Fingerprint readers help reduce fraudulent employee behaviour

(16/01/2008)

Timecards can be easily shared or falsified. Employee lateness and accountability is a costly problem in business. The ability to measure and account for employee time is very valuable to companies who need to maximise their resources. Additionally, security is a huge concern for organisations, not just authenticating users onto IT systems, but also physically securing the premises. Keys or swipe cards can be shared, lost or stolen and are expensive to manage.

Time Systems (UK) Ltd. wanted to improve their existing time clock systems by adding a biometric component. They selected DigitalPersona’s Platinum software Development Kit and U.are.U Fingerprint Readers. DigitalPersona’s technology seamlessly integrated into Time Systems application creating a secure and easy-to-use time and attendance solution.

With DigitalPersona’s software, fingerprint images are never stored. Minutia points (unique fingerprint characteristics) are used to create a mathematical model. This mathematical model cannot be reconstructed to make a fingerprint image. DigitalPersona’s readers use optical technology that is more reliable in high use environments.

“Fingerprint authentication is the perfect addition to our time and attendance products,” said Ian Barker, CTO at Time Systems. “It shows our customers that we understand their need for a secure yet easy-to-use time & attendance system.”

Benefits include:
Accountability - Employees cannot “clock in” for a co-worker.
Security - Businesses know who and when someone has entered their building.
Convenience - Employees enter the building and clock in with the touch of a finger.
Accurate Reporting - Date and time stamped reports accurately measure employee time & attendance allowing for better resource management.

Employer and employee response to fingerprint biometric time and attendance systems has been very positive. Businesses can now avoid the pitfalls of payroll fraud by eliminating “buddy punching,“ the act of an employee punching the time clock for another who is late or had to leave early.

Employees enjoy the convenience of using a fingerprint reader instead of keys or swipe cards to enter the building.

More than 2,000 businesses have replaced traditional time & attendance systems with Time Systems’ TOUCH time biometric solution. DigitalPersona fingerprint readers have proven to be very durable in these high volume office environments.

“We have been extremely pleased with DigitalPersona throughout the decade we have been working with them,” said Barker. “Our systems have been implemented in a variety of businesses and we see a growing interest for fingerprint biometrics attendance systems as it becomes even more important to control access to office environments.”

DigitalPersona is exhibiting at Infosecurity Europe 2008, on the 22nd – 24th April 2008 in the Grand Hall, Olympia, www.infosec.co.uk

Related topics:  Building access control system   Fingerprint biometrics 

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