Case History: Department of the Environment

Posted Thu, 03/05/2009 - 21:33 by admin
 

Over the past while, Government Departments have been introducing the PeopleSoft HR System to manage personnel data.

As the subject of HR Personnel Data and Time Recording have some important commonality, FlexTime has developed a link between the VisionTimeWeb System and the PeopleSoft HR System.

For example, when setting up an employee in PeopleSoft, say the employee’s name and number, this data can be sent over to VisionTime to save duplication of effort.

SYSTEM: VISIONTIMEWEB

LOCATION: DUBLIN - SHANNON - BALLINA

NO. OF STAFF: 1200

 

 

System Description:

 

 The Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government in common with many customers of FlexTime have progressed through every version of VisionTime over the years. 

The staff using the system are working at various locations in these centres in:-

  • Dublin, at the Custom House and other sites
  • Shannon – Co. Clare
  • Ballina - Co Mayo

 

Initially, the three main centres ran the VisionTimeWeb System separately to each other. Then the Department decided to amalgamate the running of the systems. VisionTimeWeb Software now “sits” centrally on a server in Dublin.

Clocking:

Employees at the Department use two methods of clocking,  i.e. at Time Terminals and at P.C.s.  While Clocking at P.C.s is a hugely popular method to log working time, some organisations have concerns that employees will leave their P.C.s on over night time in order to save having to wait for P.C.s to boot up the next morning. Apart from the electrical costs, there is the carbon footprint issue.   
 
The Time Terminals for use with VisionTimeWeb work on an "always ready" and real-time basis. They are are inexpensive to run, particularly when compared with leaving hundreds of PCs turned on overnight.   One of the Department’s main remits is responsibility for managing Ireland’s environmental issues. Therefore, they naturally decided that Time Terminals would be used by Staff, along with P.C.s.   
 
Staff now generally clock in at morning time at Time Terminals and then use the PCs for subsequent Clockings.  The Time Terminals are activated by proximity cards, whereby the employee place the card a few centimetres from the reader.  There is also the option to use the Terminal’s PIN pad to make a clocking. For example, if an employee forgets his/her card there is still a method of clocking available at the Terminal, by simply entering a PIN number.  
 

 

Updating Time and Absence Records :

 

VisionTimeWeb allows employees to interact with their Supervisors electronically over time and absence issues.   

Firsty, staff can look up time and holiday records at PCs in their several Offices in Dublin, Shannon & Ballina. Staff can also access their P.C.s in order to make requests for time off, to make corrections to time records , or to arrange their sickness details – all in tandem with their Supervisors. 
 
Supervisors can accept or deny the requests electronically, eliminating any paperwork.    All parties work “on-line” to the Central Server irrespective
of what location they are in.  
 
Also the Department has gained new staff through the mobility which has occurred due to the governments de-centralisation plan.
 
 
In conclusion, the system in The Department of the Environment & Local Government is a good example of where our users can, continuously improve the way they handle their Flexi Schemes, adding VisionTimeWeb features as they are ready for them and generally moving at the pace which they can set themselves.