AU2009201699A1

AU2009201699A1 - A system and a method for managing time accounting of labour

Info

Publication number: AU2009201699A1
Application number: AU2009201699A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Phillip Joseph EMMERTON; Len Gullotta
Original assignee: PHILLIP EMMERTON
Current assignee: PHILLIP EMMERTON
Priority date: 2009-04-29
Filing date: 2009-04-29
Publication date: 2010-11-18

Description

1 A SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR MANAGING TIME ACCOUNTING OF LABOUR FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to a system and a method for managing the time accounting of labour, e.g. the hiring out of labour on a contract basis. In particular, the invention relates to a system and method for managing the hiring 10 out of drivers, e.g. truck drivers, to clients. It will therefore be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this example application. However at the same time it must be recognized that the invention applies to the hiring of other forms of labour other than drivers. It could equally apply to machine operators, constructions workers, and mine workers. It also applies to labour that 15 is provided by an employee that has to be accounted for on a time basis, .e.g. for the purpose of calculating wages and/or calculating the cost of a service to a group or division of an organisation. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 20 Hiring of labours or workers to a client on a contract basis has many advantages for a client. For example, the client can hire a worker/s service only when they are needed and is not committed to a permanent or long term contract of employment. In addition a contract relationship is not as heavily regulated as an 25 employment relationship. Typically the client is not responsible for health insurance, vacation leave, disability leave, and the like for the worker. However, administration of the worker hiring process, including accurately keeping record of time and attendance of a contract worker and correctly accounting for 30 this time can be challenging. In particular in a scenario where a provider of labour hires out contract workers to clients, the record keeping and accounting process can be an onerous task. This is particularly the case where the hire workers clock on at different times and clock off at different times. It is also difficult when workers work from different workplace locations across a wide area It is also 2 difficult when different workers work for different lengths of time and they do not work for a single uniform length of shift. It is also difficult where different workers have different skills and qualifications and the hire out rate of different workers is different. 5 When labour is hired out to a client on a contract basis, the service provider needs to keep a record of the time and attendance of the worker that is hired. The service provider has to process time sheets for the worker taking into account the relevant charge out rate, and then the service provider has to generate an invoice 10 for sending to the client. Only once the invoice has been generated does it get passed through to the client for review and inspection. One problem with this system and process is that if any discrepancies are detected by the client or the service provider regarding the time sheet information 15 or billing information, then the administration process has to be repeated. Invoices sometimes need to be cancelled and reissued. This can be very unwieldy and inefficient and it can be very time consuming to rectify these problems. 20 In an attempt to avoid this situation from occurring, it has been known to divide the accounting process into smaller steps so that the client approves the processed information at a number of steps in the process. This is successful in avoiding having to repeat the entire billing process again from the start if changes need to be made because the need for the change becomes apparent early on. However 25 this may often involve going back-and-forth between the client and the service provider with information. This can obviously be time consuming and inefficient. In addition some organisations require workers, e.g. employees, providing services to clock in for work at locations remote from a central office or 30 headquarter and also to clock out of work at a remote location. It would be useful if a system could be provided to enable this to be done efficiently and accurately with minimal risk of abuse of the system. In addition these workers, e.g. employees also work shifts and overtime and their time spent at work needs to be accounted for and recorded for the purpose of calculating their wages and 3 also justifying wage payments to workers and the like. Clearly it would be advantageous of this process could be streamlined, particularly in large organisations. 5 Clearly therefore it would be advantageous if a system and method could be devised for administering and managing the administrative and accounting process of hiring contract labour out to clients that at least partially alleviates some of the problems mentioned above. 10 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a system for managing the time accounting for labour provided by a worker , the system including: a terminal unit located at a selected location remote from a server computer 15 that is in data communication with the server computer via a data communication network, the terminal unit being for capturing time and attendance information of a worker and for sending the time and attendance information to the server; and a time and attendance reporting module operatively connected to the server computer for processing the time and attendance information on the server 20 computer, the time and attendance reporting module permitting a client computer to retrieve the time and attendance information from the server over the data communication network. In this specification the term "worker" shall be broadly defined and shall include all 25 forms of work provided by persons. It is important that is understood that it is not limited to manual work. In particular it covers persons providing all forms of skilled work whether it relates to operation of a certain piece of equipment or a certain vehicle. It could also relate to workers providing professional expertise, for example in the IT or engineering area. 30 The worker may be a contract worker and the system may be used in relation to hiring out of contract workers on a contract basis.

