10
Feb

TimeForge includes a powerful and flexible time and attendance management system, and is able to track time punches on an accurate minute-by-minute clock (which is synchronized with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and is always on time). TimeForge can use the clock in and clock out time punches to calculate payroll for your pay period without any problems. Accurate time tracking is part of what TimeForge does!

However, some businesses (especially in the restaurant, hotel, and hospitality industries) prefer to round time punch for easier calculations. To make time punch calculations easier, TimeForge can round each clock in or clock out time to the nearest 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minute period.

Navigate to Attendance Options

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Navigate to the Attendance Options tab in TimeForge.

Set Rounding Rules for Clock In and Clock Out Times

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Pick the correct rounding rule from the drop-down for time punches in TimeForge. Make sure to Save your settings.

Please note: TimeForge will not round any time entries provided by your POS system. If you want to round time and attendance in your Point of Sale system, please do so within the POS software.

Please note: TimeForge will not round previous time periods. Changing the rounding rules will only affect upcoming time punch entries.

Category : Attendance Tab | Blog
8
Jan

Micros Integration

Ready to go with TimeForge? Not sure how to do something? Look below for the answers ....

Please read our Micros Integration Manual for more information about TimeForge, and using our best-of-breed and easy to manage labor management system with the Micros RES 4 Point of Sale system.

When the two software programs are combined together, you can manage labor remotely, forecast inventory needs, enforce the labor schedule, and monitor real-time sales.

Micros Integration Manual

Installation and Configuration

Running TimeForge Labor Management with Micros RES 4 POS

Once you have completed the steps above, you are ready to use TimeForge with Micros Point of Sale. You can now log in to your TimeForge account, and begin scheduling, managing labor, forecasting inventory, and monitoring labor remotely.

You can always download the latest version of the TimeForge-Micros Bridge here!

Category : Uncategorized | Blog
8
Jan

TimeForge can integrate with many different Point of Sale systems, including Micros RES 4.x. RES 4 is the point of sale system supplied with many of the Micros 3700 hardware, and is a very popular POS system for both restaurant and retail companies.

TimeForge integration with Micros involves installing the TimeForge Micros Bridge software on the primary computer system that also has the Sybase database that powers Micros RES 4.

The TimeForge Micros software will read and write to your Micros system as necessary, and can enforce your TimeForge schedules - stopping employees from clocking in too early or clocking out too late. You can forecast sales and inventory needs using TimeForge and your Micros sales data.

Define Menu Items for Sales Forecasting

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Access the Sales menu to set up Menu Items and Menu Item Groups for Sales Forecasting within TimeForge.

This will allow you to benchmark and schedule labor in comparison to your desired labor needs.

Choose up to 10 Menu Items from your Menu

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TimeForge allows up to 10 Menu Items from your Micros Menu to be chosen for Sales Forecasting.

Details for the sales of these 10 Menu Items are replicated from your Micros database to your TimeForge labor management system, and will allow you to accurately compare sales against schedules and actual attendance.

Use Menu Item Groups to Combine Sales from Multiple Menu Items

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Menu Item Groups allow you to easily and quickly combine sales from multiple menu items in your Micros menu into a single Sales Forecast.

For example, you may want to build schedules based on entrées, or drinks, or some other combination of menu items.

Create or Modify a Menu Item Group

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Enter a descriptive name, and choose the necessary menu items from your Micros database. Choose Save when you are finished.

TimeForge will automatically synchronize your sales data the next time it connects to the TimeForge server.

Category : Micros POS | Blog
7
Jan

TimeForge can integrate with several Point of Sale systems, including Micros RES 4. RES 4 is the point of sale system supplied with many of the Micros 3700 hardware, and is a very popular POS system.

TimeForge integration with Micros involves installing the TimeForge Micros Bridge software on the computer system hosting the Sybase database that powers Micros RES 4.

The TimeForge Micros software will read and write to your Micros system as necessary, and can enforce your TimeForge schedules - preventing employees from riding the clock, clocking in early or clocking out late. Additionally, you can forecast sales and inventory needs using TimeForge and your Micros sales data.

