uAttend Review
After conducting extensive research and analysis, uAttend from Workwell Technology is our 2019 pick as the best time and attendance system for very small businesses.
uAttend
The Verdict
uAttend is our choice as the best time and attendance system for very small businesses because it is hosted in the cloud, requires no upkeep and has a pricing structure that doesn't raise costs each time a new employee is added to the team.
When looking for a time and attendance system, very small businesses want a solution that is easy to use and doesn't require a lot of upkeep. Most microbusinesses don't have the luxury of having a full-time IT staff to tend to all of their software needs. With this in mind, microbusinesses want a time and attendance solution that they can quickly install and maintain on their own.
Since it's cloud-based, uAttend requires no software to install or maintain and is accessible online from anywhere. You manage every aspect of the system by logging in from the uAttend website. The online portal has a clean interface that's simple to navigate. Everything is clearly labeled, which makes it easy to find the tools and features you need.
Having multiple clock in and out options is also something very small businesses may desire. Some employees may work from the office, while others may work remotely. Having that flexibility to record your time various ways can be valuable to businesses of this size.
With this time and attendance solution, employees can clock in and out from computers, mobile device and time clocks. uAttend offers a range of time clocks, including some that feature biometrics.
Having a system that handles all time-related tasks is another important aspect very small businesses look for in a time and attendance solution. uAttend fits this bill. In addition to logging when employees come and go, it generates schedules, manages paid time off and allows for job tracking.
To understand how we selected our best picks, you can find our methodology and a comprehensive list of time and attendance systems on our best picks page.
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Cost
Rather than charging monthly per employee fees (as most providers do), uAttend has five different membership plans based on a range of employees. With this cost structure, businesses pay the same amount whether they have one or nine employees, for example. The different membership plans are:
- 1-9 employees: $20 per month
- 10-19 employees: $34 per month
- 20-49 employees: $59 per month
- 50-99 employees: $94 per month
- 100+ employees: $119 per month
There are no long-term contracts with uAttend. All memberships are paid on a monthly basis. If at any point you decide that the system isn't fitting your needs, you can cancel without penalty.
While there are no setup or implementation fees, businesses may incur several additional costs. There is a fee of 6 cents each time a staff member calls the uAttend local number to clock in and out, and 8 cents when they call the toll-free number. If you want to use more than two clocks, there is a $10 charge per additional clock, per month. There is also an additional $6 monthly charge for each additional account administrator. Businesses exporting data to any payroll file other than CSV are charged $5 per month.
While other time and attendance providers charge $500 to $2,000 for timeclocks, uAttend's range from $119 to $549. All of the clocks are plug-and-play ready, send data in real time to the system, and include lifetime guarantees. Should one of the clocks stop working, you can call a customer service representative, who will troubleshoot the issue or send a replacement for free if it can't be fixed.
Best Features
One of the best features of uAttend is that it can handle all of your time tracking needs from one platform. With this system, employees can clock in and out via web browsers, smartphones or telephones. In addition, the system is compatible with PIN code, ID badge and biometric timeclocks. Biometric options use fingerprints and facial recognition.
The system also handles all scheduling and PTO needs. Managers can create shifts and assign individual or multiple employees to each shift. To keep tabs on when employees show up late or leave early, supervisors receive instant notifications when workers punch in or out outside of their scheduled shifts.
Additionally, the system not only tracks vacation and sick time accruals, but it allows employees to ask for time off and managers to approve or deny those requests. Besides logging in to the system to request time off, employees can do it directly from the timeclocks.
Businesses can use the system to chart how long employees work on specific projects. The job-tracking tool logs the exact number of hours employees spend on particular assignments.
The cost structure is another benefit of uAttend, especially for very small businesses. Knowing that your costs won't go up should you add a new employee can be a plus from a budgeting standpoint. For example, if you have five employees and decide to bring a new person on board, your costs will stay the same with uAttend. Most other providers would have a price increase of between $2 and $10.
The uAttend mobile app is another feature business will appreciate. The app, which is available for iOS and Android devices, lets employees and supervisors manage time while they're outside the office. Employees can use the app to clock in and out and review their timecards. Managers can use the app to see who is currently working with the Who's In board; view productivity charts; and review, edit, and approve timecards. Employers can use geofencing to designate specific areas where each employee can use the app to clock in and out. This ensures that remote workers are working from where they should be.
Limitations
One downside to uAttend is that it doesn't send email alerts when employees are nearing overtime. However, you can set up the system to send email alerts when employees clock in and out outside of their scheduled shifts.
Another potential negative is that it doesn't offer a free trial period. However, if you cancel your service within the first 30 days of signing up, you are entitled to a complete refund.
Customer Service
Overall, we were happy with uAttend's level of customer service. To get a feel for what you can expect from the support team, we called the company numerous times, and sent messages via a live-chat, posing as a new business owner interested in time and attendance systems.
Each time we contacted uAttend, our calls were immediately answered by a helpful service representative. During some calls, the representatives were extremely friendly and willing to take as much as time as needed to answer our questions. Other representatives we spoke too weren't overly friendly or chatty but still provided us the answers we were looking for.
We were definitely impressed with the company's live chat support. Our questions were answered promptly and in as much detail as that given to us over the phone.
We were also pleased with the online demonstration we received. During our demo, the uAttend representative walked us through every aspect of the system, making sure we knew all of its ins and outs. We appreciated the level of detail provided during the presentation. Anyone can sign up for a demo via the uAttend website.
The company provides customer support via phone, live chat and email from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday. Customers also have access to an extensive help guide in the online portal. It features step-by-step instructions for each function of the software, such as how to set up the timeclocks, add employees to the system, create schedules and generate labor-data reports. It even includes screenshots to illustrate the steps.
uAttend's parent company, Workwell Technology, is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating. According to the BBB website, as of March 2019, there have not been any complaints filed against the company in the past three years.
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uAttend
The Verdict
uAttend is our choice as the best time and attendance system for very small businesses because it is hosted in the cloud, requires no upkeep and has a pricing structure that doesn't raise costs each time a new employee is added to the team.