Punch Round Rules

Specify how in-punches are treated when employees are early or late for the beginning of their shifts.

Specify how shift end times are treated when employees are early or late for the end of their shifts.

Use the following information for the In-punch and Out-punch tabs.

Early Punch Rounding and Late Punch Rounding

Change Point — Change points determine when inside and outside rounds and graces apply to punches and to inferred end times. If inside rounds and graces are not used, leave the change point at 0:00.

Usually, change points are a multiple of the inside round. If inside rounds are tenth hours (:06), the change point is a value such as: 12,18,24,30. Early inside rounds and graces apply to punches and amount end times that occur after the change point and before the scheduled start or end time.

For example, the start time is 7:00 A.M. and the change point is :30, any punch between 6:30 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. uses the inside rules.

Late inside rounds and graces apply to punches and amount end times that occur after the scheduled start or end time and before the change point. For example, if the end time is 3:30 and the change point is :15, any punch between 3:30 and 3:45 uses the inside rules. Punches that do not occur during the inside interval use outside rounds and graces.

• Outside Round — Outside rounds establish the increments for punches and inferred amount end times that occur during the outside interval. Outside rounds are used with outside graces. Change points determine when the outside intervals occur.
• Inside Round — Inside round apply during inside intervals, and are less than change points. To include the change point in the inside interval, use the “extra-minute” trick. Set the round to one minute more than the change point. For example, the start time is 7:00 A.M., the change point is :12, the inside round is :13 and the inside grace is :00. Any punch that occurs at 6:48 A.M. to 7:00 A.M. rounds to 7:00 A.M.

Outside Grace and Inside Grace

Graces determine when shift start and end times round to the previous increment and when they round to the next increment.

Graces must be less than round amounts. Outside graces are used with outside rounds. Inside graces are used with inside rounds. The change point determines the outside and inside intervals.

To determine when a punch or amount end time moves forward or backward, add the grace value to the previous round increment. If punches or inferred amount end times are less than or equal to the grace time, punches round back to the previous increment. If punches or amount end times are greater than the grace time, punches round to the next increment.

For example, fifteen-minute rounds with seven-minute graces indicate that hours are divided into four segments: 12:00, 12:15, 12:30, and 12:45. The grace times are 12:07, 12:22, 12:37, and 12:52.

A 12:07 punch rounds to 12:00 (12:07 = the grace value of 12:07).

A 12:08 punch rounds to 12:15 (12:08 > the grace value of 12:07).

The default is 0:00, which indicates no grace exists, Punches that occur between round increments move forward to the next increment.

Specify rounds and graces to punches for unscheduled or transferring employees. Set up rounds and graces for in-punches, out-punches, and transfers to ensure that the punches round.

Break Placement

While break rounding is determined by the round and grace values in the break configuration, break placement within a worked shift is determined by the round and grace values specified here for Unscheduled > Transfer.

The values are used to anchor the break out punch (the punch that starts the break) within the shift. The break in punch (the punch that ends the break) is then determined using this equation:

Rounded out punch + X (where X is the break length)

For example, an employee is scheduled to work 8:00am – 5:00pm with a 30 minute break. The employee's actual punches for the shift are:

• 8:00am
• 12:05pm (the break out punch)
• 12:30pm (the break in punch)
• 5:00pm

Rounding in the employee's break configuration and punch round rule is set to 0:15 for round and 0:07 for grace. The break punches depend on the values specified for Unscheduled > Transfer, as shown in the following examples.

• When the Transfer values are 0:01 for Round and 0:00 for Grace, then break punches are (rounded punch [actual punch]):
  • 12:05pm [12:05pm]
  • 12:35pm [12:30pm]
• When the Transfer values are 0:15 for Round and 0:07 for Grace, then break punches are (rounded punch [actual punch]):
  • 12:00pm [12:05pm]
  • 12:30pm [12:30pm]

Specify how the system calculates an out-punch when employees forget to punch out.

• Use Scheduled Time — The system uses the scheduled end time as the out-punch. If employees are not scheduled, their unscheduled shift lengths are added to their rounded in-punches. The result is used as the out-punch.
• Scheduled Hours Totals can be inaccurate when a shift contains multiple segments and the first segment is a transfer segment. This is the default behavior. To alter the behavior, edit the Pay Rule and select Scheduled time without a transfer is treated as a transfer to primary account and default work rule.
• The following settings apply only to past and scheduled shifts with at least one In or Out punch in the calculation of projected totals. When projected totals for a current shift in the projected totals calculation, the current shift must have at least one In or Out punch.
  • Actual and Projected Totals - When you select this setting, the system enters an In or Out punch as a system-generated punch into the timecard for scheduled shifts with missed punches. Also, these punches are reflected in the Projected Totals column in the Scheduler and Data Views.
  • Projected Totals Only - When you select this setting, the system does not enter an In or Out punch as a system-generated punch for missed punches into the timecard. However, these punches are reflected in the Projected Totals column in the scheduler or Data Views.
• Treat As An Exception — Missed-punch exceptions appear on reports and the timecard when employees forget to punch out and reach the missed-out limit. The missed-out limit is configured in Punch Interpretation rules. This option is selected by default and is unavailable unless you select Use Scheduled Time.