Help
Guides and answers. Still stuck? Email help@punchboo.com.
Set up your tablet as a time clock
Connect it with the 6-digit code, lock it to the clock, keep it awake. About 5 minutes, on iPad, Android or Windows.
Check a tablet before you buy or use it
Open this page on the tablet. It tells you right away if the tablet will work as a time clock.
Common questions
What happens when the internet goes down?
The clock keeps working. Punches are saved on the tablet with the exact time and sent by themselves when the connection is back. The office sees them marked as offline punches.
Setting up a tablet for the first time, and the crew's "My hours" screen, need the internet.
Can my crew punch for each other?
Give each person a PIN in the office (Crew). Then the tablet asks for it before a punch. You can also lock punching to your shop's Wi-Fi, so nobody punches from home. The tablet uses the shop's clock, not its own, so changing the tablet's time does nothing.
How is overtime calculated?
When you create your shop, the overtime rules for your province are filled in: after so many hours in a week, after so many hours in a day, and double time where it applies. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the regular rate. You can change the rules for the whole shop or for one person.
Check the rules against your province's employment standards. Averaging agreements and other special cases are not handled.
How does lunch work?
Two ways. Take a set lunch off automatically after a shift reaches a certain length (say 30 minutes after 5 hours). Or let the crew punch "Start lunch" and "Back to work" on the tablet, with a shortest lunch if you want one. Short or missing lunches are flagged in the office for you to check.
Someone forgot to punch out. What happens?
A shift left open for 16 hours or more is closed automatically and flagged in your office. Open the shift, type the real time, and the original stays on record. If the person punches out a little later, their real time is kept.
What do the paid plans include?
Everything. Unlimited tablets, the payroll page with gross-wage estimates, Excel downloads of timesheets and pay-period totals, hours sheets per person for any dates you pick, and (coming soon) email alerts for late, not in, forgot to punch out and long lunch. The free plan has punches, hours and overtime for up to 3 people on 1 tablet.
It is not payroll. Punchboo does not calculate income tax, CPP, EI, vacation pay or holiday pay, and it does not pay anyone. The gross-wage figure is an estimate to hand to your accountant or payroll service.
Which tablets work?
An iPad, an Android tablet or a Windows touchscreen from the last several years. The clock runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install. Lock it to the clock with the tablet's own kiosk setting (Guided Access on iPad, app pinning on Android, kiosk mode on Windows). The setup guide walks you through it.
Can I see the office on my phone?
Yes. The office works in any browser on your phone, tablet or computer. Log in at app.punchboo.com.
Can my crew see their own hours?
Yes. On the tablet, each person can tap "My hours" to see this pay period and the last one. Times only, no pay rates.
Can I get my data out?
You can print any timesheet. On a paid plan you can download timesheets, totals and hours sheets as Excel files.
Is Punchboo available in Quebec?
Not yet. Quebec needs a French version and extra privacy work. We are holding sign-ups there until both are done.