Automating Attendance Tracking with Zoho Cliq Developer Platform

Automating Attendance Tracking with Zoho Cliq Developer Platform

I wish remote work were permanently mandated so we could join work calls from a movie theatre or even while skydiving! But wait, it's time to wake up! The alarm has snoozed twice, and your team has already logged on for the day.



Keeping tabs on attendance shouldn't feel like guiding a flock of rebellious sheep. Hence, let's automate check-in and check-out notifications using the Zoho Cliq Platform Schedulers and the Zoho People API, eliminating the guesswork in attendance management and reducing the risk of errors associated with manual monitoring.

How does this solution benefit a business?

  1. Real-time reminders reduce instances of ghost check-ins and ensure accurate recording of everyone's logged hours.
  2. Essential for attendance tracking, payroll accuracy, compliance with labour laws, and audits.
  3. The entire team stays informed, fostering a cohesive workflow that eliminates the need for micromanagement.      
Pre-requisites:  

Before beginning to script the code below, we must create a connection in Cliq with Zoho People. Once a connection is created and connected, you can use it in Deluge integration tasks and invoke URL scripts to access data from the required service.

Create a Zoho People default connection with any unique name with the scopes - ZohoPeople.Attendance.ALL , ZohoPeople.forms.ALL and ZohoPeople.leave.ALL

ⓘ Document for reference : Connections in Cliq 

 

How to obtain or locate the channel unique name in Cliq?

  • Navigate to the top right corner of the channel and locate the three dots. Click it.

  • In the menu that appears, select "Channel info" and a pop-up will open, displaying detailed channel information.

Hover over the "Connectors" section and click it. Under "API Parameters," you will find the Channel ID and unique name.
We need to create two schedulers, specifically one for check-in and another for check-out.
  1. After a successful login in Cliq, hover to the top right corner and click your profile. Post clicking, navigate to Bots & Tools > Schedulers.
  2. On the right, click the "Create Scheduler" button.
  3. To learn more about schedulers and their purposes, refer to the Introduction to Schedulers.
  4. Create a scheduler using your preferred name. Specify the following details: the scheduler name and a description.  

