Overview
Buddy Punch's attendance alert system automatically notifies managers when employees are late, leave early, or miss shifts entirely, enabling real-time awareness and immediate response to attendance issues.
Types of Alerts
Late Arrival:
- Triggered when employee clocks in after scheduled start
- Customizable grace period (e.g., 5-15 minutes)
- Immediate notification to manager
Early Departure:
- Alert when clocking out before shift end
- Distinguish authorized vs. unauthorized early leave
- Manager approval workflow available
Missed Shift:
- No punch recorded within expected timeframe
- Escalating alerts as shift progresses
- Option to check if employee is sick/absent
Overtime Approaching:
- Warning when approaching overtime threshold
- Helps manage labor costs proactively
- Allows scheduling adjustments
Unusual Patterns:
- Repeated tardiness
- Frequent early departures
- Inconsistent punch times
Delivery Methods
Email Notifications: Detailed alert emails to managers
SMS/Text: Urgent alerts via text message
In-App: Dashboard notifications
Push Notifications: Mobile app alerts
Customization
Threshold Settings:
- Define what constitutes "late" per role/location
- Set grace periods
- Configure overtime thresholds
Recipient Configuration:
- Different alerts to different managers
- Escalation paths for repeated issues
- Department-specific notification routing
Scheduling:
- Alerts during business hours only
- Weekend/holiday notification rules
- Time zone awareness
Benefits
Immediate Awareness:
- No waiting for end-of-week reports
- Real-time visibility into attendance
- Catch issues as they happen
Proactive Management:
- Contact employee immediately if late
- Cover shifts if someone's absent
- Document issues contemporaneously
- Address patterns before they worsen
Cost Control:
- Prevent unauthorized overtime
- Reduce overstaffing
- Manage labor budget effectively
Fairness and Consistency:
- Automated alerts ensure all issues noted
- No favoritism in monitoring
- Objective record of attendance
- Clear patterns for performance reviews
Use Cases
Retail: Know immediately when floor is understaffed
Healthcare: Critical coverage in medical facilities
Restaurants: Manage service levels during shifts
Call Centers: Ensure adequate phone coverage
Manufacturing: Maintain production line staffing
Integration with Scheduling
Alerts reference scheduled shifts:
- Compare actual vs. expected presence
- Account for approved changes
- Distinguish excused from unexcused absence
- Connect to PTO/vacation systems
Reporting Enhancement
Alert data feeds into:
- Attendance reports
- Employee performance reviews
- Tardiness trend analysis
- Department comparisons
- Coaching documentation
Manager Dashboard
Centralized view of:
- All active alerts
- Alert history
- Employee attendance scores
- Patterns and trends
- Quick action buttons
The attendance alert system transforms reactive time tracking into proactive workforce management, enabling managers to address issues immediately rather than discovering problems days or weeks later in reports.
