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THE SHORT ANSWER Biometric time clocks use fingerprint, palm or facial recognition. Staff cannot clock in for each other, data is secure, and the device is purpose-built for the job. iPad and tablet time clocks use a general-purpose consumer device with a third-party app. Staff clock in with a PIN or photo. Easy to set up, but harder to enforce accountability. For most Australian businesses serious about accurate records and eliminating time theft, a purpose-built biometric time clock is the stronger long-term choice. |
A lot of businesses come to us after trying an iPad or tablet-based time clock first. The setup is quick, the hardware is familiar, and it feels like a low-risk and cheap way to get started. For some businesses, it works fine. For many others, problems start to show up within a few months.
Buddy punching, broken or misplaced tablets, staff sharing PINs, time clock app crashing due to other software updates on the tablet, are good examples of why tablet-based time clocks can be an issue. Proving your employees clocking times and payroll records becomes a challenge and is hard to defend if a wage dispute ever lands on your desk.
This guide covers the real differences between biometric time clocks and iPad or tablet-based systems so you can make the right call. We sell biometric systems, so we have a clear view on this, but we will give you an honest picture of both.
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How Each System Works |
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Biometric Time Clock • Wall-mounted, purpose-built device • Staff verify identity using their fingerprint, palm or face scan • Cannot be shared, transferred, or faked • Fingerprint, palm or face stored as encrypted mathematical template, never as an image • Available for on-premise (FingerTec) or cloud-based (Easy Clocking) systems • Select models also handle door access control |
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iPad or Tablet-based Time Clock • General-purpose consumer tablet running a third-party time clock app • Staff clock in with a PIN, photo, or face scan via front camera • PINs can be shared between staff • Security depends entirely on the app and device configuration • Not built for workplace wall mounting or constant daily use by many individuals • Ongoing costs include both the tablet hardware and app subscription |
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The Buddy Punching Problem |
Buddy punching is when one employee clocks in or out on behalf of another. It is one of the most common forms of time theft in Australian workplaces and it is surprisingly easy to do on a tablet system.
If your system uses a PIN, any staff member who knows a colleague's code can clock them in. Some tablet systems use photo capture, which is better, but still relies on a manager reviewing images after the fact rather than preventing the problem upfront.
Biometric time clocks eliminate buddy punching entirely. A fingerprint, palm or face belongs to one person. There is no code to share, no card to hand over, and no workaround. When an employee clocks in on a FingerTec or Easy Clocking device, you know with certainty that it was them.
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Nexus Biometric: "When employees clock in with their fingerprint or face, there's no way to clock in for someone else." That is the core reason most Australian businesses make the switch. |
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Feature Comparison |
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Biometric Time Clock |
iPad or Tablet Clock |
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Verification method |
Various models have fingerprint, palm or facial recognition. |
PIN, photo, or tablet camera |
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Buddy punching possible |
No, impossible to share biometrics |
Yes, PINs can be shared |
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Purpose-built device |
Yes |
No, consumer tablet |
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Works without internet |
Yes (FingerTec on-premise models). It stores the clocking times on the device and uploads the times once it has an internet connection. |
Depends on the app |
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Door access control |
Yes, select FingerTec models |
No |
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Built for workplace use |
Yes, robust and wall-mounted |
Consumer device |
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Fingerprint data storage |
Encrypted template only, no images |
Depends on app provider |
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Warranty |
12 months hardware (+ labour on FingerTec) |
Standard consumer warranty |
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Security and Privacy |
A common concern from business owners is whether storing fingerprint data creates a privacy risk. The short answer, confirmed directly on the Nexus Biometric FAQ page and on both the FingerTec and Easy Clocking product pages, is NO.
Biometric time clocks do not store an image or photograph of a fingerprint. When a staff member registers, the device scans the finger, extracts unique data points, converts them into an encrypted mathematical template, and discards the original scan. That template cannot be used to reconstruct the original fingerprint. It is used solely to verify identity at clock-in.
With a tablet system, security depends on which app you are running and how the device is configured. Most consumer tablets rely on standard device and app-level security, which varies between providers. Photo capture systems store images of employees, which brings its own privacy considerations.
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Three Practical Reasons Tablets Fall Short |
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1 |
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Durability A biometric time clock is built to be mounted on a wall and used thousands of times a day, every day. Consumer tablets are not. In warehouses, factories, and busy retail environments, tablets get knocked off stands, have screens cracked, go missing, and need software updates that sometimes break apps. |
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2 |
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Accountability A broken or missing tablet means no clocking until it is replaced. A biometric time clock is designed with the expectation of constant use. FingerTec devices come with a 12-month hardware and labour warranty for exactly this reason. |
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3 |
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Fair Work Records If you ever face a wage dispute or a Fair Work audit, biometric records tied to verified identity are a much stronger position than PIN-based records that any staff member could have entered. Tamper-proof, timestamped, and identity-verified. |
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Which System Is Right for You? |
Here is the honest version.
