Set up punch workflows

A punch workflow describes the sequence of punches you expect in a day — for example Check In 09:30 → Break Start 13:00 → Break End 13:45 → Check Out 18:30 — and what should happen if a step is late. Use it when you need more than a first-in / last-out check, such as strict lunch breaks.

Before you start

• You need manage access to attendance.
• Workflows are optional. Without one, attendance uses only the shift rules.

Create a workflow

1. Go to Time & Attendance → Punch Workflows ( open Punch Workflows).
2. On the Workflows tab, click + Add Workflow.
3. Enter a Workflow Name (for example Standard 4-Punch Workday) and an optional Description.
4. Optionally pick a shift in Load from Shift to fill in the timings for you.
5. Under Punch Steps, click + Add Step for each punch you expect, in order. For each step set:
   • Type — Check In, Break Start, Break End, Check Out or Custom.
   • Label — the name employees and admins will see.
   • Time — when the punch is expected.
   • Grace — minutes allowed after that time.
   • If Late — None, Warning, Half Day or Absent.
   • Req — tick if the step is required.
6. Click Create Workflow.

Assign a workflow

1. Open the Assignments tab and click + Assign Workflow.
2. Choose the Workflow.
3. Under Assign To, choose Department or Employee, then pick the department or employee.
4. Set Effective From, and Effective To if it should end (leave it blank for no end date).
5. Click Assign.

An assignment to an individual employee wins over one for their department.

What happens on a day

• Each punch of the day is matched to the workflow step in the same position (first punch = step 1, and so on).
• A punch later than the step's time plus grace is marked late, and the day gets the flag Late on a punch-workflow step.
• If that step's If Late is Half Day or Absent, a present day is downgraded accordingly. Warning only marks it.
• The punch-by-punch result (step, expected time, compliance, deviation) is shown in the Punch Log of the employee's attendance calendar.

Change or remove a workflow

• Edit changes the name or steps. Deactivate pauses it without deleting.
• Delete works only when the workflow has no active assignments — click Remove on its assignments first.