System and method for real-time labor management

Abstract

A system for performing real-time labor management and timesheet reporting comprising: a plurality of portable and dedicated time tracking units, with each unit operable to wirelessly transmit timesheet information; and a labor management system operable to receive the timesheet information from each of the time tracking units and thereby maintain the timesheet information for each time tracking unit. Each unit may be dedicated to tracking time and incapable of providing unrelated functions.

1 . A system for performing real-time labor management and timesheet reporting comprising:
 a plurality of portable and dedicated time tracking units, with each unit operable to wirelessly transmit text messages containing timesheet information; and   a labor management system operable to receive the text messages containing timesheet information from each of the units and thereby maintain the timesheet information for each unit.   
     
     
         2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each unit is dedicated to tracking time and is incapable of providing unrelated functions. 
     
     
         3 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each unit is dedicated to transmitting timesheet information and is incapable of transmitting non-timesheet information. 
     
     
         4 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the units send the text messages directly to the labor management system using a short message service protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a plurality of labor management systems, with each system being associated with a different company. 
     
     
         6 . The system as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein each unit sends the timesheet information to an appropriate one of the labor management systems. 
     
     
         7 . The system as set forth in  claim 5 , further including an intermediary receiver and wherein each unit wirelessly sends the timesheet information to the intermediary receiver which forwards the timesheet information to an appropriate one of the labor management systems over a land-based connection. 
     
     
         8 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the timesheet information includes an employee ID, a clock-in time, and a clock-out time and is transmitted using a short message service protocol. 
     
     
         9 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each unit is configured to resend the timesheet information a preset number of times if the labor management system is unavailable. 
     
     
         10 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each unit is configured to resend the timesheet information until a predetermined time period expires if the labor management system is unavailable. 
     
     
         11 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each unit is configured to be remotely set up by receiving a text message. 
     
     
         12 . A system for performing real-time labor management and timesheet reporting comprising:
 a plurality of labor management systems, with each system being associated with a different company and operable to receive and maintain timesheet information for a plurality of employees;   a plurality of portable and dedicated time tracking units, with each unit being associated with a different one of the employees and operable to wirelessly transmit the timesheet information for a respective employee; and   an intermediary receiver operable to wirelessly receive the timesheet information from the units, determine which labor management system is associated with each employee and forward the timesheet information to an appropriate one of the labor management systems over a land-based connection.   
     
     
         13 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each unit is dedicated to tracking time and is incapable of providing unrelated functions. 
     
     
         14 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each unit is dedicated to transmitting timesheet information and is incapable of transmitting non-timesheet information. 
     
     
         15 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the timesheet information includes an employee ID, a clock-in time, and a clock-out time and is transmitted in the form of a text message using a short message service protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each unit is configured to resend the timesheet information a preset number of times if the labor management system is unavailable. 
     
     
         17 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each unit is configured to resend the timesheet information until a predetermined time period expires if the labor management system is unavailable. 
     
     
         18 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each unit is configured for remote set up by receiving a text message. 
     
     
         19 . A method for performing real-time labor management and timesheet reporting comprising:
 receiving and maintaining timesheet information for a plurality of employees on a plurality of labor management systems, with each system being associated with a different company;   wirelessly transmitting the timesheet information for the plurality of employees using a plurality of portable and dedicated time tracking units, with each unit being associated with a different one of the employees; and   wirelessly receiving the timesheet information from the plurality of time tracking units at an intermediary receiver, the intermediary receiver operable to determine which labor management system is associated with each employee and forward the timesheet information to an appropriate one of the labor management systems over a land-based connection.