How can my employees clock in and out?

RosterElf offers two options for recording time and attendance: Tablet Kiosk and GPS Smartphone. The Tablet Kiosk can be wall-mounted in your business, while the GPS Smartphone option allows employees to clock in and out using their smartphones.

Why do I need time and attendance?

Automating time and attendance tracking ensures employees work within scheduled hours and take appropriate breaks, maintaining Fair Work compliance. RosterElf software generates reports on attendance and performance, aiding informed management decisions.

Is RosterElf the best time and attendance system?

RosterElf is Australia's top-rated time and attendance software. It boosts productivity, prevents time theft, and streamlines payroll. Stay Fair Work compliant and avoid overpaying or underpaying staff. Learn more about the benefits of our system.

How does the GPS tolerance work?

Administrators can set the GPS locations for each site and define the tolerance in metres within which staff must be to clock in or out. If employees are outside this tolerance, they will be unable to record attendance.

Can I have different locations for different sites?

Yes, you can create multiple sites with individual GPS locations. Each site requires its own clock-in and out event, ensuring employees are within the set distance.

What type of tablet device do I need?

RosterElf provides a free tablet app for both iOS and Android devices. Simply download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play to get started.

Which tablets are compatible with a time clock?

RosterElf's Time Clock app is compatible with both iPad and Android tablets. Learn more about our app.

Can employees leave notes if they are late to start or work back?

Yes, employees can be prompted to leave a reason if they clock in or out outside their scheduled time. This information is available when reviewing timesheets for payroll.

What are my time and attendance settings options?

Explore all the settings available in our time and attendance tool to customise it to your business needs.

Can I see a live time clock?

Yes, you can view live data to see if staff are clocked in, late, or not working. Learn more about live time clock features.

What kind of training is available?

RosterElf offers comprehensive training resources, including video tutorials, user guides, and webinars, to help you get the most out of our software.

How can I contact RosterElf support?

You can contact RosterElf support through our website, email, or phone. Our customer service team is ready to assist you with any questions or issues.

Does time and attendance integrate with payroll?

Yes, managers can approve all worked hours. Once approved, you can export timesheets to your preferred payroll software seamlessly. Our integration calculates award interpretation and overtime, ensuring Fair Work compliance.

How do I set up time and attendance for my business?

Setting up Time and Attendance is quick and removes paper timesheets. Staff can clock in via a designated tablet or their smartphone. The tablet requires a unique pin code and can take a photo as proof. The smartphone app uses GPS to ensure staff are within the designated area. Learn how to set up time and attendance.

How secure is the data in RosterElf?

RosterElf uses advanced security measures to protect your data. All information is encrypted and stored securely, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

Can RosterElf generate attendance reports?

Yes, RosterElf can generate detailed attendance reports. These reports provide insights into employee attendance, helping managers make informed decisions and improve workforce management.

How does RosterElf improve compliance with legal and regulatory requirements?

RosterElf ensures compliance by automating the collection and storage of legal forms and certifications. The platform verifies that all necessary information is completed, helping businesses stay compliant with regulations.

Employee time tracking

Time and attendance tracking software

With built-in photo capture and geo-tracking, you’ll have rock-solid time and attendance data you can trust—every time.

GPS clock-in systems
Seamless payroll integration
Real-time attendance tracking

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Time and Attendance App

Employee time tracking. Anywhere, anytime.

Digital Time Clock

No more paper timesheets or punch cards

RosterElf replaces manual timesheets with digital clock-ins on a shared tablet kiosk or employees’ own smartphones using GPS.

Staff start and finish shifts in seconds; breaks are captured automatically; managers see live attendance across sites.

Approvals create clean, payroll-ready timesheets with award-aware rules applied—reducing payroll errors and back-pay risk.

Every shift is time-stamped with a full audit trail to help you meet Fair Work record-keeping requirements.

Accurate Time & Attendance Without Paper Timesheets

Read Our Support Guides on Time & Attendance Apps

Paper timesheets and punch cards create guesswork, disputes, and payroll errors. RosterElf replaces them with a digital time clock your team can use on a shared tablet kiosk or on their own smartphones with GPS—so every shift is captured accurately, in seconds.