4 Instead the worker may be an employee and the system may be used in relation to the management of time accounting and the processing of wages by an employer organisation. In particular the system may be applied to employee workers in transport and logistics organisations, and mining organisations. The 5 system is particularly useful where workers are required to clock onto work at remote locations at different times and where workers also clock out from work at remote locations at different times. It assists in gathering the clock in/clock out information in an accurate way with minimal opportunity for system abuse and processes this in a way that can easily be reviewed and verified and recovered if 10 necessary. The system may include a billing module for generating billing information based on the time and attendance information and for presenting the billing information to the client on the client computer over the data communication network. 15 The terminal unit may include a clock module for enabling the worker to clock in at the selected location prior to commencing a work shift and for enabling a worker to clock out at the selected location after completion of a work shift. 20 Each worker may be assigned an identification tag having a unique identification code, and the tag may be used by the worker to clock in and clock out. The clock module may include a tag reader for reading the unique identification code of each identification tag allocated to the worker, whereby to enable a worker 25 to clock in using the identification tag prior to commencing a work shift and to enable a worker to clock out after completion of a work shift. The clock module may include a terminal time-and-attendance database for storing the time and attendance information of each worker, so as to build up a 30 time and attendance record for each worker over a certain time frame. The time and attendance information of each worker that is captured on the time and-attendance database may include the unique identification code of the worker, the clock dates and the clock times for both clock ins and clock outs, and 5 a job class identifier relating to the work that the worker performed, e.g. during the relevant work shift. The terminal unit may include a user interface for interfacing with the worker. 5 The user interface may present information to a user and may also permit a user to input certain information into the terminal unit. The user interface may include a display module for displaying information and a 10 key board and a screen for permitting a user to input information into the terminal unit. The display module and key board and screen may conveniently be combined in a touch screen having soft buttons for permitting a user to input information. 15 The information that is requested on the display module to be provided to the terminal unit by the worker may for example include verification of the worker's identification when the worker clocks in. This may include presenting a name identifier of the worker on the touch screen when the worker clocks in, and 20 displaying a selection of soft buttons for either confirming or declining the name identifier. The information that is requested on the display module to be provided to the terminal unit by the worker may include requesting a job class to be selected that 25 identifies the type of work that the worker performs. The job class may be requested either when the worker clocks in prior to a work shift or when the worker clocks out after a work shift. The clock module may present a selection of job class identifiers on the touch 30 screen when the worker clocks out, and the worker may select the job class that the worker performed during the work shift from the selection of job class identifiers. In one example, the clock module displays visual representations, or images, of job classes one at a time on the screen, and displays soft buttons for a worker to either select the job class displayed or scroll to further job classes until 6 the worker finds the appropriate visual representation of the job class for selection by the worker. The terminal unit may also include a worker setup module for adding new worker 5 identification information to the terminal time-and-attendance database. The terminal unit may include an administrator tag and the worker setup module may be operatively activated by the administrator tag. The worker set up module when activated, may guide the administrator through a setup process for inputting 10 the unique identification information of the new worker for storing the new worker identification information in the terminal time-and-attendance database. The terminal unit may include an update module for uploading at selected times the new worker identification information from the terminal time-and- attendance 15 database to the server. The server computer may also include means for enabling an administrator to set up a new worker at the server computer. In this case the server computer may be configured to download the updated worker information to the terminal unit 20 database. In particular it may be configured to download this information at selected times. The server computer may also include means for enabling an administrator to enter time and attendance information at the server computer. The server 25 computer may be configured to download the time and attendance information to the terminal unit database. The server computer may be configured to automatically download new terminal application software at selected times from the server, and to automatically install 30 the updated terminal application software on the terminal unit. The server computer may include a client authentication module for permitting a client to log into the server from a client computer interfacing with the time and attendance reporting module and the billing module.

7 The system may include a plurality of terminal units for a certain client and the terminal units may be located at different locations. 5 The time and attendance module may be configured to generate a list of locations at which said client has terminal units. Each said location will typically be a different workplace. Each terminal unit may be used at that site for a worker to clock in and clock out at that work place. 10 The time and attendance module may be used to present the list of work places to the client on a client computer. The time and attendance module may generate a timesheet for workers performing work for a certain client over a designated period. 15 In particular the time and attendance module may generate a time sheet for workers that performed work at a selected workplace or location from the list of workplaces for a selected number of working days, based on the time and attendance information in the server time-and-attendance database. 20 The time and attendance module may generate the timesheet for workers on request from the client computer. Instead it may be generated on request from the server computer. 25 The time and attendance module may be used to present the timesheet on a client computer. The time sheet may also be able to be presented on the server computer. The system may include a timesheet rules module defining at least one rule 30 according to which the time and attendance module generates the timesheet for workers that performed work at the selected work place. The timesheet rules module may permit a client to set up rules according to which the timesheet is generated for presentation on the client computer.

8 At least one time sheet rule may include a rule for rounding off a clock-in time or a clock-out time to a nearest time qualifier. The time and attendance module may permit an authorized client manually to alter 5 the timesheet that is generated from the client computer. The altered time sheet may be presented to the hirer of labour, e.g. in a way that clearly indicates the alterations. 10 The time and attendance module may permit the client to approve the timesheet information. The time and attendance module may note approval of the time sheet information by the client and the module may store the approved timesheet information on the server. 15 The time and attendance module may be configured to generate an electronic document of the approved timesheet information for storing or printing the approved timesheet information on the client computer. The billing module may be configured to generate a list of billing entities 20 responsible for the payment for work that was performed at the workplaces of the client, and for whom billing information is to be generated based on the approved timesheet information. The billing module may generate, on selection of a billing entity from the list of 25 billing entities, e.g. by the client at the client computer, preliminary billing information based on the approved timesheet of the workers. The system may include a billing rule module defining at least one billing rule according to which the preliminary billing information is generated based on the 30 approved timesheet of the workers. The billing rule module may permit the client to setup billing rules according to which the preliminary billing information is generated from the client computer.