Make Sure that the Connector and Translator are Both Running

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Check the Windows task bar, which is the bar that normally runs along the bottom of the computer and contains the Start menu (on the left) and clock (on the right).

You should see icons similar to those shown above. Both of these icons should be displayed, and if they are, then TimeForge is working properly.

Set Your Attendance Options for Employees who Ride the Clock

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In TimeForge, access the Attendance Options (located in the Attendance tab). You will want to set the grace periods for early clock in, and late clock out.

These settings can be set to values that make sense for your business, though many businesses choose a 5 - 10 minute early clock in, and a 10 - 20 minute late clock out.

Create and Post a Schedule in TimeForge

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Create and post a schedule in TimeForge, so that staff members are notified of upcoming shifts.

This will also allow the TimeForge Micros Bridge to synchronize and enforce the schedule.

Synchronize the TimeForge Micros Bridge

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TimeForge automatically synchronizes data between your Micros POS system and the live TimeForge server.

This ensures that employees, positions, time cards, schedules, and sales are automatically transferred between the two systems.

During heavy activity at your restaurant, this synchronization is done very often, and during slower periods of activities, it is done less often.

Staff Members Log In to Micros

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Before an employee can access the Micros RES 4 POS, they must clock in.

Enter your PIN, or Swipe Your Mag Card

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The staff member needs to enter their PIN or swipe a mag card to clock in or clock out.

Choose a Job Assignment

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Employees must choose a job assignment or position before clocking in.

Employees Too Early Will Need Manager Approval to Clock In

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Any staff member who is not scheduled will be presented with a screen for a manager override.

Additionally, employees who show up too early, or attempt to clock out too late, will also be prompted for a manager override.

This immediately reduces your labor costs by 2% - 3% instantly!

Category : Micros POS | Blog
7
Jan

TimeForge can integrate with several Point of Sale systems, including Micros RES 4. RES 4 is the point of sale system supplied with many of the Micros 3700 hardware, and is a very popular POS system.

TimeForge integration with Micros involves installing the TimeForge Micros Bridge software on the computer system hosting the Sybase database that powers Micros RES 4.

The TimeForge Micros software will read and write to your Micros system as necessary, and can enforce your TimeForge schedules - preventing employees from riding the clock, clocking in early or clocking out late. Additionally, you can forecast sales and inventory needs using TimeForge and your Micros sales data.

Ensure the Software is Configured Properly

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If the TimeForge Micros Bridge was not properly configured to use a Web Service account, you will first need to configure the Web Services.

Configure the TimeForge Micros Bridge

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If the TimeForge Micros Bridge has not yet been fully configured, make sure to set up the Web Service Username and Password.

These values can be configured on the TimeForge web site, and will allow the software to communicate with TimeForge securely.

Configure the Micros POS Integration

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Configure the Dinerware POS side of the TimeForge Micros Bridge. Some of the important values on this screen include:

1. Micros RES 4 Server settings, including the Database Name, Username and Password.

2. Choose how often the software should poll or synchronize with the Micros POS system.

Set Up the Translator

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Review the TimeForge Micros Bridge dashboard.

1. The Last Successful Sync Date shows the last date and time that the software was able to read from your Micros database.

2. The Last Synchronization shows the last date and time that a synchronization was attempted.

3. The Status shows the status of the last synchronization (it will either be SUCCESSFUL or FAILED).

4. The Next Synchronization shows the date and time of the next scheduled synchronization.

You are all done. TimeForge will synchronize your data based on the needs of your restaurant, and will keep the data in TimeForge and in Micros POS communicating properly.

Category : Micros POS | Blog
7
Jan

TimeForge can integrate with many different Point of Sale systems, including Micros RES 4.x. RES 4 is the point of sale system supplied with many of the Micros 3700 hardware, and is a very popular POS system for both restaurant and retail companies.

TimeForge integration with Micros involves installing the TimeForge Micros Bridge software on the primary computer system that also has the Sybase database that powers Micros RES 4.

The TimeForge Micros software will read and write to your Micros system as necessary, and can enforce your TimeForge schedules - stopping employees from clocking in too early or clocking out too late. You can forecast sales and inventory needs using TimeForge and your Micros sales data.

