Creating a Schedule Rules Template

Click on the main "Schedule" tab at the top of the screen, and then on the "Schedule Rules" link located directly below the main program navigation tabs.

Click on the [NEW TEMPLATE] icon located in the upper right-hand corner of the “Schedule Rules Template” screen. The screen that opens is divided into multiple sections.

Schedule Rule Info

  1. Enter a name for this template in the Rule Name field.

  2. Enter a Start Window. This is the number of minutes before the scheduled starting time that punches will be recognized as punches for this schedule.
    Example:     The schedule start time is 8 a.m. The start window is set to 15 minutes. An employee clocks in at 7:50 a.m. This punch will be considered an early punch for the schedule that begins at 8. If the same employee were to punch in at 7:40, the punch would be flagged with a “Not Scheduled” error code due to the fact that it does not fall within the 15 minute start/stop window.

  3. Enter a Stop Window. This is the number of minutes after the scheduled stop time that punches will be recognized as punches for this schedule.
    Example: The scheduled stop time is 4 p.m. The stop window is set to half an hour. An employee clocks out at 4:25 p.m. This punch will be considered a late punch for the shift that ended at 4. If the same employee were to punch at 4:40, the punch would be flagged with a "Not Scheduled" error code due to the fact that it does not fall within the 30 minute stop window.

  4. Enter the number of Required Hours for schedules assigned to this template. If employees working this schedule do not work the specified number of hours, the system will flag their punches for the day with an “Under Hours” error. This setting is used for Error Monitoring only and does not affect hours and earnings totals.

  5. Enter the number of Absence Hours. This is the number of hours that employees will be given when approved absences are generated (such as Holiday, Vacation or Sick Time).

  6. Enter the number of Max Hours. If employees working a schedule assigned to this template work more than the specified number of hours, their punches for the day will be flagged with an “Over Hours” error. This setting is used for Error Monitoring only, and does not affect hours and earnings totals.

IQ 1000 Clock Parameters

Note: This section of the screen will only be displayed if you are using TimeForce with a Model IQ 1000 time clock, and have enabled IQ 1000 settings in the TimeForce system.

  1. The IQ 1000 Allowed Period is the number of minutes before the scheduled start time and after the scheduled stop time that the employee is allowed to punch at the clock.  All punch attempts are logged, but employees must obtain a supervisor override in order to clock in outside of their assigned period. In these cases, the supervisor ID is downloaded with the punch.
    Example:     The Allowed Period is set to "00:15" before the scheduled start time of "07:00."  An employee assigned to this schedule rule attempts to clock in at "06:40."  Because the employee is 20 minutes early for their schedule, the clock displays a message informing them that they are outside of their allowed range, and  must have a supervisor override to complete the punch entry.  If the same employee were to clock in at "06:50," his or her punch would be accepted as usual.

Meal Policy

  1. Put a check mark in the Meal Policy box if you would like to assign a meal to this Schedule Rule.  Specify the following meal break information.  If you do not wish to use meal breaks, move on to step #13.

  2. Put a check mark in the Auto Deduct box if you would like the system to automatically deduct a meal break from employees who do not punch at the time clock during the specified "Window."  With this option un-checked, no automatic deduction will be made, but the meal policy will still be used for Error Monitoring.

  3. Enter the Meal Deduction. This is the length of time to be deducted from your employees’ daily hours totals. For example, “01:00” would be entered for an hour long lunch break. “00:30” would be entered for a half-hour lunch break.

  4. The Window Start field is the length of time after the beginning of the scheduled start time when employees can begin taking lunch.
    Example:     The schedule start time is 8 am. The Window Start is set to “02:30.” Employees working this schedule may begin taking their lunch breaks at 10:30 am, or,
    two-and-one-half hours after the starting time of their schedule for that day.

  5. The Window Length is the window of time during which employees assigned to this schedule may take their lunch breaks. If an employee punches at the time clock during this range of time, the system will assume that the punches are lunch punches and the automatic deduction will be overridden.
    Example:     Using the same example as in the step above, if the Window Length is set to “03:00,” this means that employees are allowed to take their lunch breaks anywhere from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.

  6. Put a check mark in the Force Meal box if you would like the system to automatically deduct any remainder of lunch minutes from an employee’s time card when the automatic deduction has been overridden by a set of punches that falls under the specified “Meal Deduction.”
    Example:     The Meal Deduction is set to half an hour. The Force Meal option is enabled. An employee assigned to this schedule clocks out for lunch during the specified Meal Window, thus overriding the automatic deduction, and clocks back in 25 minutes later. The system automatically deducts the remaining 5 minutes from the employee’s time card for the day, bringing their total lunch deduction amount to 30 minutes.  If the employee does not clock out for lunch at all, no deduction will occur unless the Auto Deduct option is enabled.

Other Information

  1. If you would like to assign the hours worked on this schedule to a specific department level, make the desired selection from the Department drop-down menu. Click on the icon to make your selection from a department map.
    Note:     This setting overrides any default department settings specified in other areas of the program.

  2. If you would like to assign the hours worked on this schedule to a job, make the desired selection from the Job drop-down menu. This setting will override any job numbers entered at the clock, as well as the employee's default job (if applicable).

  3. If you would like to assign the hours worked on this schedule to a Premium Pay Code, make the desired selection from the Premium Pay drop-down menu.

  4. If you would like to assign the hours worked on this schedule to a Minimum Hours Policy, make the desired selection from the Minimum Hours drop-down menu.

  5. If you would like to assign the hours worked on this schedule to a Schedule Rounding Policy, make the desired selection from the Rounding drop-down menu.
    Note:     Only rounding policies with a type of “Schedule” can be assigned to a Schedule Rules Template. “Range” and “Interval” policies cannot be used.

Breaks

When using this option employees will be paid for their breaks and lunches, but must still clock “In” and “Out” at the time clock. This allows you to track the length of the breaks and lunches that your employees are taking without deducting the time from the employee’s time card.
Note: The “Paid Break/Lunch” feature is for use with IQ model time clocks only. In order for the option to work, employees must use the [BREAK] and/or [LUNCH] buttons on the time clock. The keypad on an ETC model time clock does not include these buttons.

  1. Enter the Break Length. This is the length of the scheduled break (as in “15” for a 15 minute break or “60” for an hour-long lunch break).

  2. Enter the Break Grace. This is the number of minutes that employees are allowed to go over the specified break length before their punches in the Time Card screen are flagged with a “Long Break” error.

  3. Put a check mark in the Restrict box if you want the system to automatically deduct from the time card any number of minutes that employees go under the specified break length and grace.
    Example:     The specified lunch amount is 60 minutes. An employee clocks out for lunch, but clocks back in 45 minutes later. Do you want the system to automatically deduct the remaining 15 minutes?

  4. Put a check mark in the Lunch box if this paid break is to count as the employees lunch break.
    Note:     With this option selected, employees must use the [LUNCH] key on the clock keypad when clocking out for this break. With this option de-selected, the [BREAK] key must be used.

  5. Click on the [ADD BREAK] icon to add the break to the schedule. Insert as many breaks as desired. Click on the “Delete” icon in the Breaks section of the screen to remove a break from the schedule.

  6. Click on the [SAVE] icon at the bottom of the screen to save the Schedule Rule Template.