Set up a time-clock kiosk

Last updated 2026-08-31For: Accountant, Small business, Client

A time-clock kiosk is a shared tablet mounted at a worksite where employees clock in and out with a PIN. Payrollix supplies the software; you supply the tablet. Punches land in each employee's timesheet automatically, so the hours are already there when you run payroll — nothing to import.

What you need

A standard Android tablet is all it takes. Employees identify themselves with a PIN, so no card readers or extra hardware are required. If you want a photo taken at each punch (to prevent one employee clocking in for another), any tablet with a front camera works. Payrollix provides the Payrollix Time Clock app for Android and a short list of recommended tablets — ask your accountant or Payrollix support for the current install link.

Add a kiosk in Payrollix

Open the client's Time Clock page (accountants: the client's sidebar → Time Clock; business owners: the client portal → Time Clock). Then:

  1. Click Add kiosk.
  2. Give it a name (for example, "Warehouse front door") and pick the work location it lives at. A kiosk is tied to one location, not to a person.
  3. Payrollix shows an 8-character pairing code. It's single-use and expires in 15 minutes.

Pair the tablet

On the tablet, open the Payrollix Time Clock app and enter the pairing code. The tablet exchanges the code for a secure device token and is ready to use. The tablet never stores a login or password — only a punch-scoped token — so a wall-mounted device is safe. If a code expires before you use it, click Pairing code on the kiosk row to generate a fresh one.

Choose the PIN length

Under Employee kiosk PINs, pick 4 digits or 6 digits for the whole company. Every employee at that business uses the same length. The kiosk sizes its keypad to match and submits automatically when the PIN is complete.

After setup

Employees clock in and out at the kiosk with their PIN (see Set up employee kiosk PINs). The worked hours appear in their timesheets and feed the next payroll — overtime is calculated automatically from your client's overtime policy, exactly as it is for any other timesheet.

If a tablet is lost or a location closes

Click Revoke on the kiosk row. The device stops working immediately — the token is dead on its next request — so a stolen or misplaced tablet can't be used to punch.

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