Learning starts by making sure that students are present. However, not everyone sees the need and importance of attendance. Furthermore, not all school administrators see the need for attendance software.
So, in this article, we will shed light on why this is important. We will also be discussing the need for attendance software.
Why is Attendance Important?
This is important because it is one of the things that affect student performance greatly. It is considered as one of the predictors of the overall grades of students.
Students can learn effectively if they are guided by a mentor or teacher. That is why classes are held to make sure that students are learning the right things. So, being present in classes or activities ensures student’s growth.
Imagine a student who has been present for all courses all year long compared to a student who was only able to attend half of the meetings. The chances of getting better grades are higher with the students who were more present.
There are different, sometimes unavoidable, factors that lead to absence. Despite this, is highly advisable to make sure that students are present in all activities. With that, an attendance system should be integrated into school operations.
The Attendance Software and How to Use it
As the name suggests, this system is mainly concerned with attendance in the organization. The majority of attendance software today is part of a bigger system. It is integrated into a system that covers an entire school or organization.
This software intends to automate basic school processes such as attendance management, payroll processing, and even communication. So, it helps build a better and faster workflow. This is applicable not just among staff members but also with parents or guardians.
An attendance system is expected to be responsible for automated data input of student information per class. It should also be able to handle staff information as it will be used to track their attendance as well.
The attendance software will be used to record the daily attendance of all branches of the school. This way, the school can monitor their staff and pupils.
Below is a guide on how to use the system.
Log in to the System
Before stakeholders can utilize the system, they are first given their respective log-in credentials. This feature is to tighten data security. Malicious attacks today are common, so protecting information and data stored in the software must be done.
With log-in credentials, information such as personal and school data can be protected. The credentials are unique to each staff member or student. This way, the management can track who made the changes in the system.
Select Attendance Options
Once logged in, the administrator shall now choose which attendance they will be recording. Since these kinds of systems are meant for both the staff and student data management.
The image below shows how attendance is taken for employees.
While this image is the section for student attendance.
Both sections provide easy access, so users will not have a hard time navigating through the software.
Mark Appropriate Status
Checking the right attendance status for the day is made easier by this system. It allows teachers to easily click on the attendance. This helps save time and helps improve class productivity.
This image shows how it would look while teachers are checking attendance. Options such as present, late, absent, or half-day are available. Good attendance software also allows teachers to leave notes beside the students’ names for better recordkeeping.
When it comes to employee attendance, an additional option of WFH or work from home is given. This is to indicate which employees are physically present on a specific day.
For staff, attendance is important because it helps the school determine their salary and bonuses. It would help the management to analyze their performance. This way, teachers who are not performing well can be reprimanded. That ensures the quality of education being given to the students.
Click Save
Almost all of the attendance software available today are hosted in the cloud. This means that all allowed staff can access it even from different devices.
After checking the attendance of both students and teachers, be sure to securely store it in the cloud. Cloud storage offers better protection and recordkeeping to its users. Aside from the mentioned accessibility, it also lessens the risk of losing stored data,
This kind of storage usually provides backups. This way, clients such as schools would lose their data in case of breaches, they can provide continuous and uninterrupted education.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an Attendance Software
Accessibility
When you are choosing a student management system including attendance software, always take note of its accessibility. This tool should provide the utmost convenience by offering different options for access.
Accessibility can be gauged on how responsive the tools are on mobile access. For example, systems like GoSchooler offer a mobile application of the system. Therefore, stakeholders are given various options. This feature makes it easier for them to log in or check information in the software.
Other Features
You should also consider the other features offered by the attendance software. As mentioned, it is usually a part of a more complex student management system. Desirable features are as follow:
- Hosting online classes
- Online exams builder
- Communication channel
- Payroll servicing
- Admissions management
There are other features or services that could help schools provide better services to their students. So, before settling with one, make sure that your system can cater to your needs.
Reviews
All developers or sellers have nothing but nice words today about their products and that is just natural. Some of these claims may or may not be true, and one can only confirm if these features are put to test.
The best way to know for sure is to look at the feedback of past clients. These clients are more likely in the same industry as you are and using the system for the same services. Through their reviews, you can have an idea of how the system really works.
FAQs
Why is attendance important?
What are the different services of attendance software?
Main Takeaways
Attendance in the education sector should be given attention as it affects the learning process. It is highly advisable for school management to integrate attendance software to make tracking easier.
This tool automates basic attendance tracking tasks. This includes data input and storage. So, when choosing one make sure that the software you choose can provide services that you need as an organization.
