Time Policies in Raken let you define exactly how time is tracked, verified, and categorized for every employee in your organization. From overtime rules and break requirements to pay types and shift assignments, Time Policies ensure that every time card follows your company's rules — automatically.
Quick Answer
Time Policies in Raken are configurable rule sets that control how employee time is captured and processed. Each policy can be assigned to specific employees or projects. Settings include time tracking method, verification, production tracking, overtime rules, breaks, rounding, pay types, shifts, and employee assignments. Time Policies are configured by Account Administrators under Company > Time > Policies.
Time Tracking
Time tracking settings determine how employees log their hours in Raken. Four options are available:
Supervisor entries (simple) — supervisors enter total hours worked only
Supervisor entries (detailed) — supervisors are required to enter start and end times
Kiosk mode — employees clock in and out from a shared device on site
Employee time clock — employees clock in and out on their own devices
Multiple options can be enabled simultaneously within the same policy.
Verification
Verification settings control if and how employees verify their identity when clocking in. Three options are available within the policy Settings page:
Photo ID — requires employees to take a photo when clocking in and out. AI matches the photo against the employee's profile to prevent buddy punching.
Clock in questions — prompts employees with custom questions when clocking in
Clock out questions — prompts employees with custom questions when clocking out
Verification features require the Time Clock add-on.
Geofencing
Geofencing settings control location-based rules for employees when clocking in and out. Options include flagging employees who are off-site when clocking, sending location-based reminders to clock in or out, and preventing employees from clocking in when outside the project radius.
Geofencing is configured within the Time Policy Settings page — navigate to Company > Time > Policies, edit the policy, go to Settings, and scroll to the Geofencing section.
Geofencing requires the Time Clock add-on.
Production
Production settings determine whether supervisors are required to track production alongside time entries. Three options are available — note that the second and third options apply to Time Clock and Kiosk users only:
Require supervisors to track production — prompts supervisors to log production data with each time entry
Require cost codes on all time card entries (Time Clock and Kiosk only) — makes cost code selection mandatory for employees clocking in
Allow employees to select cost codes (Time Clock and Kiosk only) — lets employees choose their own cost code when logging time via Time Clock or Kiosk
Overtime Rules
Overtime rules determine how captured time is categorized across pay types. Rules can be customized to apply by time of day, day of week, or consecutive days worked. Raken also provides pre-built overtime rule templates for the most common use cases.
Available templates:
Standard 40
Standard 8/40
Standard 4/10
California
California 4/10
Exempt
Overtime is calculated automatically server-side every time a time card is created or edited — regardless of entry order.
Premiums
Premium rules automatically assign pay types for hours worked on specific days or shifts — such as weekends, night shifts, or public holidays. Once configured, Raken applies the correct pay type without requiring manual overrides.
Three premium types available:
Weekend — applies to work performed on defined weekend days
Shift — applies to specific shift windows (e.g. early starts, late finishes, night shifts)
Holiday — applies to work performed on defined public holidays
Breaks
Break settings determine which breaks are available for employees to log — including meal breaks and rest breaks. You can configure the default duration, minimum duration, and compensation for each break type. Break tracking can require start and end time, start time and duration, or duration only.
Rounding
Rounding rules automatically adjust time card entries to match your company's timekeeping practices. Options include nearest interval, round up, round down, and employee-favorable rounding. Intervals available: 5, 6, 10, 15, or 30 minutes.
Pay Types
Pay types define the categories available for employees when logging time. Default pay types include Regular Time (RT), Overtime (OT), Double Time (DT), Drive Time, Hazard Pay, and more. Custom pay types can be added. At least two pay types must be active at all times to support overtime rule calculations.
Shifts
Shift settings associate time card entries with specific shifts — such as day shift, night shift, or swing shift. Once shifts are created, employees can select the applicable shift when logging time.
Holidays
The Holidays section lets you define public holiday dates for your organization. Once set, these dates trigger Holiday Premium rules automatically when time is logged on those days.
Employees
The Employees section shows all employees in your organization and lets you assign them to the time policy. All employees must be assigned to at least one time policy. If only one policy exists, all employees are assigned to it by default.
Project-Level Exceptions
Sometimes employees work on projects with unique time tracking requirements that differ from their assigned policy. Project-level exceptions allow you to override an employee's default time policy for a specific project.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Where do I find Time Policies in Raken?
Navigate to Company in the left side menu, then click Time, then click Policies. Click Edit policy on the policy you want to configure, or click + New policy to create a new one.
Can I have more than one Time Policy?
Yes. You can create multiple policies and assign different employees to each one — useful when different employee groups have different overtime rules, break requirements, or pay structures. Employees can also have their default policy overridden at the project level.
Do Time Policy changes apply to existing time cards?
No. Changes to Time Policy settings apply to time cards created after the change is saved. Existing time cards follow the rules that were in place when they were created. The exception is overtime recalculation — Raken recalculates overtime server-side every time a time card is created or edited.
What happens if an employee isn't assigned to any Time Policy?
All employees must be assigned to at least one Time Policy. If only one policy exists in your account, all employees are automatically assigned to it. If you create a second policy, you will need to manually assign employees to the relevant policy.
Are Time Policies required to use Raken for time tracking?
Yes. Time Policies must be set up and active before employees can track time in Raken. See Getting Started With Time Tracking in Raken for the recommended setup sequence.
Technical Specifications
Compatibility: All major web browsers (Time Policy configuration is web-only)
Offline Capability: No — Time Policy configuration requires an active connection
Data Format: N/A — Time Policy settings affect time card exports but are not directly exportable
Plan Required: No plan restrictions for core settings. Premiums and Holidays require the Performance Plan. Verification and Geofencing require the Time Clock add-on.
Add-on Required: Time Clock add-on for Verification and Geofencing features
Role Required: Account Administrator only
Considerations
Only Account Administrators can create and edit Time Policies.
All employees must be assigned to at least one Time Policy — if only one policy exists, all employees are assigned by default.
Time Policy changes apply to future time cards only — existing time cards are not retroactively updated.
Overtime is recalculated automatically server-side every time a time card is created or edited.
Verification features (Photo ID, Clock questions, Geofencing) require the Time Clock add-on.
Premium rules (Weekend, Shift, Holiday) require the Performance Plan.
Holiday dates must be defined in the Holidays section before Holiday Premium rules will apply.
Project-level exceptions can override an employee's default policy for a specific project — useful for crews working on projects with unique requirements.
No plan restrictions apply to core Time Policy settings — available on all Raken plans.
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More Questions?
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