Searchable USA Time & Attendance Acronym Database

TIMETREX REFERENCE LIBRARY · TIME & ATTENDANCE

USA Time & AttendanceAcronym Database

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Full alphabetical reference · 256 meanings

4/10 — Four 10-hour workdays

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Common industry usage — A schedule notation describing four 10-hour workdays in a recurring week.

In practice: A 4/10 pattern totals 40 scheduled work hours before adjustments.

Daily-overtime rules, breaks, and applicable authorization must be checked.

OPM ↗

5/8 — Five 8-hour workdays

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Common industry usage — A schedule notation describing five 8-hour workdays in a recurring week.

In practice: Use 5/8 as a pattern label with actual shift times and breaks.

A pattern label is not a pay calculation.

OPM ↗

7(k) — FLSA section 7(k) work-period provision

Schedules & public-sector time · Rule shorthand · U.S. federal public agencies — A provision permitting specified work periods for qualifying public-agency fire-protection or law-enforcement employees.

In practice: Confirm the role, agency, and adopted work period before applying 7(k).

It is not a general exception for all shift workers.

U.S. DOL ↗

8/80 — Eight-and-eighty overtime system

US rules & agreements · Rule shorthand · U.S. federal — A special FLSA overtime framework available to qualifying hospitals and residential care establishments under specified conditions.

In practice: Verify eligibility and a prior agreement before applying 8/80.

It is not the standard rule for ordinary biweekly payroll. Daily and 14-day thresholds both matter.

U.S. DOL ↗

9/80 — Nine workdays totaling 80 hours

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Common industry usage — A two-week pattern commonly using eight 9-hour days and one 8-hour day.

In practice: Check the defined workweek boundary when implementing 9/80.

The pattern alone does not guarantee overtime-free operation.

OPM ↗

ABS — Absence

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A general absence code requiring additional context.

In practice: Determine whether ABS is approved, paid, or protected.

Do not infer misconduct or pay treatment from this code.

TimeTrex Help ↗

ABS% — Absence hours percentage

Attendance measures · Performance metric · Formula varies — Defined absence hours divided by the associated scheduled hours, multiplied by 100.

In practice: 8 absence hours out of 160 scheduled hours equals 5%.

State which absence types are included. Protected or approved leave must not automatically be treated as an attendance violation.

U.S. DOL ↗

ACA — Affordable Care Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal health-care law with employer provisions using specific full-time and service-hour concepts.

In practice: Keep ACA eligibility calculations separate from scheduling FTE estimates.

IRS ↗

ACC — Accrued time

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — A local abbreviation for time credited to a leave bank.

In practice: Review ACC alongside usage and adjustments.

A displayed accrual is not necessarily currently available to use.

TimeTrex Help ↗

ADA — Americans with Disabilities Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal disability-rights law with employment accommodation and discrimination provisions.

In practice: Review a schedule-adjustment request through the accommodation process.

EEOC ↗

ADJ — Adjustment

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — A manual or automatic correction to a time-account amount.

In practice: Record the reason for an ADJ and retain the prior value.

TimeTrex Help ↗

AKDT — Alaska Daylight Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Alaska daylight time at UTC−8.

In practice: Use AKDT only where daylight time applies for the date.

NIST ↗

AKST — Alaska Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Alaska standard time at UTC−9.

In practice: Check the actual Alaska location before assigning a zone.

Some Alaska locations use a different time zone.

NIST ↗

AL — Annual leave

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — A leave category commonly used for vacation and other approved personal time.

In practice: An employee requests AL for planned time away.

The linked OPM rules apply to covered federal employment.

OPM ↗

ALE — Applicable large employer

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — An employer meeting the ACA employer-size criteria under IRS rules.

In practice: Apply the IRS methodology when counting full-time and equivalent employees.

IRS ↗

AM — Morning / ante meridiem

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Time before noon on a 12-hour clock; also used as a local morning-shift label.

In practice: Write 7:00 AM–3:00 PM instead of AM shift alone.

A shift code needs exact start and end times.

TimeTrex ↗

AM/PM — Ante meridiem / post meridiem

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — Markers separating the two halves of a 12-hour clock.

In practice: Convert 1:00 PM to 13:00 in a 24-hour export.

Use noon or midnight plus a date when ambiguity could affect a record.

IETF ↗

API — Application programming interface

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A defined interface through which software systems exchange data or functions.

In practice: Use an API to synchronize schedule changes with another approved system.

NIST ↗

AST — Atlantic Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Atlantic standard time at UTC−4.

In practice: Puerto Rico uses AST throughout the year.

Check location; abbreviations alone can be ambiguous.

NIST ↗

ATD — Attendance

Timekeeping essentials · Local code · Employer-defined — Shorthand sometimes used for an attendance field or report.

In practice: Read the ATD column legend before classifying a record.

Employer-defined abbreviation; it does not specify pay status.

TimeTrex Help ↗

AVAIL — Available balance

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — Time currently available under the account's policy and restrictions.

In practice: Check pending requests before relying on AVAIL.

Some systems subtract approved future leave; others do not.

TimeTrex Help ↗

AWOL — Absence without leave

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — An unauthorized absence status in federal personnel usage and some workplace policies.

In practice: Verify approval and notification records before assigning AWOL.

Do not equate a missing time punch with an unauthorized absence.

OPM ↗

AWS — Alternative workweek schedule

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · California — A California-specific alternative-workweek concept under applicable wage-order and election rules.

In practice: Verify the applicable election and wage order before using an AWS arrangement.

Different from the federal alternative-work-schedule framework.

California DIR ↗

AWS — Alternative work schedule

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Federal scheduling context — The federal umbrella term for flexible and compressed work-schedule arrangements.

In practice: Review whether an agency's authorized AWS is flexible or compressed.

Federal terminology does not establish private-sector scheduling rights.

OPM ↗

BAL — Balance

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — The remaining amount in a defined time or leave account.

In practice: Compare the BAL opening value, credits, and debits.

TimeTrex Help ↗

BER — Bereavement leave

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code for time away after a qualifying death.

In practice: Confirm the policy and any applicable leave requirements.

Pay, duration, and eligibility vary.

BLS ↗

BIPA — Biometric Information Privacy Act

Identity & privacy · Law or regulation · Illinois — An Illinois law addressing specified private-sector handling of biometric identifiers and information.

In practice: Review BIPA before deploying covered biometric timekeeping.

Other jurisdictions may impose separate requirements; a device setting is not legal compliance.

Illinois General Assembly ↗

BLE — Bluetooth Low Energy

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A Bluetooth radio technology designed for low-power communication.

In practice: A supported kiosk uses BLE to detect a nearby device.

Proximity signals do not independently establish hours worked.

NIST ↗

BRK — Break

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local timecode identifying a break interval.

In practice: Inspect BRK entries when reviewing a timesheet.

Whether time is compensable depends on the facts and applicable rules.

U.S. DOL ↗

BYOD — Bring your own device

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A policy permitting personal devices for approved work activities.

In practice: Check BYOD access, support, and privacy arrangements before a rollout.

