When Doyle Piper stepped into his new role as payroll specialist at Edina Public Schools in September 2019, he quickly realized that outdated time-tracking processes were holding the district back. Reports from the prior quarter showed consistent payroll issues — from late approvals to data entry errors — that were leading to overpayments, delays, and unnecessary off-cycle work.
Delays, data errors, and last-minute scrambles
This is how Edina Public Schools modernized its payroll system, eliminated costly timesheet errors, and more than doubled on-time approvals — all with the help of TCP Software’s TimeClock Plus.
As part of onboarding, Piper reviewed reports from the prior quarter, and the findings were clear
- Only 40% of timesheets were approved on time by both employees and managers.
- Common data-entry errors, like a 3 p.m. clock-out recorded as 3 a.m., led to costly overpayments.
- Manager approvals lagged, creating last-minute crunches at every pay-period close.
- A small payroll team struggled to chase down payroll errors or follow up on missing submissions.
“In some cases, we were exporting payroll data on good faith,” Piper said. “It was my goal to plug every hole I found in the leaky canoe.”
Instead of being discouraged by the volume of issues, Piper saw a chance to rebuild the district’s approach. To do it, he needed a more reliable workflow, more automation, and features that could support a cleaner, more consistent approval process.
Automating approvals and building a cleaner workflow with TimeClock Plus
Piper began exploring TimeClock Plus from the ground up — clicking every button, testing every option, and working closely with TCP’s Customer Success team to streamline the district’s entire process.
“Every time we had a call, we found something new Edina School District could improve,” said Kelsey Sheffield, the district’s dedicated Customer Success Manager.
Strengthening the approval cycle
Late approvals were the biggest bottleneck, so Piper and the TCP team targeted them first. The district implemented:
- Automated email reminders prompting employees to submit timesheets on time.
- A locked pay-period workflow that closes the pay cycle immediately after exporting data to payroll.
With the new setup, any hours submitted after the close date automatically move to the next pay period. Employees have clear expectations, and payroll no longer faces last-minute surprises.
These changes produced a major turnaround:
Saving time with automation
Beyond improving approvals, Piper also leveraged TCP to automate repetitive tasks. With help from the customer support team, he created reusable report templates for payroll imports, eliminating the need to reset filters each cycle.
Instead of building reports from scratch, everything runs on a consistent, efficient process — saving valuable time and reducing the chance for error.
Faster processes, fewer errors, and a more reliable payroll system
Since adopting TimeClock Plus, Edina Public Schools has transformed the way payroll gets done — shifting from reactive cleanup to proactive accuracy.
Key results include:
- 90–95% on-time timesheet submissions and approvals, more than doubling prior rates
- Fewer data-entry mistakes, including incorrect clock-out times
- Automated, reusable payroll report templates that save time each cycle
- Significantly fewer off-cycle adjustments, thanks to locked pay periods
- Less time spent chasing down missing approvals, freeing staff for higher-value work
With fewer interruptions and a dependable workflow, payroll runs more smoothly, and employees know exactly what to expect.
Building a culture of continuous improvement
What started as a cleanup initiative has become a foundation for long-term improvement. With the right solutions and a strong partnership between district staff and TCP’s Customer Success team, Edina Public Schools now has a more streamlined, accurate, and predictable payroll process.
“Human error is always a risk,” Piper said, “but with the right tools and workflows in place, we’ve greatly minimized it, and given everyone more peace of mind.”
TimeClock Plus has become a reliable part of the district’s operations — a solution that not only prevents errors but also gives staff confidence in every pay cycle.
TCP Software’s employee scheduling and time and attendance solutions are flexible and scalable to accommodate your business and employees as you grow.
From TimeClock Plus, which automates even the most complex payroll calculations and leave management requests, to Humanity Schedule for dynamic employee scheduling that saves you time and money, we have everything you need to meet your organization’s needs, no matter how unique. Plus, with Aladtec, we offer 24/7 public safety scheduling solutions for your hometown heroes.
Ready to learn how TCP Software takes the pain out of employee scheduling and time tracking? Speak with an expert today.
