Time Clock Uses Employee ID – Badge Has RFID
Your Time Clock Uses Employee ID but Your RFID badge has a different number.
Many modern time and attendance systems—like Workday and other enterprise time clocks—use Employee ID as the required input for clock-in and clock-out. However, physical access credentials/badges use a different value for the RFID number, not the employee ID itself.
This mismatch creates a common and frustrating problem:
- The time clock uses Employee ID, but the badge only presents an RFID number.
When your time clock does not support RFID-to-Employee ID mapping natively, you may be told the system is “not compatible” with badge-based clocking. Fortunately, there is a simple and proven solution.
Why Time Clock Systems Use Employee ID
Time clocks use Employee ID because it:
Is unique across the organization
Matches payroll, HR, and compliance systems
Avoids conflicts when badge numbers change
Systems like Workday running on iPad, expects a keyboard-style input—the same as if someone typed their Employee ID on a keypad.
However, RFID readers output raw RFID values, not employee IDs. Without translation, the time clock cannot associate the badge scan with the correct employee record.
The Core Problem: No Native RFID Mapping
The Core Problem: Time Clock uses Employee ID without RFID badge/credential mapping.
Time clocks like WorkDay iOS accepts keyboard input only, without RFID value mapping.
Easy Solution: SerialMagic Keys Lookup Table
Easy Solution: Keyboard Lookup Table Translation with SerialMagic Keys iOS.
The simplest and most reliable fix is to use a keyboard-based middleware app with a lookup table.
Here’s how it works:
- The Employee scans their RFID badge
- RFID reader sends the badge number to SerialMagic Keys (iOS alternate keyboard)
- Lookup table maps RFID number → Employee ID
- Employee ID is sent to the time clock as keystrokes
To the time clock, it looks exactly like the employee typed their ID on a keyboard – but with 100% accuracy and faster than any human can type.
Because the time clock app only sees keystrokes, you don’t need integration or modification of the time clock app.
Read Mobile Phone Wallet Credentials
SerialMagic Keys 3rd party keyboard performs employee ID lookup for mobile credentials:
- Apple Wallet (iPhone & Apple Watch)
- Google Wallet (Android devices)
Unmatched Physical Badge Support
Lookups for time clocks using employee IDs works for every kind of RFID-NFC badge/credential:
- Prox, ioProx
- iCLASS / Seos
- Elite Key
- DESFire
- Mifare, CASI-RUSCO, Indala
- Tag-it, Nexwatch, FeliCa
- NFC Forum Tag Types 1-5
- SentryCards secured by finger print
- …Many more
Workday and Other Time Clocks Uses Employee ID
This approach is ideal for Time Clocks Using Employee ID without support for RFID badges having a different number.
- Workday Time Tracking
- Legacy time clocks
- Web-based clock-in screens
- Virtual desktops and kiosks
If your system accepts typed input, it will work.
Key Benefits of This Approach
✔ No Changes to the Time Clock
The time clock continues to operate exactly as designed.
✔ No Badge Reprogramming
Employees keep their existing RFID badges.
✔ Fast Deployment
Create & import lookup tables in minutes.
✔ Easy Updates
Change employee ID without changing badges or readers.
✔ Scales Cleanly
Works for small teams or enterprise deployments.
Typical Organizations with Time Clocks Using Employee ID
This solution is commonly used in:
- Manufacturing and industrial facilities
- Construction and jobsite time tracking
- Healthcare and hospitals
- Corporate offices using shared access badges
Any organization where RFID is already in use for access control but the time clock uses Employee ID can benefit.
Example Workflow when time clock uses employee ID – RFID badge or mobile credential has different number:
- Employee arrives at the time clock
- Taps their RFID badge or smartphone NFC
- SerialMagic Keys reads the RFID value
- Lookup table finds the matching Employee ID
- Employee ID is sent to the time clock
- Clock-in is recorded successfully
From the employee’s perspective, it’s a single badge tap—no typing required. Perfect 100% accuracy, faster than any human.
Start Using SerialMagic Keys Today - Post Employee ID From Badge
Your Workday or similar time clock uses Employee ID but your badges use RFID, you do not need to replace your system or abandon badge-based clocking.
By using a keyboard lookup table solution in SerialMagic Keys iOS, you bridge the gap between RFID badges and Employee ID–based time clocks quickly, reliably, and cost-effectively.
Contact Serialio today to get started, or download SerialMagic Keys iOS and just start using it.
If you need a time clock app Contact Serialio today and ask about Cloud-In-Hand® Stratus-io Time & Attendance.