What is Kronos time and attendance system?
Kronos is a company that offers workplace management software and solutions, including time and attendance systems. The cloud-based time and attendance system is designed to automatically and seamlessly track employee time worked, and automatically sync this with other data collected. Other systems Kronos offers include:
- Benefits administration
- Talent acquisition and management
- Onboarding
- HR
- Payroll
Luckily, Kronos time and attendance systems can be integrated with these other offerings to create a unified, all-in-one workforce management platform for your business needs. For instance, when the time and attendance system pulls time and attendance data, it can automatically and accurately integrate this data with payroll, HR, and other back-end systems.
All in all, using Kronos time and attendance can help your company control labor costs, minimize compliance risk, and improve workforce productivity.
How can businesses access Kronos?
Kronos time and attendance solution can be either cloud-based or web-based. For this reason, businesses using Kronos can access their time tracking system using a variety of methods:
- Time clock (Kronos InTouch): Best for hospitality, retail, and healthcare
- Computer (web-based): Best for office workplaces
- Mobile app (Available in iOS and Android): Best for touchless or on-the-go solutions
- Phone call (interactive voice response): Best for remote employees
Because Kronos offers multiple types of time and attendance systems, conveniently businesses can choose which authentication method they are most comfortable with. Kronos even offers biometric readers with their InTouch offering, if you prefer to add an extra layer of security to your time tracking system. Additionally, businesses can “mix and match” authentication methods so that different employees can choose the method they are most comfortable with.
Kronos also offers two different software suites for businesses depending on their needs – Workforce Dimensions Suite, which is best for industry-specific applications, and the Workforce Ready Suite, which is better for everyday time and attendance as well as human capital management needs.
Whichever system you choose, you simply install the hardware once, and then employees can regularly clock in and clock out seamlessly. Then, your management team can stay on top of time and attendance data by using your integrated back-end Kronos software.
Industries that can benefit
Almost any business who wants to track employee hours worked, time taken off, hours worked on a specific project, and much more can benefit from using a time and attendance system. Typically, industries that use hourly workers and contractors tend to utilize time and attendance systems. Kronos specializes in helping the following industries with time tracking needs:
- Healthcare
- Hospitality
- Manufacturing
- Retail
- Government
- Distribution
- Education
- Banking
- Law enforcement
- Nonprofits
- Grocery
- Trucking
- Staffing
By visiting their website, Kronos can help you find a time and attendance solution suited to your specific business and industry needs.
Key features
Kronos offers most of the key features a business looks for in a time and attendance system. In addition to offering two different software suites depending on the business’s needs and applications, there are additional features that can benefit all companies. Kronos provides a combination of day-to-day time tracking, data automation, and management features:
- Time tracking automation and accuracy
- Remote monitoring using cloud-based technology
- Robust notification system (including tardiness or missed punches)
- Compliance tool
- Employed self-service portal
- Scheduling assistant
- Employee time-off balances calculator
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR) option
- Mobile app option
- Integrations with payroll, HR, and more
Pricing
Although Kronos does not list specific pricing for their software and service on their website (it’s a consultation-based pricing model), there are online resources that can give you a preliminary picture of pricing.
| Monthly base cost | Monthly hardware lease cost | One-time set-up fee |
| Around $40 + $4 per employee Depending on business size and team size | $100-$150 Depending on your chosen hardware | Around $500 Depending on size of business |
Most time and attendance systems and services run on a standard monthly base fee + per-employee pricing model. According to business.com, Kronos time and attendance systems start at $40 per month plus ~$4 per employee. If you want to utilize additional features, such as mobile app, notifications, PTO management, scheduling assistant, and more, there may be additional charges.
Depending on what authentication method you use, there may be additional charges to lease a time clock or biometric reader, this should be about $100-$150 per month.
Also keep in mind that like most time and attendance systems and services, there is a one-time set-up fee. Business.com lists this at around $500 one-time plus $4 per employee to implement the system.
However, these prices depend on the size of your company, number of employees as well as your specific needs and preferences.
Additional Options and Resources
It may be helpful to know that businesses seeking time and attendance solutions often also look for payroll solutions. If you are interested in payroll services, you can find out more about Kronos payroll services here.
Not sold on payroll services?. Take a look at these 8 reasons your business needs a payroll service in addition to how much payroll services cost.
There are additional options beyond Kronos that your business can also explore. We recommend looking into ADP Time and Attendance as well as Paychex Payroll (time and attendance options available).
You can also use 360Connect’s free service to explore time and attendance system options that fit your specific business needs. Get started by telling us a few details about your business. Then, we’ll match you with up to 5 time and attendance system providers that can deliver on your needs!