Attendance Cycle

The attendance cycle is the defined period over which employee attendance is recorded before being used to calculate salary. Most organizations run it on a monthly basis, collecting daily attendance data throughout the period and exporting it at payroll processing time alongside leave records.

Getting the timing right matters. If attendance data isn’t pulled and processed on schedule, salary payments get delayed. HR needs to know exactly when the cycle closes and when data needs to be ready for payroll.

Attendance data is typically captured through biometric systems, dedicated attendance management software, or other tracking tools. The data flows from the point of capture, a fingerprint scanner or similar device, through the network to a central server, where it can be accessed and reported through the organization’s MIS software.