The basics

What is biometric time and attendance?

Biometric time and attendance is a way of recording when staff start and finish by verifying them against a unique fingerprint or facial scan, rather than a card, fob, or PIN that can be shared. Because attendance is tied to the individual, it removes buddy punching and fraudulent time claims, and sends accurate hours straight into your time and attendance software.

How it verifies each person

At enrolment, the terminal maps the unique points of a fingerprint or face and stores them as a mathematical template. At each clocking, the live scan is matched to that template. If it matches, the clocking is accepted, tying every record to the right employee.

Why it protects staff data

No fingerprint or face image is kept as a file. Terminals hold a mathematical template, and a fingerprint cannot be reverse engineered back into the original. For facial recognition, an administrator can view the enrolled face inside a restricted, access logged area of the software. Biometric data is special category data under UK GDPR, and we set out exactly what is held and where on our data security page.

Data protection

Biometric data and UK GDPR

A common worry about biometric clocking is staff data. Used to identify someone, biometric data is special category data under UK GDPR, so it carries extra obligations. Computime is built to handle it responsibly, and we set out exactly what is stored and where on our data security page.

Templates, not image files

No fingerprint or face image is stored as a file. Terminals hold a mathematical template, and a fingerprint cannot be reconstructed from it. For facial recognition, an administrator can view the enrolled face inside a restricted, access logged area of the software.

A genuine choice for staff

The ICO advises offering an alternative to biometric recognition. Computime terminals also support card, fob, and PIN clocking, so you can give employees a real choice and meet that expectation. See our clocking systems and our guide to UK GDPR and time and attendance data.

Deletion when staff leave

Deleting an employee removes their record and template from the database. Terminals hold their own copy so they keep working offline, so the leaver must also be removed at the terminal. Doing both is what supports the UK GDPR right to erasure, and we explain how deletion works in full.

Choosing a method

Fingerprint or facial recognition, which is better?

Both tie attendance to the individual. The right choice depends on your site, your environment, and how staff clock in. Here is how they compare.

Fingerprint

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Faster to use, touch and go, which keeps queues moving at busy clock-in times
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Works well in direct sunlight, where some face scanners struggle
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Fingerprints stay constant, unaffected by glasses, beards, or makeup
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Enrol more than one finger, so a cut or injury need not stop clocking
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Enrol centrally with a USB enroller, for example from the HR office

Facial recognition

✓
Fully contactless, with no surface to touch, which suits hygiene-sensitive sites
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No physical contact needed, helpful where staff wear gloves on the job
✓
Quick glance to clock in, with no card or fob to carry or lose
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Best mounted out of direct sunlight, with enrolment done at the device
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Re-enrol easily if appearance changes significantly over time

Not sure which suits your site? Book a demo and we will help you choose the right terminal for how your team works.

Employee clocking in with GPS verification on the Computime Syncro mobile app

Away from a terminal

For staff who do not clock at a fixed device

Biometric terminals are ideal for fixed sites, but not every team works at one. For remote, field, and multi-site staff, the Computime mobile app lets employees clock in and out from their own phone, with GPS recorded at the point of clocking so you can see where each clocking happened.

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GPS verified clocking from any location
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Works offline and syncs when signal returns
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One clear record across fixed terminals and the app, ready for payroll

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Biometric time and attendance FAQs

How does a biometric time and attendance system work?

At enrolment, the terminal maps the unique points of an employee’s fingerprint or face and stores them as a mathematical template. Each time they clock in, the live scan is matched against that template. If it matches, the clocking is recorded against that person, so every hour is tied to who actually worked it.

How does your biometric terminal protect our staff data?

No fingerprint or face image is stored as a downloadable file. Terminals hold a mathematical template, and in the case of fingerprint that template cannot be turned back into the original. For facial recognition, an administrator can view the enrolled face inside a restricted area of the software where access is logged. Biometric data used to identify someone is special category data under UK GDPR, and we set out exactly what is held and where on our data security page.

If an employee leaves, how do we delete their biometric data?

Deleting the employee removes their record and template from the database. Terminals hold their own copy so they keep working if the network drops, so the leaver must also be removed at the terminal itself. Building both steps into your leaver process is what supports the UK GDPR right to erasure, and our support team will show you how.

Do staff have to use biometrics, or can we offer an alternative?

You can offer an alternative. The ICO advises giving employees a genuine choice, and Computime terminals also support card, fob, and PIN clocking alongside biometrics, so staff who prefer not to use a fingerprint or face scan can still clock in.

Should we choose fingerprint or facial recognition?

Both tie attendance to the individual. Fingerprint is fast and works well in direct sunlight, with the option to enrol more than one finger. Facial recognition is fully contactless, which suits hygiene-sensitive sites and staff wearing gloves. The right choice depends on your environment and how your team clocks in.

Can staff who work off site use biometric clocking?

Biometric terminals suit fixed sites. For remote, field, and multi-site staff, the Computime mobile app lets employees clock in from their own phone with GPS recorded at the point of clocking, so on-site and off-site hours come together in one record ready for payroll.

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