Time and presence
Attendance for organisations that don’t sit in one office
A head office, three field sites, and mobile outreach teams cannot share one attendance method. Modern attendance systems let each site declare how presence is captured — while HR sees one consistent record.
One policy does not fit all sites
IP-restricted check-in works where there is an office network. A distribution point in a displacement camp has a tablet and intermittent connectivity. Forcing either context into the other’s method produces fake data or no data. Site-level method policy — self-attestation, IP-verified, QR kiosk, face recognition, geofenced — solves this structurally.
Capture methods and when to use them
Each method trades convenience against assurance. The system should record which method produced each check-in, so HR can weigh records accordingly.
- Self-attestation: trusted staff, remote work, lowest friction
- IP-restricted: office networks, verifies location by network
- QR kiosk: shared device at site entrance, fast for large teams
- Face recognition: shared kiosk with identity assurance, no badges to lose
- Geofencing: GPS-bounded check-in for mobile and outreach teams
From check-ins to usable records
Raw check-ins become attendance days, late arrivals, and absence patterns on HR dashboards. Open check-ins surface on the employee portal so staff close their own gaps. Where donors require effort reporting, attendance records provide the underlying evidence for time charged to grants.
Frequently asked questions
Does face recognition require special hardware?
No — a standard tablet or phone camera at the kiosk is sufficient. Embeddings are computed server-side and matched against enrolled staff.
What happens with poor connectivity?
QR kiosk and self-attestation flows are lightweight and tolerate intermittent connections; records sync when the device is back online.
Can a site allow multiple methods?
Yes — each attendance site lists its allowed methods, and staff use whichever applies. The check-in records which method was used.
How does attendance connect to payroll?
Attendance and leave records inform payroll period calculations, so absence and unpaid leave reflect in pay without manual reconciliation.
Keep reading
What is NGO ERP?
NGO ERP explained: how grant-centric resource planning differs from generic business ERP, which modules matter, and how to evaluate a system for your organisation.
Grant management software
How grant management software works: awards, budget lines, amendments, spend control, and donor reporting — and what to look for when choosing a system.
NGO HR and payroll
HR for grant-funded organisations: employee records, leave workflows, attendance, and payroll with salary allocation across grants. What NGO HR software must do differently.