Getting Started: Setting Up and Using 7punches for Time Clocking

Updated April 24, 2025 20:47

7punches, integrated with 7shifts, allows you to manage employee scheduling and time and attendance in one platform. You can generate payroll reports, send time clocking information directly to 7shifts Payroll, or send data to your payroll provider via our other available payroll Integrations and Exports. This article guides you through enabling, configuring, and using 7punches.

⚠️ Important Considerations:

Settings Access: Only Admins can enable and manage 7punches and Time Clocking settings.
Login Access: Admins, Managers, and Assistant Managers have default access to the 7punches Punch Pad using their 7shifts login. This includes launching the 7punches app, and punching in/out to manage their own time.
Device Usage: While most restaurants use a stationary tablet for 7punches, you can enable "Mobile Punch" to allow employees to punch in directly from their mobile devices.
- Learn more about mobile punch here.

SKIP AHEAD TO:

Enable 7punches
Time Clocking Settings
Launch the Punch Pad
More 7punches Tools

How 7punches Works

7punches serves as your employee time clock system, allowing staff to easily punch in and out for shifts and breaks (if enabled) using an iPad, tablet, or their mobile device via the 7punches app.

Simple Time Clocking: Employees use the app to record their work hours.
Punch Management: Admins, Managers, and Assistant Managers with appropriate permissions can manage and edit time punches in both the 7shifts mobile and web apps, ensuring accurate labor hour tracking.
Customizable Settings: 7punches offers various settings to tailor your time clocking experience:
- Buddy Punch Prevention: Captures photos during punch-ins to prevent fraudulent clocking.
- Punch Alerts: Notifies managers of missed employee punch-ins.
- Auto-Shift Flags: Automatically flags late or no-show employees based on their punch activity and scheduled shifts.
- Break Tracking: Allows for tracking of paid and unpaid breaks.
- And More: Explore the full range of settings available in 7punches below.

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Enabling 7punches & Time Clocking

Log in to the 7shifts web app as an Admin.
Go to Settings > Add-ons > 7punches.
Click "Enable 7punches" > "Go to 7punches" > "Get Started with Time Clocking."
Enter the end date of your last payroll and your payroll frequency.
Check the "On 7punches" box to indicate where employees will be clocking in.
- If using POS for time clocking, learn about syncing POS time clocking data here.
Choose to auto-assign or manually assign employee Punch IDs.
- Learn more about Employee Punch IDs here.
Click "Next" to generate your first pay period.
Configure Time Clocking Settings (described below).
Download the 7punches app to the device employees will use for time clocking.
Log in using your 7shifts login credentials (the same email and password you use to login to 7shifts).

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Time Clocking Settings

Access Time Clocking Settings via Time Clocking > Settings in the web app. Settings are categorized as:

General Settings: Apply to 7punches and compatible POS integrations.

Auto shift flags: Shifts will be automatically flagged as late or no-show (can be manually overridden on the schedule).
Late Tolerance:Set the minutes allowed before a late flag is applied.
Employee timesheet and earnings access: Allow employees to view timesheets and earnings.
Employee tip visibility: Allow employees to view tip breakdowns.
Employee approval of time punches: Employees can approve or dispute punches.
- Once the time sheet is closed, employees can no longer modify their responses. Approved and disputed punches, along with any comments, will be recorded in the Punch Audit Report and Employee Time Sheet Report.
Send punch edit alerts to employees: Notify employees of edited punches.
Send punch-in alerts to managers: Notify managers of missed punch-ins.
Send punch-out alerts to managers: Notify managers of missed punch-outs.
- Note: Punch-in/out alerts from 7punches are in real-time but alerts from some POS systems may have a delay of up to 6 minutes.
Send punch-in reminders to employees: Remind employees to punch in if they've missed their scheduled shift start.

POS Settings: Apply only if you are using a POS integration for time clocking.

Edit POS time punches in 7shifts: Allows edits to POS punches within 7shifts, making 7shifts the source of truth for time punches.
- Learn more about editing pos time punches here.
- Learn more about Time Clocking & Integration Settings for Labor Visibility here..

7punches Settings: Apply only if you are using the 7punches app for time clocking.

Employee health check: Require health checks upon punch-in. Employees who fail the health check will be locked-out from punch-in and all managers will be notified via email and SMS.
- Learn more about COVID-19 health requirements.
Mobile Punch: Enable employees to punch in on their personal mobile device.
- Note: Employee location data will not be retrieved or shared, the employee could potentially punch-in without being in the restaurant.
Geofencing: With mobile punch enabled, this allows you to restrict punch-ins to within a set location range.
- Learn more about Geofencing with 7punches here.
Buddy punch prevention: Capture photos upon punch-in/out for verification.
Grace period: Configure punch approval and rounding.
- Auto-approve punches: Automatically approve punches within the grace period.
- Rounding for early punch-in/late punch-in/punch-out: Round punch times to the nearest interval.
- Prevent early punch-in: Block punch-ins before the grace period.
Auto punch-out: Automatically punch out unclosed punches.
Allow punch without shift: Allow punch-ins without scheduled shifts.
Allow switching role with shift scheduled: Allow employees to select a different role than they were scheduled for at punch-in.
Allow breaks: Enable break punch-ins/outs.
Declare tips: Allow employees to declare tips on punch-out.

Remember to click "Save" after configuring settings.

From here, you may find it helpful to share this handy article that covers: 7punches for Employees.

Pro Tip!

For optimal data consistency and reporting accuracy, ideally all time punches should originate from a single source. However, if you have departments using different systems (e.g., FOH punching on the POS and BOH punching on 7punches), carefully check the "Punch Source" field in the punch details during review to accurately identify the origin of each punch.

Table View:

Card View:

Launching the Punch Pad

Download the 7punches app for iOS or Android on your tablet or mobile device.
Click here to learn more about launching the 7punches app.

Time Clocking: How-tos

Find out more information below about Advanced Labor Compliance (if applicable for your region):

California Labor Compliance
New York Labor Compliance
Philadelphia Labor Compliance
District of Columbia Labor Compliance