NIST ↗

CB — Call back

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code for returning to duty after an initial release from work.

In practice: Record when a call-back assignment starts and ends.

Minimum call-back pay and premiums depend on applicable rules or agreements.

U.S. DOL ↗

CBA — Collective bargaining agreement

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — A negotiated agreement that may govern hours, bidding, seniority, leave, and premiums.

In practice: Check the CBA before awarding an overtime opportunity.

NLRB ↗

CC — Cost center

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · Project accounting — An accounting grouping used to track costs for a unit or activity.

In practice: Allocate approved labor hours to the correct CC.

CC has many meanings; confirm the export's field definition.

DCAA ↗

CDT — Central Daylight Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — US Central daylight time at UTC−5.

In practice: Confirm the location observes daylight saving for the shift date.

NIST ↗

CF — Carry forward

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — A local label for leave transferred into the next period.

In practice: Apply the documented CF cap at the policy-year boundary.

Carryover and payout are different events.

TimeTrex Help ↗

CFR — Code of Federal Regulations

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — The organized collection of federal agency regulations.

In practice: A payroll procedure cites 29 CFR.

Check the current regulation and the authority behind it.

U.S. DOL ↗

CH — Credit hours

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Federal scheduling context — Hours voluntarily worked within qualifying federal flexible-schedule rules for later use.

In practice: Confirm eligibility before recording CH in a federal FWS program.

Not a general substitute for overtime pay in private employment.

OPM ↗

ChST — Chamorro Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Time at UTC+10 used in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

In practice: Check the calendar date when coordinating Guam coverage with the mainland.

The lowercase h distinguishes this label from CST.

NIST ↗

CO — Carryover

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — Leave balance permitted to remain available after a period ends.

In practice: Check whether CO hours have a separate expiration rule.

TimeTrex Help ↗

COA — Chart of accounts

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — The organized list of ledger accounts.

In practice: A payroll earning code maps to an expense account in the COA.

Department and job dimensions may be tracked separately.

Yale University ↗

CPR — Certified payroll report

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · U.S. federal — A payroll report accompanied by a required compliance certification for covered work.

In practice: A covered contractor submits a weekly CPR.

Use the applicable project’s reporting requirements.

U.S. DOL ↗

CST — Central Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — US Central standard time at UTC−6.

In practice: Use CST with a date and US location to avoid international ambiguity.

The same letters are used for other time zones internationally.

NIST ↗

CSV — Comma-separated values

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A plain-text tabular data format often used for schedule exports.

In practice: Export the filtered acronym reference as CSV for an onboarding sheet.

IETF ↗

CT — Compensatory time

Schedules & public-sector time · Term or abbreviation · Federal scheduling context — Time off credited under a legally permitted compensatory-time arrangement.

In practice: Check the governing rules before crediting CT for additional work.

Compensatory time arrangements have specific limits. Private-sector employers generally cannot replace required FLSA overtime pay with future time off. Federal and state/local public-sector rules differ.

U.S. DOL ↗

CT — Central Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A regional time label that follows the applicable standard or daylight time.

In practice: Include a location and date with a 7:00 AM CT start.

Also means compensatory time in some work records.

NIST ↗

CWS — Compressed work schedule

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Federal scheduling context — A schedule that completes the required work hours in fewer workdays under its governing rules.

In practice: A four-day pattern may compress a normal five-day requirement.

Compressed does not necessarily mean reduced total hours.

OPM ↗

CY — Calendar year

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — The January-through-December year.

In practice: Wage reporting is organized by CY.

An employer’s fiscal year may be different.

IRS ↗

D — Day shift

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local roster code for a daytime assignment.

In practice: A site's legend defines D as 7:00 AM–3:30 PM.

Not universal; D can mean something else on another roster.

TimeTrex ↗

DBA — Davis-Bacon Act

Contract & job time · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — A federal prevailing-wage law for covered construction contracts.

In practice: A contractor checks DBA wage obligations.

Project coverage and the applicable wage determination matter.

U.S. DOL ↗

DBRA — Davis-Bacon and Related Acts

Contract & job time · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — The Davis-Bacon framework and related laws extending prevailing-wage requirements.

In practice: A covered construction project requires weekly certified payroll reporting.

Federal coverage does not replace separate state prevailing-wage analysis.

U.S. DOL ↗

DCAA — Defense Contract Audit Agency

Contract & job time · Organization · Federal contracting — The federal agency that audits certain government-contractor financial and accounting matters.

In practice: Review relevant DCAA guidance when documenting contract labor.

No generic timeclock feature establishes DCAA compliance.

DCAA ↗

DEC — Decimal hours

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — An hours quantity expressed using decimal fractions.

In practice: 7.25 DEC hours means 7 hours and 15 minutes.

A decimal value of 7.30 is 7 hours 18 minutes, not 7 hours 30 minutes.

IETF ↗

DFML — Department of Family and Medical Leave

Agencies & resources · Term or abbreviation · State & local — The Massachusetts agency administering its PFML program.

In practice: An employer checks DFML contribution guidance.

This agency name is specific to Massachusetts.

Massachusetts ↗

DHCP — Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A protocol that provides network configuration to clients.

In practice: Reserve a stable DHCP assignment for the kiosk if required.

NIST ↗

DIR — Department of Industrial Relations

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — California's department overseeing specified labor and workplace programs.

In practice: Use California DIR guidance when researching state scheduling-related wage rules.

California DIR ↗

DLSE — Division of Labor Standards Enforcement

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — California's labor-standards enforcement division, also known as the Labor Commissioner's Office.

In practice: Consult DLSE guidance for California overtime and reporting time pay.

California DIR ↗

DOL — Department of Labor

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — The US federal department responsible for specified labor programs and enforcement.

In practice: Use DOL resources to research federal wage-and-hour terminology.

U.S. DOL ↗

DOS — Date of service

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — A date used to associate work or a covered service with its record.

In practice: Match DOS in the visit file to the time record.

Do not confuse the work date with payroll's payment date.

TimeTrex Help ↗

DST — Daylight saving time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A seasonal clock adjustment observed in some locations.

In practice: Check elapsed hours when a night shift crosses a DST transition.

The same local clock time can be skipped or occur twice.

NIST ↗

DT — Double time

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A pay category commonly describing twice a defined rate.

In practice: Check the governing rule before applying a DT code.

Not a universal federal entitlement; applicability and rate base vary.

California DIR ↗

E — Evening shift

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local roster code for an evening assignment.

In practice: Confirm the E shift's start, end, and break arrangements.

Not a nationally standardized code.

TimeTrex ↗

EAP — Employee assistance program

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — An employer-sponsored support resource for employees.

In practice: Provide EAP information when appropriate without recording sensitive details on a roster.

TimeTrex ↗

EDD — Employment Development Department

Agencies & resources · Term or abbreviation · State & local — California’s agency administering specified payroll taxes and benefit programs.

In practice: An employer manages a California EDD payroll-tax account.

The abbreviation refers to the California agency in this entry.

California EDD ↗

EDT — Eastern Daylight Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Eastern daylight time at UTC−4.