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Go with a biometric time clock if: you want to eliminate buddy punching completely, you need reliable records for payroll or Fair Work compliance, you work in a physical environment where a tablet would not last, or you want door access control alongside time tracking. |
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An iPad system might suit you if: you have a very small team and buddy punching is genuinely not a concern, you are trialling time tracking before committing to a permanent system, or you have a tight short-term budget and plan to upgrade later. |
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The Biometric Range at Nexus Biometric |
We stock both FingerTec and Easy Clocking, which between them cover just about every Australian workplace scenario.
FingerTec: On-Premise Fingerprint and Facial Recognition Clocks
• TA500. Fingerprint time clock for teams up to 100+ staff. Holds 2,000 fingerprints and 80,000 transaction logs. Durable and robust for dusty and factory environments. Up to four-hour battery backup in the event there is a power shortage, and your employees still need to clock on and off.
• TA700W. Office based fingerprint device with built-in Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity.
• Face ID4. Touchless facial recognition. Good for hygiene-sensitive workplaces like medical or food service.
• Face ID5. Facial, palm, card and fingerprint recognition plus door access control, all in one device.
• R3. Fingerprint device that handles both time and attendance and door access control.
Note: TCMSV3 time and attendance software is included free with any purchase of the above devices. The software retrieves the clocking information from the devices and does all the calculations based on what you setup and configure for your industry award in the software. The software has the capability of producing reports and exporting clocking times for certain payroll systems.
Easy Clocking: Cloud-Based Time and Attendance
• Xenio 50. Contactless RFID smart proximity card reader with a five-inch touchscreen. Perfect for construction and warehouse environments.
• Xenio 500. The standout model for physical workplaces and high-volume environments. Advanced multispectral fingerprint sensor reads accurately even when hands are dirty or oily. Real-time cloud sync when connected with internet.
• Mobile App. GPS Geofencing lets field workers clock in from their phone, home or certain restricted locations. You see exactly where they were when they clocked on or off.
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Common Questions |
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Can staff really not share fingerprints on a biometric time clock? Correct. A fingerprint or face scan is unique to each individual. There is no code to share, no card to hand over, and no way for one employee to clock in on behalf of another. This is the single biggest advantage biometric time clocks have over PIN-based tablet systems. |
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Are fingerprints stored as images on biometric time clocks? No. The device scans the fingerprint, converts the data into an encrypted mathematical template, and discards the original scan. The template cannot be used to reconstruct a fingerprint. This is confirmed by both FingerTec and Easy Clocking and is standard practice across all reputable biometric time clock brands. |
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What if an employee cuts their finger and the fingerprint does not scan? Most biometric time clocks support backup verification methods. FingerTec and Easy Clocking devices allow staff to use a PIN or RFID card as a backup if their fingerprint cannot be read. Administrators can configure which options are available per employee and is always recommended that multiple fingerprints are assigned for each employee for this very reason. |
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Do biometric time clocks integrate with Xero and MYOB? Easy Clocking devices integrate directly with Easy Clocking Cloud software, which has a Xero, MYOB, ADP, QuickBooks, Sage and many other payroll integrations. Clocking times flow into your payroll software automatically once timesheets are approved. FingerTec devices use TCMSV3 with manual export, or can optionally connect to the TimeTec TA cloud platform. If automatic payroll integration is a priority, Easy Clocking is the stronger option. |
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Is a biometric time clock better for Fair Work compliance? Yes, in most cases. A biometric time clock produces tamper-proof records tied to a verified individual. This is a much stronger position in a wage dispute or Fair Work audit than PIN-based tablet records, which can be disputed because there is no proof of who entered the PIN. |
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Where can I buy a biometric time clock in Australia? Nexus Biometric (nexusbiometric.com.au) is the authorised online reseller for both FingerTec and Easy Clocking in Australia. You can browse the full range and order directly from our website with fast Australia-wide shipping. |
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The Bottom Line |
iPad and tablet time clocks are better than paper timesheets, and for very small teams in low-risk environments they can work fine. But for most Australian businesses, they are a stepping stone rather than a long-term solution.
A purpose-built biometric time clock eliminates buddy punching entirely, produces records you can rely on, and is built to last in a real workplace. Whether you go on-premise with FingerTec or cloud-based with Easy Clocking depends on how your business runs, but either is a significant step up from a tablet on a stand.
If you want help choosing the right system, email us at sales@nexusbiometric.com.au