  1. For the recurring period, choose the type "Weekly." Select Monday through Friday and set the time of execution to 11 AM or any other time that aligns with your company's check-in time, or customise the recurring period based on your specific use case.
  2. Finally, click "Save & edit code" and paste the following code.
  1. currentDate = zoho.currentdate;
  2. currentDateString = currentDate.toString("dd-MMM-yyyy");
  3. fromIndex = 1;
  4. toIndex = 200;
  5. // Get all active users
  6. users = zoho.people.getRecords("employee",fromIndex,toIndex,{},"{CONNECTION_LINK_NAME}");
  7. usersList = List();
  8. usersList.addAll(users);
  9. iterations = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25};
  10. // Get All Employees ( 4000 MAX )
  11. if(users.size() == 200)
  12. {
  13. for each  iteration in iterations
  14. {
  15. fromIndex = fromIndex + toIndex;
  16. toIndex = toIndex + 200;
  17. users = zoho.people.getRecords("employee",fromIndex,toIndex,{},"{CONNECTION_LINK_NAME}");
  18. if(users.size() > 0 && users.size() == 200)
  19. {
  20. usersList.addAll(users);
  21. }
  22. else if(users.size() > 0 && users.size() < 200)
  23. {
  24. usersList.addAll(users);
  25. break;
  26. }
  27. else
  28. {
  29. break;
  30. }
  31. }
  32. }
  33.  
  34. // Get all the employees checkedin from the morning.
  35. getAttendenceEntries = invokeurl
  36. [
  37. url :"https://people.zoho.com/api/attendance/fetchLatestAttEntries?duration=240"
  38. type :GET
  39. connection:"{CONNECTION_LINK_NAME}"
  40. ];
  41. latestAttendanceRecords = getAttendenceEntries.get("response").get("result");
  42. checkedInUsers = List();
  43. for each  userRecord in latestAttendanceRecords
  44. {
  45. checkedInEmployeeEmail = userRecord.get("emailId");
  46. checkedInUsers.add(checkedInEmployeeEmail);
  47. }
  48.  
  49. // Get all the employees who applied for leave both approved and pending ( Remove PENDING to exclude only the leave approved employees )
  50. leaveApprovedEmployees = invokeurl
  51. [
  52. url :"https://people.zoho.com/api/v2/leavetracker/leaves/records?from=" + currentDateString + "&to=" + currentDateString + "&dateFormat=dd-MMM-yyyy&approvalStatus=[APPROVED,PENDING]"
  53. type :GET
  54. connection:"{CONNECTION_LINK_NAME}"
  55. ];
  56. info  leaveApprovedEmployees;
  57. leaveApprovedEmployeesList = List();
  58. for each  member in leaveApprovedEmployees.get("records")
  59. {
  60. leaveApprovedEmployeesList.add(member.get("EmployeeId"));
  61. }
  62. info leaveApprovedEmployeesList;
  63.  
  64.  
  65. // Add the users to yet to checkin list if they are not checked from the morning and not applied for leave
  66. usersYetToCheckIn = list();
  67. for each  user in usersList
  68. {
  69. employeeEmail = user.get("EmailID");
  70. employeeId = user.get("EmployeeID");
  71.     employeeStatus = user.get("Employeestatus");
  72. if(!checkedInUsers.contains(employeeEmail) && !leaveApprovedEmployeesList.contains(employeeId) && employeeStatus.equals("Active"))
  73. {
  74. usersYetToCheckIn.add(employeeEmail);
  75. }
  76. }
  77.  
  78. // Mention the list of users in the channel.
  79. if(usersYetToCheckIn.size() == 0)
  80. {
  81. info "No users were found yet to checked-in at 11 PM today. Great to see everyone wrapping in on time! ✅";
  82. }
  83. else
  84. {
  85. usersYetToCheckInString = "";
  86. for each  user in usersYetToCheckIn
  87. {
  88. usersYetToCheckInString = usersYetToCheckInString + "[" + user + "](mail:" + user + ") \n";
  89. }
  90. usersYetToCheckInString = usersYetToCheckInString.subString(0,usersYetToCheckInString.length() - 2);
  91. response = Map();
  92. card = Map();
  93. card.put("title","Employees who haven’t checked in yet ( " + usersYetToCheckIn.size() + " )");
  94. card.put("thumbnail","https://i.pinimg.com/originals/85/e9/f3/85e9f3f5ac31fc5aab586e208297f43d.gif");
  95. card.put("theme","modern-inline");
  96. response.put("card",card);
  97. response.put("text",usersYetToCheckInString);
  98. info zoho.cliq.postToChannel("{CHANNEL_UNIQUE_NAME}",response);
  99. }

