HOW DO I ADD A NEW TIME CLOCK?

If a new clock is being added to your system, you will need to create a line for it in Data Collection Device (DCD) Management.  This will allow you to determine which location a particular clock or device is to be associated with, and establish communication between VTI and the clock.  To reach this screen hover over the SCHEDULE icon and the DCD navigation link and then click the DCD Setup navigation link.  Please note that this screen is sometimes referred to as the DCD Setup screen because of the navigation link you use to reach it.

The bottom line of the screen will always be nearly blank, as it is what will be used to add a new device to the system.

Use the following fields:

  • Name – Name or description of the clock. This is the name that will be used to identify the clock in the DCD pick list on the Data Collection Device Settings
  • Caller ID Mask – This field is used for lines associated with the IVR, so please leave it blank.
  • IP Address – If the clock has not yet been plugged in, and you do not yet know its IP address, leave this field blank. Otherwise, enter the clock’s IP address as it was reported on the clock’s screen after it was first powered on.
  • Device Type – Use the pick list to identify which type of clock is being added to the system.
  • Location – Choose which location punches will be reported as coming from. Please note that depending on the particular location’s Allowed Users and Allowed Jobs settings, this will also determine which users will be eligible to punch at this clock and which jobs they can punch with.
  • Online – Choose “Yes” if the clock is already online and you have already entered its IP address on this line. This will enable the system to expect communication from the clock right after this line has been added.  If the clock has not been plugged in yet and you do not want the system to attempt to start expecting heartbeats from it just yet, leave this at “No.”  This setting can be changed once the clock in in fact online.
  • Expected Heartbeat Interval – Determine the maximum amount of time (in minutes) the system should expect to wait between heartbeats from a clock. The interval is usually set at 3-5 minutes.  Please note that this interval must be greater than the clock’s set heartbeat interval.

Click Update to save your changes and add the line to the DCD Management screen.  The line will automatically be assigned a DCDID number and its status will be reported.

 

If the new clock has not yet been plugged in:

Plug the clock in and write down the IP address it reports while it boots.  Enter that IP address in this newly created line, make sure the Online pick list is set to “Yes” and click Update to save your changes.  Then click the Reset button associated with this clock’s line. 

When the reset is complete the clock will be ready for use.  It is recommended that you submit a test punch and find it in Who Is In to confirm that the connection is functioning as it should.

 

If the new clock has been plugged in, but you do not know its IP address:

Unplug the clock for a full minute and then plug it back in.  Write down the IP address it reports during the boot and enter that in this clock’s line on the DCD Management screen.  Make sure the Online pick list is set to “Yes” and click Update to save your changes. Then click the Reset button associated with this clock’s line. 

When the reset is complete the clock will be ready for use.  It is recommended that you submit a test punch and find it in Who Is In to confirm that the connection is functioning as it should.

 

If the new clock has been plugged in, and its IP address has been entered in DCD Management:

Make sure the Online pick list is set to “Yes” and click the Reset button associated with the clock’s line.

 

IMPORTANT:  When a new clock is added to the system, or switched with another clock, it must be reset from DCD Management before use.  When a clock is reset DCD Management uses the entered IP address to assign a clock a DCDID.  This ensures that the clock is correctly associated with a single line in DCD Management, and that the clock will use the correct DCDID when reporting punches