Safescan Time and Attendance Review

Safescan’s range of time and attendance products can help you streamline payroll and HR, and make your workplace COVID-secure. Find out how below

Safescan was initially founded to protect business owners against counterfeit money, after the introduction of the Euro to the Netherlands.

In 2009, the company’s rapid global success meant it was time to branch out into the time and attendance system market. Fast forward to today, and Safescan’s range of clocking systems and software have won all sorts of awards for innovation in the market.

Now considered one of the foremost time and attendance suppliers in the world, Safescan’s ‘TimeMoto’ clocking-in machines are some of the most advanced on the market – and boast the software to match.

So read on, but don’t scan. In this review, we’ll cover all you’ll need to know about Safescan’s latest range of TimeMoto software and hardware, and help you figure out if this supplier is a safe bet for your business.

What are Safescan’s features and benefits?

✓ Clocking-in terminals powered by smart technology

More than just bog-standard card scanners, Safescan’s set of clocking-in devices – which it dubs the ‘TimeMoto’ series – are some of the smartest in the industry.

As you’ll see below, Safescan’s terminals employ a mix of verification methods, including:

• RFID (radio-frequency identification)
• PIN (personal identification number)
• Biometrics (fingerprint and facial recognition)
• Mifare (a series of integrated circuit chips that facilitate proximity identification)

The benefits of Safescan’s biometric technology here are obvious. Its fingerprint terminals, for example, allow you to eliminate buddy punching – while Safescan’s facial recognition devices, through their completely contactless nature, can help you proof your workforce against the ravages of COVID-19 and flu.

RFID-enabled devices are cheaper – and naturally more basic – but nevertheless not to be scoffed at. This technology recognises and analyses your employees’ cards from quite a distance – they won’t even need to take their cards out of the holder!

Likewise, Safescan’s Mifare-powered terminals – while more expensive than their RFID counterparts – offer big advantages for the right businesses. Safescan’s Mifare devices integrate with access control and corporate identification tools, helping you cut out some of the admin and streamline your system.

✓ A versatile range of clocking-in devices

Whether you’re looking for a cheap, simple device to facilitate quicker employee check ins, or a more advanced biometric solution, Safescan has the device for you.

Here’s a sampler of the time and attendance hardware Safescan offers for businesses of all sizes:

TimeMoto TM-616

Suitable for businesses with up to 200 employees, the TM-616 supports RFID and PIN clocking in. It connects via Ethernet or wifi, and sports a handy 2.8” colour display, too. This one is Safescan’s cheapest clocking-in device, but also the most limited when it comes to features.

TimeMoto TM-626

Safescan’s TimeMoto TM-626 has all the features of the TM-616, but adds a fingerprint reader to support biometric clocking in. It limits you to just 200 fingerprints, though, so it’s not suitable for larger companies.

TimeMoto TM-818

Approaching Safescan’s top-end offerings is the TM-818. Supporting RFID and PIN clocking in only, it shares a lot of DNA with the TM-616 – albeit with touch keys, a larger screen, and the capacity to support up to 2,000 employees.

TimeMoto TM-828

Likewise, Safescan’s TimeMoto TM-828 is basically a souped up version of the TM-626. Supporting both biometric and RFID/PIN clocking in, it’s easily Safescan’s best fingerprint clocking-in device – not to mention one of the finest on the market at large.

Safescan also offers the TM-818 SC – basically the same as the TM-818, but with a Mifare reader – and the TM-828 SC, which supports Mifare, RFID/PIN, and fingerprint technology. Find their prices below.

TimeMoto TM-838

Safescan’s most expensive clocking-in device is also its most COVID-friendly. Leveraging facial recognition technology, the TM-838 allows your staff to clock in simply by standing in front of the terminal.

This machine also supports both RFID and PIN clocking in, so while your staff won’t have to carry a card or fob, they can still choose to use one if they want.

All Safescan’s clocking-in devices come with the company’s ‘TimeMoto PC’ software (for single computer use), and a free trial of ‘TimeMoto Cloud Plus’, which is cloud-based.

✓ Feature-rich time and attendance software

With Safescan’s in-built TimeMoto software, you’ll get a detailed overview of your workforce data. This enables you to create daily, weekly, and monthly periodic reports, which you can easily export to your chosen payroll program.