  1. Now, let's follow the same steps and create a scheduler for checkout reminders. Under the recurring period, choose the type as "Weekly." Select Monday through Friday and set the time of execution to 7 PM or any other time that aligns with your company's checkout time, or customise the recurring period based on your specific use case.
  2. Click "Save & edit code" and paste the following code.
  1. attendanceResponse = invokeurl
  2. [
  3. url :"https://people.zoho.com/api/attendance/fetchLatestAttEntries?duration=600"
  4. type :GET
  5. connection:"{CONNECTION_LINK_NAME}"
  6. ];
  7. info attendanceResponse;
  8. todayDate = zoho.currenttime.toString("YYYY-MM-dd");
  9. latestAttendanceRecords = attendanceResponse.get("response").get("result");
  10. usersWithoutCheckout = list();
  11. if(latestAttendanceRecords.size() > 0)
  12. {
  13. for each  userRecord in latestAttendanceRecords
  14. {
  15. userEmail = userRecord.get("emailId");
  16. dailyEntries = userRecord.get("entries");
  17. for each  dailyEntry in dailyEntries
  18. {
  19. if(dailyEntry.containsKey(todayDate))
  20. {
  21. todayEntryDetails = dailyEntry.get(todayDate);
  22. attendanceLogs = todayEntryDetails.get("attEntries");
  23. for each  logEntry in attendanceLogs
  24. {
  25. if(!logEntry.containsKey("checkOutTime"))
  26. {
  27. usersWithoutCheckout.add("{@" + userEmail + "}");
  28. }
  29. }
  30. }
  31. }
  32. }
  33. }
  34. usersWithoutCheckoutString = usersWithoutCheckout.toString("\n");
  35. if(usersWithoutCheckoutString.trim().length() == 0){
  36. usersWithoutCheckoutString = "No users were found checked-in after 7 PM today. Great to see everyone wrapping up on time! ✅";
  37. }
  38. response = Map();
  39. card = Map();
  40. card.put("title","List of users who remain checked in ( " + usersWithoutCheckout.size() + " )");
  41. card.put("thumbnail","https://media.tenor.com/Hd8nLZZTPRYAAAAi/alarm-clock-alarm.gif");
  42. card.put("theme","modern-inline");
  43. response.put("card",card);
  44. response.put("text",usersWithoutCheckoutString);
  45. info zoho.cliq.postToChannel("{CHANNEL_UNIQUE_NAME}",response);

Wrapping up and checking out for the day, hopefully

Whether you're from HR, tired of chasing attendance logs, or an enthusiastic team lead trying to increase your team's visibility and adjust workload accordingly, Cliq Platform's schedulers are essential and ensure that accurate tracking is consistent and compliance is maintained. Additionally, this would be scalable to handle organizations of any size.

If attendance tracking is a binge-watchable series, what plot twist would these reminders add to your team's script? Let us know in the comments below!

    Access your files securely from anywhere

        All-in-one knowledge management and training platform for your employees and customers.






                              Zoho Developer Community




                                                    • Desk Community Learning Series


                                                    • Digest


                                                    • Functions


                                                    • Meetups


                                                    • Kbase


                                                    • Resources


                                                    • Glossary


                                                    • Desk Marketplace


                                                    • MVP Corner


                                                    • Word of the Day


                                                    • Ask the Experts



                                                              • Sticky Posts

                                                              • Cliq Bots - Post message to a bot using the command line!

                                                                If you had read our post on how to post a message to a channel in a simple one-line command, then this sure is a piece of cake for you guys! For those of you, who are reading this for the first time, don't worry! Just read on. This post is all about how
                                                              • Add Claude in Zoho Cliq

                                                                Let’s add a real AI assistant powered by Claude to your workspace this week, that your team can chat with, ask questions, and act on conversations to run AI actions on. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it, step by step, with all the code
                                                              • Automating Employee Birthday Notifications in Zoho Cliq

                                                                Have you ever missed a birthday and felt like the office Grinch? Fear not, the Cliq Developer Platform has got your back! With Zoho Cliq's Schedulers, you can be the office party-cipant who never forgets a single cake, balloon, or awkward rendition of
                                                              • Automate attendance tracking with Zoho Cliq Developer Platform

                                                                I wish remote work were permanently mandated so we could join work calls from a movie theatre or even while skydiving! But wait, it's time to wake up! The alarm has snoozed twice, and your team has already logged on for the day. Keeping tabs on attendance
                                                              • Customer payment alerts in Zoho Cliq

                                                                For businesses that depend on cash flow, payment updates are essential for operational decision-making and go beyond simple accounting entries. The sales team needs to be notified when invoices are cleared so that upcoming orders can be released. In contrast,


                                                              Manage your brands on social media



                                                                    Zoho TeamInbox Resources



                                                                        Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                                                          Zoho Books Resources


                                                                            Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                                                                              Zoho Projects Resources