In practice: Use EDT for applicable Eastern locations during daylight time.

NIST ↗

EE — Employee

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — A common label identifying the worker’s portion of a contribution or tax.

In practice: EE medical identifies the employee insurance deduction.

Confirm the employer’s code legend.

IRS ↗

EEOC — Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — The federal agency enforcing specified employment anti-discrimination laws.

In practice: Check EEOC resources when reviewing an accommodation process.

EEOC ↗

EID — Employee identifier

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A local identifier assigned to an employee record.

In practice: Map EID across timekeeping and payroll systems.

Confirm the employer's definition and preserve leading zeros.

NIST ↗

ELD — Electronic logging device

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Transportation & safety — A device used to electronically record specified commercial-driver duty information.

In practice: Reconcile ELD duty records with dispatch plans.

FMCSA ↗

EO — Early out

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code for leaving before a scheduled end.

In practice: Check EO for approved leave or a schedule change.

TimeTrex Help ↗

ER — Employer

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — A common label identifying the employer’s portion of a cost or contribution.

In practice: ER retirement matching appears in employer-cost reporting.

Employer costs are not automatically deductions from employee net pay.

IRS ↗

ERP — Enterprise resource planning

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A system coordinating core business processes and data.

In practice: Match ERP location and cost-center codes with scheduling records.

TimeTrex Help ↗

ESS — Employee self-service

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Tools employees use to view information and submit requests.

In practice: An employee uses ESS to review a timesheet and submit a missing-punch correction.

TimeTrex ↗

EST — Eastern Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Eastern standard time at UTC−5.

In practice: Use EST only when the intended instant is on standard time.

NIST ↗

ET — Eastern Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A regional time label that generally follows standard or daylight time for the date and location.

In practice: Publish 9:00 AM ET with the date and relevant city.

Do not assume ET always means UTC−5.

NIST ↗

ETL — Extract, transform, load

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A process for moving and reshaping data between systems.

In practice: Reconcile record counts after an ETL job imports punches.

Transformations must preserve the original meaning and audit trail.

NIST ↗

EVV — Electronic visit verification

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Medicaid service verification — Electronic records verifying specified information about covered in-home services.

In practice: Reconcile an EVV visit with the relevant service and time records.

EVV documentation and payroll time records serve different purposes.

Medicaid.gov ↗

EXC — Excused absence

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — An employer-defined code for an absence treated as excused.

In practice: Check the approved EXC reason without exposing medical details.

TimeTrex Help ↗

EXDATE — Exception date

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — An iCalendar property identifying occurrences excluded from a recurrence set.

In practice: Remove a holiday occurrence using EXDATE where supported.

IETF ↗

FAR — False acceptance rate

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — A biometric-system measure concerning incorrect acceptance of an unauthorized attempt.

In practice: Review the FAR definition and test conditions in a device evaluation.

FAR can instead mean Federal Acquisition Regulation in contracting.

NIST ↗

FAR — Federal Acquisition Regulation

Contract & job time · Law or regulation · Federal contracting — The principal set of rules governing acquisition by U.S. executive agencies.

In practice: Identify contract clauses affecting labor documentation.

Distinguish FAR from false acceptance rate in biometric evaluations.

Acquisition.gov ↗

FH — Floating holiday

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A policy-based paid day available under specified conditions.

In practice: Check how FH is requested and deducted.

Eligibility, scheduling, and payout rules vary.

BLS ↗

FLI — Family leave insurance

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · State & local — A state insurance program for qualifying family leave benefits.

In practice: A New Jersey paystub includes an FLI deduction.

This entry uses New Jersey context; verify the applicable jurisdiction.

New Jersey DOL ↗

FLSA — Fair Labor Standards Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal law addressing minimum wage, overtime, records, and youth employment.

In practice: Check FLSA coverage when reviewing time worked and overtime.

U.S. DOL ↗

FMLA — Family and Medical Leave Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal law providing qualifying employees leave and related job protections.

In practice: Plan coverage around approved intermittent FMLA leave.

Coverage, eligibility, qualifying reason, and notice rules apply.

U.S. DOL ↗

FMR — False match rate

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — The proportion of non-matching biometric comparisons incorrectly classified as matches.

In practice: Compare FMR only under compatible evaluation methods.

NIST ↗

FNMR — False non-match rate

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — The proportion of matching biometric comparisons incorrectly classified as non-matches.

In practice: Review FNMR with the matching threshold and capture conditions.

NIST ↗

FRR — False rejection rate

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — A biometric-system measure concerning incorrect rejection of a legitimate attempt.

In practice: Provide a correction route when a legitimate punch is rejected.

NIST ↗

FT — Full time

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · Common industry usage — An employment or statistical category based on the applicable definition.

In practice: Confirm the employer's FT threshold before using a staffing report.

Definitions differ among employer policies, benefit rules, and statistics.

BLS ↗

FTE — Full-time equivalent

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · Common industry usage — A measure of workload or staffing capacity relative to a stated full-time hours basis.

In practice: A 240-hour weekly plan equals 6 FTE at a 40-hour basis.

Planning FTE is not headcount or the ACA employer-size calculation. State your basis.

BEA ↗

FTE — Full-time equivalent employee for ACA employer size

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · ACA employer size — An ACA employer-size measure derived from non-full-time employees' monthly service hours.

In practice: Use IRS rules when testing applicable-large-employer status.

The ACA calculation uses specific monthly rules, not a generic weekly hours divisor.

IRS ↗

FWS — Flexible work schedule

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Federal scheduling context — A federal schedule arrangement with permitted flexibility around defined requirements.

In practice: An employee varies arrival time within the approved FWS rules.

FWS can also mean Federal Wage System in federal pay documents.

OPM ↗

FWW — Fair workweek

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · State & local — Shorthand for predictable-scheduling protections in certain jurisdictions.

In practice: Check location, industry, and employer coverage before applying FWW requirements.

Local shorthand; not a single nationwide law or uniform code.

NYC DCWP ↗

FWW — Fluctuating workweek

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — A distinct overtime calculation method subject to specific legal conditions.

In practice: Confirm eligibility before using the FWW method for a salaried nonexempt employee.

Different from fair workweek scheduling laws; not a label for any variable schedule.

U.S. DOL ↗

FY — Fiscal year

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — An organization’s chosen financial reporting year.

In practice: Finance posts payroll costs to FY accounts.

Federal wage statements generally follow the calendar year.

U.S. DOL ↗

G1 — GEO fence violation

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag for punching outside an allowed geofence.

In practice: Review location evidence and accuracy.

TimeTrex Help ↗

GL — General ledger

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — The accounting record receiving summarized payroll transactions.

In practice: Payroll posts wages, taxes, and liabilities to the GL.

Reconcile the payroll register, cash, and liability accounts.

TimeTrex ↗

GMT — Greenwich Mean Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A zero-offset time label often encountered in scheduling interfaces.

In practice: Check whether a system uses GMT as a zero-offset label.

Use precise time-zone identifiers for recurring local shifts.

NIST ↗

GNSS — Global navigation satellite system

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — The general category of satellite systems used for positioning and timing.