You’ll also benefit from an unlimited database with automatic backups, so you don’t need to worry about saving while you go.

Safescan’s software allows you to:

Easily manage HR data

Safescan offers an all-in-one solution for your human resource management. With this software, you can keep, manage, and update all your employee information – including names, contact information, employment history, overtime, holidays, and work schedules – all from one place.

The interface of Safescan's PC-based time and attendance software isn't the most modern out there, but it's still plenty functional

Copy and compare multiple work schedules

Safescan lets you create copies of work schedules so you can compare them to your employees’ actual worked hours, helping to keep your information as accurate as possible. The software will also automatically calculate overtime for you, too, making time management a breeze.

Real-time efficiency

There’s no waiting around for data when it comes to Safescan – all of the clocking information is pushed over to your network in real-time. This means you’ll have up-to-date information on working hours, job costing, overtime, and absences.

Best of all, by knowing exactly how many people are on site at any given time, you can implement fire alarm procedures with a single click, helping to keep your employees safe.

Ready to start browsing? Navigate to one of Safescan's four TimeMoto time and attendance software packages below.

TimeMoto PC

Included with all of Safescan’s clocking-in devices, TimeMoto PC is Safescan’s basic time and attendance software for small businesses.

TimeMoto PC lets you crunch overtime, pay classes, and payment reports, as well as helping you to juggle project codes and work schedules. It’s simple to export data to Excel or CSV, and the software works hand in hand with your existing payroll and staff management systems.

The only drawback? This software package is provided for just a single computer only – and it’s not yet compatible with Mac or iOS.

TimeMoto PC Plus

The TimeMoto PC Plus software improves on its predecessor’s feature count, adding holiday coordination functionality, as well as a graphical planning tool. Yet Safescan’s ‘Plus’ plan is hamstrung by the same limitations as the more basic version – namely its Mac incompatibility, and that it restricts you to just a single computer.

TimeMoto Cloud

TimeMoto Cloud – Safescan’s cloud-based time and attendance software solution for businesses – does away with the single computer limitation.

With capacity for 25 users, overtime and management reporting, and mobile clocking-in all included as standard, Safescan’s TimeMoto Cloud offers flexibility in spades.

TimeMoto Cloud Plus

For an annual cost of close to double that of its forebear, Safescan’s ‘Cloud Plus’ scores you absence and lateness notifications, work scheduling, and advanced planning tools.

How much does Safescan cost?

As with most technology, you’ll get what you pay for with Safescan’s clocking-in systems. Its basic RFID/PIN device costs just £319 (excl. VAT), while you can expect to pay up to £549 (excl. VAT) for the TimeMoto-838, Safescan’s impressive facial recognition attendance system.

Here’s what you’ll pay for Safescan’s diverse set of clocking-in devices – VAT is excluded in all cases.

Of course, a clocking-in device is only as good as the time and attendance software supporting it. So what’ll Safescan’s cost you?

A 30-day free trial is available with the TimeMoto Cloud package.

You’ll also need to open your wallet if you plan to take advantage of Safescan’s extras. Designed to help your business scale, these add-ons include everything from additional RFID badges or key fobs to fingerprint readers and one-hour customer support.

To learn more about how Safescan’s fees stack up against the rest of the industry’s, head to our ultimate guide to time and attendance pricing.

Or, to start comparing tailored, personalised time and attendance system quotes and advice from top suppliers today, explore what our quick quote-finding questionnaire can do for you.

Simply hit one of the buttons below to tell us about your business’ time and attendance system requirements. This includes:

• Your industry
• The amount of employees you’d like to track
• When you’d need the system installed by

When you’re done, we’ll see if we can match you with one or more leading time and attendance system suppliers in the UK. If we’re successful, those providers will be in touch with you directly, to offer bespoke quotes that are crafted to your requirements.

Our form takes less than a minute, and the whole thing is free for UK-based businesses.

Is Safescan right for my business?

Safescan, or indeed any time and attendance system, can help almost any business around the country – but is Safescan right for your particular needs?

