timeware development scheduleSaturday, 17 November 2018

timeware development schedule
[This document outlines the software, hardware and firmware development schedule for timeware. The release dates are meant for guidance purposes only.]

Saturday, 17 November 2018

Simon Birchall

Development schedule

Software beta versions

Working description ‘Extended-PIP’

Working description ‘Scripts & Misc’

Working description ‘Absence modifications’

Working description ‘Large-site issues’

Software commercial version

10.1.1timeware 2010 release date 1st November 2009

Hardware release notes

Various developments taking place up to November 2009

Firmware release notes

9.8.2Release date 26th January 2009

9.8.3Release date 27th February 2009

9.8.4Release date 15thMarch 2009

9.8.5Release date 31st March 2009

(introduction of new keypad)

9.9.1Scheduled release date 30th April 2009

9.9.2Scheduled release date 31st May 2009

timeware 2009 (‘extended-pip’ version)

Goal: to remove the need for flexitime adjustment paper trail and to ease the work load of flexitime administrators through the PIP.

  1. Personal Information Portal (PIP)

1.1Entire adjustment will be input by the employee through the PIP. This will include, absence code,dates, from, to and duration times.

1.2Notification of outstanding adjustments to be sent via email to employee’s Line Manager. Thiswill provide the Line Manage with a web link to a page which will show all the outstandingadjustments for that Line Manager’s department with an option to decline or approve eachabsence. There will also be an option to approve all.

Option to check if Line Manager is on holidays and send to alternative manager.

This can be scheduled by the Event Handler, sent once a day, once a week or however often asrequired.

1.3The approved absences will then show on the timeware agenda screen for the operator to final check and accept the absence. This provides a second tier validation for eachabsence. Approved absences should then be tagged with the Line Managers name and theoperator’s name.

An extra authorisation type may be required.

Operator should see existing clocking times for that day in case they need to amend the adjustmentin any way.

If denied the operator can fill in the public notes so that the employee can see why it is denied onthe PIP.

1.4 timeware operators should see outstanding adjustments on their agenda so that they know whetheror not their Line Manager has been approving adjustments.

1.5 As for steps 1 to 4 but for forgotten clockings as well.

1.6Requested to be included as in a full release of timeware and not as a one of modification toensure future proofing.

Notes

1. Must function in MS Exchange and Lotus Domino environments.

2. An amended absence listing with notes report may be required to incorporate the two levels of

authorisation.

3. Line 3 speaks about a note being filled in if the adjustment is denied. We would need the

notes to be also filled in when the employee is requesting the adjustment by means of

explanation, eg. Why they didn’t get clocked in, why they need time off etc

timeware 2009 (‘scripts & misc’ version)

Goal: to add two new features that will enable timeware & agents to generate additional revenue through customer defined script variation.

  1. Modification to Hand-Punch algorithm
  2. Processing of templates through event handler
  1. Scripts on Agenda
  2. Script trigger on Agenda.
  1. Scripts on Form Events
  2. Script trigger on Form Events.
  1. General Modifications
  2. Payroll link to Sage (Time-It Ultra version only)
  3. Hand punch backup script/restore script.
  4. Browse on firmware upgrade routine.

timeware 2009 (‘absence’ version)

Goal: to improve all aspects of absence processing.

  1. Absences`
  2. Massive improvement in storing and processing of absence records.
  3. Absence booking for individuals.
  4. Absence block bookings.
  5. Continuous absences.
  6. All other aspects of absence processing.
  7. Absence reports.

timeware 2009 (‘large-site issue’ version)

Goal 1: to address any issues relating to processing of large number of employees.