                                                                                Zoho Sprints Resources


                                                                                  Qntrl Resources


                                                                                    Zoho Creator Resources



                                                                                        Zoho CRM Resources

                                                                                        • CRM Community Learning Series

                                                                                          CRM Community Learning Series


                                                                                        • Kaizen

                                                                                          Kaizen

                                                                                        • Functions

                                                                                          Functions

                                                                                        • Meetups

                                                                                          Meetups

                                                                                        • Kbase

                                                                                          Kbase

                                                                                        • Resources

                                                                                          Resources

                                                                                        • Digest

                                                                                          Digest

                                                                                        • CRM Marketplace

                                                                                          CRM Marketplace

                                                                                        • MVP Corner

                                                                                          MVP Corner







                                                                                            Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                                                            Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                                                            Get Started Now


                                                                                              Zoho Show Resources

                                                                                                Zoho Writer

                                                                                                Get Started. Write Away!

                                                                                                Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                                                                                                  Zoho CRM コンテンツ




                                                                                                    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


                                                                                                        ご検討中の方




                                                                                                                • Recent Topics

                                                                                                                • Generate a link for Zoho Sign we can copy and use in a separate email

                                                                                                                  Please consider adding functionality that would all a user to copy a reminder link so that we can include it in a personalized email instead of sending a Zoho reminder. Or, allow us to customize the reminder email. Use Case: We have clients we need to
                                                                                                                • I would like to request a new feature or setting for SalesIQ.

                                                                                                                  Hello Zoho Team, I would like to request a new feature or setting for SalesIQ. Currently, when a user opens our contact widget and clicks on the "Chat with us" option, it opens a standard chat window that remains empty until either the user types a message
                                                                                                                • In Zoho inventory Converting sales return to cerdit note from using Api from Creator Error details: {"code":-1,"message":"Invalid Sales Return ID."}

                                                                                                                  In Zoho inventory Converting sales return to cerdit note from using Api from Creator Error details: {"code":-1,"message":"Invalid Sales Return ID."} this is button Function used in the Creator map Inventory.Create_Credit_note(int CRE_ID) { return_value
                                                                                                                • Realtime Translations of Video via OnAir

                                                                                                                  It would be an amazing feature to have a drop down selector in the On Air video area for attendees to select a language to convert the original language to.
                                                                                                                • Zia should track how customer relationships evolve over time

                                                                                                                  Here's a feature idea that I've been thinking about The Problem Zia is great at analyzing individual interactions email sentiment, call transcription, best time to contact. But here's what it can't do: tell you how a relationship has evolved over time.
                                                                                                                • First Name in Mail

                                                                                                                  While sending a mail/message to the user, I want only the first name to be displayed—for example: “Hi John” instead of the full name using "Hi ${Name_Field}"
                                                                                                                • Looking for Guidance on Building a Zoho Website

                                                                                                                  I'm exploring the possibility of building a custom website with specific features using Zoho as an alternative platform. My goal is to create something similar to https://gtasandresapk.com , with the same kind of functionality and user experience. I'd
                                                                                                                • FSM integration with Books

                                                                                                                  Hi, I have spent a few months working with FSM and have come across a critical gap in the functionality, which I find almost shocking....either that, or I am an idiot. The lack of bi-directional sync between Books and FSM on Sales Orders/ Work Orders
                                                                                                                • How to Track Inventory Usage from Zoho FSM to Zoho Inventory?

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, We’re currently working on integrating Zoho FSM with Zoho Inventory, and we’ve encountered a challenge we’re hoping the community can help us understand better. Here’s the context: When we create a Work Order in Zoho FSM that involves parts
                                                                                                                • Set Field Mandatory by Client Script ZOHO CRM

                                                                                                                  #Tips of the day We can set the field as mandatory by the client script var field_obj = ZDK.Page.getField('Custom_Field1'); field_obj.setMandatory(true); Custom_Field1 = Field API Name Apart from is if you have required any kind of Zoho work please do
                                                                                                                • associating products with accounts

                                                                                                                  I have all my accounts and products in zoho now. I need to generate a sales order for an account. The product lookup feature on the sales order shows no products...how can I get them to appear.
                                                                                                                • Can we rely on order of returned ids when inserting multiple records?

