Operating a juvenile detention center doesn’t leave room for guesswork. At the Ingham County Youth Center in Lansing, Michigan, staff manage a 24-bed facility that runs 24/7, supporting youth through structured programs, education, and care while maintaining a secure environment.
Before Aladtec, those processes relied heavily on manual tools, which made it difficult to stay organized and confident in the data.
For Stan Granger, the Youth Center Supervisor, who oversees scheduling and operations for about 50 employees, it became clear the existing system wasn’t sustainable. What started as a need for better organization quickly turned into a full transformation of how the facility manages its workforce.
This is how one detention center left manual processes behind and gained visibility, improved accuracy, and saved valuable time.
Managing a 24/7 facility with manual processes couldn’t keep up
Prior employee scheduling and time tracking processes for the Youth Center included handwritten notes, spreadsheets, and manual communication. Scheduling shifts often meant calling down a list of employees, many of whom weren’t available. Timecards required manual calculations, and payroll processing stretched across multiple days every pay period. Even basic tracking of hours or time off lacked a reliable system.
“There was a lot of scrambling,” Granger explained. “You’d have people show up for shifts they weren’t supposed to, or missing hours that had to be tracked down last minute.”
Without centralized data, decision-making was often based on assumptions rather than facts.
Time tracking and payroll prep were equally challenging, often stretching from Wednesday through Friday and into the following Monday just to get timecards submitted to HR. Every pay period required manual calculations, overtime checks, and corrections. Today, that same process can be completed in a single day or in as little as three hours.
Building a system that reflects how the facility operates
Granger knew the Youth Center needed more than a digital version of their old process. They needed a system that could handle complex scheduling while remaining easy for staff to use.
“I wanted it to be user friendly and that was the biggest piece,” Granger noted. “I didn’t want somebody to have to learn all these special codes for a DOS based system.”
After implementing Aladtec, the Youth Center began transforming its approach to scheduling and workforce management. That included managing more than 25 unique rotations and creating repeatable schedules that didn’t rely on memory or manual tracking.
While there was an initial learning curve, the flexibility of the platform allowed Granger to build a system tailored to their complex scheduling structure — making even highly detailed shift patterns easy to manage.
“I didn’t realize at first how much control I had,” he said. “But once we got it set up, it really started working for us.”
Features like repeat scheduling, filtering, and real-time visibility made it easier to manage staff and maintain consistency across shifts.
Greater accuracy and confidence in data
Manual processes once led to frequent errors in time tracking and payroll. With Aladtec, accuracy has significantly improved.
This level of reliability has reduced last-minute corrections and given the team more confidence in their data. Instead of second-guessing timecards, they can trust what they’re seeing.
Simplified scheduling and real-time visibility
Scheduling has also become far more efficient.
Instead of calling down a list of employees to fill shifts, managers can now quickly see availability and respond to staffing needs.
“Before, you’d call 25 people and half weren’t available,” said Granger. “Now we know who is. It saves time and frustration for everyone.”
With better visibility, managers spend less time chasing coverage and more time making informed decisions. Staff also benefit from clearer schedules and better access to information.
“I think it’s more transparent for staff to see what’s going on schedule wise,” noted Granger.
More reliable communication and accountability
With built-in messaging and tracking, communication is now centralized and reliable.
“I can send a message to all staff and know they’re getting it, either by text or email,” Granger explained.
This has reduced confusion and improved accountability, with the ability to verify who received messages and responded to shift requests.
Data that supports faster, better decisions
Access to real-time data has changed how the Youth Center operates. Managers can quickly pull reports, review employee hours, and respond to leadership questions without digging through paperwork.
“If my boss asks about an employee, I can pull everything right away,” said Granger. “We’ve never been able to do that before.”
With better access to information, decisions are faster, more accurate, and based on real data instead of assumptions.
A learning curve worth the investment
Transitioning from manual systems required time and effort. However, support from the Aladtec team helped ease the transition.
“Support has been phenomenal. I can call and explain what I need, even if I don’t know the terminology, and they help me figure it out,” noted Granger.
The Results
- Reduced timecard processing time from multiple days to a few hours
- Approximately 99% accuracy in time tracking
- Faster, more efficient scheduling and shift coverage
- Improved communication and staff accountability
- Real-time visibility into workforce data and reporting
- Increased confidence in operations and decision-making
With Aladtec, the Ingham County Youth Center has moved from reactive, manual processes to a proactive, data-driven approach. By empowering their team with the right tools, they freed up valuable administrative time, reduced errors, and created a highly efficient operation that keeps their focus where it belongs: on supporting the youth in their care.
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.