  1. Access Control
  2. General update access control user interface.
  3. **New Muster features **
  1. Reports
  2. Ten new format reports.
  3. Example reports in .pdf format.
  1. General Modifications
  2. Scheduled report by email
  3. Agenda email
  4. Agenda summary features

Hardware release notes

December/January

  1. USB port support added to V9 issue 4 onwards

March

  1. v9 issue 4 PCB due for commercial release
  2. Revised keypad (includes keys 0 – 9 for badge-free bookings)
  3. Sign-off keypad design and place order (required by 1st May)

May

  1. Introduction of new keypad (includes keys 0 – 9 for badge-free bookings)
  2. Launch of prototype t8-5035 terminal utilising new keypad

June

  1. Commercial launch of t8-5035 terminal utilising new keypad (replaces old t8-5030)
  2. Begin development of v10 PCB (attendance and access control)
  3. Begin development of 3040/5040 terminal enclosure
  4. Begin development of biometric reader enclosure
  5. Begin development of access control enclosure

timeware firmware development plan

9.8.2(‘USB phase 2’ version)

Development starts from 1st January 2009

One month allocated

Release date 31st January 2009

This version completes the earlier USB firmware release. Full support is now offered for biometric template movement (via USB memory stick).

  1. Absence and schedule memory
  2. Remove the status/memory/absence option
  3. Remove the status/memory/schedule option
  1. Modification to the terminal description field.
  1. Remove the PURGE on an emergency recovery.
  1. Change USB Device Found to USB device found.
  1. Please change 2.3.0 menu option from USB Synch to USB sync.
  1. When the sync is complete please display ‘Sync successful’ with a two second delay. There is no need to display any other message unless the sync was unsuccessful when ‘Sync unsuccessful!’ should be displayed followed by the error tone.
  1. Please change 2.3.1 menu option from USB Recover to USB recovery
  1. When the recovery is complete, please display ‘Recovery successful’ with a two second delay. There is no need to display any other message unless the recovery was unsuccessful when ‘Recovery unsuccessful’ should be displayed followed by the error tone.
  1. Pin codes. If the terminal receives a PIN code that is of the incorrect format, ie: it has been sent from an earlier version of timeware 2008, the terminal should not accept the code.
  1. USB firmware upgrade.

New menu in configuration called USB. Off USB there are two options;

1. Terminal ID

2. Upgrade Firmware: this only runs if the RDFILE is purged.

9.8.3(‘terminal description’ version)

Development starts from 1st February 2009

One month allocated

Release date 28th February 2009

This version sees two significant changes;

References to ‘TCP/IP’ changed to ‘Network’, and ‘RS232’ changed to USB.

First change to the default display in 15years - introduction of the terminal description on 20 second cycle.

  1. Ensure default PIN codes for v9 are;

Status = off

Supervisor = 42314231

Configuration = 42314231

  1. Amend menu 3.2.0 (comms)
  2. Replace RS232 with USB in comm’ types
  3. Replace TCP/IP with Network
  1. Amend menu 1.1.0 (communication)
  2. Replace RS232 with USB (see above)
  3. Replace TCP/IP with Network
  1. If in network mode and network failure then display on 2nd line of LCD;

Terminal name + ‘ cannot connect to the network!’

  1. Add System menu above audit (1.3.0)
  2. The system menu will take the operator to a list of settings,

Biometric off/sm62/sm2000

Reader type

Terminal description

  1. ‘Tidying up’ of status menu
  2. Remove references to e.o.s etc on drill down on status/memory
  1. Enquiry button issue
  2. Discuss how the enquiry buttons should work if the enquiry agent is not switched on or what should happen if there is no network connection.
  1. Terminal name display

9.1 Every 20 seconds display the terminal name on the 2nd line of the LCD display. Could this be tied in with point 4?

9.8.4(‘improved search facility on enrolment’ version)

Development starts from 1st March 2009

2 weeks allocated

Release date 15thMarch 2009

This version sees the introduction of a new feature enabling a supervisor to quickly find employees in the ‘New enrolment’ and ‘All enrolment ‘menu options. This feature has been suggested by customers who have large numbers of employees using both t8-5030 and t8-3030 terminals.

