Quick access to your Punch Clock

Every time you want to enable the browser punch clock for your employees, you first have to open your Smartplan account, go to the Smartplan Settings, copy the punch clock link from there and paste it into your browsers address bar. That can become quite cumbersome over time.

Luckily there are more efficient ways to grant you a quick access to the punch clock from your computer or tablet. There is a lot of ways to reach this goal, but here we will show you three simple strategies:

• Create a desktop shortcut
• Save the punch clock as a browser bookmark
• Automatically launch the punch clock when starting your browser

Create a desktop shortcut

Windows (Computer)

Creating a desktop shortcut to your punch clock on a Windows device is very simple.

• First, go to your Smartplan account and copy the punch clock browser link.
• Next, go to your computers desktop and right click on the screen. In the menu, choose "New" and then "Shortcut".

• A window appears, were you can enter the punch clock link.

• When you click on "Next", you will find a field where you can enter a title for your shortcut.
• Click on "Finish" and your shortcut appears on the desktop. Whenever you double click on it, it will open the punch clock in your default browser.

macOS (Computer)

This is how you create a desktop shortcut on your Macbook:

• First, go to your Smartplan account and open the punch clock.
• Then resize the browser window to show your desktop as well.
• Highlight the link in the address bar.
• Now drag the link onto your desktop and you're done! Whenever you double click on it, it will open the punch clock in your default browser.

iPadOS (Tablet)

This is how you create a home screen shortcut when working with an iPad:

• First, open your Smartplan account in a browser and open the punch clock.
• Next, click on the share button in the menu bar at the top and search for the option "Add to Home Screen"

• Change the name of the shortcut if needed and click the "Add" button.

That's it! The shortcut has been added to your Home Screen.

Android (Tablet)

On Android devices, you are creating a shortcut through the browser you are using. The layout may vary a bit depending on the browser, but the procedure is more or less the same every time:

• First, open your browser, log in to your Smartplan account and open the punch clock from there.
• Next, search for the browser settings. It will be displayed as three little dots or horizontal lines. When you click on it, you will see the option "Add to Home screen". In the Samsung browser you might have to choose "Add page to" and then "Home screen" instead.

• Now you get the chance to give your shortcut a title.
• Finish the process by tapping on the "Add" button.

The shortcut is now added to the home screen of your device.

Save the punch clock as a browser bookmark

Chrome

Adding the punch clock as a bookmark in the Chrome browser is very simple:

• Open the Chrome browser and log in to your Smartplan account. Open the punch clock from here.
• Next, click on the star icon in the address bar of the browser. A small window appears.
• Give your bookmark a name and click on "Done".

Now there are 3 ways to access your bookmark:

1. The easiest is to simply begin typing the name of your bookmark in the address bar. Your bookmark will quickly appear in the suggestion box.
2. Another way is to click on the side panel icon. Here you then choose "Bookmarks" from the drop down list. From here you can open your punch clock. The side panel will stay visible on your screen unless you close it.
3. You can activate a permanent bookmark bar right below your address bar. Go to the browser menu (the three dots) -> "Bookmarks" -> choose "Show bookmarks bar".

Safari

Here is how you bookmark your punch clock in the Safari browser:

• Open the Safari browser and log in to your Smartplan account. Open your punch clock from there.
• Next, click on the "Share" icon to the right of the address bar. Then click on "Add bookmark" in the list.
• Give your bookmark a title and save it.

Now there are 3 ways to access your bookmark:

1. Find the "Bookmarks" item all the way up in the Apple menu bar. Under "Bookmarks", go all the way down to "Favorites". This is where you will find your punch clock.
2. Another way is to click on the side panel icon. At the bottom of the side panel you then choose "Bookmarks". From here you can open your punch clock. The side panel will stay visible on your screen unless you close it.
3. You can activate a permanent bookmark bar right below your address bar. Go to "View" in the Apple menu bar and then choose "Show Favorites Bar".

Firefox

This is how you add the punch clock as a bookmark in the Firefox browser:

• Open the Firefox browser and log in to your Smartplan account. Open the punch clock from here.
• Next, click on the star icon in the address bar of the browser. A small window appears.
• Here you can choose a title for your bookmark and set where it should be saved. After that, click on "Save".

Now there are several ways to access your bookmark:

1. The easiest is to simply begin typing the name of your bookmark in the address bar. Your bookmark will quickly appear in the suggestion box.
2. Another way is to click on the side library icon. Here you then choose "Bookmarks" from the drop down list. From here you can open your punch clock. The side panel will stay visible on your screen unless you close it. On a Mac, you can access the side panel through "View" in the Apple menu bar.
3. You can activate a permanent bookmark bar right below your address bar. To do this, click again on the library icon and then choose "Bookmarks" from the drop-down list. Now choose "Show bookmarks toolbar". If your punch clock bookmark is not shown in the toolbar right away, go to "Other Bookmarks" on the right side. From here, you can drag and drop your punch clock bookmark onto the toolbar.

Launch the punch clock together with your browser

You can set up your browser in a way that your punch clock will be opened whenever you start your browser. This way you don't have to access your punch clock again manually after you closed your browser.

Chrome

This is how you do it:

• First, open your Smartplan account in Chrome and copy the punch clock URL.
• Next, go to the Chrome menu by clicking on the 3 dots. Now click on "Settings".

• The settings page opens. Click on the option "On startup".
• Here, choose the option "Open a specific page or set of pages" and click on "Add a new page".

• Enter the link of your punch clock and confirm with the "Add" button.

Safari

In Safari, it is only possible to launch the punch clock by making it your Home page. This means that it is not possible to open it as a tab in the background, when you start your Safari browser.

Here is how you change your Home page default:

• Open the punch clock in your Safari browser.
• Now click on "Safari" in the Apple menu bar at the top and then go to "Settings".

• The settings window opens. Select the "General" tab.
• Here, click on the "Set to Current Page" button and your punch clock will be set as the Home page for your browser.
• Please also make sure that the option "New windows open with:" is set to be "Homepage".

Firefox

In Firefox, it is only possible to launch the punch clock by making it your Homepage. This means that it is not possible to open it as a tab in the background, when you start your Firefox browser.

This is how you do it:

• First, open your Smartplan account in Firefox and copy the punch clock URL.
• Next, go to the Firefox menu by clicking on the 3 horizontal lines. Now click on "Settings".

• The settings page opens. Click on the option "Home" in the side menu.
• Here, go to the option "Homepage and new windows " and choose "Custom URLs..." from the drop down.
• Enter the link of your punch clock to the right of "Homepage and new windows". Now the punch clock will appear whenever you open your Firefox browser.