Buddy punching, in plain English.

How Buddy punching works.

Buddy punching is one employee clocking in or out on behalf of another. It is a time-theft problem rather than a technical one, and it is only possible where the clock verifies a credential instead of a person. Card, PIN, and shared-terminal systems are all exposed to it; biometric or device-bound methods close the gap by tying each punch to an individual.

Where Buddy punching goes wrong.

• Treating it as a discipline issue when the clocking method makes it trivially easy.
• Trying to size the loss from punch data alone, which by definition records the punch as legitimate.
• Replacing the clock without changing the supervisor approval step that let the pattern persist.

Where Buddy punching sits between HR and payroll.

Buddy punching does not stand alone. The concepts most often paired with it on a Workforce run are Biometric clocking, Time and attendance. Each is defined elsewhere in this glossary so you can trace the full chain without leaving the site.