Johannesburg, 14 Jul 2016
Safran Identity & Security launched MorphoTablet as a mobile biometric device for identity registration and verification, which proves to be particularly suitable for collecting workforce time and attendance data.
Donseed, the UK-based workplace management solutions provider, integrated MorphoTablet into its time tracking software to deliver an end-to-end solution to industries looking to reduce security risk, improve health and safety... and save money.
The challenge
Time validation of a mobile workforce can be one of the most financially impactful issues an employer has to control, as it directly affects an individual's pay and a business's profit.
In particular, enterprises operating across vast, multiple or remote sites face a major challenge in tracking employee hours, as well as making real-time attendance records available at all times. Construction companies, for instance, are only onsite for a limited period of time, during which installing phone and broadband lines is often not practical.
As a result, such companies have found it difficult to collect accurate time and attendance information in the field. Furthermore, paper-based time sheets are time-consuming, lead to data entry errors and can increase payroll costs as individuals can readily falsify manual documents.
Conventional fixed electronic time clock units would help eliminate imprecision and fraud, but can hardly operate in temporary or moving working environments.
The solution: a biometric tablet...
Safran Identity & Security developed MorphoTablet, a touchscreen device equipped with a fingerprint scanner and a high-resolution camera, to face any situation where mobile identification is required.
This combination enables first to register individuals directly on location, by inputting their demographic information directly on the device's touchscreen, taking photos with its rear camera, and then pairing these with their fingerprint data. Once this initial enrolment step is completed, it becomes possible to verify the identity of a registered person anytime and anywhere, by using the tablet to capture his/her fingerprints and compare them with those previously stored in its database. As MorphoTablet communicates via Bluetooth, WiFi and cellular networks, it can easily send real-time data to a central server. This data can be coupled with the exact location of the device, given by its embedded GPS sensor.
MorphoTablet comes with an SDK (software development kit), so developers can build custom applications to answer specific needs through dedicated workflows and graphical user interface. This is precisely what Donseed did to convert it into the perfect tool to collect time and attendance data in the field... coupled with a cloud-based software.
Donseed is a long-term Safran Identity & Security partner, which has delivered workplace management solutions to over 800 sites throughout the UK and Ireland. Capitalising on this experience, Donseed not only developed a specific Android application for MorphoTablet, they also integrated it into their time tracking software so as to offer an end-to-end solution to enterprises, with a managed service and a business intelligence reporting platform.
When individuals arrive at a site, they immediately register their profile on location with MorphoTablet. Data is pushed via mobile networks and stored on secure servers in the cloud. End-user privacy is protected as the system relies on fingerprint templates, ie, numeric representations of the fingerprint, and does not store fingerprint images.
Captured data can be accessed by Donseed back-end software via the Web, and also pushed back to other MorphoTablet devices deployed on various locations. This has several benefits. First, employees only have to register their templates once in order to access various sites. Donseed software also makes it possible to delete employees' fingerprint templates from a central location from all sites if they leave the company, ensuring they no longer have access to job sites. Furthermore, employees and contractors can be given temporary access to a specific site or area for a few hours.
When registered employees arrive at (or leave) a site, they clock in (or out) using their fingerprints to authenticate themselves. A record featuring employee identity, clock (in or out time and place) is immediately sent to the Donseed back-office portal.
This eliminates buddy punching, ghost workers and data errors, which leads to increased productivity. Furthermore, a Health & Safety module is integrated to the mobile reader.
If an operative's certification for a required skill has expired, when they authenticate onsite, a warning notification e-mail is automatically generated and sent to assigned managers to alert them that a non-compliant employee is onsite.
The results
By adding MorphoTablet to its workplace management solution, Donseed has been able to help its customers reduce the administrative hassles of managing paper-based time sheets. The mobile fingerprint device makes it possible to automatically collect time and attendance information.
The data stored by the Donseed back-office portal can be used for:
* Real-time tracking of hours worked/on location;
* Paying personnel/third party contractors;
* Maintaining and storing occupations, qualifications and skills;
* Location access authorisation and audit trail; and
* Tracking talent across the business.
As a result, companies can reduce administrative costs, increase productivity and enhance security at their sites. They can also continue leveraging their investments by taking the tablets with them as they move to the next job.
Multiple opportunities
Banking, retail, construction and other industries where security risk, health and safety, and time and attendance are very important, can benefit from the combination of MorphoTablet with Donseed software.
For banks, reducing security risks is a number one priority, so ensuring only authorised and correctly qualified personnel are given back-office access is of the utmost importance. The system's unique single biometric registration and security validation ensures this happens and access can be given across all branch locations at the same time.
For businesses where employees or third party contractors are paid by the hour and the identity of those workers needs to be verified, the system provides a clear audit trail and significant management information capabilities.
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