--- title: How to Manage Devices description: The Devices section lets you register and manage biometric or kiosk clock-in devices connected to Timecloud. Use this to set up hardware terminals at your workplace. --- [Skip to content](https://help.jointimecloud.com/how-to-manage-devices#main-content) [Contact us](https://help.jointimecloud.com/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [![Timecloud-Logo-600-2](https://help.jointimecloud.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Timecloud-Logo-600-2.png?width=200&height=40&name=Timecloud-Logo-600-2.png)](https://help.jointimecloud.com/?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact us](https://help.jointimecloud.com/kb-tickets/new) - [Go to app.jointimecloud.com](https://app.jointimecloud.com/) [Go to app.jointimecloud.com](https://app.jointimecloud.com/) Got questions? Ask away - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Service Portal](https://help.jointimecloud.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [Settings](https://help.jointimecloud.com/settings?hsLang=en) # How to Manage Devices ## The Devices section lets you register and manage biometric or kiosk clock-in devices connected to Timecloud. Use this to set up hardware terminals at your workplace. #### **Getting There** 1. Click **Settings** (cog icon) in the left sidebar. 2. Select **Devices** from the settings menu. --- #### **Viewing Devices** - All registered devices are listed in a table. - Use the **Search** bar to find a specific device by name or serial number. --- #### **Adding a Device** 1. Click **Add Device**. 2. Enter the **Serial Number** - the unique identifier for your device. 3. Enter an **Alias** - a friendly name (e.g. "Front Desk Kiosk", "Warehouse Terminal"). 4. Toggle **Notifications** on if this device should trigger clock-in alerts. 5. *(Optional)* Link the device to specific job layers by selecting from the job layer dropdowns. 6. *(Optional)* Set the **Device Location** - search for the address where the device is physically installed. When a location is set, the **Timezone** field updates automatically to show the timezone for that location (e.g. "Australia/Sydney"). 7. Click **Save**. --- #### **Editing a Device** - Click the **edit** icon next to any device. - Update the alias, notifications, job layer links, or location. - Click **Save**. --- #### **Updating a Device Location** If a device has been relocated or its address was not set during initial setup, you can update the location at any time. 1. Click the **edit** icon next to the device you want to update. 2. In the **Device Location** field, search for the new address where the device is physically installed. 3. Select the correct address from the search results. The **Timezone** field below the address will update automatically. 4. Click **Save**. To remove a device location entirely, clear the location field and click **Save**. The timezone will also be removed. ### **Why Accurate Device Location Matters** Setting the correct location for each device is important because Timecloud uses it to determine the device's timezone. This timezone is used to ensure your biometric scanners handle **daylight savings transitions** correctly. When daylight savings starts or ends, Timecloud automatically adjusts the internal clock on your biometric devices so that clock-in and clock-out times remain accurate. Without the correct location set, Timecloud cannot determine the right timezone, which means: - Clock-in times could be **off by one hour** during daylight savings transitions. - Attendance records and timesheets may show incorrect working hours. - Payroll calculations based on those timesheets could be affected. If you move a device to a different site or a different timezone, update the device location straight away to keep everything in sync. --- #### **Automatic Timezone Detection** When you set or change a device's location, Timecloud automatically determines the timezone for that location and displays it in a read-only **Timezone** field below the address. - The timezone is derived from the device's geolocation - you do not need to set it manually. - If you clear the device location, the timezone is also removed. - The timezone updates each time the location changes. --- #### **Removing a Device** - Click the **delete** icon next to a device to remove it. - Removing a device does not delete historical clock-in records made through it. --- #### **Biometric Automation Settings** These settings control how Timecloud processes clock events from biometric scanners. They appear when your account has biometric automation enabled. ### **Auto CheckType** - Toggle **Auto CheckType** on to let Timecloud automatically determine whether each scanner event is a clock-in or clock-out. - When enabled, the system looks at the employee's current working status and assigns the correct direction - no need for the scanner hardware to distinguish In from Out. - A 30-second debounce prevents duplicate entries if an employee scans twice quickly. ### **Auto BreakType** - Toggle **Auto BreakType** on to have Timecloud automatically insert break records when it detects gaps between working clock pairs. - Requires **Auto CheckType** to be enabled first. - When an employee clocks out and then clocks back in, the gap is labelled as a break using the break rules configured on the assigned shift template. - Break rules are applied in the order defined on the shift - the first gap uses the first break rule, the second gap uses the second, and so on. - If no break rules remain or a break already exists in the gap period, the gap is left unlabelled. --- #### **Biometric Sync** If your organisation uses biometric devices (fingerprint or face recognition): - Toggle **Sync Employee with Biometrics device** on. - Click **Save Changes** to push employee data to all connected biometric devices. - This keeps fingerprint and face data up to date when you add or change employees. ### **Automatic Name Sync** - When you update an employee's **First Name** or **Last Name** in the web app and save, the updated name automatically syncs to their biometric scanner profile. - No manual action is needed - the change is pushed to the device within a few minutes. - The display name on the biometric device uses up to 25 characters (combined first and last name). ### **Automatic Card Number Sync** - Scanner card numbers assigned on the biometric device are automatically synced back to each employee's profile in Timecloud. - This runs in the background - card numbers stay in sync without manual data entry. - If a card number is already assigned to another employee, the sync skips that card to prevent duplicates. --- #### **Tips** - Give each device a clear, descriptive alias so managers can quickly identify which location or department it belongs to. - **Always set the device location** for every device - this ensures accurate timezone detection and smooth daylight savings transitions. - If you relocate a device, update the location immediately so the timezone stays correct. - The **Timezone** field is set automatically when a location is assigned - there is nothing extra to configure. - Set the device location for geofence-based reporting - every clock-in from that device will be tagged with the configured coordinates. - **Auto CheckType** is ideal for simple scanners that only record a timestamp without specifying In or Out. - **Auto BreakType** saves time by labelling break periods automatically - just make sure your shift templates have the correct break rules set up. - Name changes made in the web app sync automatically - you do not need to re-register the employee on the scanner. - Card numbers sync from the device to Timecloud automatically, so there is no need to manually copy them into employee profiles. - Test the device connection after setup to confirm clock-ins are registering correctly in Timecloud - 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