  1. Improved search facility on enrolment.
  2. Searching the employees in alphabetical order – Why is this needed?
  3. A hardware update compiles a list of valid employee names etc and sends them down to each terminal in ‘known as’ order (i.e. alphabetical by surname). Over time, as employees are added and deleted through personnel, the ’update when changes are made’ event forces the terminal to fragment this alphabetical list making it difficult for the supervisor to search for an employee using the ‘all enrolment’ and ‘new enrolment’ options.
  4. A quick-search facility is needed
  5. If all the employees are searched in alphabetical order, it is easy to design a feature that allows the supervisor to ‘jump’ to the first occurrence of letter, then use the up and down arrows to move through the sorted list. This would greatly enhance the use of the system when enrolling new biometric templates or badges.
  6. When selecting the ‘All’ or ‘New’ enrolment options, the first screen should consist of an alphabet with cursor selection of the desired letter. Once the ‘tick’ is pressed, the screen jumps to the existing selection list but positioned at the first occurrence of the selected letter.
  1. Improved search facility on status/memory/employee memory
  2. Include new search facility (see 2.b.ii)

9.8.5(‘improved enrolment’ version)

Development starts from 16th March 2009

Two weeks allocated

Release date 31st March 2009

This version sees a major review of the biometric enrolment procedure. Special emphasis is being to the fob/badge bio policy.

  1. Modified enrolment procedure
  2. Introduce ‘quantity’ check when registering a fingerprint. (75% coverage required)
  3. Introduce verification against each fingers.
  1. Network over GPRS
  2. We will test the terminals with network GPRS devices to ensure that timeware equipment is compatible. Such communication solutions are ideal for sites with no network infrastructure and also ideal for future ‘mobile workforce’ product designs.

9.9.1(‘HandPunch beater’ version) TO BE DISCUSSED

Development starts from 1st April 2009

One month allocated

Release date 30th April 2009

We need to provide a biometric solution to compete with the IR Handpunch unit.

Change the membrane keypad to include keys 0 to 9. (plastic enclosure stays the same).

To allow employees to enter their badge number at the terminal, followed by a bio read. Ensure the tolerance of the bio read can be defined by employee.

Booking overview

700 employee maximum

Primary and secondary finger registration

Bio only

card/fob + bio

card/fob only

*new* keypad + bio

*new* keypad only

Bio enrolment

This will be based on the methods introduced on 9.8.5. Note that we have scheduled an improvement to the employee search facility (see firmware notes for 9.8.4).

Booking

The employee could be set to use any of the above booking alternatives. Should keypad be selected, the employee enters their badge number followed by the tick button. A bio read in this mode uses the tolerance level set in the enrolment procedure and should give a successful read as reliable as the readobtained on an I.R terminal.

  1. Additional booking procedures.
  2. Keypad + bio
  3. The employee enters their badge number using the new keypad, presses the <tick> button and places their finger on the reader.
  4. Keypad only
  5. The employee enters their badge number and presses the <tick> button to make a booking.

9.9.2(‘Audit’ version)

Development starts from 1stMay 2009

One month allocated

Release date 30thMay 2009

This version sees the introduction of the audit option within the status menu.

  1. Audit menu
  2. The audit menu will allow the operator to view any audit records written to the RDFILE memory. A good example of an audit record would be a power on/power off record. As these records form part of the standard RDFILE, the software will filter them and process
  3. accordingly. The audit menu will be used in the future to identify any special occurrences. This is mainly a support feature.

This is planned to be the final firmware revision for release with timeware 2010.

9.9.3(‘GPS’ experimental version)

Development starts from 1st June 2009

One month allocated

Release date 30th June 2009

This is an experimental version testing the concept of connecting a GPS device to the v9. This development forms the possible basis for a mobile logging solution.

  1. GPS

Should we consider introducing a GPS feature for remote workers?

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