Introduction to time registration with hour bank
This article describes how to set up and use time registration with hour bank in BitaBIZ.
Hour bank is used when work hours need to be tracked as a balance – for example in cases such as:
Flex time (plus/minus hours)
Overtime
Time off
In BitaBIZ, hour bank can be used with different time registration methods, depending on how employees register their work hours.
Choose time registration type
BitaBIZ supports two methods, deviation registration and daily registration, for time registration with hour bank.
1. Deviation registration (EU-compliant)
The employee only registers deviations such as overtime, time off, and absence.
Actual work hours are automatically adjusted based on registered deviations.
The hour bank is updated based on the registered deviations.
Suitable for:
Staff with fixed work hours, where only changes to the work hours need to be registered.
Read more about deviation registration here:
📑 Deviation registration - with hour bank
2. Daily registration via check in/out (Flex time, EU-compliant)
The employee registers their daily work hours by checking in and out. This can be set up in two ways
Check in and out via mobile app/web
Check in and out with QR code at the workplace
Actual work hours are compared to the standard hours for the day.
The hour bank is automatically updated based on plus/minus time.
Suitable for:
Staff with flex time or variable work hours.
Read more about daily registration here:
Check in and out via mobile app/web:
Check in and out via QR code at the workplace:
📑 QR check in/out at the workplace with hour bank
How to set up the time registration method on the policy
The time registration method is selected on the employees' policy.
Click Setup admin
Click Modules
Click Edit next to the policy (or click Create new policy)
Open the section Time registration – with hour bank
Select the desired method and make sure the rest of the policy is as you want before clicking Save.
Check in and out with QR:
If the employee needs to check in with a QR code, this option must be selected when choosing check in/out.
Once the time registration method is decided, save the desired method for your time registration on the policy and it will then apply to the employees linked to the policy.
Choose standard hours method (required for EU-compliant methods)
BitaBIZ has 2 standard hours methods for setting up official work hours, and one of them must be selected in order to use Time registration with hour bank that calculates work hours according to the EU working time directive.
The 2 standard hours methods for official work hours are:
Set official start and end time per workday
Use this method for staff groups with a fixed work schedule that does not change much.Set only the number of net hours per workday
Use this method for staff groups without a fixed work schedule by entering the average daily work hours on a weekly basis.
The standard hours method is activated on the employee's policy under the section "Working week".
Here's how to find these settings:
Click "Setup admin".
Click "Modules".
Click "Edit" next to the desired policy.
Open the section "Working week".
See guides for the two standard hours methods here:
📑 Official work hours with daily start/end time. Click here.
📑 Net hours per weekday. Click here.
Employee access to time registration with hour bank
The time registration method is selected on the employees' policy.
When an employee is assigned a policy on their master data card, the employee automatically gets the time registration method that is selected on the policy.
It is possible to override the method manually on the employee's master data card if an exception is needed.
💁 We recommend that user guides describing your chosen registration method are shared with your employees.
Find the user guides here.
💁 Also remember to share your approver guide with your approvers.
Checklist for time registration
Below you'll find an overview of features that can be activated in connection with time registration with hour bank.
Consider which features fit your employee types and workflows.
Reminders about registrations
You can activate automatic reminders to support a stable time registration flow.
Remember to edit
If an employee hasn't edited their work hours for the last X number of weeks, a friendly reminder is sent to the employee and manager. |
 Can be activated for deviation registration |
Live feed (reminder to check out)
Shows an active time counter on the employee's mobile after check in, with a direct option to check out. |
 Can be activated for daily registration |
See the guide for reminders here.
EU messages
Push messages designed to comply with the EU working time directive, which can be sent to the approver.
48-hour rule
Sends a message to the approver if the average work hours exceed a selected number of hours over a 4-month period. |  |
11-hour rule
Sends a message to the approver if the minimum rest period of 11 hours is not observed. |  |
Read more about messages that remind you of the EU working time directive here.
