Time clock for warehousing
A warehouse time clock that keeps up with shift change.
A warehouse time clock records when each worker starts and ends a shift, usually at the entrance. With TrackBadges, a tablet by the door scans each worker's printed QR badge, once in and once out, or a lead scans badges with a phone. Phones can stay in lockers, temps start with a badge on day one, and there's no wall terminal to buy.
What the time clock has to handle
40 people at 5:55 a.m.
A line at a PIN pad makes the whole shift late. A badge scan is hold up and walk on, and a second tablet at the same door costs nothing extra.
Phones stay in lockers
Many warehouses keep personal phones off the floor. A printed badge needs no phone to clock in or out.
Agency temps every week
Temps change faster than anyone can roll out an app. Add names on Monday, print badges, and archive them when the assignment ends.
How a warehouse time clock works with badges
Put a tablet by the employee entrance and pair it as a scanner. Workers hold their printed QR badge up to the camera on the way in and again on the way out. Nobody types a PIN, hunts for their name in a list or takes a phone out of a locker.
A two-shift day at a distribution center:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5:50 a.m. | First shift arrives. Each person holds up a badge at the tablet by the door and walks on. |
| 10:00 a.m. | Lunch in two waves. Each worker scans out, and back in 30 minutes later. |
| 2:25 p.m. | Shift change. Second shift scans in at the same tablet while first shift scans out. One scan toggles each person, so in and out never get mixed up. |
| 2:30 p.m. | The supervisor glances at the tablet's list of who's clocked in: 38 on the clock, nobody from first shift left open. |
| 11:05 p.m. | Second shift scans out. Anyone who leaves without scanning is closed by auto clock-out and flagged. |
If 40 people arrive in the last five minutes, add a second tablet at the same door. Scanners are unlimited on every plan, and any spare tablet or phone will do. The kiosk setup guide covers mounting, power and keeping the screen awake.
Keep the tablet where a lead can see it
A tablet nobody watches can't stop one worker from holding up two badges. Badge scanning stops buddy punching because a person sees each scan, so put the tablet where the shift lead stands at start-up, or have the lead scan badges with a phone at the pre-shift huddle. Each punch records which scanner made it, so a scan from the wrong door stands out.
Phones in lockers, badges on lanyards
Many warehouses keep personal phones off the floor. With a badge time clock, nobody needs one: the badge goes on a lanyard or a clip, and the phone stays in the locker all shift. Around forklifts and conveyors, a breakaway lanyard or a belt clip keeps a badge from catching.
A forgotten badge isn't a problem: the lead types that person's PIN on the scanner. A lost one is reissued in a click, and the old code stops working.
Security screening, early arrivals and paid time
Where the tablet sits decides what time gets recorded. Under federal law, the Supreme Court held in Integrity Staffing Solutions v. Busk (2014) that waiting for an end-of-shift anti-theft screening isn't paid work time under the FLSA. California went the other way: in Frlekin v. Apple (2020), the California Supreme Court held that time spent on exit bag checks is paid. If you screen workers on the way out in California, put the scanner after the screening line.
Early arrivals are another question. If someone scans in at 5:40 for a 6:00 shift and starts working, those minutes are paid. TrackBadges can round punches to 5, 10 or 15 minutes for payroll, and the raw scan times are never changed. Rounding has to even out over time under 29 CFR 785.48(b); see time clock rounding rules. This isn't legal advice; check your state.
Temp workers from staffing agencies
Peak season brings agency temps who change week to week. Add their names on Monday, print badges, and they use the same tablet as everyone else. At the end of the week, export the shift detail and check it against the agency's invoice line by line. When an assignment ends, archive the temp and they stop counting toward your plan. If you're the agency, see time tracking for staffing agencies.
Overtime in peak season
Mandatory overtime from October to December adds up. Set a 40-hour weekly threshold, plus a daily threshold if your state has daily overtime, and each timesheet splits regular and overtime hours as the week goes. Approve the week and export a CSV for payroll. The overtime calculator shows the math for a single week.
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 60 workers is $94.50 a month. There's no wall terminal to buy and no per-scanner fee. Compare that with hardware clocks in what a time clock costs.
When it isn't the right fit
TrackBadges tracks attendance: when each person starts and stops. It doesn't track labor by task, like picking, packing or putaway, or connect to a warehouse management system for productivity. It also needs a connection while it scans; if the Wi-Fi by the door drops, the tablet can't clock anyone in until it's back.
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 warehouse where phones aren't allowed on the floor?
A badge time clock on a tablet by the door. With TrackBadges, each worker holds up a printed QR badge to clock in and out, so phones can stay in lockers all shift. There's no wall terminal to buy; any tablet works.
Can workers clock in for each other at a warehouse kiosk?
At an unattended tablet, one worker could hold up a coworker's badge. Put the tablet where a shift lead can see it at start-up, or have the lead scan with a phone, and every scan has a witness. Each punch also records which scanner made it and when.
Do warehouse workers have to be paid for security screening time?
Under the federal FLSA, no: the Supreme Court held in Integrity Staffing Solutions v. Busk (2014) that end-of-shift screening isn't paid work. In California, yes: Frlekin v. Apple (2020) held that exit bag checks are paid time. Other states vary, so check yours.
Can I use TrackBadges for agency temp workers?
Yes. Add them, print their badges and they clock in at the same tablet as your employees. Export the week's shifts to check the agency's invoice, and archive temps when their assignment ends so they stop counting toward your plan.
How many tablets do I need for a shift change?
One handles most shifts, because each scan takes a moment and one scan toggles a person in or out. If 40 or more people arrive in the same few minutes, add a second tablet at the same door. Scanners are unlimited on every plan.
Keep reading
- 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.
- Set up a time clock kioskHow to set up a time clock kiosk: choosing a tablet, locking it with Guided Access or app pinning, mounting height, power, Wi-Fi and lighting for badge scans.
- StaffingA temp agency time clock: your site supervisor scans each placed worker's QR badge at the client site, for hours you can pay and bill. Free for 3 people.
- Time clock rounding rulesRounding punches is legal federally if it's neutral over time (29 CFR 785.48(b)). See the 7-minute rule chart, 5, 6 and 10-minute rounding, and California.
- 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.
- Overtime calculatorFree overtime calculator: enter an hourly rate and hours worked to get regular and overtime pay at 1.5× or 2×, plus the premium for no tax on overtime.
Clock in your warehousing 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.