What is a digital time clock?

A digital time clock records clock-ins, breaks and clock-outs electronically and stores them against the employee’s shift. Instead of handwriting hours or keying data into spreadsheets, managers approve clean, consistent records that flow straight to payroll.

Two ways to clock in with RosterElf

Tablet Time Clock (Kiosk): Staff clock in/out on a shared device with a secure PIN. Optional photo proof stops buddy punching and confirms who started the shift.
Mobile Clock-Ins (GPS): Employees clock in on their phone with automatic location capture, confirming they’re on site or at the job. Ideal for multi-site venues and field work.

Both methods are fast, reliable, and designed for high-traffic start times.

Breaks applied automatically

Configure standard meal and rest break rules (e.g., 30 minutes after 5 hours) and RosterElf inserts them automatically into shifts. Rules can be overridden per site or shift when needed, and total break time carries through to timesheets and payroll—no mental maths, no missed entitlements.

Live attendance you can act on

Managers see who’s in, late, or absent the moment it happens. If coverage dips, you can call in backup, open a shift to the right team, or swap assignments—keeping service levels steady while controlling labour costs.

Compare rosters to timesheets

Before approval, RosterElf automatically matches rostered hours to actual clock-ins and flags differences in start/finish times, breaks and overtime. You catch discrepancies early, fix them in a click, and send only accurate time through to payroll.

Payroll-ready timesheets (award-aware)

Approvals create payroll-ready timesheets with award interpretation applied—base rates, penalties, overtime and allowances mapped to each shift. Data pushes directly to systems like Xero and MYOB, cutting double-handling, preventing errors and reducing back-pay risk.

Audit-ready records for Fair Work

Every shift is time-stamped (and optionally photo-verified) with GPS location on mobile. You maintain a full audit trail that supports Fair Work record-keeping requirements and builds trust in the accuracy of every payslip.

Getting started (2 minutes)

Choose your clock-in methods (Tablet, Mobile, or both).
Enable GPS and photo proof if required.
Set default break rules and site-level overrides.
Connect payroll and publish your first roster.

Why teams switch to RosterElf

Accuracy: Verified clock-ins stop time theft and buddy punching.
Speed: Staff clock in/out in seconds; managers approve in minutes.
Compliance: Award-aware rules and audit-ready records reduce risk.
Cost control: Live attendance and variance checks prevent blowouts.
Simplicity: One system from clock-in to payslip—no spreadsheets.

Bottom line: With RosterElf’s digital time clock, there are no more paper timesheets, punch cards, or payroll guesswork—just fast, verified time capture that keeps your people paid right, every time.

Time and Attendance App

Tablet time clock & mobile clock-in

Flexible Clock-In Options

Clock in your way—tablet, mobile, or both

Choose the clock-in method that fits your business.

Our tablet Time Clock app is perfect for on-site teams, while the mobile clock-in option lets remote or field staff start shifts wherever work happens.

All clock-ins are instantly visible to managers, so you can monitor attendance across multiple sites in real time.

Time and Attendance App

Reconcile rosters & timesheets for accurate Pay

Compare Rosters to Timesheets

Catch errors, stay compliant, and control costs

RosterElf automatically compares rostered shifts with actual clock-in and clock-out times, flagging differences in hours, breaks, and start/finish times.

Award rules for overtime and penalties are applied automatically.

With issues highlighted before approval, managers can make quick corrections, avoid payroll errors, and ensure every shift is paid at the correct rate.

Reviewing & Approving Shifts Before Payroll: Catch Errors, Pay Right

Read Our Support Guides on Approving Payroll

Payroll should be the easy part. The reality? Small gaps between the roster and what actually happened—late starts, missed breaks, early finishes—turn into payroll errors, back-pay risk, and unhappy staff. RosterElf fixes this with a simple pre-payroll review: compare rostered hours to actual clock-ins, resolve differences in a click, and export clean, compliant timesheets to payroll.

