18.02.2026
Time Recording & Staff Planning 2026
The world of work in Germany is undergoing radical change. Triggered by rulings from the European Court of Justice (EuGH)…
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plano WFM time recording software / time recording program with over 1 million active users
More About Time Recording
In the past, time recording was done manually with pen and paper, and employee working hours were recorded manually in the form of a table. These days, most companies have put down the pen and paper. The digital transformation is progressing and has long since revolutionized time recording.
With modern time recording, your employees can track their working hours with just a few clicks, efficiently and digitally. Time recording should be easy to use and possible on any device from anywhere. This is especially essential for those working in the field or from home.
A suitable time recording program should fit into your personnel process perfectly and work seamlessly with other components of the workforce management system. Features of a good time recording process include:
- Clocking working hours in real time
- Time recording on every device or via terminal
- Comprehensive employee evaluations
- Automatic working hour reports
- On-demand reports
- Employee involvement based on self-services
- Coordination of various working hour models
- Transferring data to third-party systems, such as payroll accounting
- Seamless integration into workforce management system
Mobile time recording:
Mobile time recording offers employees maximum flexibility and is, of course, always in compliance with company and legal rules. Working hours and days off can be flexibly planned via cell phone, tablet, or computer. That’s exactly what the mobile employee portal from plano offers. Not only can working hours be conveniently recorded on the go, but vacation and comp day requests can also be submitted with just a few clicks. Forgotten timestamps and activities can easily be recorded retroactively, shift schedules and employee data can be viewed, and shift swap partners can be found.
Time recording via terminal:
It is also possible to record working hours, breaks, and absences via terminals. Time recording terminals are installed on site within the company and record timestamps via chip, for example. This time recording option is possible offline and especially suitable when users do not have access to the Internet.
Time recording for SAP:
Whether working hours should be recorded and processed for 100 or 100,000 employees: With plano WFM, we offer optimal time recording based on your requirements. The time recording software can be seamlessly integrated into third-party systems, such as SAP.
Yes – and in many ways, the obligation to track working hours is already in effect.
Since a 2022 ruling by Germany’s Federal Labor Court, employers are legally required to systematically record working hours. This mandatory time recording applies to all employees – regardless of industry or company size.
But what does that mean for digital time recording?
At present, using a digital solution is not yet legally required. However, lawmakers are already working on new legislation that would make electronic time recording mandatory. The draft proposal outlines staggered transition periods based on company size. Small businesses with fewer than 10 employees would still be allowed to use analog methods.
Even though electronic time recording isn’t officially required just yet, companies that go digital today are on the safe side – legally and operationally. Digital solutions offer greater efficiency, transparency, and planning reliability in day-to-day operations.
With plano, you not only meet all legal requirements for compliant time recording – you also streamline your entire workforce management, from working hours to shift planning to staffing processes.
It saves time – and sets the foundation for a modern, future-ready work environment.
Time recording is already mandatory. Digital time recording will follow. With plano, you’re ahead of the curve – compliant, user-friendly, and built to scale.
Time Recording
Simplify daily work for you and your employees with digital time recording.
Anytime, anywhere.
Digitally record working hours. Any time, anywhere.
Let your employees take care of their own time recording, easily and digitally via smartphone, tablet, online or offline via terminal—whether in the office, working from home, or in the field.
With plano, employees can quickly and easily record their working times and breaks based on defined company rules and approval processes. Not only does this reduce manual errors when recording working hours, but it also reduces costly, time-consuming administrative work within the HR department as information on remaining leave, overtime, or shift swaps is no longer needed.
Timekeeping: Transparent and Secure
With time recording from plano, you’ll have an overview of your employee attendance and absences at all times. Risks of missing timestamps and work time fraud are effectively reduced and legal requirements are automatically met and adhered to.
Error-Free Data for Accounting
Working hours, breaks, and sick days: Time data from your employees is the basis for other departments, such as accounting. With plano WFM, your employees can easily and digitally record their working hours, absences or sick leave themselves. All recorded times are comprehensively documented and automatically checked for compliance with rules and legal regulations.
At the touch of a button, the recorded times are checked, evaluated, and processed with plano for payroll accounting or personnel scheduling. And all that automatically, quickly, and free from error.
Fulfill the Obligation to Record Working Hour
Time recording is mandatory in Germany. After a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) a few years ago and long guesswork about possible legislation from the German government, the German Federal Labor Court made it official: Recording working hours is mandatory in Germany.
Our Solutions at a Glance
Our 360-degree all-in-one solution for shift scheduling and all personnel processes is used by more than 1 million people worldwide. Discover the other features of our workforce management system:
Benefits of plano Time Recording
Stay On Top of Things
You always have an overview of your employees’ working hours and breaks.
Comply with working hour regulations
You avoid violating working hour regulations.
Fulfill CJEU requirements
CJEU requirements on time recording are automatically adhered to and fulfilled.
Save time and money
Your employees take over various tasks related to recording working hours.
Approve digitally
Approvals (e.g., for requests) can be handled digitally and in no time.
Fully integrated
Time recording is directly connected to downstream workforce management processes (staff planning, wage and salary systems, SAP, etc.)
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Your Best Solution in Three Steps
You take the first step. We’ll take care of the rest.
- 1
Initial meeting and as-is process analysis
In our first meeting, we will analyze your current state. Within the scope of an as-is process analysis, we will determine problem areas and discuss initial solution steps with plano WFM.
- 2
Evaluation and strategy
We define your concrete requirements in a functional specification document, finetune the contents, and plan implementation with plano WFM.
- 3
Implementation and further development
We configure and implement the software based on your requirements. After a test phase, approval and rollout of the system will take place. Even after this step, we will continue to support you with heart and mind.
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