                                                                                                                  Hello! API https://www.zoho.com/crm/developer/docs/api/v8/insert-records.html does not mention that the response array will match the input array*, keeping this important information implicit and someone might have doubts to rely on it. (*the response
                                                                                                                • New UI for Writer - Disappointed

                                                                                                                  I've been enjoying Zoho Writer as a new user for about 6 months, and I really like it. One of my favorite things about it is the menu bar, which you can hide or leave out while still seeing most of your page because it is off to the left. I think this
                                                                                                                • Zoho CRM Community Digest - February 2026 | Part 2

                                                                                                                  In this edition, we’re highlighting a few more product enhancements, along with some helpful community discussions that explore everyday CRM scenarios from automating reminders and managing lead outreach to making the most of APIs and client scripts.
                                                                                                                • Dont want to list inactive items.

                                                                                                                  If an item is made inactive, there is no point in showing it in the item list. Please provide an option to hide all inactive items in 'Preferences'. 
                                                                                                                • Client Script event on any field of a Detail page

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone! I'd like to trigger a Client Script when a user modifies a field - any field - from the Account Details page, how can I do this? I don't want to trigger it on a specific field, but on all of them. Thanks in advance!
                                                                                                                • Tip #66 - Exploring Technician Console: Network Statistics - 'Insider Insights'

                                                                                                                  Hello Zoho Assist Community! Have you ever wondered why a remote session feels sluggish, or wanted to check whether connectivity issues are on your end or the customer's? That's exactly where the Network Statistics feature in Zoho Assist comes to the
                                                                                                                • Syncing zoho books into zoho crm

                                                                                                                  I was wondering how I can use zoho books in crm as I have been using them separately and would like to sync the two. Is this possible and if so, how? Thanks
                                                                                                                • REFUND REQUEST FOR PLAN SUBSCRIPTION CANCELLED

                                                                                                                  I have cancelled my Zoho Books subscription and would like to request a full refund for the subscription. Kindly process the refund at your earliest convenience.
                                                                                                                • purchasing a pagkage

                                                                                                                  goodmorning i want to pay for my monthly package but your app is sayinng i have insufficient funds yet i loaded money on my account yesterday though in our currency of ugx
                                                                                                                • Edit Receipt, how?

                                                                                                                  Do you notice the big blank space in Receipt? I want to remove that. I know there is a template but that blank space, I can't seem to remove it. Please help. Thank you!
                                                                                                                • Can I export a TXF (TurboTax exchange format) file out of Zoho Books?

                                                                                                                  Hello, I'm trying to do my US Small Business Taxes using Intuit's Turbo Tax. Can I export my expenses from Zoho Books to a TXF format file, so that it can then be imported into Turbo Tax? Thanks, Rajnesh
                                                                                                                • Tax inclusive and exclusive for Sales invoices

                                                                                                                  Hello, where can I set my tax to be inclusive or exclusive for invoices in Zoho Books? There used to be a button for me to do that right above the products table. Can someone help me please? Thank you!
                                                                                                                • Unable to produce monthly P&L reports for previous years

                                                                                                                  My company just migrated to Books this year. We have 5+ years financial data and need to generate a monthly P&L for 2019 and a monthly P&L YTD for 2020. The latter is easy, but I'm VERY surprised to learn that default reports in Zoho Books cannot create
                                                                                                                • ZOHO Reports are taking longer time to get refresh

                                                                                                                  Hi Team, Since last few days, I'm facing issues in getting updated reports. For eg: right after making an expense entry or even posting a journal, it is taking longer then expected for the updated reports. Refer below: "You are viewing the report that
                                                                                                                • audio and video comments in tasks in zoho projects

                                                                                                                  Hi, is it planned to have the ability to post audio and video comments? the whatsapp wechat format of communicating is a reality... tools like zoho project would facilitate a lot teamwork by facilitating the way in which we can give feedback in audio and video rather than only text. thx!
                                                                                                                • Looking for Zoho + Twilio Automation Specialist (Duda Website Integration)