Job codes for overtime
Should employees be able to register overtime on job codes with a special factor?
Overtime job codes are used if overtime should not be settled 1:1, but for example with a factor of 1:2 or another rate.
This is relevant if, for example:
|  |
Read more about job codes for overtime here.
Payout of hour bank balances
Should employees be able to request payout of earned hours in the hour bank?
Access to payout is managed in the policy.
How to activate it:
Setup Admin → Modules → Edit policy → Time registration – with hour bank → Hour bank setting →
When the feature is enabled, employees can request payout of their balance. |  |
Max flex time plus hours per day
Should there be a daily limit for how many plus hours employees can earn?
This setting applies only for flex time.
The maximum limit is set in the policy and requires setup of daily work hours with either start and end time or net hours.
How to set the maximum limit:
Setup Admin → Modules → Edit policy → Working week → Under “Hours per day” enter “Max. plus hours”
If an employee registers more plus hours than the allowed maximum, only the maximum number will be updated in the hour bank. The employee will be notified. |  |
Own paid breaks
Automatic deduction of paid breaks from work hours.
Own paid breaks are deducted from the registered work hours
Breaks can be targeted to different staff groups. Multiple breaks can be set up per day. |  |
Read more about breaks here.
Fixed accrual of hours to the hour bank
The hour bank balance can be linked to fixed accrual per:
Year
Quarter
Month
This is set up in the policy.
Set up fixed accrual by:
Setup Admin → Modules → Edit policy → Time registration – with hour bank → Hour bank setting → Choose fixed accrual or no accrual |
|
Read more about fixed accrual here.
FAQ
Can we use the hour bank for flex time and time off?
Can we use the hour bank for flex time and time off?
Yes. The hour bank is used for flex time, overtime, and time off, where plus/minus hours are automatically calculated based on standard hours and registered work hours.
We only want to register work hours – not accumulate hours. What should we do?
We only want to register work hours – not accumulate hours. What should we do?
If you do not want a balance (flex time/hour bank), you should use time registration without hour bank.
How do we see which time registration solution we are using?
How do we see which time registration solution we are using?
On the employee's policy, you can see which time registration method is connected. You can choose between:
“Time registration – without hour bank”
“Time registration – with hour bank”
I have connected the method "Deviation registration" to a policy. I don't see that the method is created retroactively?
I have connected the method "Deviation registration" to a policy. I don't see that the method is created retroactively?
When you connect Deviation registration, automatic creation of standard hours is enabled. It starts from the next workday where standard hours are set up. This means that the day you connect the Deviation registration method does not automatically get standard hours created. And standard hours are not created retroactively. Only from the next workday with standard hours set up does the system start booking standard hours automatically.
The advantage is that you can change the time method on a policy without affecting historical registrations linked to another method.
If you are a new customer and want to create history retroactively from before you officially started using BitaBIZ, the history is adjusted via a manual adjustment of the hour bank balance. This way, you start with a correct hour bank balance from a chosen date that matches when deviation registration is activated for your employees' profiles. Read more here about manual adjustment of an hour bank balance!
Can employees register or edit work hours retroactively?
Can employees register or edit work hours retroactively?
It depends on the company's setup whether employees can register or edit work hours retroactively.
An administrator can choose whether employees are allowed to create or edit time registrations retroactively – and how many weeks back they can go. Read about the setting here.
If the feature is turned off, employees cannot register back in time.
Note:
Payroll-processed registrations cannot be changed by employees, but can be edited by payroll admin. See more about the payroll admin role here.
Can absence be registered retroactively?
Can absence be registered retroactively?
No, an employee cannot register absence in the form of vacation and time off retroactively.
Vacation and time off must be registered on the actual day or requested for a future date.
Absence can only be created retroactively by an approver or payroll admin.
If it is sick leave that needs to be registered, there may be other settings.
Read more about sick leave here.