Fixing a Missed Punch
Forgot to clock in or out? It happens to everyone. Here's what to do so your hours stay right.
What a missed punch looks like
If you forgot to clock out, your timer may still be running, or your day's hours look wrong on the time clock. If you forgot to clock in, the day may show no hours at all. Either way, the record needs a correction so you're paid for the time you actually worked.
What to do
- Tell your manager or HR promptly — the same day if you can. They can edit the punch to reflect when you actually started or finished.
- Give them the real times. "I started at 8 and forgot to clock in until 10" is exactly what they need. The correction is recorded with a reason, so it's a clean, documented fix — not a fudge.
- Check it before payday. Once corrected, your hours flow into your timesheet and your pay as normal. If you can see your hours, give them a glance before the pay period closes.
If the Clock In button wouldn't work
Sometimes a "missed" punch is actually a punch that was blocked. If your company requires you to be on-site to clock in, the button is greyed out until you allow location access — and a phone usually gives a more accurate location than a computer. If you were at work but couldn't clock in, mention that too, so it's corrected as a location issue rather than a forgotten punch. More on this in Clocking In & Out.
Avoiding the next one
The dashboard time clock shows whether you're currently clocked in, with a running timer. A quick look when you arrive and before you leave catches most missed punches before they become a correction.