1. Implementing Time and Labor
  2. Shift Limits in Time Processing

Shift Limits in Time Processing

Shift limits identify acceptable deviations from scheduled shift starts and stops. And they help time device rules identify the shift to use when evaluating time device or web clock events. Set shift limits using the Manage Shift Properties task.

Grace Period

A grace period is the number of minutes that individuals can deviate from their published scheduled start and stop times without getting attendance violations. This deviation applies both before and after the scheduled time. For example, when a shift with a 15-minute grace period starts at 8:00, the valid start period is 7:45 to 8:15.

Timeline starting at 7:00 and continuing beyond 8:30 marked at 15 minute intervals. It shows the 15 minute grace periods from 7:45 to 8:00 and 8:00 to 8:15.

Start and End Early and Late Periods

Early and late periods are ranges of time in minutes, before and after scheduled start and end times. These periods help time device rules evaluate time device and web clock events using identified shift start or stop times. For example, a scheduled shift starts at 8:00. It has a 15-minute grace period, a 45-minute start early period, and a 30-minute start late period.

  • The 45-minute start early period includes the 15-minute grace period. So, the start early period is 7:15 to 8:00.
  • The 30-minute start late period includes the 15-minute grace period. So, the start late period is 8:00 to 8:30.
Timeline starting at 7:00 and continuing beyond 8:30 marked at 15 minute intervals. It shows the 15 minute grace periods from 7:45 to 8:00 and 8:00 to 8:15 and the example start early and late.

Violation Types

Time device rules create time entry exceptions for time device or web clock events in the specified start and end early or late periods. They can also create exceptions for events outside of the grace period, depending on how you set up the shift limits.

Time entry exceptions include an exception type of Information, Warning, or Error, which specifies what message the time and labor manager reviewing the exception sees. A device rule uses the violation type that you set for the shift limits as the exception type for the time entry. If you don't set a violation type, it uses the message severity set in the rule. For example, the violation type for the start early period is Warning. The message severity in the device rule is Error. When the rule generates an exception, it sets the type as Warning. If there wasn't any violation type for the start early period, the rule would generate an Error exception.

Time event processing also uses the rule message severity for time events outside of any specified start and end early and late periods. For example, the rule generates Error exceptions for time before start and end early periods, and after start and end late periods.

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