Method and system for tracking time and attendance
View Patent ↗A method for calculating employee compensation includes associating sets of attributes with pay categories. An employee's shifts are split into sub-shifts, responsive to work parameters. A set of attributes is determined for each sub-shift. Each set of attributes is a unique combination of attributes. Sets of attributes are associated with pay categories through a pay category mapping matrix which maps each set of attributes to one or more pay categories. The pay categories with which the set of attributes associated with a particular subshift is associated are then determined responsive to the mapping. A total compensation for an employee is then determined for a pay period by adding the amounts determined for each subshift of the pay period. A compensation qualifier can be associated with each pay category, such that determining compensation for an employee for the sub-shift responsive to the assigned pay category, is in turn responsive to the employee's base pay and the compensation qualifier. One or more pay categories can be tracked. For each tracked pay category, an overflow threshold is specified that is a maximum amount of time that can be accrued in the pay category. A second pay category is specified to receive any amount of time originally assigned to the tracked pay category which is in excess over the threshold. This can be done over various time periods, such as per day or per week.
1. A method of automatically calculating an employee's compensation, comprising, in a processor:
associating sets of attributes with pay categories;
associating a compensation qualifier with each pay category;
collecting information corresponding to identified transactions, the identified transactions including punch information;
forming one or more completed shifts, responsive to the identified transactions and the employee's schedule, each of the completed shifts corresponding to at least one scheduled period of work;
splitting the employee's shifts into a plurality of sub-shifts, responsive to work parameters, each of the plurality of sub-shifts corresponding to at least one scheduled sub-period of work,
wherein the punch information includes information relating to actual times when at least one of the completed shifts begins and finishes, actual times when each sub-shift within the at least one completed shift begins and finishes, and actual times when the employee changes work assignments during the at least one completed shift, each work assignment corresponding to at least one respective sub-shift within the at least one completed shift; and
for each sub-shift,
determining a set of attributes for the sub-shift,
determining a pay category with which the set of attributes is associated,
assigning the pay category to the sub-shift, and
determining compensation for the employee for the sub-shift, responsive to the assigned pay category, the employee's base pay and a compensation qualifier associated with the pay category,
thereby allowing compensation to be determined for the employee who begins and finishes work at different times during the at least one completed shift, and who has different work assignments during different sub-shifts within the at least one completed shift.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each set of attributes is a unique combination of attributes.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein work parameters comprise at least one of workplace rules, scheduled time, holiday calendars, dates and times of the shift.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein a subshift comprises one or more contiguous intervals having common attributes.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
associating sets of attributes to pay categories comprises creating a mapping which maps each set of attributes to at least one pay category; and
determining the at least on pay category with which the set of attributes is associated is responsive to the mapping.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the mapping is configurable by a user.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a total compensation for an employee for a pay period by adding the amounts determined for each subshift of the pay period.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified transactions occur during a predetermined time period, and further including the step of
automatically making an employee shift assignment including
identifying an earliest transaction from among the identified transactions,
qualifying one or more shifts for association with the identified transactions based on the earliest transaction,
selecting a shift from among the one or more qualified shifts, and
associating the identified transactions with the selected shift.
9. The method of claim 8 , further including associating the identified transactions with at least one of the work parameters.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the work parameters comprise at least one of workplace rules, scheduled time, holiday calendars, and dates and times of the shift.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein plural compensation qualifiers are associated with a pay category, each compensation qualifier being in effect for a different time of day.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compensation qualifier comprises a pay multiplier, such that determining compensation for the employee for the sub-shift comprises multiplying the employee's base pay by the pay multiplier.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compensation qualifier comprises a pay adder, such that determining compensation for the employee for the sub-shift comprises adding the pay adder to the employee's base pay.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the compensation qualifier additionally comprises a pay multiplier, such that determining compensation for the employee for the sub-shift comprising multiplying the employee's base pay by the pay multiplier.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compensation qualifier comprises a bonus time, such that determining compensation for the employee for the sub-shift comprises awarding the employee the bonus time.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonus is added only if a specified minimum time requirement is met.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonus time is specified amount of bonus time.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonus time is specified percentage of time worked during a specified interval.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting a threshold for a first pay category;
defining an overflow pay category; and
calculating, for a given period, a total time awarded to the first pay category; and
if the total time awarded to the first pay category exceeds the threshold, transferring the excess awarded time to the overflow pay category.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
the period is one day.
21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
the period is one week.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein an employee's actual compensation is calculated based on actual attendance and applicable compensation rules.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the actual attendance is determined from the collected punch information.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the punch information is collected by a reader through which encoded cards are swiped.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the punch information is collected by a biometrics device.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the punch information is stored in a database.
27. The method of claim 23 , wherein the punch information comprises any or all of IN/OUT information, timestamps, and break indications.
28. The method of claim 1 , wherein an employee's budgeted compensation is calculated based on the employee's assignment schedule.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein an employee's forecasted compensation is calculated based on the employee's actual attendance for a selected period, and the employee's assignment schedule.
30. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining compensation for the employee for the sub-shift is responsive to a pay policy.
31. The method of claim 1 , wherein the punch information comprises in punches and out punches.
32. The method of claim 1 , wherein each sub-shift is classified as to which attributes are in effect.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein attributes comprise any or all of premiums, special pay, overtime, schedule deviation, holidays, and specially designated days.
34. A method of automatically calculating an employee's compensation for a pay period, comprising, in a data processor:
associating sets of parameters with pay categories, a compensation qualifier being associated with each pay category;
collecting information corresponding to identified transactions, the identified transactions including punch information;
determining one or more time segments responsive to the identified transactions and the employee's schedule,
wherein the punch information includes information relating to actual times when each time segment within the pay period begins and finishes, and actual times when the employee changes work assignments during the pay period, each work assignment corresponding to at least one respective time segment within the pay period;
for each time segment,
determining a set of valid parameters according to a set of rules,
determining a pay category associated with the set of valid parameters, and
calculating the employee's compensation for the time segment responsive to the pay category, the employee's base pay and a compensation qualifier associated with the pay category; and
determining the employee's compensation for the pay period responsive to the calculated compensations determined for time segments within the pay period,
thereby allowing compensation to be determined for the employee who begins and finishes work at different times during the pay period, and who has different work assignments during different time segments within the pay period.
35. A computer program product for automatically calculating an employee's compensation, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code thereon, including program code which:
associates sets of attributes with pay categories, a compensation qualifier being associated with each pay category;
collects information corresponding to identified transactions, the identified transactions including punch information;
forms one or more completed shifts, responsive to the identified transactions and the employee's schedule, each of the completed shifts corresponding to at least one scheduled period of work;
splits the employee's shifts into a plurality of sub-shifts, responsive to work parameters, each of the plurality of sub-shifts corresponding to at least one scheduled sub-period of work,
wherein the punch information includes information relating to actual times when at least one of the completed shifts begins and finishes, actual times when each sub-shift within the at least one completed shift begins and finishes, and actual times when the employee changes work assignments during the at least one completed shift, each work assignment corresponding to at least one respective sub-shift within the at least one completed shift; and
for each sub-shift,
determines a set of attributes for the sub-shift,
determines a pay category with which the set of attributes is associated,
assigns the pay category to the sub-shift, and
determines compensation for the employee for the sub-shift, responsive to the assigned pay category, the employee's base pay and a compensation qualifier associated with the assigned pay category,
thereby allowing compensation to be determined for the employee who begins and finishes work at different times during the at least one completed shift, and who has different work assignments during different sub-shifts within the at least one completed shift.