Simplifying Payroll with a Custom Employee Timeclock App
Accurate Time Tracking and Payroll Reporting Without the Overhead
We built a lightweight timeclock application that enables employees to clock in/out with a PIN, while managers can adjust records and export payroll reports.
The Challenge
Employee hours were tracked in spreadsheets, often leading to errors and disputes during payroll. Managers spent hours each week verifying timesheets, while employees felt frustrated by inaccuracies.
Our client had been manually tracking hours, which led to frequent payroll errors and time-consuming reconciliations. Off-the-shelf software was too costly or overly complex for their needs. Staff lost trust in payroll accuracy, managers wasted time reconciling errors, and owners risked compliance issues.
Manual Time Tracking Process
Our Approach
We interviewed managers and staff to understand their needs — quick entry for employees, oversight and corrections for managers, and accurate data for owners. Our methodology applied Lean, iterative development with a focus on usability and minimal friction.
Key Discovery Findings
- •Employees wanted something simple (no app installs)
- •Managers needed edit capabilities and oversight
- •Owners wanted standardized exports for payroll
- •No centralized or automated system for time capture existed
The Solution
We created a web-based tool accessible from any device, with PIN-based logins and CSV payroll reports. The solution included an employee PIN-based clock in/out system, manager dashboard for employee management and time edits, and automated payroll reports exportable to CSV.
Technical implementation used Vite + React + TypeScript for the frontend, FastAPI with REST endpoints for the backend, and Supabase (Postgres + Auth) for database and authentication with secure role-based access (employee vs. manager).
Custom Timeclock Application
Implementation & Results
The project was completed over 6 weeks: requirements + schema design (weeks 1-2), core functionality (PIN logins, clock in/out) (weeks 3-4), manager dashboard + edits (week 5), and reporting + testing (week 6).
We conducted a pilot with 5 employees before scaling to the full team and built user guides for managers. The results exceeded expectations: owners saved hours of administrative work each week, staff satisfaction improved, and employees gained confidence in payroll accuracy.
Measurable Outcomes
- •Payroll reconciliation time reduced by 75%
- •Error rates dropped to near zero
- •Avoided cost of third-party SaaS (~$5,000/year)
- •Higher trust between employees and management