9 The billing rules may include calculating preliminary billing information based on a number of time units of work that the worker performed according to the approved timesheet, and the rate of billing applicable to that task or job class. 5 Further, the billing module may permit the authorized client manually to manipulate or alter, from the client computer, the preliminary billing information that is generated. The billing module may permit the authorized client to approve the preliminary 10 billing information at the client computer, and on approval of the timesheet, store the approved billing information on the server computer as approved billing information. The billing module may generate an electronic document of the approved billing 15 information for storing or printing the approved billing information at the client computer. The billing module may generate a tax invoice based on the approved billing information. The tax invoice may be available at the client computer. 20 In particular the electronic document of the approved billing information may include a tax invoice that is readily available at the client computer and may be printed off at the client computer. 25 According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a system for managing hiring of labour to a client, the system including: a terminal unit located at a selected location remote from a server computer that is in data communication with the server computer via a data communication network, the terminal unit being for capturing time and attendance information of a 30 worker hired by the client and for sending the time and attendance information to the server; and a time and attendance reporting module operatively connected to the server computer for processing the time and attendance information on the server computer, the time and attendance reporting module permitting a client computer 10 to retrieve the time and attendance information from the server over the data communication network. The system may include a billing module for generating billing information based 5 on the time and attendance information and for presenting the billing information to the client on the client computer over the data communication network. The terminal unit may include a clock module for enabling the worker to clock in at the selected location prior to commencing a work shift and for enabling a worker to 10 clock out at the selected location after completion of a work shift. Each worker may be assigned an identification tag having a unique identification code, and the tag may be used by the worker to clock in and clock out. 15 The system may include any one or more of the features of the system described above according to the first aspect of the invention. The billing module may generate a tax invoice based on the approved billing information. The tax invoice may be available at the client computer. 20 In particular the electronic document of the approved billing information may include a tax invoice that is readily available at the client computer and may be printed off at the client computer. 25 According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method for administering the time and attendance information for a worker , the method including: recording time and attendance information of a worker with a terminal unit at a selected location; 30 receiving the time and attendance information at a server over a data communication network from the terminal unit; and presenting the time and attendance information to a client computer, on request from the client computer, from the server over the data communication network.

11 Typically the worker may provide labour that is accounted for on a time basis and the method assists in reliably and systematically gathering that information and then processing it. 5 The worker may be a contract worker and the system may be used in relation to hiring out of contract workers on a contract basis. Instead the worker may be an employee and the method may be used in relation 10 to the management of time accounting and the processing of wages by an employer organisation. In particular the method may be applied to employee workers in transport and logistics organisations and also mining organisations. The method enables workers to clock onto work at remote locations at different times and also to clock out from work at remote locations at different times. 15 The method may also be used in relation to workers who provide voluntary services, e.g. life savers, who work at different times at different locations. That is the system is not limited to those situations where labour or personal services are provided for money, even though this may be where the invention finds its primary 20 application. The method may also include the step of presenting billing information based on the time and attendance information of the worker to the client computer, on request from the client computer, over the data communication network. 25 The method may include providing a clock module. The method may also include receiving a clock-in trigger from the worker at the terminal unit when the worker commences a work shift and a clock-out trigger after completion of the work shift. The clock-in trigger and the clock-out trigger may be received and processed by the clock module. 30 The method may include the prior step of allocating a unique identification tag to the worker and providing a tag reader for the clock module. The worker may clock in with the identification tag prior to commencing a work shift and the worker may clock-out after completion of a work shift.