Install the TimeForge Micros Bridge software

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Begin installing the TimeForge Micros Bridge software.

Accept the EULA

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Accept the terms of the End User License Agreement.

Choose a Directory to Install the Software

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Choose a directory to install the TimeForge Micros Bridge. The default is usually correct.

Pick a Start Menu Folder

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Choose the Start Menu Folder to install the software.

Enter Your Web Service Username and Password

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1. If you already have a TimeForge account, enter your Web Service Username and Password to connect with TimeForge.

A web service username and password is not the same as your TimeForge username (usually your email address), but is a secured username and password that allows the TimeForge Micros Bridge to communicate with TimeForge.

You can create a Web Service account by logging into your account, and go to the Settings for your location / store. You can then set your web service username and password.

2. If you do not yet have a TimeForge account, get started by creating a TimeForge account. We will create a Web Service Username and Password for you automatically.

Create a TimeForge Account

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If you need to create a TimeForge account, please fill out all of the fields, including your company name, first and last name, email address, password, and a password recovery answer.

We will automatically create your Web Service Username and Password for you.

Configure Micros Connection Settings

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Set up the Micros database connection settings. You will need to configure your Micros database (by default, this is named micros), and you will also need to configure a username and password to connect to the database.

Please note: The username and password must have read and write access to your Sybase database.

The TimeForge Micros will Try to Connect

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If your database connection parameters are incorrect, TimeForge will let you know.

All Done!

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At this point, go ahead and run the TimeForge Bridge software.

Category : Micros POS | Blog
4
Jan

TimeForge integrates and is able to communicate with several Point of Sale systems to reduce the amount of data entry that you need to perform while managing your labor. One POS system that TimeForge integrates with is Dinerware. Dinerware is a focused and easy-to-use Point of Sale system, with dealers all over the world.

To integrate TimeForge with Dinerware POS, you first need to install the TimeForge Dinerware Bridge software on the Brain computer system.

The TimeForge Dinerware Bridge software will read and write to your Dinerware system as necessary, and can enforce your TimeForge schedules - preventing employees from riding the clock.

In some cases, you may want to use TimeForge Attendance exclusively as a way to track time and attendance at your business. To do this, you can turn off the synchronization of time punch entries from the POS system, and can use the full power of the TimeForge Attendance system, including our fingerprint scanner (to stop buddy punching), and our comprehensive meal and staff break system.

Make Sure that the Connector and Translator are Both Running

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Check the Windows task bar, which is the bar that normally runs along the bottom of the computer and contains the Start menu (on the left) and clock (on the right).

You should see icons similar to those shown above. Both of these icons should be displayed, and if they are, then the TimeForge Dinerware Bridge is working properly.

Disable the Dinerware Time Punch Synchronization

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1. In the TimeForge Translator, make sure that the "Allow clock in and clock out, regardless of schedule settings" is selected. This will allow your users to clock in and out of Dinerware as necessary - which is important for choosing cash drawers and meal coursing, as well as check printing.

2. In the TimeForge Translator, make sure that the "Use Dinerware Time Punches for TimeForge Attendance" is NOT selected. This option turns off the synchronization of the Dinerware time punches, and instead allows you to use TimeForge Attendance for tracking time.

Synchronize the TimeForge Connector

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To be able to use the software immediately, you will need to force the software to synchronize itself.

You can do this by right-clicking on the Connector, and choosing "Synchronize Now"

Require Employees to Clock In and Clock Out at Work

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TimeForge Attendance is very flexible, and could allow your employees to clock in from their cell phones, facebook, or any Internet-enabled computer. However, most businesses will prefer to have staff clock in from restricted computers - such as those provided at their work location.

1. Lock down attendance tracking by limiting clock-in's and clock-out's to specific IP's. To do so, simply click on the button displayed above.

Allow Employees to Clock In and Clock Out

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Employees can now log into TimeForge using their username (usually their email address) and password. Alternatively, if the location is using a compatible fingerprint scanner, staff members can use their fingerprints to log in to TimeForge.

After logging in, they will see a clock in / clock out box on the right-hand side of their screen.

Clocking in and out is now point and click easy!

Category : Dinerware POS | Blog