In practice: GNSS readings can support a mobile punch location.

GPS is one GNSS; location readings have limits and uncertainty.

GPS.gov ↗

GPS — Global Positioning System

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — Satellite-based positioning used by some mobile workforce tools.

In practice: Review a mobile time record's location under the employer's approved policy.

A location signal does not establish all compensable work time.

GPS.gov ↗

H&W — Health and welfare

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · U.S. federal — A fringe-benefit category often used in covered service-contract wage determinations.

In practice: A service contractor checks the required H&W benefit amount.

Required benefits and permissible credits depend on the applicable rules.

U.S. DOL ↗

HC — Headcount

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · Common industry usage — The number of people in a defined workforce population.

In practice: A team has 12 people even if their combined hours equal fewer FTEs.

Define whether temporary staff and employees on leave are included.

BLS ↗

HCM — Human capital management

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A term for coordinated people-management processes and systems.

In practice: Connect HCM employee data with scheduling and time records.

TimeTrex Help ↗

HH:MM — Hours and minutes

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — A colon-separated representation of a duration or clock time.

In practice: A duration of 7:30 equals 7.5 decimal hours.

For a duration, minutes run from 00 to 59. For a clock time, dates and time zones also matter.

IETF ↗

HH:MM:SS — Hours, minutes, and seconds

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — A representation that includes seconds as well as hours and minutes.

In practice: Retain 00:00:30 as thirty seconds, not thirty minutes.

IETF ↗

HHCS — Home health care services

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Medicaid service verification — A service category used in Medicaid electronic visit verification materials.

In practice: Confirm the HHCS visit and the applicable reporting requirements.

Do not infer a particular state's billing requirements from the acronym alone.

Medicaid.gov ↗

HOL — Holiday pay

Payroll handoff · Term or abbreviation · Employer / plan-defined — A payroll code for pay associated with a holiday.

In practice: A timesheet separates HOL from hours worked.

Paid holiday hours do not automatically count as hours worked for federal overtime. Verify the employer’s code legend, units, and treatment; abbreviations are not universal.

U.S. DOL ↗

HOS — Hours of service

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Transportation & safety — Rules governing duty, driving, rest, and related limits for covered transportation workers.

In practice: Check applicable HOS rules before assigning a driver.

These rules are distinct from wage-and-hour calculations.

FMCSA ↗

HR — Human resources

Systems & integrations · Term or abbreviation · Device & integration — The function managing people-related policies, processes, and records.

In practice: Coordinate scheduling exceptions with HR when appropriate.

TimeTrex Help ↗

HR — Hour

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — A unit of time comprising 60 minutes.

In practice: The export records an interval as 8 HR.

HR also means human resources.

IETF ↗

HRIS — Human resources information system

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A system used to maintain employee and HR records.

In practice: Sync active employees and organizational assignments into scheduling.

TimeTrex Help ↗

HRMS — Human resources management system

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A system supporting a range of HR management processes.

In practice: Check which HRMS module owns employee availability.

TimeTrex Help ↗

HST — Hawaii Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — The Hawaii standard-time label at UTC−10.

In practice: Honolulu shift times keep the same UTC offset through the year.

Other places using similar zone names can have different observance rules.

NIST ↗

IAM — Identity and access management

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — Processes governing identities and their access permissions.

In practice: Remove obsolete timekeeper access through IAM controls.

NIST ↗

IANA — Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — The organization maintaining the widely used time-zone database.

In practice: Use a zone such as America/New_York for recurring local schedules.

A named zone carries transition rules; a fixed UTC offset does not.

IANA ↗

ICS — iCalendar file extension

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A common extension for files carrying iCalendar event data.

In practice: Check time-zone and update behavior when importing a shift calendar.

An imported file may be a snapshot rather than a live subscription.

IETF ↗

IdP — Identity provider

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — A service that authenticates users and provides identity assertions.

In practice: Configure the IdP used for employee self-service sign-in.

Capitalization and vendor terminology may vary.

NIST ↗

IN — Clock in

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local label for the start of a recorded work interval.

In practice: Review the IN event against the original timestamp.

A punch alone does not establish all compensable time.

TimeTrex Help ↗

IP — Internet Protocol

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — The network protocol used to address and route data packets.

In practice: Check the timeclock's assigned IP address.

An IP address is not reliable proof of an employee's physical location.

NIST ↗

ISO 8601 — International date and time representation standard

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A standard family for unambiguous date and time representations.

In practice: Use a dated timestamp with an offset when exchanging schedule records.

A plain date or local timestamp alone does not identify a unique instant.

IETF ↗

JE — Journal entry

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — An accounting entry recording a transaction across ledger accounts.

In practice: Finance posts the payroll JE after reconciliation.

Debits and credits should balance and retain an audit trail.

Yale University ↗

JSON — JavaScript Object Notation

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A text-based data format commonly used in APIs.

In practice: Confirm the units and timestamps in a JSON punch payload.

NIST ↗

JURY — Jury-duty leave

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A timecode for absence associated with jury service.

In practice: Keep the jury leave record separate from ordinary PTO.

Public-sector rules in the reference are not universal private-sector entitlements.

OPM ↗

KPI — Key performance indicator

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — A defined measure used to monitor an operational objective.

In practice: Track unfilled shifts alongside service quality.

Specify the formula and reporting period.

TimeTrex ↗

LAN — Local area network

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A network connecting devices within a limited area.

In practice: A timeclock sends queued punches through the LAN.

NIST ↗

LES — Leave and earnings statement

Payroll handoff · Term or abbreviation · U.S. federal — A federal or military statement showing pay, deductions, and leave information.

In practice: A service member reviews the monthly LES.

The layout and codes depend on the issuing payroll system.

DFAS ↗

LI — Late in

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A code for arrival after the applicable schedule or attendance tolerance.

In practice: Review LI against the assigned schedule.

Attendance tolerances do not decide whether worked time is paid.

TimeTrex Help ↗

LOA — Leave of absence

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — Time away from work under an employer policy or applicable law.

In practice: Track the leave dates and expected return without displaying medical details.

A LOA may be paid or unpaid and protected or unprotected.

OPM ↗

LTD — Long-term disability

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — A benefit arrangement for qualifying longer-duration disability.

In practice: Keep benefit administration separate from staffing availability decisions.

Plan terms and applicable law govern benefits and employment rights.

BLS ↗

LWOP — Leave without pay

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — An approved nonpay absence status, including a defined federal personnel usage.

In practice: A federal employee requests LWOP for an approved absence.

Federal rules differ from employer-specific unpaid leave policies.

OPM ↗

M1 — Missing in punch

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag for an unpaired out punch.

In practice: Confirm the actual start time.

TimeTrex Help ↗

M2 — Missing out punch

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag for an unpaired in punch.

In practice: Review the shift-length setting too.

Trigger timing depends on configuration.

TimeTrex Help ↗

M3 — Missing lunch in/out punch

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag for an incomplete lunch pair.

In practice: Review the employee's lunch record.

TimeTrex Help ↗

M4 — Missing break in/out punch

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag for an incomplete break pair.

