Print Downloading on Basic Clocks

When a print is enrolled on our biometric clocks, the clock stores the print as a print template. This print template will be uploaded to our servers as a backup, but it can also be downloaded by other clocks so that the print is recognized on all clocks assigned to the account. This article explains how to manually up and download prints, as well as the ways in which deleted prints are handled during this process. There is also an explanation of the different modes that can be set for downloading prints.

Print Downloading Topics:

• Uploading and Downloading Prints
• Removing Fingerprints with Full Erase and Download
• Print Download Modes

Which Clock are You Using?

Before you start, it is important to ensure you are reading the right article. This article applies to basic biometric clocks, which are:

• Punch+
• Z33 and Z34
• GT-400 Hand Punch
• Z18 with Print Reader

This article does not apply to the Touch Series clocks.

Uploading and Downloading Prints

When prints are enrolled at the clock, the employee is immediately able to use that clock for punching in and out. This is because the print template is stored on the clock itself. However, you will also want to upload a copy of the templates to our servers. This acts as a backup of the print template and allows it to be shared across multiple clocks. 

Uploading prints is done on a regular schedule, but you can force an upload in the same manner as transmitting punches. For non-TimeWorksTouch biometric clocks, press 9. The clock will connect to our servers and update the print templates. For TimeWorksTouch clocks, you will need to access the Clock Settings and upload the fingerprints through the Fingerprint tab by selecting Sync fingerprint data.

Downloading newly enrolled prints to other clocks on your site is done in the same way. For each clock, press 9 or sync the fingerprint data through the Clock Settings on TimeWorksTouch. Do this on each clock that you want to receive the print template. You don't have to do this unless it is imperative that the clocks are updated immediately. The clock will eventually update on it's own within 24 hours. If you are using non-TimeWorksTouch clocks, and the print templates aren't being downloaded, check to see if the clock is set to No Download mode.     

Removing Terminated Prints with Full Erase and Download

When employees are terminated in the timekeeping system, you will want to delete their fingerprints from the clock.

For TimeWorksTouch, terminated employees' fingerprints are automatically removed from the clock based on the termination date entered in Employee Setup. See the article Manage and Delete Fingerprints for more on removing prints from the servers.

For clocks other than TimeWorksTouch, terminated employees' fingerprints remain on the clocks until you do one of the following:

• Manually delete it from the clock. See the article Delete Fingerprints from a Basic Clock
• Delete it in Biometrics Maintenance with the "Explicit Delete" option.
• Delete it in Biometrics Maintenance with the "Database Server" option and perform a Full Erase and Download on each of your clocks.

The last option is best for deleting a large number of terminated employees' fingerprint templates and saves memory slots for active employees.

 IMPORTANT: The Full Erase and Download erases any trusted PINs and manager prints enrolled on the clock and they will need to be re-enrolled. Also, do not do this if you are using TimeWorks, our legacy system, with Punch Redirection.

To perform a Full Erase and Download:

1. Press 9 to transmit all punches currently on the clock.
2. Press 3 to access the Manager Menu.
3. Enter the manager password. (The default manager password 1234. Press OK to advance pass the "Change Password" message.)
4. Press 5 for the Downloading Menu.
5. The screen that displays the current Download Mode of the clock. Press OK to advance to the next screen. (More on Download Modes can be found below.)
6. The screen will display "Do you want to force a redownload of all fingerprints now?" Press 1 - Yes.
7. The next screen asks which prints you want to download. Press 1 - All prints on all clocks. This sets the clock to Mode F. All prints on the clock will be erased and the clock will download all prints enrolled on any clock on the account.
8. Press OK.
9. Exit the menu with the X key and press 9 to transmit the clock and redownload the prints. 

Print Download Modes

After a clock is initially setup, it will be set to Incremental Download Mode. However, each clock can be set with different download modes. These modes instruct the clock how it should maintain the print templates and can be selected through the Downloading Menu. These Print Download Modes do not apply to TimeWorksTouch.

Access the Downloading Menu

Here are the steps for accessing the Download Menu and seeing the current Download Mode of the clock.

1. Press 9 to transmit all punches currently on the clock.
2. Press 3 to access the Manager Menu.
3. Enter the manager password. (The default manager password 1234. Press OK to advance pass the "Change Password" message.)
4. Press 5 for the Downloading Menu.

From here, you will see the current mode of the clock. Following is an explanation of each mode.

• Mode I is for Normal / Incremental downloading. Your clock will spend most of the time in this mode. In this mode, the clock receives new enrollments from other clocks each time it connects. 
• Mode F is for a Full Erase and Download. When the clock connects, it will delete all fingerprints from its memory and then redownload the fingerprint templates for the entire employee roster. During the download, employees marked as "terminated" in the timekeeping system will be skipped, unless their fingers have been enrolled in the past 10 days. IMPORTANT: The manager fingerprint and trusted PINs will be lost during this process, and will need to be re-enrolled afterward. 
• Mode L is for Local mode. The clock will only download prints that were originally enrolled on the clock.The server will compare the online database with the clock's own database and transmit only the fingerprints that the clock appears to be missing. The manager fingerprint will not be lost. 
• Mode N is No Download mode. The clock will upload prints to the server, but it will not download prints. The clock will only accept punches for prints that were enrolled at that specific clock. This mode is ideal for multiple-clock clients with distinct geographic locations where the clock-to-clock copying of fingerprints is unwanted. The clock will not request any updates of any kind to the fingerprint database from the server. This mode stays in effect until you change it. The only way to update the database is to enroll or delete employees locally, or to switch to another mode.

Change Download Modes

Mode I - Incremental / Normal Mode

After a clock has done a full download from the server, it sets itself to Incremental mode so that it only updates with new prints. If the clock is set to Mode N or Mode L and you want it to revert to Incremental/Normal mode, follow the steps for a Full Erase and Download to update the clock with prints from the server.

Mode L - Local Mode

This mode only downloads prints that were originally enrolled on the clock. Prints enrolled on another clock will not be copied to any clock in Mode L. To turn on Mode L

1. Press 9 to transmit all punches currently on the clock.
2. Press 3 to access the Manager Menu.
3. Enter the manager password. (The default manager password 1234. Press OK to advance pass the "Change Password" message.)
4. Press 5 for the Downloading Menu.
5. Press OK to advance past the current mode page.
6. When asked "Do you want to force a re-download of all fingerprints now?" press 1 - Yes.
7. The next screen will ask which prints to download. Press 2 - Only prints enrolled on this clock to set the mode to local.
8. Press OK
9. Press X to exit the Manager Menu and press 9 to transmit the clock and download the prints.

Mode N - No Download Mode

This mode will not download any print templates from the server. It will upload prints to the server.

1. Press 9 to transmit all punches currently on the clock.
2. Press 3 to access the Manager Menu.
3. Enter the manager password. (The default manager password 1234. Press OK to advance pass the "Change Password" message.)
4. Press 5 for the Downloading Menu.
5. Press OK to advance past the current mode page.
6. When asked "Do you want to force a re-download of all fingerprints now?" press 2 - No.
7. The next screen will verify if you want to set the clock to Mode N. Press 9 to set the mode.
8. Press OK.
9. Press X to exit the manager menu. The clock will now only transmit print templates to the server. It will not download any prints.

In the event that prints are lost from the clock, follow the instructions for Mode L to download local prints.