By the SightShield team · · 3 min read
Start from how your people work
The cheapest machine on an online marketplace and the right attendance system for your business are rarely the same thing. Start with who needs to be tracked, where, and what reports payroll needs. Then choose devices and software that fit.
The checklist
- 1. Who is tracked: office staff, shift workers, contract labour, field staff, students?
- 2. Method: face, fingerprint, card, palm, mobile — or a combination?
- 3. Capacity: number of users, faces and fingerprints the device can hold, with room to grow.
- 4. Speed: how many people punch at shift change, and how many devices are needed to avoid queues?
- 5. Environment: indoor, outdoor, dusty, wet, bright sunlight?
- 6. Software: cloud or on-premise? Who will manage it?
- 7. Payroll and HR: does it integrate with your HR software, or export the format your payroll needs?
- 8. Shifts and rules: rotating shifts, night shifts, overtime, grace time, half-days?
- 9. Multiple locations: will all sites feed one system?
- 10. Offline storage: does the device store punches if the network fails?
- 11. Power: built-in battery or UPS backup?
- 12. Access control: should the same device open doors, turnstiles or gates?
- 13. Data protection: are templates encrypted, access restricted, and deletion possible when staff leave?
- 14. Warranty: is the device bought through an authorised channel so the warranty is honoured?
- 15. Support: who installs, enrols, trains and fixes problems locally?
Typical setups by business type
| Business | Usual setup |
|---|---|
| Office of 20–100 people | One or two face terminals at the entrance, cloud software, HR integration |
| Factory with shifts and contract labour | Face terminals at the staff gate with turnstiles, canteen terminal, contractor-wise reports |
| Retail chain | One terminal per store on 4G or broadband, cloud dashboard for HR |
| School or college | Face terminals for staff; cards or face for students with parent alerts |
| Hospital | Face terminals per department entrance, access control on restricted areas |
| Field sales team | Mobile attendance with geo-fence and selfie |
About warranty and online purchases
Some brands state that products bought on online marketplaces are not covered by their warranty, with support provided through installers and dealers. eSSL, for example, states this on its website. Buying through an authorised installer protects both the warranty and your access to support.
Mistakes buyers often make
- Buying on price alone, then finding the software cannot handle night shifts or overtime rules.
- Choosing a device the HR software does not support.
- Ignoring backlight and placement, then blaming the device for slow recognition.
- One device for hundreds of people at shift change, causing queues.
- No plan for deleting templates when staff leave.
- No local support, so a small fault stops attendance for days.
Try before you commit
Ask for a demonstration with your own staff, in your own lighting, and a parallel run alongside your current method before switching payroll over.
Ask us for a demo →Quick answers
Face or fingerprint: which should we buy?+
Face for most offices, factories and hospitals; fingerprint where budget is tight and staff fingerprints are reliable.
Cloud or on-premise software?+
Cloud suits multiple sites and remote access; on-premise suits single sites that prefer local data.
How many devices do we need?+
Enough to clear the busiest shift change without queues — often one device per 100–200 people per entrance, depending on timing.
Do you supply and support attendance systems in Bangalore?+
Yes. We supply, install, enrol, connect to HR software and provide ongoing support.
Can we start small and add devices later?+
Yes. Choose a platform that supports multiple devices and locations, then add terminals as you grow.
What does a demo involve?+
We bring a terminal, enrol a few of your staff in your lighting, and show reports and HR export before you decide.