12 The method may include building and storing a time and attendance history for the worker on a terminal time-and-attendance database at the terminal unit. The time and attendance history information may include the unique identification code, 5 clock dates, clock times, and a job class identifier of the work that the worker performed during shifts. The method may include requesting verification of the worker's identification with a user interface of the terminal unit when the worker clocks in. 10 The method may include requesting the worker to enter a job class that the worker performs/ed during the work shift. The method may include presenting a selection of job class identifiers to the worker on the user interface from which the worker selects the job class that the worker performs/ed during the work shift. 15 The method may include requesting the job class with the clock module. The method may request the job class when the worker clocks-out after a work shift. 20 In one embodiment of the invention, the method may include displaying on a screen forming part of the user interface, visual representations or images of job classes, and displaying soft buttons for a worker to either select the job class displayed or scroll to further job classes until the appropriate visual representation 25 of the job class is displayed for selection by the worker. The method may include adding new worker information with a worker setup module to the terminal time-and-attendance database. 30 The method may include uploading updated information from the terminal time and-and attendance database with an update module from the terminal unit to the server at selected times. Also, the method may include downloading updated time and attendance information from a server time-and-attendance database at 13 selected times to the terminal unit, and storing the updated time and attendance information in the terminal time and attendance database. To this end, the method may include automatically downloading new terminal 5 application software at selected times from the server, and automatically installing the updated terminal application software for the terminal unit. At the server, the method may include receiving a login request from a client computer for permitting a client to log into the server for interfacing with the time 10 and attendance reporting module and the billing module. The method may include, on request from the client computer, generating a list of workplaces of the client that are associated with terminal units at which workers clock in and clock out for working at said work places, and presenting the list of 15 work places to the client on the client computer. The method may include generating, on request from the client computer, a timesheet for workers that performed work at the selected work place from the list of workplaces for a selected number of working days based on the information in 20 the server time-and-attendance database. The time sheet may be generated according to at least one timesheet rule. The method may include permitting the client to set up rules for being stored in a timesheet rules module at the server according to which the timesheet is generated from the client computer. 25 The method may include permitting an authorized client manually to manipulate the timesheet that is generated from the client computer, and to approve the timesheet for storing the approved timesheet on the server. Once the timesheet is approved, the method may include generating an electronic 30 document of the approved timesheet for storing or printing the approved timesheet at the client computer. The method may include presenting to the client on the client computer a generated list of billing entities responsible for payment for work that was 14 performed at the client's workplaces, and for whom billing information is to be generated based on the approved timesheet information. The method may include generating, on selection of a billing entity from the list of billing entities, preliminary billing information based on the approved timesheet of the workers 5 according to billing rules. Thus, the method may include permitting the client to set up billing rules from the client computer according to which the preliminary billing information is generated, and storing the billing rules on the server. The billing rules may include calculating preliminary billing information associated 10 with a number of time units that the worker worked according to the approved timesheet, and calculating billing information associated with a job class of the work that the worker performed during the time units that the worker performed work according to the approved timesheet. 15 The method may include permitting the authorized client manually to manipulate, from the client computer, the preliminary billing information that is generated. The method may also include permitting the client to approve the preliminary billing information from the client computer. Yet further the method may also include storing the approved billing information on the server. 20 On approval of the billing information, the method may include generating an electronic document of the approved billing information for storing or printing at the client computer, and also for storing and optionally printing the document on the server. 25 Generating the approved billing information may include generating an electronic tax invoice document, and generating an electronic supporting document from which the tax invoice is generated. The method may include printing the tax invoice at the client computer. 30 The method may also include providing the approved billing information in a way which enables it to be used by an off the shelf accounting software package.

15 The method may include operatively connecting the server to a business accounting software package. According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method for 5 administering time and attendance information of a worker that is hired out to a client, the method including: recording time and attendance information of a worker hired out to the client with a terminal unit at a selected location; receiving the time and attendance information at a server over a data 10 communication network from the terminal unit; and presenting the time and attendance information to a client computer, on request from the client computer, from the server over the data communication network. 15 The method may also include the step of presenting billing information based on the time and attendance information of the worker to the client computer, on request from the client computer, over the data communication network. The method may include any one or more of the optional features defined in the 20 method of the third aspect of the invention described immediately above. The invention also extends to a terminal unit located at a selected location remote from a server computer that is in data communication with the server computer via a data communication network, the terminal unit including means for capturing 25 time and attendance information of a worker hired by the client and for sending the time and attendance information to the server. The terminal unit may include a clock module. 30 The terminal unit may include any one or more of the optional or preferred features of the terminal unit defined in the first aspect of the invention above.

16 The terminal unit may store information time and attendance information that is entered into it, and then periodically forward that information to a server, e.g. at regular spaced time intervals. 5 The invention also extends to a time and attendance reporting module operatively connected to a server computer, the module including means for processing the time and attendance information on the server computer, and means for permitting a client computer to retrieve the time and attendance information from the server over the data communication network. 10 The time and attendance module may include any one or more of the features of the time and attendance module defined in the preceding aspects of the invention. The invention also extends to a billing module for generating billing information, 15 including means for generating billing information based on time and attendance information, and means for presenting the billing information to the client on a client computer over a data communication network. The billing module may include means for permitting the client to approve the 20 billing information from their client computer. The billing module may include means for permitting the client to query the billing information from their client computer. 25 The billing module may include any one or more of the features of the billing module defined in the preceding aspects of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 30 A system and method for managing the time accounting for labour provided by a worker, that in this embodiment is a system and method for hiring of labour to a client, may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe at least one embodiment of the invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The purpose of providing this detailed description is to 17 instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the invention how to carry the invention into practical effect. However it is to be clearly understood that the specific nature of this detailed description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description. In the drawings: 5 Figure 1 shows schematically a system for managing the hiring of labour in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows the system in Figure 1 in more detail; 10 Figure 3 shows, broadly, a flow diagram of method steps of a method for managing labour hiring, in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of basic method steps according to one 15 thread for a terminal unit application of a terminal unit forming part of the system in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of basic method steps for a time and attendance thread forming part of a time and attendance module of a server 20 computer that is in data communication with a client computer; and Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of basic method steps for a billing thread forming part of a billing module of the server computer that is in data communication with the client computer. 25 In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a time and attendance system for managing worker hiring to a client, in accordance with the invention. In this example, the system 10 is used by a labour hire company for managing the 30 hiring of vehicle drivers to a client that is a business that utilises drivers that are hired from a driver hiring business. The client may for example be a construction business that requires drivers for driving various types of construction vehicles during a work shift. It might also be a road transport company that requires drivers to drive its road cargo transport trucks.