In practice: Confirm the missing break event.

TimeTrex Help ↗

MDT — Mountain Daylight Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Mountain daylight time at UTC−6.

In practice: Check the date before converting an MDT meeting for another office.

NIST ↗

MEAL — Meal period

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A timesheet code for a meal interval.

In practice: Confirm the worker was relieved of duties before deducting a meal.

Automatic deductions must not erase compensable work; state rules may differ.

U.S. DOL ↗

MFA — Multi-factor authentication

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — Authentication using more than one distinct factor category.

In practice: Protect schedule-management access with MFA where available.

NIST ↗

MI — Missing in punch

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — An employer's shorthand for an absent start punch.

In practice: Verify the actual start before correcting MI.

Local shorthand; TimeTrex documentation uses M1 for its corresponding exception.

TimeTrex Help ↗

MIL — Military leave

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code for time away connected with military service.

In practice: Review the applicable policy and USERRA requirements.

Pay and protection are separate questions.

OPM ↗

MIN — Minutes

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — A unit of elapsed time equal to one-sixtieth of an hour.

In practice: Convert 45 MIN to 0.75 hours.

In some exports MIN is a minimum-value field; confirm context.

IETF ↗

MO — Missing out punch

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — An employer's shorthand for an absent end punch.

In practice: Review MO with the employee before approving time.

Local shorthand; TimeTrex documentation uses M2 for its corresponding exception.

TimeTrex Help ↗

MOT — Mandatory overtime

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Overtime an employer directs an employee to work, subject to applicable restrictions.

In practice: Check industry, jurisdiction, and agreement limits before assigning MOT.

Not every employer may impose the same overtime requirements.

TimeTrex ↗

MOU — Memorandum of understanding

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — A written understanding that may clarify or supplement an arrangement.

In practice: Read a scheduling MOU with the agreement it supplements.

Its effect depends on its terms and governing law.

NLRB ↗

MP — Missing punch

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A flag for an incomplete time-punch pair.

In practice: Ask the employee to confirm the missing timestamp.

Record accurate corrections and retain an audit trail; do not guess hours.

TimeTrex Help ↗

MS — Milliseconds

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — Thousandths of a second, often used in timestamps and event logs.

In practice: A value stored in MS must be divided by 1,000 for seconds.

Distinguish a duration from a timestamp measured since an epoch.

IETF ↗

MSS — Manager self-service

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Tools managers use to review and approve workforce actions.

In practice: A manager uses MSS to review exceptions and approve accurate time records.

TimeTrex ↗

MST — Mountain Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Mountain standard time at UTC−7.

In practice: An Arizona office may use MST while another Mountain location uses MDT.

NIST ↗

MT — Mountain Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A regional time label whose offset depends on location and daylight-saving observance.

In practice: Use a city-based zone when scheduling staff in Arizona and Colorado.

Many Arizona locations do not observe daylight saving; check the exact location.

NIST ↗

MTD — Month to date

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — A running total for the current reporting month.

In practice: Payroll checks MTD deductions against monthly invoices.

Payment dates can differ from the dates worked.

U.S. DOL ↗

N — Night shift

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local roster code for an overnight assignment.

In practice: Pair N with dates so payroll allocates overnight hours correctly.

Night work does not by itself establish premium-pay entitlement.

TimeTrex ↗

NCNS — No call, no show

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — An attendance label for missing work without the expected notification.

In practice: Investigate the circumstances before classifying an absence as NCNS.

Do not automatically treat protected or emergency absences as misconduct.

TimeTrex ↗

NFC — Near-field communication

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — Short-range wireless communication commonly used by compatible cards and devices.

In practice: Check reader compatibility before using an NFC credential.

NIST ↗

NIST — National Institute of Standards and Technology

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — A US standards and measurement agency with official time-information resources.

In practice: Use NIST time references when checking US zone abbreviations.

NIST ↗

NLRA — National Labor Relations Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal law governing protected concerted activity and many private-sector labor relations.

In practice: Consider labor-relations obligations when changing represented employees' schedules.

NLRB ↗

NTP — Network Time Protocol

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A protocol for synchronizing computer clocks across networks.

In practice: Monitor NTP synchronization on a network timeclock.

Synchronization does not replace timezone configuration.

IETF ↗

OC — On call

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Availability to respond to work under specified conditions.

In practice: Document response requirements and any actual call-back work.

Pay treatment depends on the restrictions and applicable rules.

U.S. DOL ↗

OFF — Off duty / scheduled day off

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code showing that no work is assigned for the indicated period.

In practice: OFF distinguishes an unscheduled day from approved paid leave.

Confirm whether any on-call obligation remains.

TimeTrex ↗

OIDC — OpenID Connect

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — An identity layer built on OAuth 2.0 for authentication.

In practice: Confirm OIDC settings for a supported sign-in integration.

NIST ↗

OJT — On-the-job training

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Learning duties while working with supervision or guidance.

In practice: Schedule a trainer and trainee on the same shift.

Training time may be compensable; assess the circumstances.

TimeTrex ↗

OOO — Out of office

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — An availability message indicating someone is away from their usual office or communication channel.

In practice: Use OOO with a return date and contact arrangement.

OOO does not necessarily mean leave or that no work is being performed.

TimeTrex ↗

OPM — Office of Personnel Management

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — The federal agency providing civilian federal workforce policy and guidance.

In practice: Consult OPM for federal AWS and leave terminology.

OPM ↗

OT — Overtime

Attendance & pay codes · Term or abbreviation · Applicable wage rules — Hours or compensation treated as overtime under applicable rules.

In practice: Check actual weekly hours before finalizing an additional shift.

Scheduled hours and payable overtime are not always the same.

U.S. DOL ↗

OT% — Overtime hours percentage

Attendance measures · Performance metric · Formula varies — Overtime hours divided by total worked hours, multiplied by 100.

In practice: Eight overtime hours out of 100 worked hours gives 8%.

This is a planning ratio, not an overtime pay calculation.

U.S. DOL ↗

OUT — Clock out

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local label for the end of a recorded work interval.

In practice: Pair the OUT event with its matching IN event.

TimeTrex Help ↗

PAD — Presentation attack detection

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — Techniques used to detect attempts to fool a biometric capture system.

In practice: Assess PAD alongside accessibility and fallback punching options.

A PAD result is not proof of worked time or legal compliance.

NIST ↗

PBJ — Payroll-Based Journal

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Healthcare reporting — CMS's staffing data submission system for covered nursing-home reporting.

In practice: Reconcile staffing records before preparing PBJ submissions.

Reporting instructions can change; consult the current manual.

CMS ↗

PCS — Personal care services

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Medicaid service verification — A Medicaid service category that may carry electronic visit verification requirements.

In practice: Check the state program's EVV rules for the PCS service.

Medicaid.gov ↗

PDT — Pacific Daylight Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — US Pacific daylight time at UTC−7.

In practice: Confirm a summer Pacific shift is labeled PDT where applicable.

NIST ↗

PFL — Paid family leave

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — Wage-replacement or paid-leave arrangements for qualifying family reasons.

