Types of Biometric Attendance: Meaning & Advantages

Hello, in this post we are going to discuss the types of biometric attendance systems. The topics we will cover in this post are:

• What is Biometric attendance?
• How does a biometric attendance system work?
• Different types of biometric attendance
• Advantages of biometrics in payroll

What is Biometric attendance?

Biometrics attendance measures and verifies the biological characteristics of a human. It helps to keep track of the schedule of workers, volunteers, or students. It can accurately record the entry and exit times of the individual. So the employer/authority will have clarity and there will be no dispute between who is in and out for the duty. There are mainly 2 types of biometric techniques:

1. Behavioural biometrics – It works on the verification method. It is applicable to offices, business centers, and various educational institutions.
2. Physical biometrics – It works for both identification and verification method. The banks and other investigative departments use it for secure transactions and criminal investigations.

How does a biometric attendance system work?

A biometric attendance gadget works by the use of unique biological traits of employees to appropriately perceive and file their attendance. Here’s a trendy overview of how it works:

• Enrollment:

Initially, each employee’s biometric information is enrolled into the system. This typically entails capturing biometric trends inclusive of fingerprints, iris styles, facial features, or hand geometry. During enrollment, the device creates a template or digital illustration of these biometric trends.

• Verification or Identification: 

When an worker wishes to clock in or out, they have interaction with the biometric scanner. There are two primary techniques:

• Verification (1:1 matching): The employee affords their biometric records (e.g., fingerprint) to the scanner, and the system compares it towards the stored template to confirm the worker’s identification.
• Identification (1:N matching): The worker gives their biometric facts with out specifying their identity. The device compares this records in opposition to the templates of all enrolled employees to find a suit, figuring out the worker based on the biometric information furnished.

• Matching Algorithm:

The system employs sophisticated matching algorithms to examine the captured biometric facts with the stored templates. These algorithms analyze unique capabilities or patterns inside the biometric traits to decide a in shape.

• Attendance Recording:

Once the machine verifies or identifies the worker, it statistics the attendance data, usually logging the time and date of the clock-in or clock-out event.

• Data Storage and Management:

The attendance facts are saved securely in a database, frequently encrypted to protect touchy biometric records. Administrators can get admission to and manipulate these facts for numerous purposes which include payroll processing, attendance tracking, or compliance reporting.

• Real-time Monitoring and Reporting: 

Many biometric attendance structures offer actual-time tracking and reporting features, permitting administrators to music attendance styles, pick out anomalies, and generate reports for analysis. Overall, biometric attendance systems offer a steady, accurate, and green technique for monitoring worker attendance at the same time as mitigating problems which include pal punching (wherein one worker clocks in or out on behalf of another) and unauthorized access.

Different types of biometric attendance

The different types of biometric attendance systems are:

1. 1. DNA  The identification of an individual by the analysis of segments from DNA.
   2. Ear The identification of an individual by the shape of the ear.
   3. Eyes
      1. Iris Recognition The use of iris features to identify a specific individual.
      2. Retina Recognition The use of patterns of veins in the back of the eye to identify an individual.
   4. Face Recognition The facial features or patterns are analyzed for the authentication or recognition of an individual. They use either faces or local feature analysis.
   5. Fingerprint Recognition It recognizes ridges and valleys (minutiae) on the surface of the human finger.
   6. Finger Geometry Recognition It will use the 3D geometry of the finger to determine one’s identity.
   7. Gait Recognition Here, an individual’s walking style or gait is used to determine one’s identity.
   8. Hand Geometry Recognition The geometric features of the hand like the finger’s length and the width of the hand are used to identify an individual.
   9. Odour Recognition An individual’s odour is used to determine identity.
   10. Typing Recognition It recognizes and uses the unique characteristics of a person typing for establishing one’s identity.
   11. Vein Recognition Vein recognition can be used to identify individuals based on the vein patterns in the human finger or palm.
   12. Voice
       1. Identification of speaker Identification is to determine an unknown speaker’s identity. We can install these identification systems without the user’s knowledge. So, it can then identify a talking person, alert if the speaker changes, check the user is part of the system, etc. Ex: Police officers can compare a suspect’s sketch in the documented criminal database to find a match.
       2. Verification/Authentication of the speaker It uses the voice of the speaker for determining the identity. So, when an individual wants to claim an identity, their voice can verify it. Ex: When we present our passport for the verification process at the border, the officer compares our face and the one in the passport.
   13. Signature Recognition Employee authentication by analyzing the handwriting style, especially the signature.
       1. Static – The visual comparison between one scanned signature and another scanned signature. It can also be between a scanned signature and an ink signature.
       2. Dynamic – It captures your data along with the X, Y, T, and P Coordinates of the signor from the signing device. This data can be also used in court using digital forensic examination tools. You can also authenticate signatures from the biometric template created. You can do this authentication either at the time of signing or post-signing.

Advantages of biometrics in payroll

Using a biometric attendance system has the following advantages:

• No ghost punching
• No replacement cost
• Data accuracy
• Accurate payroll
• Automated rules
• Increase in productivity
• Improves employee accountability

No ghost punching

A biometric attendance will only accept an enrolled employee to punch in. When a co-worker punches for another co-worker, it becomes a form of time fraud. Another person can not duplicate the biometric data of another co-worker. Thus, the number of time fraud cases in an organization will be less.

No replacement cost

A biometric attendance system relies on an employee’s biometric information like fingerprints, vein mapping, collagen, etc. to verify and clock in the employee. So, a smooth process is possible because no card replacement costs, and his/her finger is never forgotten.

Data accuracy

The data from a biometric attendance system is accurate and easily accessible. Therefore, you can generate quick reports and get problem alerts.

Accurate payroll

A biometric system record employees’ arrival and exit times, and the employer can pay them accordingly. So, there is less chance for overpayment of employees, and it is a huge cost-saving measure for the company.

Automated rules

You can configure a biometric system to administer office rules. For example, a company with a biometric attendance system need not manually track working hours. The system can do it and sends out reports to employees.

Increase in productivity

A biometric system will decrease staffing overhead, save employee time, and provides payroll with accurate labour data. In the end, it will lead to an effective business environment.

Improves employee accountability

A biometric can create verifiable audit trails, thereby improves the accountability and responsibility of the employees. The system can also accurately identify and record employees’ actions like absenteeism, unscheduled breaks, etc. Therefore, it creates adherence in employees to the workplace rules and accountability, eliminating employee theft, buddy punching, and other problems and loopholes as a result of an outdated manual attendance system. With that, we have come to an end of this post on the types of biometric attendance. Share your queries with us in the comment section below.

Refer to our blog:

• Different Types Of Attendance Tracking System
• Benefits Of Payroll Software
• Workplace Guide To Avoid The Spread Of COVID-19