18 Broadly, the system 10 for managing the hiring of labour to a client includes a plurality of terminal units 12 located at selected locations for recording time and attendance information of the drivers that are hired by the client. Each terminal 5 unit 12 is located at a location or work place of the client where one or more drivers report for work before commencing their work shifts. The system 10 further includes a server 14 having a server database 46 for receiving the time and attendance information over a data communication network 10 16 from the terminal units 12 and for storing the time and attendance information in the server database 46. The server 14 in this example is a web-server and the data communication network is the Internet. The system 10, in particular the server 14, includes a time and attendance 15 reporting module 18 for permitting the client to retrieve the time and attendance information with a client computer 20 over the Internet 16 from the web server 14. Also, the server 14 includes a billing module 22 for permitting the client to request and generate billing information from the server 14 based on the time and 20 attendance information of the drivers. The terminal unit 12 includes a clock module 24 for permitting the worker to clock in prior to commencing a work shift and permitting the workers to clock-out after completion of a work shift. The clock module 24 includes a tag reader 30 for 25 reading a unique identification code of an identification tag 32 allocated to the driver. The tag reader 30 is in the form of a RFID tag reader and the identification tag is a RFID tag. Thus, the drivers use their RFID tags to clock-in prior to commencing a work shift and to clock-out after completion of a work shift. They do this by presenting the RFID tag to the tag reader 30 of the clock module 24 so that 30 it is read by the tag reader 30. The terminal unit 12 includes an embedded microcontroller unit and interfaced peripherals, such a network interface 34 and a set of computer executable instructions or terminal application software 36. The network interface 34 includes 19 a wireless modem in the form of a USB modem for communication over a telecommunications network. It will be appreciated that any conventional network interface can be employed. 5 The clock module 24 includes a terminal time-and-attendance database 38 for storing the time and attendance information of each driver, so as to build a time and attendance history information for the drivers. The time and attendance history information of the drivers includes the unique identification code of the driver, the clock dates, the clock-in times and the clock-out times, the time and 10 attendance history information also includes a job class identifier that identifies the type of vehicle that the driver drove during the shift. The terminal unit 12 also includes a user interface 40 for presenting information to the driver and for permitting the driver to input information into the user interface 15 40. In this example, the user interface 40 includes a touch screen for displaying information for the driver and also soft buttons for permitting the driver to input information when they clock in and clock out as explained below. Further, the terminal unit 12 includes a worker setup module 42 for adding new 20 worker identification information to the terminal time-and-attendance database 38. For example if a new driver that is not yet registered on the terminal unit 12 commences work at the client's workplace, then the client can add the identification information to the terminal unit, so that the new driver can clock in 25 and clock out on the terminal unit 12. This enables them to clock in and clock out and thereby enable the system to gather the appropriate information for the system to effectively function. This feature confers a measure of versatility on the system in that it enables a new driver to be added to the system via the terminal unit at the client's work place at short notice just before a new driver commences 30 work. The worker setup module 42 is activated by an administrator tag (not shown). When activated, the worker setup module 42 interfaces with the administrator, by 20 prompting the administrator through a setup procedure to input the unique identification information of the new driver into the computer. The terminal unit 12 also includes an update module 44 for uploading at selected 5 times the updated information from the terminal time-and attendance database 38 to the server 14. The server 14 thus includes a terminal unit interface module 53 for establishing a data connection with the terminal unit 12. The update module 44 also downloads at selected times updated time-and-attendance information from the server database 46 of the server 14. 10 The illustrated embodiment of the system also includes the feature that new or updated application software for the terminal unit 12 can be made available on the server 14. In such a case, the update module 44 automatically downloads the new terminal application software at selected times from the server, and 15 automatically installs the updated terminal application software 36 on the terminal unit 12 where it is used. The server 14 includes structurally conventional server hardware and server side software applications, that together form the modules of the server as described 20 below. The web server 14 is accessible from the client computer 20. Thus, the server 14 includes a client authentication module 48 for permitting the client to log into the server from the client computer 20 for the client to interface with the time and 25 attendance reporting module 28 and the billing module 22. The time and attendance module 18 is accessible from the client computer 20, and on request from the client computer 20, retrieves and presents the time and attendance information to the client on the client computer so that the client can 30 review, manipulate, and approve the time and attendance information as is explained below in more detail. The server 14 further includes a timesheet rule module 50 defining rules according to which a timesheet is generated for displaying on the client computer 20.

