FAQ — Punch Charlie

Clocking in & the kiosk

How does the shared kiosk work?

You open the kiosk link in a browser at your shop — on a tablet, desktop, or counter computer. Each employee has a unique 4-digit PIN. They tap their PIN to clock in or out — takes a few seconds. The device stays logged in as your business kiosk; employees never type a password at the counter.

Do employees need email addresses to punch in?

No. For daily clock-in and clock-out at the kiosk, only the PIN is required. You can add employees with just a name and PIN if that's all you need.

Can employees see their shift history without logging in?

On any shared kiosk at the shop — tablet, desktop, or counter computer — employees enter their PIN on the shift history screen to view recent punches. No personal passwords on a shared device.

When do employees need a personal login?

When you want them to review their timesheet history on their own phone or computer, away from the shop. You invite them by email; they create a password once and can sign in to see their shifts anytime.

Is there a mobile app to download?

No app store required — add Punch Charlie to your home screen like a PWA. Run the kiosk in a browser on a tablet, desktop, or shop computer. Owners manage everything from any phone or laptop. Employees only need a personal login if you want them to check shift history on their own mobile, away from the shop.

For owners — hours, exports & rounding

What can I see as the owner?

A dashboard with who's on shift, weekly hours, and items that need your attention. The People view shows each employee's hours for the week. The timesheet table lists every punch for editing, review, or export.

Can I export timesheets for payroll?

Yes — CSV, Excel, or PDF. Punch Charlie tracks time; your bookkeeper or payroll provider processes pay. We don't file taxes or run direct deposit.

Does Punch Charlie integrate with QuickBooks?

There's no direct integration. You export timesheets and import them into QuickBooks, Xero, or any payroll tool your accountant uses — the same workflow most small shops already follow.

Can I round clock times for payroll?

Yes. Turn on 5-, 10-, or 15-minute rounding in Settings. The timesheet table shows both actual punch times and rounded payroll times so you can explain any difference to staff.

Pricing & trial

How does flat pricing work?

One monthly or yearly price covers your whole team — up to 20 employees on the plan. Whether you have 3 staff or 18, the bill stays the same.

Is there a free trial?

Yes — 14 days, full access, no credit card required. Set up your kiosk and run a real pay week before you decide.

What happens when the trial ends?

Pick monthly or yearly billing to keep going. If you're not ready, access pauses until you subscribe — your data stays saved.

Security & privacy

Where is the app hosted?

On Cloudflare's global edge network — the same infrastructure used by millions of businesses for performance and security.

Is my company's data separated from others?

Yes. Each business has isolated data with access controls. Your timesheets are never visible to another company on the platform.

Do you track employee GPS location?

No. We record clock-in and clock-out timestamps, not where someone's phone is. Your team punches at the shop — we don't follow them after.

Use cases & scenarios

Coffee shop — 6 baristas, one iPad at the register

Mount the kiosk on the counter iPad. Baristas punch in with PINs at shift start. You check weekly hours in People view Friday afternoon and export for payroll Monday.

Salon — stylists split between front desk and stations

One shared kiosk at reception — tablet or desktop. Stylists clock in when they arrive — no stopping to find a personal phone. Owner reviews hours per stylist before commission payouts.

Retail — mix of full-time and weekend staff

Flat pricing means adding weekend help doesn't increase your software bill. New hires get a PIN in under a minute; no waiting for app installs.

Clinic — front desk wants audit-friendly records

Export PDF or Excel timesheets for records. Rounding rules apply consistently. Actual vs payroll times are both visible if staff ask about differences.

Employee asks: "How do I see my hours at home?"

Invite them by email from your Team page. Once they sign in, they open My History on their phone. At the shop they can still use kiosk PIN history without a personal login.