Polling Settings

 

 

Selecting the Polling Settings function from the Global menu allows an administrator to specify how often Valiant servers poll the customer’s time collection devices and update the customer database.  

 

Polling Interval

This setting determines how often Valiant servers poll the customer’s time collection devices for new punch transactions.

 

 

Clock Rules Grace

This rule relates to the delay (in minutes) before a new or revised Clock Rule takes effect.  In this way, employees already clocked in (or about to clock in/out during the specified grace period) remain on the previous rule until they clock out.  Otherwise, depending on the new settings, they might be prevented from clocking in or out.  

  • Start determines the delay before the start of a shift.

  • End determines the delay after the end of a shift.

Note

This is not the same as the ”Grace” at Shift Start/End in the Range Setup function.

 

Data Acquisition Method

Select either Events (vPod family only) or Schedules from the drop-down box.

  • If Events are selected, the Scheduling menu tab will only contain Clock Rules because events have no Polling Schedules.

  • If Schedules are selected, the Scheduling menu tab will display Clock Rules and Polling Schedules.  

 

Connection Validation

This is the time interval at which the application determines whether or not data collection devices are still available and on line. (Specify a time interval if using Events as the Data Acquisition Method.)

  • If no connection validation interval is set, the Connection Validation Off message is displayed in red.

  • If an hour and minute connection validation interval is set, the Connection Validation On message is displayed in green.

 

 

 

Auto-Linking Mode

When “Clock Number” is selected, the system will auto-link newly created employee templates to active Employees based on the corresponding Clock Number assigned in the Employee Master or Employee@Division page.

 

To utilize this option successfully, clients must assign an employee’s Clock Number as the employee’s Reader User ID.  Note that the Clock Number on the Employee Master supports 10 digits, but the Reader User ID only five, so Clock Numbers should be limited to five digits if you wish to utilize Auto-Linking.

 

With Auto-Linking Mode, it is not necessary to manually associate a Reader User ID with an employee in Employee Management, then transfer the template to a specific device in the Link Employees tab of Employee Management.

In the Settings page, it is possible to select one or more devices and transfer all new enrollment templates to them using the Pull Templates Now feature. This action updates the database and associates the employee’s Reader User ID with their Clock Number.

Important

Clock numbers must be unique on the Division level.  The system does not verify manual entries in either Employee@Division or the Employee Master.  Valiant recommends that the Auto Assign Clock Number flag (in the Employee tab of the Division Settings), which automatically assigns the next unique number, be set to ensure there are no duplications at the Division level.

 

Applicability of Auto-Linking Mode

Condition

Auto-Linking Mode Applicable

New employee enrollments

Yes

Inactive employees

No

Pending employees

No

Previously linked employees now unlinked

No

Normal device

Yes

Virtual device

No

Master device

No

 

 

Instant Requests

The Company Administrator has the option of circumventing the normal polling settings in situations where punch and template data is needed to update the database prior to the normal interval.  

 

This is often the case with new employees so that they can ”punch” as soon as they enroll.

 

For the Device type and Division(s) selected from the drop-down boxes, a list of device names is displayed.

Synchronize Selected Clocks

Click to retrieve employee punches from the selected device(s), update the clock time, and update the database.

Pull Templates

Click to retrieve employee templates from the selected device(s) and update the database.

Initialize Clock Rules Now

Click to enable new rules immediately, regardless of the Clock Rules Grace set in the Polling Settings function.