21 The billing module 22, on request from the client computer, permits the client to generate, manipulate, and approve billing information for appropriate billing entities as is explained below. A billing rule module 52 includes billing rules according to which preliminary billing information is generated from the client 5 computer 20. Broadly, in accordance with the method of the invention, a plurality of clock modules 12 are located at selected workplace locations for recording, time information and attendance information of the drivers hired by the client. For 10 example, the terminal unit 12 can be located at a workplace where the drivers report before commencing their work shift. Figure 3 shows, broadly, a flow diagram of method steps for a method for managing the hiring of labour in accordance with the invention. 15 The server receives the time and attendance information over the internet 16 from the clock module 24 at 62. On request from the client computer 20, the server presents, at 64, the time and attendance information to the client computer 20 for displaying to the client on the client computer 20. Further, the method includes 20 generating and presenting at 66, billing information based on the time and attendance information of the worker on request from the client computer 20 at the client computer 20. The client has available at the client computer 20 as shown at 68 billing information relating to the billing it will receive from the driver hiring business for the driver's services. The client can approve the billing information 25 provided on the client computer 20 and this approval is communicated to the server computer 14. Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of basic method steps according to one thread for the terminal unit application 36 of the terminal unit 12 for capturing and storing the 30 driver's time and attendance information. The driver uses his tag 32 with the unique ID to clock-in before commencing the work shift. He does this by using the reader of the clock module to read his tag 32. The clock module waits, at 70, for a trigger from the RFID reader 30. When a 22 driver swipes his RFID tag 32 past the reader 30, the clock module receives, at 72, a trigger from the tag 32 and checks at, 74, on the terminal database 38 to authenticate the unique ID of the tag. 5 If the unique ID is recognized, at 74, then a driver identifier is displayed, at 76, and the driver is prompted, at 78, to confirm that the displayed driver identifier is correct. The driver identifier can be the name of the driver. If the driver declines the user identifier, then an error message is displayed, at 80, and the thread returns to waiting, at 70, for a trigger. The error message can include, for 10 example, a message to contact the administrator. If the driver identifier is confirmed, at 78, then the clock module 24, checks, at 82, whether the clock event is a clock-in or a clock-out event for the driver, for example by checking what type of clock event the last clock event was for the 15 same driver ID. If it is a clock-in event, then the driver ID and the time is stored, at 84, on the terminal database and the thread returns to waiting, at 70. In the event that it is determined at 82 that the clock event was a clock-out event, then the driver ID and the time is stored, at 86, on the terminal database 38 and 20 the driver is prompted, at 88, with job identifiers to select the work grade or award that corresponds to the type of work that the driver performed during the work shift. For example, the user driver may be prompted to select the type of vehicle that the driver drove during the work shift. In one example, the types of grades are represented by job identifiers in the form of visual images, such as 25 representations of the types of vehicle, and the driver may select or scroll to another image, at 90, until the driver selects the appropriate image representative of the grade. In that case the grade is stored, at 92, with the clock-out and driver ID information on the terminal database 38. 30 At 74, if the clock module detects that the driver ID is not present in the terminal database 38, then an error message is displayed, at 92, and the thread returns to waiting, at 70, for the next trigger.

23 Further, if the clock module detects, at 74, that an administrator's tag is swiped, then the terminal unit executes, at 94, a thread forming part of the worker setup module for guiding the administrator for entering new driver information into the terminal database 38. After this it then returns to its waiting state, at 70. 5 As explained above, the terminal unit 12 includes the update module 44 for uploading updated information from the terminal time-and-attendance database 38 to the server 14 at selected times. For example, an update thread (not shown) can include a timer for sending the updated information from the terminal 10 database 38 to the server 14 at preset intervals, e.g. at time intervals of 1 to 5 minutes, e.g. about 1 to 2 minutes. The time and attendance information that is received by the server computer 14 is stored in the server database 48. The web server 14 is accessible by the client 15 computer 20 over the internet thereby enabling the client to login to the server 14 for viewing and manipulating, if needed, the time and attendance information of the drivers that the client has hired. This information can then be used for generating billing information based on the time and attendance information approved by the client. 20 Figure 6 shows a broad overview of basic method steps, in accordance with the invention, performed by the time and attendance reporting module at the server 14. 25 At 100, the server receives a user name and a password from the client computer 20 for permitting a client to log onto the server 14 for interfacing with the time and attendance reporting module 18 and the billing module 52. Once the client is logged onto the server 14, the server 14 prompts the client, at 30 102, with a calendar to select a relevant day on which driver's have been hired by the client. The client may have several work sites or workplaces at each of which a terminal unit 12 is located, and the server 14 prompts, at 104, the client to select the relevant work site.

