Biometric Device Integration - API Method in Zoho People | Zoho People 5.0 | Help | Admin Guide

API Method

Integration Methods

Biometric attendance data can be integrated with Zoho People using either of the below two methods:
  1. API
  2. Plugin

Integration Using API Method

The below mentioned API can be used to push attendance data to Zoho People application directly from the biometric application. Configuration of the same has to be taken care of from the client’s end (either by the biometric vendor or by the client's IT team). Kindly check the feasibility of this method with the biometric vendor. 
API link: https://www.zoho.com/people/api/attendance-bulkimport.html
Notes
This API has a threshold limit of 10 requests/minute and a lock period of 5 minutes.

Integration Using Plugin Method

Another way to integrate the biometric device with Zoho People is by configuring a plugin through the Tomcat server.

Prerequisites 

We support MS SQL SERVER, MS Access and MySQL database and the query format as mentioned below.
Notes
It is important to have an IT person or your biometric vendor at your side to proceed with the integration.

Query Requirements

Database: We support MS SQL SERVER, MS Access and MYSQL databases with the same query format as below.

"Select employeeID, eventTime, isCheckin, downloadDate from Attendance"

*employeeID - Should be the same as the employee ID in Zoho People
*eventTime - Attendance in-punch and out-punch (in date-time format)
*ischeckin - 1/0 (1 denotes check-in and 0 denotes check-out)
*downloadDate - Date and time at which the attendance data is pushed to the database (in date-time format)

Please find the sample database table screenshot attached below for reference.


Notes
  1. If the Downloaddate column is not available in the table, then we can’t assure that all the data from the SQL DB will get pushed to Zoho People, and there might be a possible chance of data loss.
  2. If there are multiple shifts for your employees, all of them should be mapped in Zoho People.
  3. If the biometric ID is different from the Zoho People employee ID, then the biometric ID has to be mapped in Zoho People under Operations > Attendance > Biometric ID Mapping.
  4. The integration is fully dependent on the server system where the biometric data is stored. If it crashes or reboots due to improper shutdown of the system, it may corrupt the configuration page. In such a scenario, we will have to reconfigure the integration.

Software Required

Apache Tomcat 9 - https://tomcat.apache.org/download-90.cgi (Windows service installer)
Java - https://www.openlogic.com/openjdk-downloads (latest version and as per OS)

Warning
It is mandatory to have your biometric vendor/IT team at the time of integration.

Biometric ID Mapping

Once you have successfully configured and setup biometric devices for employee check-in and check-out, you can perform ID mapping to link the device's mapper ID to Zoho People's employee ID. This enables seamless biometric device-based secure check-in and check-out for all of your employees.

Map with Zoho People employee ID

  1. To add user ID Mapping or to view existing mapping, navigate to Operations > Attendance > Biometric ID Mapping.
  2. Click on Add User ID Mapping to configure a new mapping.
  3. Click on the ellipses () icon for import, export, and download options. 

Watch the help video to learn how to configure Biometric ID Mapping in Zoho People

Authorization for API

Kindly follow the steps mentioned in the below document to generate the authentication tokens.