On this page
01. Why clearing and forwarding firms need a time attendance record02. How attendance works at clearing and forwarding firms03. Where to put the terminal04. Setting it up in ZKBio Time.Net05. Reports you will actually use06. Supply and installation by Qyvea07. A typical scenario08. Common mistakes09. Quick checklist10. Frequently asked questions
A time attendance system for clearing and forwarding firms is a fingerprint terminal at the staff entrance, ZKBio Time.Net on a PC, and timetables that match how your people really work. Staff scan in and out, and the software calculates late, early and overtime hours for payroll.
Key takeaways
- Match the timetable to the real shift pattern.
- Put the terminal where everyone passes.
- Enrol every worker, including casuals.
- Check the first week's report before paying from it.
01Why clearing and forwarding firms need a time attendance record
Port and border staff work long and irregular hours, and clients want proof of response.
- Staff work at ports, yards and offices
- Irregular hours around ship arrivals
- Overtime is claimed often
A paper register or a verbal "I was here" cannot settle these. A fingerprint terminal records when each person actually arrives and leaves, and the software turns that into a report payroll can use.
02How attendance works at clearing and forwarding firms
Clearing firms run an office team and field agents at ports and borders. Hours follow cargo arrival, not the clock.
03Where to put the terminal
Terminals at the main office and at any yard or depot with a fixed team.
Count how many people arrive at the same time. If a queue forms at shift change, add a second terminal instead of asking staff to wait. See where to install a ZKTeco K40 Pro and how many employees one terminal can handle.
04Setting it up in ZKBio Time.Net
This is the order we follow when we set up a system for clearing and forwarding firms. Each step has its own guide with screenshots.
- Install the software, then add the terminal over TCP/IP.
- Create departments or areas that match how you are organised (departments and areas).
- Add staff one by one or import them from Excel, then enrol their fingerprints.
- Use manual punch entries for agents at the port.
- Press Calculate and check the first day's report before you trust the numbers (Calculate attendance).
05Reports you will actually use
Use overtime and monthly hours for agent pay.
They all come from the standard reports: daily report, late and early report, and export to Excel for payroll.
06Supply and installation by Qyvea
Qyvea Limited supplies ZKTeco attendance terminals, installs them, configures the software, enrols your staff and trains whoever runs payroll. We work in Nairobi and deliver countrywide. See ZKTeco K40 price in Kenya or message us on WhatsApp for a quote.
07A typical scenario
A Mombasa-based forwarder needed to settle overtime claims after a congested week. Office and yard records gave a clear picture.
Illustrative example based on common cases, not a named customer.
08Common mistakes
- Treating port work as absence.
- No manual entry process.
- No clear overtime rule.
09Quick checklist
- Count staff and entrances before you buy.
- Write the working hours down as timetables.
- Enrol everyone, including casual and part-time staff.
- Run a one-week trial and compare it with your old register.
- Name one person who owns the reports.
10Frequently asked questions
Can port agents punch?
Not usually at the port. Use a manual entry for port days.
Is the system useful for a small firm?
Yes, for the office and yard staff.
This guide is part of our ZKTeco K40 and ZKBio Time.Net series. For the full start-to-finish walkthrough with screenshots, read How to Configure a ZKTeco K40 Pro with ZKBio Time.Net.
ZKTeco and ZKBio are trademarks of ZKTeco Inc. Menu names on the K40 Pro and in the software vary slightly by firmware and software version; where yours differ, look for the nearest match. Qyvea is a ZKTeco reseller and installer in Kenya.