In practice: Coordinate a PFL claim with the employee's approved absence.

Pay benefits and job-protected leave may come from different programs.

U.S. DOL ↗

PFML — Paid family and medical leave

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — A program or benefit covering specified family and medical absences.

In practice: Check the relevant state program before coding PFML.

Eligibility, funding, job protection, and allowed reasons vary by jurisdiction.

U.S. DOL ↗

PII — Personally identifiable information

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — Information that identifies or can be linked to an individual under the relevant definition.

In practice: Avoid including sensitive leave details on a shared roster.

NIST ↗

PIN — Personal identification number

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A numeric secret used in an identification or authentication process.

In practice: An employee enters a PIN at a shared kiosk.

Keep personal credentials private; a PIN is not a payroll employee number.

NIST ↗

PM — Afternoon or evening / post meridiem

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Time from noon onward on a 12-hour clock; sometimes a local shift label.

In practice: Specify whether PM means an afternoon or an overnight assignment.

Use explicit dates when a shift crosses midnight.

TimeTrex ↗

PoE — Power over Ethernet

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A method of supplying electrical power over compatible Ethernet cabling.

In practice: Check the PoE standard and power budget for a timeclock.

Hardware compatibility must be verified.

NIST ↗

PP — Pay period

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — The span of time covered by a payroll cycle.

In practice: A timecard is approved for the PP ending Friday.

The pay date can fall after the pay period ends.

U.S. DOL ↗

PPE — Pay period ending

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — A label identifying the final date in a pay period.

In practice: A report is grouped by PPE date.

In other contexts PPE means personal protective equipment.

U.S. DOL ↗

PSL — Paid sick leave

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — Paid leave for reasons allowed by the applicable law or policy.

In practice: Check local PSL protections when handling an absence.

There is no single PSL rule that covers every US workplace.

U.S. DOL ↗

PST — Pacific Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — US Pacific standard time at UTC−8.

In practice: Use PST for an instant on Pacific standard time.

NIST ↗

PT — Part time

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · Common industry usage — An employment or statistical category for work below the relevant full-time basis.

In practice: Build a PT employee's roster within agreed availability.

Do not confuse PT with Pacific Time or physical therapist.

BLS ↗

PT — Pacific Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A regional label following Pacific standard or daylight time as applicable.

In practice: Use a dated 8:00 AM PT start for a Pacific location.

Also means part time or physical therapist.

NIST ↗

PTE — Part-time employee

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · Common industry usage — An employee classified as part time for a specified purpose.

In practice: Include PTE hours when estimating total coverage.

Classification depends on the relevant policy or rule.

BLS ↗

PTO — Paid time off

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — An employer-provided category or bank of paid absence.

In practice: Check approved PTO before assigning the employee to a shift.

PTO policies vary; paid leave and legal job protection are separate questions.

BLS ↗

PUMP — Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — The expanded federal framework for eligible workers' pumping break and space protections.

In practice: Plan coverage for pumping breaks without replacing an individual rights assessment.

Compensability depends on the circumstances and applicable rules.

U.S. DOL ↗

PWFA — Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal law addressing reasonable accommodations for known pregnancy-related limitations.

In practice: Consider a qualifying request for additional breaks or a changed start time.

Check current EEOC guidance and applicable legal developments.

EEOC ↗

QR — Quick response code

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — A two-dimensional code that can encode text or a link.

In practice: A kiosk scans a QR code linked to a timekeeping workflow.

Review what the code actually contains or opens.

NIST ↗

QTD — Quarter to date

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — A running total for the current reporting quarter.

In practice: A payroll register summarizes QTD taxes.

Check whether the report uses calendar or fiscal quarters.

U.S. DOL ↗

RA — Reasonable accommodation

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — An adjustment evaluated under the applicable accommodation framework.

In practice: A modified start time may be considered as an RA.

Applicability is individualized; a scheduling code cannot determine entitlement.

EEOC ↗

RBAC — Role-based access control

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — Assigning system permissions through defined roles.

In practice: Give supervisors access only to the teams they manage.

NIST ↗

RDO — Regular day off

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A scheduled nonwork day in a recurring work pattern.

In practice: The roster shows an RDO after the employee's work block.

Can also mean rostered day off; some employers use the same code for a requested day off.

TimeTrex ↗

RDO — Requested day off

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code for a requested nonwork day.

In practice: Check approval status before treating an RDO request as unavailable time.

Distinct from a regular day off; verify the local legend.

TimeTrex ↗

REG — Regular hours

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A payroll or roster label for hours assigned to a regular category.

In practice: Review REG against actual worked hours and overtime rules.

A pay-code label does not determine legal pay treatment. Verify the employer’s code legend, units, and treatment; abbreviations are not universal.

U.S. DOL ↗

RETRO — Retroactive pay

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — Pay adjusting an earlier period’s earnings.

In practice: A later payroll includes a retroactive wage-rate change.

The adjustment can also require overtime or tax corrections.

University of Pittsburgh ↗

RFID — Radio-frequency identification

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — Technology that reads identifying information from compatible radio tags.

In practice: A timeclock reads a badge using RFID.

Badge possession alone does not prove who performed the work.

NIST ↗

RODS — Record of duty status

Specialized time reporting · Term or abbreviation · Transportation & safety — A record of a covered driver's duty-status changes.

In practice: Review RODS when evaluating available driving time.

FMCSA ↗

RRP — Regular rate of pay

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — The rate basis used for overtime calculations under applicable wage rules.

In practice: Account for relevant compensation when determining RRP.

Not necessarily the employee's base hourly wage.

U.S. DOL ↗

RRULE — Recurrence rule

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — An iCalendar property describing a recurring event pattern.

In practice: Review RRULE and exceptions before relying on a recurring shift event.

IETF ↗

RTA — Real-time adherence

Attendance measures · Term or abbreviation · Contact centers — Comparing current agent activity with the scheduled activity.

In practice: Review RTA exceptions before changing intraday coverage.

NiCE ↗

RTO — Return to office

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Resuming work at an employer's office under an applicable arrangement.

In practice: Coordinate RTO days with desk and team coverage.

Also used locally for requested time off.

TimeTrex ↗

RTO — Requested time off

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — An employer-specific label for a request to be absent.

In practice: RTO remains pending until the request is approved.

Local usage; also means return to office. A request is not approval.

TimeTrex ↗

RTW — Return to work

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — Resuming work after an absence, sometimes with restrictions or accommodations.

In practice: Confirm approved duties and hours before rostering an RTW employee.

RTW may also mean right to work in labor-law discussions.

OPM ↗

S4 — In late

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag tied to scheduled arrival and configured tolerance.

In practice: Review the schedule and original punch.

TimeTrex Help ↗

S5 — Out early

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag tied to an early scheduled departure.

In practice: Check for an approved change.

TimeTrex Help ↗

SA — Schedule adherence

Attendance measures · Term or abbreviation · Contact centers — A local label for how closely actual activities match scheduled activities.

In practice: Compare activity-level timing using the platform's adherence rules.

Metric shorthand and treatment of exceptions vary by platform.

