Time clock for manufacturing
A manufacturing time clock without the wall terminal.
A manufacturing time clock records shift start and end times for plant workers, usually at the entrance before they reach the floor. TrackBadges replaces the wall terminal with a tablet that scans printed QR badges, plus any supervisor's phone for a second door. There are no biometrics and no hardware contract, and overtime is applied to every timesheet.
What the time clock has to handle
Terminals that cost more than the software
Wall badge readers need buying, mounting and wiring at every entrance. A tablet you already own does the same job.
No phones on the floor
When phones stay in lockers, workers can't clock in with an app. A printed badge needs no phone.
Fingerprint clocks and biometric law
Illinois' BIPA requires written consent and a retention policy before collecting fingerprints. QR badges collect no biometrics.
Shift change at one entrance
Second shift scans in while first shift scans out, on the same tablet. One scan toggles each person in or out.
Daily and weekly overtime
Set a weekly threshold and, where your state requires one, a daily threshold. Overtime is split out on every timesheet.
A missed punch at 11 p.m.
Auto clock-out closes a forgotten shift after the limit you set and flags it. Every fix keeps an edit history.
How a manufacturing time clock works on a tablet
Mount a tablet at the plant entrance, before the floor, and pair it as a scanner. Each worker holds up a printed QR badge on the way in and again on the way out. The tablet is the time clock: there's no terminal to wire, and the timesheets are already in the dashboard.
A three-shift plant with 80 people:
| Shift | Scan in | Scan out | Paid hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | 6:00 a.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 8, after a 30-minute unpaid lunch |
| Second | 2:30 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. | 8, after a 30-minute unpaid lunch |
| Third | 10:30 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 8, after a 30-minute unpaid lunch |
At 2:30 p.m., second shift scans in at the same tablet where first shift scans out. One scan toggles each person, so a single tablet handles both directions. Lunch is a scan out and a scan in. The plant manager watches the live board from the office or a phone: who's on the clock, for how long, and at which entrance.
For a second entrance or a separate building, pair another tablet. Scanners and locations are unlimited on every plan.
Replacing a punch clock or badge reader
Most plants already run on badges. TrackBadges keeps the habit and drops the hardware.
| TrackBadges | Wall badge terminal | Fingerprint clock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | Any tablet or phone | A terminal per entrance | A terminal per entrance |
| Badges | Printed on paper or card stock | Proximity or swipe cards | None |
| Biometric consent | Not needed | Not needed | Required in Illinois, regulated in Texas and Washington |
| Adding an entrance | Pair another tablet | Buy and mount another unit | Buy, mount and enroll |
| Lost badge | Reissue in a click | Order a new card | Not applicable |
| Overtime and timesheets | Built in | Depends on the software | Depends on the software |
Fingerprint clocks carry legal risk in some states. Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14) requires written notice and consent before collecting fingerprints and a public retention policy, with damages of $1,000 per negligent and $5,000 per intentional or reckless violation. A QR badge collects no biometrics. More in biometric time clock laws and QR code vs NFC vs biometric time clocks.
No phones past the yellow line
Plenty of plants ban personal phones on the floor for safety and quality. A badge time clock doesn't need one. Workers clip the badge to a belt or keep it in a pocket; around rotating equipment, skip lanyards or use a breakaway one. The badge only has to come out at the start and end of the shift, and for an unpaid lunch.
Overtime, rounding and what your payroll still does
TrackBadges applies one weekly and one daily overtime threshold to every timesheet, and you choose how punches round.
- Weekly: the FLSA requires 1.5× the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek.
- Daily: California pays 1.5× over 8 hours in a day, and Alaska, Nevada and Colorado have their own daily rules. Set a daily threshold if one applies.
- Rounding: round punches to 5, 10 or 15 minutes if your policy does. 29 CFR 785.48(b) allows it when it averages out so workers are fully paid, and the raw scan times are always kept. In California, don't round meal-period punches (Donohue v. AMN Services, 2021).