“I want to minimise my paperwork”

Safescan’s software will automate all of your work scheduling tasks, letting you focus on other areas of your business. This means that instead of manually logging shifts, noting overtime, and marking absences, you can let Safescan’s time and attendance system do all the hard work for you.

“I have a small workforce”

If you’re managing just a handful of employees, then investing in a time and attendance system is probably not necessary. Safescan’s solutions are best used for streamlining the workflow of larger workforces, and for increasing the security of relatively big work sites.

“I want to increase my building’s security”

Using Safescan’s clocking-in systems will really help to increase the security of your building or site. Using employee recognition technology – that’s either fingerprint, facial recognition, RFID, or Mifare proximity – you can rest assured that you won’t have any unwanted visitors walking through your doors.

“I want to spy on my employees”

This is not what time and attendance systems are used for. Safescan’s handy solutions are designed to help you reward your most punctual and loyal employees, and ensure everyone’s properly compensated for overtime.

Safescan’s time and attendance system also helps you keep your staff safe. It enables you to identify how many people are on site at all times – making it easy to implement a fire alarm roll-call – and works with access control and security camera systems to safeguard your team and property.

What do Safescan’s customer reviews say?

Safescan’s reviews are, by and large, exemplary. The company boasts an ‘Excellent’ rating of 4.4/5 on Trustpilot, with 82% of its 257 reviews to date five stars.

Reviews mainly applaud Safescan’s customer service:

“I’ve called Safescan several times due to changes in our business and, despite our software being a few years old, the team is consistently helpful and knowledgeable. I most recently dealt with Gary, who proved once again that great support makes a big difference to an SME business like ours. I’d thoroughly recommend them.”

• Jack, Safescan reviewer

Other Safescan reviews suggest that speed and efficiency are also some of the company’s strong suits:

“After ordering, I received [my clocking-in device] very quickly, particularly given the COVID-19 situation. The customer service is good, and communication great. Overall, I’m very pleased with the service provided.”

• Hazera, Safescan reviewer

Safescan’s time and attendance software is found wanting in some reviews, though. As Safescan customer Carolyn laments:

“Our time and attendance system would no longer operate after our computers were upgraded. No one in our IT department could resolve the problem, so I phoned Safescan for assistance. Safescan was very helpful, and provided a link to upgrade our system – which was years out of date!”

Thankfully, these issues were all resolved by Safescan’s team:

“I phoned again for further assistance and Safescan were able to resolve our problems, and ensure our system was in working order. All this service was provided free of charge, which was most appreciated!”

• Carolyn, Safescan reviewer

Much of the negative feedback we found about Safescan centered around logistics-based stuff – namely, shipping, returns, and having products replaced or returned efficiently.

That said, Safescan has responded to most of the negative feedback it’s received, and it looks like the company takes complaints very seriously indeed.

Overall, we’d recommend Safescan based on the reviews we’ve seen.

What other time and attendance system suppliers could I consider?

We love Safescan’s sleek, stylish clocking-in machines and transparent pricing. Though, while its software is feature-rich, it’s not the most flexible. So what are your other options? Let’s take a look.

Still a Safescan fan? Perhaps you’re more of a Mitrefinch enthusiast by now… or are more Bodet-inclined. Whichever way you’re leaning, we can introduce you to the gold standard of time and attendance system suppliers – you just have to tell us what you want.

Simply furnish us with some details about your business, and you’ll receive quotes from the nation’s best suppliers, tailored specifically to your needs. 

It takes 30 seconds, and is free for UK-based companies.

Expert verdict

Thanks to Safescan’s impressive ‘TimeMoto’ range, keeping tabs on your business’ time and attendance is no longer a tedious task.

Rather than manually logging every minor detail, you can now let Safescan’s system automatically register working hours, overtime, holidays, and absences for you – and the hardware doesn’t look too shabby, either.

Sure, you’ll need to look elsewhere if you want the fanciest tech (iris and vein pattern recognition, we’re looking at you). Also, the fact that some of Safescan’s software solutions limit you to just a single computer (and a PC, at that) isn’t exactly convenient.

But, for an all-round time and attendance system that’s easy to use and affordable to boot, Safescan is indeed a safe bet for your business.