NiCE ↗

SaaS — Software as a service

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — Cloud software delivered for use through a provider-managed service.

In practice: Check access and data-export arrangements for scheduling SaaS.

NIST ↗

SAML — Security Assertion Markup Language

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — An XML-based standard used to exchange authentication and authorization information.

In practice: An SSO integration uses SAML assertions.

NIST ↗

SCA — Service Contract Act

Contract & job time · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — The federal law setting wage and benefit standards for covered service contracts.

In practice: A contractor checks the SCA wage determination.

Also called the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act.

U.S. DOL ↗

SCLS — Service Contract Labor Standards

Contract & job time · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — The procurement terminology for Service Contract Act requirements.

In practice: A federal service contract references SCLS clauses.

Review the contract, wage determination, and applicable labor rules.

U.S. DOL ↗

SDI — State disability insurance

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · State & local — A state-administered disability benefit program or payroll contribution label.

In practice: A California paystub includes an SDI withholding line.

SDI has jurisdiction-specific meaning; do not apply California rules nationally.

California EDD ↗

SEC — Seconds

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Data representation — A unit equal to one-sixtieth of a minute.

In practice: Convert 90 SEC to 1 minute 30 seconds.

SEC has other meanings outside time measurement.

IETF ↗

SFTP — SSH File Transfer Protocol

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — A file-transfer protocol operating over SSH.

In practice: Transfer an approved payroll export over SFTP.

SFTP and FTP over TLS are different protocols.

NIST ↗

SHFT — Shift differential

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — Extra earnings associated with a specified shift.

In practice: An evening-shift paystub has a SHFT line.

The code and eligibility depend on employer policy or agreement. Verify the employer’s code legend, units, and treatment; abbreviations are not universal.

U.S. DOL ↗

SICK — Sick leave

Payroll handoff · Term or abbreviation · Employer / plan-defined — A leave or pay code for qualifying sickness-related time away.

In practice: An employee records eligible SICK hours.

Employer policy and jurisdiction determine allowed uses. Verify the employer’s code legend, units, and treatment; abbreviations are not universal.

OPM ↗

SL — Sick leave

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — A leave category for qualifying health or family-related reasons.

In practice: Approved SL removes an employee from the available staffing pool.

SL also means service level in contact centers. Entitlement and allowed uses vary.

OPM ↗

SMS — Short message service

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A text-message service sometimes used for schedule notifications.

In practice: Confirm how employees acknowledge an SMS shift update.

A sent message does not prove it was read or that consent requirements were met.

NIST ↗

SOP — Standard operating procedure

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Documented instructions for a repeatable workplace process.

In practice: Follow the SOP for publishing and changing weekly schedules.

A procedure does not override applicable law or an agreement.

TimeTrex ↗

SSO — Single sign-on

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — An authentication arrangement enabling access to multiple applications through a shared sign-in process.

In practice: Use SSO to access the approved scheduling application.

NIST ↗

SST — Samoa Standard Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — Time at UTC−11 used in American Samoa.

In practice: Keep American Samoa separate from the independent nation of Samoa.

Location is essential; the two jurisdictions have very different offsets.

NIST ↗

STD — Short-term disability

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · Leave administration — A benefit arrangement providing income replacement for eligible short-term disability.

In practice: Coordinate STD benefits with approved leave and work restrictions.

A benefit award alone does not establish the leave entitlement.

BLS ↗

T&A — Time and attendance

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Recording when employees work and when they are absent.

In practice: Review original punches, paid absences, and corrections before approving a timesheet.

Actual time worked can differ from the published schedule.

TimeTrex ↗

TA — Time and attendance

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — A compact label for the timekeeping and absence function.

In practice: An integration calls its employee-time feed TA.

TA has other meanings outside this timekeeping context.

TimeTrex Help ↗

TDI — Temporary disability insurance

Leave & absence · Term or abbreviation · State & local — A state benefit or contribution category for qualifying nonwork disability.

In practice: A New Jersey employer coordinates TDI coverage.

Terms and contribution rules differ among states.

New Jersey DOL ↗

TEMP — Temporary employee

Workforce & hours measures · Workforce measure · Common industry usage — A locally used label for an employee engaged for a limited period.

In practice: Check a TEMP assignment's end date before publishing future shifts.

A temporary label does not determine legal employment status.

BLS ↗

TK — Timekeeping

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Capturing and reviewing work-time and absence records.

In practice: Reconcile TK records before the pay-period cutoff.

TK is common shorthand, not a statutory record format.

TimeTrex Help ↗

TLM — Time and labor management

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Processes and software linking time capture to labor allocation, approvals, and pay rules.

In practice: Map approved TLM hours to payroll earning codes.

TimeTrex Help ↗

TLS — Transport Layer Security

Identity & privacy · Technology · Security terminology — A protocol used to protect data in transit.

In practice: Use supported TLS connections for time data transfers.

NIST ↗

TMS — Time management system

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Software used to organize and record time-related activity.

In practice: Confirm which TMS owns the approved timesheet.

TMS can mean transportation management system in logistics.

TimeTrex Help ↗

TOD — Tour of duty

Schedules & public-sector time · Schedule pattern · Federal scheduling context — The scheduled hours and days an employee is expected to work.

In practice: Confirm the approved TOD before processing a schedule change.

Meaning and administration depend on employment context.

OPM ↗

TOIL — Time off in lieu

Payroll handoff · Term or abbreviation · Employer / plan-defined — Time off used in place of specified pay under an applicable arrangement.

In practice: A policy refers to TOIL for extra work.

Compensatory time arrangements have specific limits. Private-sector employers generally cannot replace required FLSA overtime pay with future time off. Federal and state/local public-sector rules differ.

U.S. DOL ↗

TOR — Time-off request

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — A request to be away from scheduled work.

In practice: Review the TOR status before filling the open shift.

Workflow abbreviation; confirm the organization's terminology.

TimeTrex ↗

TRN — Training

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local earnings or activity code for training time.

In practice: Allocate a paid training session to TRN.

Do not assume all training is unpaid.

U.S. DOL ↗

TRVL — Travel time

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local code for travel-related time entries.

In practice: Separate ordinary commuting from travel between work sites.

Compensability depends on the travel circumstances and applicable rules.

U.S. DOL ↗

TZID — Time zone identifier

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — An iCalendar property parameter or identifier used to associate local times with a zone.

In practice: Check TZID when a recurring shift appears at the wrong local hour.

IETF ↗

UID — Unique identifier

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — An identifier used to distinguish an event or record within a system.

In practice: Preserve the event UID when updating a calendar entry.

IETF ↗

UNS — Unscheduled work

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A code for time recorded outside an assigned schedule.

In practice: Review why UNS time occurred and record the actual work.

Lack of approval does not by itself make worked time unpaid.

TimeTrex Help ↗

UNX — Unexcused absence

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A preliminary or final local absence classification under an employer policy.

In practice: Review protected-leave and accommodation issues before finalizing UNX.

TimeTrex Help ↗

UPS — Uninterruptible power supply

Time clock technology · Technology · Device & integration — Equipment that temporarily supports power during interruptions.

