Device monitoring
Use Device Monitoring to check that every check-in tablet is switched on, connected and recording attendance. It shows each ClockSmart and KAMI Biometrics tablet's status, when it last reported, its battery, and whether it is at its branch, so you can fix a dead tablet before a morning of missed check-ins turns into a pile of amendments.
Where: Attendance › Tools & Reports › Device Monitoring
You need: the Device Monitoring right, under Settings › People › User Rights.
- View lets you see the devices.
- Edit also lets you rename a device and change the thresholds.
The right does not affect who can use a device to check in.
How to check your devices
- Go to Attendance › Tools & Reports and open Device Monitoring.
- Read the counts at the top: how many devices are in each status, and the total.
- Narrow the list with Search device or branch, Branch, Status or Type (KAMI Biometrics or ClockSmart).
- Read the list. Devices that need attention come first, then the ones silent longest.
- Select a device to see its details.
The page refreshes itself every 60 seconds. Select Refresh now to update at once.
A device appears once it has the tablet app version that reports its status. Older apps never show here.
What the statuses mean
Each tablet reports every 5 minutes. Its status comes from how long it has been silent, then from what it last said it was doing.
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Reporting normally | Nothing |
| Not Reporting | No report for 10 minutes (your Not Reporting after threshold). Usually a brief network drop | Nothing yet |
| Recording Locally | Reporting, but it cannot load schedules, so staff pick their action by hand. Attendance is saved on the device and syncs automatically | Check the site's connection if it lasts |
| Offline | No report for 30 minutes or more (your Offline after threshold) | Check the device's power and network on site |
| Not Monitored | No report for over 7 days. Alerts have stopped | A site visit |
Attendance is saved on the device and syncs automatically, even while it is offline. An offline tablet delays check-ins; it does not lose them.
If KAMI itself has a service problem, a banner says so. Devices may show Not Reporting or Offline until it is resolved, and no site visit is needed.
The list and the details
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Device | Its name, with the branch and model underneath. A device code shows until it has a label |
| Status | As above. Hover for the meaning |
| Last report | When it last reported, and how long ago |
| Last check-in | When someone last checked in on it |
| Location | At branch, Outside branch with the distance and the branch's check-in radius, or why it cannot tell: Location off, Location not allowed, No GPS fix or No GPS. Lock on means the tablet's branch location lock is switched on |
| Battery | Battery level, and whether it is charging |
| App Version | The tablet app version |
The details window adds Reports every, Reported mode, Location accuracy, Location updated, Label, Branch, Device code, Model, Kiosk name and Type.
A device's name is its Label if you set one, otherwise the kiosk name set on the tablet, otherwise its branch name. When two unlabelled devices share a branch, the page tells you so: give each a label.
How to rename a device
- Select the device.
- Select Edit label.
- Type a name, such as "Main gate". Leave it blank to use the branch name.
- Save.
How to change the thresholds
- Select Thresholds.
- Set Not Reporting after and Offline after, in minutes.
- Select Save. Every device's status is worked out again at once.
The limits are fixed by how often devices report:
- Not Reporting after must be at least 10 minutes, two missed reports.
- Offline after must be at least 15 minutes, at least 5 minutes more than Not Reporting after, and under 7 days.
A lower Offline after would alert on tablets that are reconnecting by themselves, which can take about five minutes.
What Happens Next
When a device turns Offline, KAMI sends one alert for it. Alerts for several devices are grouped into one message.
The alert goes to people who have the Device Monitoring right and have the Device offline notification switched on. It is on by email and on the dashboard by default. See Notification settings.
A device past 7 days silent stops sending alerts. It has been alerted on already and needs a site visit, not another email.
Tips
- Label every device at go-live. "Main gate" and "Warehouse" are easier to act on than a code.
- A falling battery means the power cable came out. These tablets run on mains power.
- Outside branch means it moved. A tablet that should be fixed by a door should never show it.
- Keep the default thresholds unless you have a reason. Lower ones produce alerts for normal network blips, which teaches people to ignore them.
- Pair it with Timekeeping Health. Device Monitoring asks whether each tablet is alive. Timekeeping Health asks which people fail, and why.
Troubleshooting / FAQ
Q: A tablet is not listed. It has not reported yet. Update the tablet app to the latest version and keep it connected.
Q: A tablet shows Offline but staff can still check in. The tablet records check-ins on the device and syncs them later. Fix its connection so they arrive before payroll.
Q: I cannot see Thresholds or Edit label. You have view access only. Ask for Edit on the Device Monitoring right.
Q: I stopped getting alerts for a tablet. After 7 days of silence it becomes Not Monitored and alerts stop. Visit the site.