server keeps data in-house but leaves the infrastructure with you.

** 04 Can several branches be tracked in one attendance system? **
In most systems, yes. When choosing, ask whether each branch manager can be limited to their own team and whether separate shift rules can be set for each branch.

** 05 Can fingerprint attendance be used for time tracking under KVKK? **
Not for time tracking. Under the Personal Data Protection Board's principle decision, biometric methods such as fingerprints and face recognition are not proportionate for time tracking even with the employee's explicit consent; methods such as a card, a PIN, or an ID card are preferred. Ask your legal adviser about your existing device.

** 06 Which attendance devices connect to Corex360? **
The attendance device connects to the Corex360 core and clock-ins land on the staff card. Ask about your own device's model and communication protocol to confirm the fit before signing.

✳ **Let us talk through your leave and overtime set-up** Leave, advance, and overtime requests land in the approval centre; the manager approves or rejects them, and the record keeps who approved and when.

[Request a demo](https://www.corex360.com/en/contact?konu=ik#form)[WhatsApp](https://wa.me/905321323288)[HR and Attendance](https://www.corex360.com/en/modules/hr)

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## Keep reading.

[Back to the blog](https://www.corex360.com/en/blog)

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