How to find the right Time Cards AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Time Cards
- Clock compatibility
- Buy cards specified for your exact clock model or its series, not just its brand. Electronic and auto-totaling clocks rely on card size and printed layout to position the print, and the wrong card misprints or is rejected.
- Pay period format
- Match weekly, biweekly or semi-monthly layout to your payroll cycle. The wrong format runs out of rows partway through a pay period or wastes card space.
- Single- or double-sided
- Double-sided cards suit clocks that print on both sides for longer periods. Check whether your clock supports them. Using the reverse side only works if the clock's print positions are set up for it.
- Rack fit
- The card length should fit your rack pockets with a grab margin at the top. Cards that drop fully into the pocket are slow to pull at shift change.
Brands that matter
- Pyramid Technologies: Sells cards made for its own auto-totaling clocks.
- Lathem: Offers cards matched to its electronic clock series.
- Acroprint: Supplies cards for its mechanical and electronic clocks.
What to avoid
- Cards labelled only 'universal' when you run an auto-totaling clock: check that your model is on the compatibility list.
- Thin card stock that curls or jams in the clock slot.
Questions
Can I use another brand's cards in my clock?
Sometimes, if the third-party card names your exact model. Otherwise stick with the clock maker's cards, especially on totaling clocks.