Managing time and attendance for 20,000 faculty, staff, and student employees across four universities isn’t just a logistical feat — it’s a high-stakes operation requiring precision, flexibility, and accountability.
For years, Texas Tech University (TTU) relied on a patchwork of decentralized tools to track hours and support payroll. Different departments used different systems, data flowed inconsistently, and oversight varied widely. As the university grew, those approaches became harder to manage and introduced unnecessary audit risk.
To bring consistency across campuses while preserving department-level flexibility, TTU implemented TCP Software’s TimeClock Plus, a unified solution to improve audit compliance, and empower departments while streamlining payroll processes across a complex institution.
Decentralized systems and growing audit risk
Before TCP, timekeeping at TTU looked different from one department to the next. Some areas already used TCP, while others relied on Ellucian Banner Web Time Entry or third-party tools. In some cases, time data fed into Ellucian Banner. In others, it did not.
Departments also had wide latitude to edit their own data, increasing the likelihood of inconsistencies and errors.
“The current decentralized structure presented an audit risk,” said Kelle Hester, Programmer Analyst IV. “Data wasn’t feeding from Banner to departmental systems entirely, and employees could manually change entries.”
Ellucian Banner Web Time Entry functioned largely as an honor system, exposing supervisors to the risk of employees altering hours in their favor. Gateway, the existing stopgap solution, was never intended to support an institution of TTU’s size.
“It made sense to have one third-party timekeeping system for the university as a whole,” Hester added. “Eventually, Gateway would be sunsetted.”
Moving to a single system with enterprise visibility
TTU selected TCP’s TimeClock Plus to centralize timekeeping across its campuses. A key factor was TCP’s ability to integrate closely with Ellucian Banner and its established relationship with departments already using the solution.
From the outset, TimeClock Plus delivered twice-daily data feeds from Ellucian Banner, improving accuracy and giving payroll and HR teams a more reliable view of employee time.
Just as important, the system provided enterprise-level oversight without forcing departments into rigid workflows.
Time capture options that fit every department
Departments had the freedom to choose the method that worked best for their teams: proximity reader, card swipe, biometric, or web clock. No matter the method, all entries flowed into a single system with a unified audit trail.
Regardless of the method used, all time entries flowed into a single system with a unified audit trail. That balance between centralized oversight and local flexibility was critical to adoption.
“We chose TimeClock Plus because it gave us a unified time tracking system that still allowed departments to function independently,” said Kara Newcomb, Chief Payroll Officer.
Addressing integration complexity through collaboration
Rolling out a new timekeeping system across four universities came with technical hurdles. TTU needed custom interfaces to support its Central Authentication Service (CAS), and the complexity of cost codes required multiple company configurations.
TCP worked closely with TTU’s internal teams to support:
- Employees working across multiple departments and supervisors
- Complex cost code and position management
- Authentication through existing university systems
These configurations allowed each department to operate independently while contributing to cleaner, more consistent payroll data across the institution.
Cleaner submissions through pre-editing and audit controls
Early in the rollout, TTU identified the need for departments to review and correct hours before submitting data to Ellucian Banner. Without that step, errors created delays and additional work for HR and payroll.
TCP introduced an audit mode that allowed departments to submit hours for review first. Departments received pre-submission reports through ePrint, flagged issues early, and submitted updates only after errors were resolved.
This approach reduced corrections, improved accountability, and helped payroll teams stay ahead of issues instead of reacting to them.
Unified processes, accurate reporting, and measurable labor savings
The move to TimeClock Plus delivered measurable improvements across the university:
- Cleaner data from Ellucian Banner improved overall payroll accuracy
- Audit risk was reduced through system-wide controls and consistent reporting
- Flexible entry options ensured departmental adoption across campuses
- Custom interfaces empowered departments to pre-edit submissions and fix errors proactively
- An enterprise-wide audit trail made compliance easier and more transparent
Several departments even reported that labor savings alone paid for the implementation — a benefit that surprised and delighted the payroll team.
A partner for today, tomorrow, and the future
More than five years into the relationship, TTU continues to rely on TimeClock Plus as a core part of its timekeeping and payroll operations. Departments maintain the autonomy they need. Payroll and HR teams work with cleaner, more reliable data. And every edit, approval, and submission is traceable.
“TCP has been a dynamic partner, demonstrating flexibility and guidance throughout the relationship,” Newcomb said. “We stay with the solution because it continues to evolve with our needs.”
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.
