Buying guide
Is time and attendance software worth it? An honest look at the costs and savings
For most businesses with hourly-paid staff, yes. Time and attendance software usually pays for itself through two things: paying for the hours people actually worked rather than rounded or remembered ones, and the admin time no longer spent chasing and typing up timesheets.
It is not worth it for everyone. Below is a worked example with real prices, the sum to run with your own numbers, and the cases where a spreadsheet is still the sensible choice.
In shortIf you have hourly-paid staff, shifts or overtime, a few minutes a day of rounding usually costs more than the software. If everyone is salaried on fixed hours, it probably does not.
What it costs
Here is a first year for a business with 25 hourly-paid staff, using Syncro Connect with the app and one terminal. Prices exclude VAT; the software is billed annually.
| Item | Working | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Software for 25 staff, with the app | £3 x 25 x 12 months | £900 a year |
| One face recognition terminal | One-off | £395 |
| First year total | £1,295 |
Without the app, the software is £2 per employee per month. Staff can clock in on the app or from a browser instead of a terminal, in which case there is no hardware to buy. Full prices are on our pricing page.
What it can save
These figures are an illustration, not a promise. The hourly rate and the minutes are assumptions; put your own in.
| Where | Working | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Five minutes a day of rounding | 25 staff x 5 minutes x 230 days = 479 hours, at £13 an hour | £6,230 |
| Timesheet admin | Three hours a week checking and typing, at £15 an hour, over 46 weeks | £2,070 |
On those assumptions, rounding alone costs several times the first-year price of the software. Even at one or two minutes a day, it usually covers it.
Run the sum with your own numbers
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Count your hourly-paid staff
Salaried staff on fixed hours save little; hourly, shift and overtime workers are where the money is.
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Estimate the drift
Compare a week of timesheets with when people actually arrived and left. Most businesses that check find a few minutes a day per person, usually rounded in the employee’s favour without anyone meaning to.
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Count the admin
How many hours a week go on collecting, checking and typing up timesheets, and working out overtime and holiday balances by hand?
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Compare with the cost
£2 or £3 per employee per month, plus any terminals. If the drift and the admin come to more, it is worth it.
The benefits that are harder to put a number on
Some of the value does not show up in the sum. Holiday requests and balances in the app stop the “how many days have I got left?” emails. Every absence is recorded and Bradford Factor scores are worked out for you, so patterns are spotted sooner, though the software will not reduce absence on its own. Overtime is worked out by your rules, which our guide to tracking overtime automatically explains. And hours go to payroll as an export file instead of being typed in again.
When it is not worth it
If everyone is salaried, works fixed hours in one place and rarely stays late, the savings are small. A shared calendar for holidays and a simple record of sickness may be all you need, and we would rather say so than sell you something you will not use.
If you are somewhere in between, start with the free trial and run it alongside what you do now for a pay period. The comparison will answer the question better than any article.
Frequently asked questions
Is time and attendance software worth it for a small business?
Usually, once you have hourly-paid staff, shifts or overtime. The savings come from paying the hours people actually worked and from the admin time no longer spent on timesheets. For a handful of salaried staff on fixed hours, a simple timesheet may be enough.
How much does time and attendance software cost?
Syncro Connect is £2 per employee per month, or £3 with the app, excluding VAT and billed annually. Clocking machines are a one-off cost, from £395 for face and palm terminals and £495 for fingerprint, excluding VAT. If staff clock in on the app or a browser, you need no hardware at all.
How quickly does it pay for itself?
It depends on how many hourly-paid staff you have and how hours are recorded now. In our worked example, five minutes a day of rounding across 25 staff costs more in a year than the software and a terminal together. Run the same sum with your own numbers before you decide.
Do I need a clocking in machine?
No. Staff can clock in on the Syncro Connect app or from a browser. A terminal by the entrance suits a fixed site and makes it far harder for one person to clock in for another.
Will it reduce absenteeism?
Not by itself. It records every absence, shows patterns such as frequent short absences, and works out Bradford Factor scores, so you can have the right conversation sooner. The conversation is still yours to have.
Are there setup fees?
Syncro Connect has no setup fees. You have access from day one, and setting up your rules and checking your data usually takes about two weeks, with help from our team in Leeds.
Can I try it before committing?
Yes. There is a free 14 day trial of Syncro Connect, with no card needed.
When is it not worth it?
When everyone is salaried, works fixed hours in one place and rarely works overtime. Then the savings are small, and a shared calendar for holidays may be all you need.
Find out with your own numbers
Start a free 14 day trial of Syncro Connect, with no card needed, and run it alongside your current timesheets for a pay period.
