> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.timetracker.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Time Clock overview

> How the TimeTracker Time Clock works – clocking in and out for the working day, timecards, breaks, expected hours and how it differs from time tracking.

The Time Clock records **presence**. People clock in when they start the day and
clock out when they finish. It answers "were you at work?", not "what were you
working on?".

## Time Clock versus time tracking

These are two separate systems. Do not mix them up.

|                       | Time Clock            | Time tracking                |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Records               | That you were at work | Hours against a task         |
| Produces              | A timecard            | Time entries and a timesheet |
| Has a project or task | No                    | Yes                          |
| Has a billable flag   | No                    | Yes                          |
| Reaches an invoice    | No                    | Yes                          |
| Compared against      | Your work schedule    | Your estimates and budgets   |

<Warning>
  Clocking in **never** creates a time entry. Clocking out never creates one
  either. If your workspace bills clients, people still track time separately.
</Warning>

Many teams run both: the clock for attendance and payroll, time tracking for
client work.

## What you get

| Piece            | What it is                                                     |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| The clock button | Sits in the top bar. Clock in, take a break, clock out.        |
| A **session**    | One clock-in and its matching clock-out.                       |
| A **break**      | The gap between one session's clock-out and the next clock-in. |
| A **timecard**   | A period of days, with worked, scheduled and variance figures. |
| A **day status** | Present, Late, Absent and five more.                           |

<Note>
  A break is not a thing you create. It is the gap between two sessions.
  Clock out to start a break, clock in again to end it.
</Note>

## Turning it on

The Time Clock app is **off by default**. A workspace opts into it deliberately.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Turn on Work schedules first">
    Go to **Settings → Apps** and make sure **Work schedules** is on. The Time
    Clock cannot be switched on without it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn on Time Clock">
    In the same panel, switch **Time Clock** on.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Give people a schedule">
    Expected hours and absence come from a person's work schedule. Without one,
    every worked day reads **Unscheduled**. See [Assign a schedule](/schedules/assign-a-schedule).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  **Time Clock requires Work schedules.** Expected minutes and absence detection
  are resolved from the schedule. Turning Work schedules off would take Time Clock
  with it.
</Warning>

Switching the app off later hides the clock and the timecards. Recorded sessions
are kept, and missing clock-out reminders stop.

## The plan

Clocking in and out is part of the **attendance** feature, which is on the
**Free** plan. Anyone can record their hours.

**Approving** a timecard is Pro. A Free workspace can clock in, build timecards,
and submit them – the submissions wait until the workspace upgrades. See
[Plans and features](/concepts/plans-and-features).

## How a day is built

1. You clock in. A session opens, stamped with the server's clock.
2. You clock out for lunch. That session closes. The gap becomes a break.
3. You clock in again. A second session opens.
4. You clock out at the end of the day.
5. TimeTracker compares the day's worked minutes with the minutes your schedule
   expected, and gives the day a status.

The day a session belongs to is the calendar date it **started**, in your
workspace timezone. An overnight shift from 23:00 to 02:00 belongs to the earlier
day.

## Example

Northwind Studio turns the Time Clock on for its studio staff.

Sarah Lin is scheduled 09:00–17:00, eight hours.

| Time  | Action               |
| ----- | -------------------- |
| 09:04 | Clocks in            |
| 13:00 | Clocks out for lunch |
| 13:45 | Clocks in again      |
| 17:10 | Clocks out           |

Her timecard for that day shows:

* **In** 09:04, **Out** 17:10
* **Worked** 7h 21m
* **Break** 45m
* **Scheduled** 8h
* **Variance** −39m
* **Status** Present

She was four minutes late, but the five-minute grace window covers it, so the day
is Present rather than Late.

## Permissions

| Capability                | What it unlocks                      |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| `timecard.clock`          | Clock in and out                     |
| `timecard.view`           | See your own timecard                |
| `timecard.manage`         | See and edit someone else's timecard |
| `timecard.approve`        | Approve a submitted timecard         |
| `timecard.submit`         | Submit your own timecard             |
| `timecard.submitOnBehalf` | Submit someone else's                |
| `timecard.reopen`         | Reverse an approval                  |

Owner, Admin, Project Manager, Finance, Member and Contractor can all clock in.
Client contacts never clock.

Full table: [Time Clock permissions](/time-clock/time-clock-permissions).

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I still need to track time if we use the clock?">
    Yes, if you bill clients. The clock records attendance; time entries record
    what you worked on and what it is worth.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I clock in on a day off?">
    Yes. TimeTracker asks "Clock in on a day off?" and lets you carry on. The day
    is marked **Worked on day off**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I have to clock out for lunch?">
    That is your workspace's habit, not a rule. Clocking out and back in creates a
    break, so the worked total excludes it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can two people share a clock?">
    No. A session belongs to one person. This documentation covers clocking in
    from the app only.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I forget to clock out?">
    A daily sweep flags the open session and tells you. It never invents a
    clock-out time. See [Missing clock-out](/time-clock/missing-clock-out).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Clock in and out" icon="clock" href="/time-clock/clock-in-and-out">
    Using the clock button day to day.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Timecards" icon="table" href="/time-clock/timecards">
    Reading and correcting your timecard.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Absence and expected hours" icon="calendar-check" href="/time-clock/absence-and-expected-hours">
    Where scheduled hours come from.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Work schedules" icon="calendar" href="/schedules/overview">
    The schedules the clock is measured against.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>