24 After the client has selected the relevant day and the relevant work site, then the server 14 retrieves the time and attendance information from the sever database 46, applies the timesheet rules from the time sheet rules module, and displays, at 106, a time and attendance record of the drivers on the client computer 20. 5 The time and attendance record can include the name of the driver, an actual clock in time and an actual clock out time for the driver on the selected day, an effective billing clock rounded off to the nearest time qualifier, say the nearest half hour according to the defined time sheet rules, and a grade of the type of vehicle 10 that the driver drove during the work shift on the selected day. The time qualifier can also be an agreed official time that a work shift starts. The client reviews the displayed information on the client computer, and at 109, the client either approves the time and attendance information or selects to edit 15 the time and attendance information. If the client approves the time and attendance information, at 109, then the approved time and attendance information is saved, at 114, to the server database 46, and the thread returns to displaying the calendar, at 102, for the client to select and review the time and attendance information for another work day. 20 If the client selects, at 109, to edit or manipulate or vary the information then the fields of the displayed records may be displayed, at 110, in an editable format, such as a drop down list for selecting, for example, a different clock in or clock out time or different work grades for the driver. At 112, the edited information is 25 updated and displayed, and then saved, at 114, to the time sheet database if approved at 109. Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of basic method steps for a billing thread forming part of the billing module of the server computer that is in data communication 30 with the client computer. The billing thread is initiated when the time and attendance information for drivers within the billing period is approved. At that time the server receives, at 116, a 25 request from the client computer 20 to execute the thread forming part of the billing module 22. The server generates and presents a list of billing entities at 118 on the client 5 computer 20 from which the client can select the billing entity that is responsible for payment for work that was performed by the drivers. After the client has selected the appropriate billing entity, the server can present, at 120, a terms of agreement for display on the client computer 20. The client either agrees to or declines the terms of agreement, and if the client agrees to the terms of 10 agreement, then the server retrieves, at 122, the approved time and attendance information of the drivers, and applies, at 124, the billing rules to the approved timesheet of the workers. The billing rules include, for example, calculating the total number of hours that 15 the driver worked during the billing period, applying the billing rates or tariffs based on the level or grade of work performed by the driver, and applying any time modifier relating to the time at which the work was performed (e.g. normal time or over time). The billing rules also include calculating the total billing amount for the driver including taxes. 20 The server generates and displays a summary of the time and attendance information at 126 and the applied billing information on the client computer 20 for review by the client. 25 The server then prompts the client, at 128, either to approve or decline the preliminary billing information. At 130, if the client approves the preliminary billing information, then a tax invoice based on the preliminary billing information is generated, at 132, and an electronic copy of the invoice is created, saved and/or printed, at 134 on the client computer. A copy of the tax invoice is also stored on 30 the server 14. If the client declines the billing information, at 130, then a message is delivered, at 136, to an administrator to the effect that the client has queried the billing information. The message typically calls on the administrator to attend to any 26 queries that the client has regarding the billing information with a view to settling the billing information and issuing the tax invoice. Another embodiment of the invention that is similar to that described above with 5 reference to Figures 1 to 6 enables the time accounting of drivers that are employees in a logistics and transport organisation to be accounted for. The clock module permits the drivers to clock in for work at their remote location and clock out from work also at remote locations. This information is loaded onto 10 the server 14 and from this information wage information for the drivers can be prepared. The system can take into account different wage rates as per the contract labour application and also the amount of overtime worked. It can then calculate a draft wage payment for approval by management or the employee as appropriate. Thereafter the wage payment for that particular person can be 15 processed. The system described above with reference to the drawings provides a convenient way of capturing salient information from contract workers that is needed to work out the charges to be raised for the services of these contract workers. This 20 includes identifying the worker and recording their clock in and clock out times each time they work. This is conveniently achieved by means of a terminal unit that is remote from a central server and is located at the client location where the worker clocks in and clocks off. Correspondingly the system provides a convenient way of capturing the time of employees and then calculating their 25 wages taking account the differential wage rates for different levels of labour and the amount of overtime if any that they have worked. Yet further the terminal unit gathers the necessary information in a way that reduces the scope for dishonest practices by workers located at a remote location. 30 Yet further the terminal unit is a compact piece of hardware that can be supplied at reasonable cost and can be assembled from components that can be purchased off the shelf and do not need to be custom made.

27 A further advantage of the system and method described above is that it collates and organises time and attendance information and is able to present this to a client for approval before billing information including a tax invoice is generated. The client approves, advantageously, the timesheet conveniently online from the 5 client computer before any billing information is generated based on the timesheet. This ensures that agreement is reached with a client on the basic hours of labour provided by contract workers before the billing information is processed. This therefore assists in avoiding a situation where an invoice that has been generated has to be cancelled and the process of collecting time and attendance 10 information and then producing billing information has to be repeated. Put another way it involves a client that hires workers from a labour hiring business in the administration process so as to alleviate potential discrepancies that may occur in the administration process. 15 A yet further advantage of the method and system described above is that the billing information is forwarded to the client for their review and approval before a tax invoice is generated. Another advantage of the system is that the client can view online from the client computer the billing information based on the approved time sheet and has an opportunity to decline it before any final invoice is created 20 based on that information. This way agreement is reached on the amount to be billed out before the tax invoice is produced. This avoids having to cancel and reproduce invoices and the inefficiency and administrative burden associated therewith. 25 A yet further overall advantage of the system and method described above with reference to the drawings is that is capable of co-ordinating input and communication over a wide area between respectively terminal units, a central computer at the office of the hire out company, and a client computer at the client's office location premises. 30 A yet further advantage of the system and method described above is that it can be used for workers on different charge out rates. It has the ability to input differential billing rates into the relevant module. Yet further it has the ability to enter in different wage award rates for different groups of workers.

28 A yet further advantage of the system and method described above is that it permits different rules to be entered into the relevant modules for different types of businesses. It is therefore very flexible and can be adapted to the hiring out of 5 contract labour across many fields. Also, the time and attendance information and billing information generated by the system can be made available, advantageously, to existing accounting and payroll systems, e.g. MYOB accounting systems. 10 A yet further advantage of the system and method described above is that it is potentially very versatile. It could be used in a myriad of different applications where it is required to account for the time spent by a person providing a labour service, in a reliable way, and which subsequently permits easy processing of the 15 information. It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall 20 within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

1. A system for managing the time accounting for labour provided by a worker, 5 the system including: a terminal unit located at a selected location remote from a server computer that is in data communication with the server computer via a data communication network, the terminal unit being for capturing time and attendance information of a worker and for sending the time and attendance information to the server; and 10 a time and attendance reporting module operatively connected to the server computer for processing the time and attendance information on the server computer, the time and attendance reporting module permitting a client computer to retrieve the time and attendance information from the server over the data communication network. 15

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the worker is a contract worker and the system is used in relation to hiring out of contract workers on a contract basis.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, including a billing module for 20 generating billing information based on the time and attendance information and for presenting the billing information to the client on the client computer over the data communication network.

4. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the terminal unit 25 includes a clock module for enabling the worker to clock in at the selected location prior to commencing a work shift and for enabling a worker to clock out at the selected location after completion of a work shift.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein each worker is assigned an 30 identification tag having a unique identification code, and the tag is used by the worker to clock in and clock out usi9ng the clock module.

6. A system according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the clock module includes a tag reader for reading the unique identification code of each 30 identification tag allocated to the worker, whereby to enable a worker to clock in using the identification tag prior to commencing a work shift and to enable a worker to clock out after completion of a work shift. 5

7. A system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the clock module includes a terminal time-and-attendance database for storing the time and attendance information of each worker, so as to build up a time and attendance record for each worker over a certain time frame. 10

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the terminal unit includes a user interface for interfacing with the worker, and the user interface presents information to a user and also permits a user to input certain information into the terminal unit. 15

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the user interface includes a display module for displaying information and a key board and a screen for permitting a user to input information into the terminal unit, and the display module and key board and screen are conveniently be combined in a touch screen having soft buttons for permitting a user to input information. 20

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the terminal unit includes a worker setup module, for adding new worker identification information to the terminal time-and-attendance database. 25

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the terminal unit includes an administrator tag and the worker setup module is operatively activated by the administrator tag, and guides the administrator through a setup process for inputting the unique identification information of the new worker for storing the new worker identification information in the terminal time-and-attendance database. 30

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the terminal unit includes an update module for uploading, at certain times, the new worker identification information from the terminal time-and- attendance database to the server computer. 31

13. A system according to any one of claims 1 to12, wherein the server computer is configured to download updated worker information to the terminal unit database at certain times. 5

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the server computer includes means for enabling an administrator to enter time and attendance information at the server computer and download the time and attendance information to the terminal unit database. 10

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the server computer is configured to automatically download new terminal application software at selected times from the server, and to automatically install the updated terminal application software on the terminal unit. 15

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the server computer includes a client authentication module for permitting a client to log into the server from a client computer interfacing with the time and attendance reporting module and the billing module. 20

17. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the system includes a plurality of terminal units for a certain client and the terminal units may be located at different locations and the time and attendance module is configured to generate a list of different locations at which said client has terminal units. 25

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein the time and attendance module can generate a timesheet for workers performing work for a certain client over a designated period. 30

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein the time and attendance module generates the timesheet for workers on request from the client computer, or it generates the timesheet on request from the server computer. 32

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the time and attendance module presents the timesheet on a client computer and on the server computer.

21. A system according to claim 1, including a timesheet rules module defining 5 at least one rule according to which the time and attendance module generates the timesheet for workers that performed work at the selected work place.

22. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the time and attendance module permits an authorized client manually to alter the timesheet 10 that is generated from the client computer and present the altered time sheet to the hirer of labour.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the time and attendance module permits the client to approve the timesheet information, and to store the approved 15 timesheet information on the server.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the time and attendance module is configured to generate an electronic document of the approved timesheet information for storing or printing the approved timesheet information on the client 20 computer.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the billing module is configured to generate a list of billing entities responsible for the payment for work that was performed at the workplaces of the client, and for whom billing information is to be 25 generated based on the approved timesheet information.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the billing module generates preliminary billing information based on the approved timesheet of the workers. 30

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the system includes a billing rule module defining at least one billing rule according to which the preliminary billing information is generated based on the approved timesheet of the workers. 33

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the billing rules are used to calculate preliminary billing information based on a number of time units of work that the worker performed according to the approved timesheet, and the rate of billing applicable to that task or job class. 5

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the billing module permits the authorized client to manually alter the preliminary billing information from the client computer. 10

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein the billing module permits the authorized client to approve the preliminary billing information at the client computer, and on approval of the timesheet, to store the approved billing information on the server computer as approved billing information. 15

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein the billing module generate an electronic document of the approved billing information for storing or printing the approved billing information at the client computer.

32. A system according to claim 30 or claim 31, wherein the billing module 20 generates a tax invoice based on the approved billing information that is available at the client computer.

33. A system according to claim 1, wherein the worker is an employee and the system is used in relation to the management of time accounting and the 25 processing of wages by an employer organisation.

34. A system for managing hiring of labour to a client, the system including: a terminal unit located at a selected location remote from a server computer that is in data communication with the server computer via a data communication 30 network, the terminal unit being for capturing time and attendance information of a worker hired by the client and for sending the time and attendance information to the server; a time and attendance reporting module operatively connected to the server computer for processing the time and attendance information on the server 34 computer, the time and attendance reporting module permitting a client computer to retrieve the time and attendance information from the server over the data communication network; and a billing module for generating billing information based on the time and 5 attendance information and for presenting the billing information to the client on the client computer over the data communication network.