What “review & approve” means in RosterElf

Before any hours reach payroll, RosterElf automatically matches rostered shifts to time clock records (tablet kiosk or mobile with GPS/photo). The system flags variances—start/finish differences, short/long breaks, unapproved overtime—so managers can fix issues fast or add a note and approve.

How it works (at a glance)

Select pay period & site(s). See all submitted shifts in one view.
Spot the flags. Variance badges highlight hours, breaks, and rate-impacting changes.
Drill in & correct. Edit start/finish, adjust breaks, or approve overtime with a note.
Apply award rules. Relevant penalties, overtime and allowances are calculated automatically.
Approve in bulk or per shift. Lock accurate timesheets and move to payroll.

Problems you’ll catch before they cost you

Late starts / early finishes that shouldn’t be paid at rostered hours
Missed or short breaks that affect entitlements
Unplanned overtime or minimum-engagement breaches
Wrong person / wrong role (rate differences)
No-shows or extra hours added on the fly

Fixing these before approval keeps your wage bill on target and avoids expensive re-runs.

Award-aware by design

Once you approve a shift, RosterElf applies the correct base rate, penalties, overtime, public-holiday rules and loadings under the relevant award—so earnings lines are accurate and auditable. That means fewer disputes, less back-pay risk, and payslips staff can trust.

Export cleanly to payroll

With approvals done, send timesheets straight to Xero, MYOB and other payroll systems—no CSVs, no re-keying. You’re exporting exactly what should be paid for each shift, already matched, calculated and explained.

Tips for a smooth pay run

Review little and often. Triage variances mid-week instead of leaving them all to payday.
Use notes. Record why overtime was approved or why a break changed—future you will thank you.
Set clear rules. Standardise break settings and approval expectations so managers act consistently.
Close the loop. Publish any roster changes immediately so staff see updates and variances drop.

The result: accurate, compliant, low-stress payroll

When rosters and timesheets agree—and award rules are applied correctly—payroll runs in minutes, not hours. Managers avoid last-second scrambles, finance gets predictable labour costs, and employees are paid right the first time.

Ready to tighten up pay runs? Review, approve and export with RosterElf—simple controls that protect your margins and keep your team confident in every payslip.

Time and Attendance App

GPS location verification for mobile clock-ins

GPS Location Verification

Ensure staff are in the right place, every time

Mobile clock-ins automatically capture GPS data so you know exactly where employees are when they start or end a shift.

This prevents time theft, supports compliance audits, and builds trust in your payroll accuracy.

For multi-site operations or off-site work, geolocation is an essential safeguard for both wage control and safety.

Real-Time Workforce Visibility

Live attendance dashboard: real-time clock-ins & no-shows

Live Attendance

Who’s on, late or absent

Track your workforce in real time with live dashboards that show clock-ins, clock-outs, absences, and late starts the moment they happen.

Managers get an instant, site-wide view of who’s on shift and where staffing gaps might appear.

This live feed lets you act fast—reassign shifts, call in backup staff, and keep labour costs under control—while meeting Fair Work record-keeping obligations with accurate, time-stamped data.

Secure Photo Proof

Stop buddy punching with photo-verified clock-ins

Verified clock-ins

Proof that staff are where they should be

Require employees to snap a quick selfie when clocking in, adding instant visual verification to your attendance records.

It’s a simple safeguard that confirms the right person is on-site and ready to work.

All images are securely stored with the shift record, giving managers clear, time-stamped proof if attendance is ever in question—no more disputes, no guesswork.

Secure Photo Proof

Payroll accuracy with award interpretation

Verified clock-ins

Pay staff right the first time

Turn accurate time and attendance data into flawless payroll with RosterElf’s built-in award interpretation.

Every clock-in, break, and clock-out is automatically matched to the correct pay rate, overtime rule, or penalty rate under the relevant modern award.

This seamless link between timesheets and payroll ensures staff are paid exactly what they’ve earned, keeps you compliant with Fair Work requirements, and eliminates costly manual calculations.

One-click payroll

Payroll-ready timesheets & fast pay runs

Simplified Payroll

Accurate timesheets, everytime

RosterElf turns approved time and attendance records into payroll-ready timesheets with no extra data entry.