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, I’m looking for an experienced Zoho specialist to help build a mostly automated CRM and booking system for my service business. I already have a live website built on Duda.co and need help integrating my existing forms into Zoho CRM (no rebuild
                                                                                                                • Zoho CRM For Everyone UI Rollout Begins for All Users

                                                                                                                  Hello Partners, We have started rolling out the new Zoho CRM For Everyone UI as the default experience for all users. This update is being released in three phases based on organization size and account type. We want to keep you informed of the rollout
                                                                                                                • How to retreive the "To be received" value of an Item displayed in Zoho inventory.

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, We have our own Deluge code to generate a PO according to taget quantity and box quantity, pretty usefull and powerful! However, we want to reduce our quantity to order according to "To be received" variable. Seems like this might not even
                                                                                                                • Introducing Explainer Videos for Zoho Desk: Solve everyday challenges with simple configurations

                                                                                                                  Dear everyone, We have created a set of short explainer videos that show how common support scenarios can be handled using simple configurations within the product. The solutions often lie in the plain sight, but go unnoticed. Through these videos we
                                                                                                                • Notifications Feeds unread count?

                                                                                                                  How do I reset the unread count on feeds notifications?  I've opened every notification in the list.  And the count never goes to zero.
                                                                                                                • Simple reliable solution to convert MSG files for AOL Mail?

                                                                                                                  A simple and reliable way to convert MSG files for AOL Mail is by using a professional tool MacGater Mac MSG Converter. This software allows users to quickly convert MSG files into formats compatible with AOL, such as MBOX or direct email migration. It
                                                                                                                • Zoho One Support is non existent...

                                                                                                                  I've tried through Email, Chat, this community and finally through Phone. There is no way to receive an answer. Email = over a week and no answer Chat = not available Community = no answer at all Telephone = after clicking myself through the callcenter
                                                                                                                • Disable Zoho Contacts

                                                                                                                  We don't want to use this app... How can we disable it?
                                                                                                                • Custom module - change from autonumber to name

                                                                                                                  I fear I know the answer to this already, but thought I'd ask the question. I created a custom module and instead of having a name as being the primary field, I changed it to an auto-number. I didn't realise that all searches would only show this reference.
                                                                                                                • Edit a previous reconciliation

                                                                                                                  I realized that during my March bank reconciliation, I chose the wrong check to reconcile (they were for the same amount on the same date, I just chose the wrong check to reconcile). So now, the incorrect check is showing as un-reconciled. Is there any way I can edit a previous reconciliation (this is 7 months ago) so I can adjust the check that was reconciled? The amounts are exactly the same and it won't change my ending balance.
                                                                                                                • Introducing Zoho MCP for Bigin

                                                                                                                  Hello Biginners! We're excited to introduce Zoho MCP for Bigin, a completely new way of interacting with Bigin data using AI. With Zoho MCP, you can securely connect your Bigin account with popular AI tools like Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code,
                                                                                                                • SAP Business One(B1) integration is now live in Zoho Flow

                                                                                                                  We’re excited to share that SAP Business One (B1) is now available in Zoho Flow! This means you can now build workflows that connect SAP B1 with other apps and automate routine processes without relying on custom code. Note: SAP Business One integration
                                                                                                                • [Action Required] : Update Shopify Access Scope to fetch complete order history

                                                                                                                  Hello Shopify Users! Shopify has updated the access scope for apps under developer portal. With this change, the read_orders scope now provides access only to the last 60 days of order history. To access older historical orders, Shopify requires a separate
                                                                                                                • Advance Payment Record Removed When Deleting Applied Credit from Bill

                                                                                                                  Hello, So while working with vendor advance payments, I noticed that removing the applied credit from a bill also removes the corresponding entry from the Payments Made section. What I did : Recorded an advance payment to a vendor through Payments Made.
                                                                                                                • Next Page