TimePilot PC-Based Time Management System Instruction Manual Consumer Information Products, Inc. 379 Campus Drive, 2nd Floor Somerset, NJ 08875 Table of Contents Introduction..................................................................................................3 Installing the Hardware ..............................................................................5 Using the Software .......................................................................................12 Configuration Manager...............................................................................13 In/Out Manager ...........................................................................................25 Transaction Manager ..................................................................................27 Payroll Processing........................................................................................33 Clocking In and Out ....................................................................................37 Keeping Your Clock Accurate....................................................................39 TimePilot Accessories and Upgrades .........................................................40 Limited Warranty........................................................................................41 Safety and Legal Notices .............................................................................43 Licensing Agreement ...................................................................................44 Technical Support........................................................................................46 © Contents copyright 2006, Royal Consumer Information Products, Inc.. All rights reserved TimePilot User Manual 2 Introduction Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Royal TimePilot time and attendance system. The system has been designed to grow with your business and be flexible enough to accommodate a business' changing needs. We've worked hard to make it a thorough and easy-to-use time and attendance system. We're sure it will cut your payroll processing time by hours and virtually eliminate mistakes. Before you start, we suggest you use Windows Explorer to locate the "readme.txt" file on the CD. Double-clicking on the file will open it for reading. The file contains a list of the other useful (and essential, in some cases) software on the CD as well as late-breaking release notes. How does the system work? TimePilot stations are connected by cable to a communications adaptor that is attached to a USB port on your personal computer. Each time an employee clocks in or out, the station sends that information to your PC, where it is recorded either on the PC's hard drive or a network server. If you have a network, you can have multiple time clocks. In this system, each clock feeds its data to a PC, and each PC then transmits the data through your network to the server. That's an important feature of the Royal TimePilot system: Data is stored in a safe, central location--not on individual time clocks throughout your facility. The stations all display the same time, because they use the clock of the computer or server that stores the data. Did an employee clock in twice by accident or forget to clock out? No problem. Supervisors can use the TimePilot Transaction Manager to correct errors. When it comes time to do the payroll, just click a button and choose your payroll package from the list provided. TimePilot will prepare the data in the correct format. Then start your payroll package and import the data file created by TimePilot. System requirements · · · · · · · · IBM-compatible PC with Pentium 166 or higher processor. Operating system: Windows 98 (Second Edition), NT, ME, 2000, XP or above. CD-ROM drive. Open USB port that can be dedicated to the TimePilot System Internet access for updates and support. 128 megabytes RAM 50 megabytes free hard disk space. Color monitor with a minimum resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. What's an iButton? The iButton is an electronic chip encased in a stainless steel container smaller than a dime. The waterproof container is attached to a plastic keyfob that fits on a keychain. Each iButton has a unique ID number, which is detected by the time clock when the employee taps his or her iButton to it. The iButton has a far longer life than magstripe cards--it's much more durable and not subject to demagnetization, as magstripe cards are--and works as well in dirty environments as it does in offices. It's also safe to carry in a wallet or purse because it will not demagnetize credit cards. And employees don't feel as fearful about a loss of privacy as they do with biometric systems. TimePilot User Manual 3 Getting started To get TimePilot up and running, we suggest the following steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Mount the stations and run the cable.. Install the software. Set up employees and their iButtons. Plug the time clock system into your PC. The next sections of this manual will guide you through the process. TimePilot User Manual 4 Installing the hardware USB Cable Communications Cable USB Adaptor PC Power Supply Time Clock Station Getting started Installing the Royal TimePilot system is a simple process--not much different than installing a printer on your computer. The following pages will describe the process in more detail, but here is an overview of the process: 1. Plan the TimePilot system. Where will the time clock be located? Where will the PC running the TimePilot software be located? Will you store your data on your PC or on a server? Run the Communications Cable from the PC to the time clock station. Mount the time clock stations and attach the cable to them. Install the TimePilot software. Plug the power supply into an AC wall socket and the USB Adaptor. Plug the cable from the time clock station into the USB Adaptor, then plug the USB cable into the adaptor. Plug the USB cable into the PC. The software will find the time clock and start the setup process. Note: Please be sure you have installed the software before taking this step. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Planning the system Decide where to put the time clock station Your first step should be to decide where the station will be located. Usually, this will be either at a central location in your facility or at the employee entrance. The TimePilot station should not be placed outdoors--it is not designed to be exposed to the elements. TimePilot tip Moving your system If you decide to move your PC or any part of the TimePilot system after completing your installation (for instance, moving the clock from one wall to another), please shut down the PC first, then unplug the power supply from the USB Adaptor. Neglecting to so do could damage your system. TimePilot User Manual 5 The station can be as far as 4,000 feet from the PC. The system comes with 50 feet of cable, but longer lengths of cable can be ordered from www.TimePilot.com. Simple setup: Data collected at PC and prepared for payroll at the same PC USB Cable Communications Cable USB Adaptor PC Power Supply Time Clock Station Network setup: Collect data on server, work with data at PC Choose the computer on which you'll be running the TimePilot software. There are several points to remember when deciding which computer to use: · The TimePilot software on your PC must be running at all times to keep the entire system operating, but the PC can still be used at the same time for other tasks, such as word processing, working with spreadsheets or browsing the Internet. · The TimePilot data will be used by the person who processes payroll. If you aren't on a computer network, it's probably easiest to connect the TimePilot system to the computer that also runs your accounting package. By doing that, exporting the payroll data from TimePilot and importing it into your accounting program will be a breeze. If you're on a network, we suggest setting up a place on the server to contain the data collected by TimePilot. Make sure the server can be mapped to the computer used by the person handling payroll so they will have access to the data. · One of the unique features of TimePilot is the In/Out Manager. Many of our customers also run the TimePilot software on a PC at the receptionist's desk, so he or she can determine immediately whether an employee is available. TimePilot User Manual 6 Running the cable Running the cable for the Royal TimePilot system is the next step. Essentially, the cable runs from the time clock to the USB Adaptor. The following guidelines should be observed: · · · · · Use the cable provided by Royal; longer lengths and/or additional cable are available. (For details, see page 40.) The station can be as far as 4,000 feet from the PC. The cable can be run through walls, over drop ceilings, through attics, etc. When pulling through walls, be careful not to damage the connectors at the ends of the cable or the cable itself. The cable should not be run through conduit that includes high-voltage wiring or run over fluorescent lighting ballasts. These may cause electrical interference and affect the transmission of data over the cable. In most installations, cable will emerge from the wall behind the station. This is the most secure setup--the cable is not visible to the user and thus there's less temptation to tamper with the system. Warning The Communications Cable is a custom cable. Additional lengths and custom lengths must be ordered from Royal or TimePilot only. (See Page 40.) Use of any other cable may damage the unit and will void the warranty. The Communications Cable carries a small electrical current. There is a risk of electric shock if you cut or tamper with the cable. You should run the Communications Cable from the USB Adaptor to the TimePilot time clock station with both ends of the cable unplugged. Mounting the stations TimePilot stations may be mounted on a wall or on any other flat surface. · · If you wish to have the time clock sit on a desk, simply swing out the stand from the back of the clock. To mount the clock on a wall, use four screws to attach the clock to the wall. The recommended placement on a wall is to have the top of the station 5 feet off the floor. At this level, it's easiest for employees of all heights to see the LCD screen. The yellow Communications Cable runs from the clock to the USB adaptor. It plugs into either of the two jacks on the back of the clock and into the single jack at the black end of the USB adaptor. You have a choice when running the cable through your facility--it can approach the clock from the top or bottom (use the channels molded into the back of the clock to route the cable) or emerge from the wall directly behind the clock. We suggest having the cable emerge from the wall directly behind the clock to discourage employees from tampering with the cable. Plug the power supply cable into the silver, rounded end of the USB adaptor and the other end of the power supply into a power outlet. As with all electronic equipment, we suggest using a surge protector to protect your equipment. USB Adaptor Next, plug the USB cable into the USB adaptor. You'll hear a faint "click" when the connection is made. Do not plug the other end of the cable into your computer's USB port until instructed to do so later in this section. TimePilot User Manual 7 Installing the TimePilot software Place the TimePilot CD in the CD drive of the computer that will be used with the system. The installation program should start automatically. If it does not, you probably have the Windows "Autorun" feature turned off. If so, you can use Windows' "Run" feature: Click the "Start" button, choose "Run..." from the menu that pops up and enter D:\Intro.exe in the box, where D is the letter of your CD drive. 2. The opening screen of the software will appear. Click the "Install Software" button to start the installation process. 3. Some users may receive a notice that Microsoft's .Net Framework 2.0 needs to be installed. If so, click "Accept" to continue the installation. 4. The Program Selection screen (right) will appear. You can choose any or all of the selections. For details on each, see the appropriate chapter in this manual. · Management Console: This consists of Configuration Manager and Transaction Manager, two password-protected functions that are used by managers. Configuration Manager is used to set up your company on the system and add and delete employees; Transaction Manager is used to examine and manipulate your employees' time and attendance data as well as run reports and prepare the data for payroll. · Hardware Manager: This controls the time clock's operation and should be installed on the PC that will be connected to the time clock. · In/Out Manager: This is simply an electronic In/Out board, which shows at a glance and in real time who is at work and who is not. This could be installed, for instance, at ...