Every clock-in, break, and clock-out flows directly into your connected payroll system—Xero, MYOB, and more—ready for processing.

This seamless sync eliminates double-handling, reduces payroll errors, and ensures employees are paid correctly and on time, every time.

What others say

Reviews from our customers

Read what our clients have to say about us

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“Roster Elf has been great for our business, streamlining the rostering process. It is easy to use, both the dashboard and app versions and I would recommend it to anyone still battling spreadsheets to try and manage their rosters.”

The Pavilion at Buller Wines

“I'm a bookkeeper and some of my clients use RosterElf to integrate with Xero and the reports are amazing for what a bookkeeper needs. Would recommend to anyone who asks.”

Leanne Shieffelbein

“Great local Aussie product for managing rosters, timesheets and automating payroll with fantastic support. They're also releasing new features and updates all the time which is refreshing to see in the SaaS space.”

Venkatesh Kanchan

“RosterElf is a great product and they provide excellent support with any queries we have had over the last 4 years. I recommend them to any business looking to improve their employee scheduling and payroll systems”

Bill Gordin

“RosterElf has been a great addition to our childcare centre. It has made rostering and leave so much easier. Payroll has been improved immensely and mistakes have been minimised which has been fantastic. More importantly, the focus on service and regular updates is great for us. We have found engaging a local company so beneficial and we like to support Australian based businesses where we can. I would happily recommend RosterElf to any childcare centre looking for a Rostering and Payroll System.”

Louis Evangelista

“Great, Simple and most helpful.”

AL

Andrew Luczynski

“Roster Elf has offered impeccable support right from the start. It is user-friendly and straightforward. I appreciate the thorough answers provided to all my questions and prompt assistance. I highly recommend Roster Elf especially for its seamless integration with Xero, great value. Many thanks to Jaydon.”

Admin SWP

“Supportive & Easy to use - Roster Elf offers exceptional value, is incredibly user-friendly, and seamlessly integrates with Xero. The personal support and sessions provided truly enhance the experience. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an efficient and effective rostering solution”

JM

Jennifer Mardini

“Supportive and on the Mark - RosterElf has everything a business needs to get started and maintain their payroll. Their staff are supportive and able to guide you into the right direction. So nice to see a friendly team that cares.”

RK

Richard Kiefer

“This is the very best rostering software that I have used. It is so simple to learn. Super easy for staff to use and most importantly the support is sensational. There is loads of online training, but the email support is first class - often responding within minutes, which is critical when you get a glitch mid - pay processing. I highly recommend. Jane”

Jane Parviainen

“An excellent Rostering system - We switched to RosterElf and are so pleased we did. Their integration with Xero is faultless. Rostering and payroll consistently runs smoothly now.”

IC

Ian Corney

KEY BENEFITS

Why you need time and attendance software

Real-Time tracking

Monitor attendance instantly. Managers see who is present, late, or absent in real-time, ensuring shifts are well-staffed.

Automation and efficiency

Save time with automated data. Digital systems record attendance data, reducing manual tasks and administrative overhead.

Payroll integration

Seamless integration with payroll. Connect directly with payroll software to reduce manual entry, ensuring accurate compensation.

Compliance and accountability

Maintain clear attendance records. Digital systems provide a clear audit trail, ensuring compliance and promoting accountability.

Cost savings

Reduce operational costs. Digital clock in/out systems cut payroll errors, minimise time theft, and streamline processes for savings.

Accuracy and precision

Ensure precise timekeeping. Digital systems reduce errors, making payroll calculations accurate and reliable for better workforce management.

Support

Customer care, we’ve got your back

At RosterElf, your success is our priority. Our team of rostering pros is here to offer ongoing support, whether you're just getting started or a seasoned user. Whenever you need assistance, we’re ready to help at every step of the way.

Book a demo

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Leave Management software questions? We have the answers

Employees clock in and out using a PIN-protected tablet app or the mobile app. GPS and optional photo proof confirm their location and identity, and all data syncs instantly to your manager dashboard.

Start your free 15 day RosterElf trial today

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4.8 stars by 1570 users

100+ countries

30,000+ users