- Left to payroll: TrackBadges records hours, not pay rates. Shift differentials, California double time over 12 hours and seventh-day premiums are applied by your payroll provider from the CSV export.
Try the numbers with the time rounding calculator. This isn't legal advice; check your state.
What it costs
TrackBadges is free for up to 3 people with every feature. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 people, plus $1.50 a month for each person after that, so an 80-person plant is $124.50 a month, with no terminals, installation or contract. See how that compares in what a time clock costs.
When it isn't the right fit
If you need labor tracked against work orders, operations or production lines for job costing, you need a shop-floor data collection system; TrackBadges records attendance by entrance, not by job. Plants with union contracts that carry several overtime tiers can still use it for hours, but expect your payroll system to do the pay math. And the tablet needs Wi-Fi at the entrance while it scans.
Set it up in three steps
- 01
Add your crew
Name your business and paste in your team. No signup, sales call or card — make an account once you like it.
- 02
Print their badges
Everyone gets a QR badge. Print them on plain paper or card stock. There's nothing for your crew to install.
- 03
Scan with any device
A supervisor's phone, a warehouse tablet — any device can be a scanner. Scan a badge once to clock in, and again to clock out.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best time clock for a manufacturing plant?
One that's fast at shift change, works without phones on the floor and doesn't need hardware at every door. TrackBadges uses a tablet at the entrance to scan printed QR badges, applies daily and weekly overtime, and exports a CSV for payroll. Any tablet works, and extra entrances cost nothing.
Can a tablet replace a wall-mounted time clock?
Yes. A tablet paired as a TrackBadges scanner does what a punch clock does: workers scan in and out, and every punch is timestamped and added to their timesheet. Mount it at chest height near the entrance and keep it plugged in and on Wi-Fi.
Are fingerprint time clocks legal in a factory?
They're legal in most states, but some regulate them closely. Illinois' BIPA requires written consent and a public retention policy before collecting fingerprints, and Texas and Washington have their own biometric laws. A QR badge time clock collects no biometrics, so those rules don't apply.
Can I round punches to the nearest 15 minutes?
Federal rules allow rounding to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth or quarter hour if it averages out so employees are paid for all time worked (29 CFR 785.48(b)). TrackBadges rounds for payroll and keeps the raw scan times. California doesn't allow rounding meal-period punches.
Does TrackBadges calculate shift differentials?
No. TrackBadges records hours and applies daily and weekly overtime thresholds, but it doesn't store pay rates. Export the week as a CSV with every shift's start and end times, and your payroll provider applies the differential.
Keep reading
- Badge time clockA badge time clock with no reader to buy: print QR ID badges for your crew and scan them with any phone or tablet. Nothing to mount. Free for 3 people.
- Kiosk time clockTurn an iPad or Android tablet into a time clock kiosk that scans employee QR badges in the browser. No app to install, no PINs to share. Free for 3 people.
- Biometric time clock lawsBiometric time clocks are legal, but Illinois BIPA, Texas, Washington and Colorado set notice, consent and retention rules. A checklist and safer alternatives.
- QR vs NFC vs biometric clocksEvery type of time clock compared: PIN, punch card, RFID badge, NFC, QR code, biometric and GPS apps, by cost, phones needed, buddy-punch risk and privacy risk.
- Time clock costWhat a time clock costs in 2026: punch card, badge and biometric hardware, per-user app pricing, hidden costs, and year-one totals for 10- and 25-person crews.
- 7-minute rule calculatorFree time clock rounding calculator: round a punch to the nearest 5, 6, 10 or 15 minutes using the 7-minute rule, with a full quarter-hour rounding chart.
Clock in your manufacturing crew with one phone.
Print a QR badge for everyone and scan them in and out with any phone or tablet. Free for up to 3 people — try it with your real crew before you sign up.