Missing Clock-Outs
What to do when a worker forgets to clock out — find the missing entry, fix it, and prevent it from happening again.
What Happens When Someone Forgets to Clock Out?
The entry stays open until it is fixed.
When a worker clocks in at the kiosk but forgets to clock out at the end of their shift, their time entry stays "open." An open entry has a clock-in time but no clock-out time, so TempClock cannot calculate how many hours they worked.
These open entries are flagged as exceptions — they appear on the Exceptions page so you can spot them and fix them. Until the clock-out time is added, the entry will not be included in timesheets or payroll calculations.
The worker's total hours, timesheet, and payroll calculations
Exceptions page > Missing Clock-Outs tab
Add the missing clock-out time manually
The entry stays open and is excluded from payroll
It is a good idea to check the Exceptions page daily, ideally first thing in the morning. This way you catch missing clock-outs from the previous day while the details are still fresh.
Finding Missing Clock-Outs
Navigate to the Exceptions page to see all open entries.
Log in to the manage portal
Open your browser and log in to TempClock at tempclock.co.uk/manage.
Go to the Exceptions page
In the left-hand sidebar, click Exceptions (sometimes found under Timesheets, depending on your setup). This page lists all entries that need attention.
Click the "Missing Clock-Outs" tab
At the top of the Exceptions page, you will see tabs for different types of exceptions. Click Missing Clock-Outs to filter the list to show only entries without a clock-out time.
Fixing a Missing Clock-Out
Add the correct clock-out time to close the entry.
Click "Fix Entry"
Next to the missing clock-out entry, click the Fix Entry link. This opens the time entry for editing.
Enter the clock-out time
In the Clock Out field, enter the time the worker actually left. If you are not sure of the exact time, check with the worker or their supervisor, or use their scheduled shift end time as a guide.
Example: 17:30
Save the entry
Click Save. TempClock will calculate the total hours worked and the entry will move from the Exceptions list to the normal timesheet.
Every time you fix a time entry, it is recorded in the audit trail with your name, the original values, and the new values. This provides a clear record of any manual adjustments.
Dismissing an Exception
When the entry was a test or error and does not need fixing.
Sometimes a missing clock-out is not a real problem — it might be a test entry, a duplicate, or a mistake. In these cases, you can dismiss the exception rather than fixing it.
Find the entry on the Exceptions page
Navigate to Exceptions > Missing Clock-Outs as described above.
Click "Dismiss"
Instead of clicking "Fix Entry", click the Dismiss option. You may be asked to provide a brief reason (e.g. "Test entry" or "Duplicate").
Confirm dismissal
Click Yes, Dismiss. The exception will be removed from the list. The underlying time entry will remain in the system but will be marked as dismissed.
Only dismiss an exception if you are sure the entry is not valid. If a worker genuinely forgot to clock out, fix the entry instead of dismissing it — otherwise their hours will not be counted.
Preventing Missing Clock-Outs
Reduce the number of forgotten clock-outs.
While the occasional missed clock-out is inevitable, there are several things you can do to reduce how often it happens:
Auto-Close Setting
Automatically close entries after a set number of hours.
TempClock has an optional auto-close feature that automatically adds a clock-out time to entries that have been open for longer than a specified number of hours. For example, if you set it to 12 hours, any entry that has been open for more than 12 hours will be automatically closed.
This is a safety net for situations where a worker forgets to clock out and nobody catches it the same day. The auto-close time is added as the clock-out, and the entry is flagged so you know it was closed automatically.
Settings > General (or Timesheet Settings, depending on your setup)
12 – 16 hours (long enough for genuine long shifts, short enough to catch forgotten clock-outs)
The entry is closed with the auto-close time and flagged as "auto-closed"
Yes — you can edit the auto-closed entry to set the correct time
Auto-close is a safety net, not a replacement for proper clock-out habits. Even with auto-close enabled, encourage workers to clock out at the kiosk. Auto-closed entries may have inaccurate hours that need manual correction.
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