In practice: Use a UPS to reduce lost kiosk availability during brief outages.

NIST ↗

UPT — Unpaid time

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — A local attendance or time-bank label for unpaid absence.

In practice: Read the UPT policy before interpreting a balance.

Employer-specific; eligibility, deductions, and protections vary.

TimeTrex ↗

USED — Used leave

Accruals & balances · Local code · Employer-defined — A code for leave charged against a bank during a stated period.

In practice: Confirm whether USED covers the pay period or the year.

TimeTrex Help ↗

USERRA — Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act

US rules & agreements · Law or regulation · U.S. federal — Federal protections related to uniformed service and civilian employment.

In practice: Coordinate military-service absences and return-to-work arrangements.

U.S. DOL ↗

UTC — Coordinated Universal Time

Time zones & formats · Format or unit · Time notation — A global time reference used to align timestamps across locations.

In practice: Store an instant with its local zone and corresponding UTC time.

UTC does not switch for daylight saving time.

NIST ↗

UTO — Unpaid time off

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Approved or categorized time away without pay under local policy.

In practice: Check whether a UTO request overlaps protected leave.

A payroll category does not determine job protection.

TimeTrex ↗

UUID — Universally unique identifier

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — An identifier designed to be unique across systems without central assignment.

In practice: Use a UUID to identify a particular punch event.

An event ID is distinct from an employee ID.

NIST ↗

V1 — Timesheet not verified

TimeTrex exception codes · Product code · TimeTrex documentation — A TimeTrex flag for a timesheet awaiting required verification.

In practice: Follow the timesheet approval process.

Configured windows and grace periods affect triggering.

TimeTrex Help ↗

VAC — Vacation

Payroll handoff · Term or abbreviation · Employer / plan-defined — A leave or earnings code for vacation time.

In practice: A timesheet records VAC hours.

Payment and payout depend on policy and applicable law. Verify the employer’s code legend, units, and treatment; abbreviations are not universal.

OPM ↗

VAR — Hours variance

Attendance measures · Performance metric · Formula varies — The difference between actual and planned hours for a defined scope.

In practice: 40.5 actual hours minus 40 planned hours equals +0.5 hours.

A variance is not automatically overtime or a performance problem.

U.S. DOL ↗

VOT — Voluntary overtime

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Extra work offered for employees to accept voluntarily.

In practice: Offer VOT to qualified employees after checking limits and rest.

Voluntary acceptance does not remove pay or safety obligations.

TimeTrex ↗

VTO — Voluntary time off

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — An employer's offer to reduce scheduled work by agreement.

In practice: When demand falls, invite eligible employees to accept VTO.

May be unpaid; also means volunteer time off. Local rules still apply.

TimeTrex ↗

VTO — Volunteer time off

Attendance & pay codes · Local code · Employer-defined — Time away for approved volunteer activities under an employer program.

In practice: An employee requests VTO for a community-service event.

Confirm pay status and eligibility; different from voluntary time off.

TimeTrex ↗

WBS — Work breakdown structure

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · Project accounting — A hierarchy that breaks project work into defined elements.

In practice: Charge labor to the correct WBS element.

DCAA ↗

WD — Wage determination

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · U.S. federal — A published schedule of applicable wage and benefit requirements for covered contracts.

In practice: A contractor selects the correct WD for covered work.

Job classification, location, and contract requirements matter.

U.S. DOL ↗

WFH — Work from home

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — A work-location arrangement where duties are performed at home.

In practice: Mark WFH separately from leave or unavailability.

Remote work is work, not time off.

TimeTrex ↗

WFM — Workforce management

Timekeeping essentials · Term or abbreviation · Common industry usage — Coordinating staffing, schedules, time records, and related workforce processes.

In practice: Use WFM to connect schedules, time capture, and approved payroll hours.

TimeTrex ↗

WH-347 — Payroll certification form

Contract & job time · Form or publication · U.S. federal — The DOL form available for covered federal construction payroll reporting.

In practice: A contractor prepares a certified payroll submission.

Using the form is optional; covered reporting requirements still apply.

U.S. DOL ↗

WHD — Wage and Hour Division

Agencies & resources · Organization · U.S. resources — The DOL division administering and enforcing specified wage-and-hour and leave laws.

In practice: Consult WHD guidance for hours-worked and FMLA questions.

U.S. DOL ↗

WO — Work order

Contract & job time · Term or abbreviation · Project accounting — A record authorizing or identifying a defined piece of work.

In practice: Record time against the correct WO.

The numbering and approval conventions are organization-specific.

DCAA ↗

XML — Extensible Markup Language

Systems & integrations · Technology · Device & integration — A markup language used to represent structured data.

In practice: Validate an XML time export against the recipient's specification.

NIST ↗

YTD — Year to date

Payroll handoff · Local code · Employer / plan-defined — A running total from the beginning of the reporting year through the stated pay date.

In practice: Compare current-period wages with YTD wages.

The reporting year and pay-date basis should be confirmed.

TimeTrex Help ↗

PUT THE NUMBERS TO WORKTime & attendance labExplore 8 practical calculations +

Convert time formats, check an overnight shift, and understand attendance measures. Every calculation shows its formula and assumptions.

YOUR RESULT—

Enable JavaScript to calculate.

Whole hours + minutes ÷ 60

Convert units without applying a time-rounding policy.

THE CONNECTIONS MATTER

Similar letters. Different jobs.

Connect the concepts behind the shorthand. Explore twelve distinctions that help employees, timekeepers, and payroll teams avoid common misunderstandings.

7:30 vs. 7.30 hours

7:30 as a duration is 7 hours 30 minutes, or 7.5 decimal hours. 7.30 decimal hours is 7 hours 18 minutes. Confirm the field format before importing or totaling time.

Recorded time vs. scheduled time

A schedule describes planned work. Punches and supporting records help establish what happened. Variances and missing punches need review; the schedule alone is not a complete work-time record.

Overtime vs. a pay-period total

Under the usual FLSA rule, overtime is assessed by workweek. A biweekly payroll total does not permit averaging away one week’s overtime. Specialized 8/80 and 7(k) frameworks have their own conditions.

PTO vs. FMLA vs. disability benefits

PTO describes paid time away under a policy. FMLA concerns qualifying leave and job protections. STD and LTD concern income-replacement benefits. These can overlap without being interchangeable.

Comp time vs. credit hours

Compensatory time and federal flexible-schedule credit hours follow different rules. Neither is a universal substitute for overtime pay. Check the employee’s sector, schedule, and governing rules.

An attendance flag vs. unpaid time

Late arrival, missing approval, or a geofence exception is a reason to review the record. It does not by itself establish that work was not performed or may go unpaid.

Headcount vs. FTE vs. ACA FTE

Headcount counts people. Planning FTE converts hours using a stated basis. ACA employer-size FTE follows a specific monthly method. Match the calculation to the purpose.

UTC vs. local time vs. DST

UTC is a common reference. Local wall-clock time depends on the location and date. During daylight-saving transitions, subtracting clock readings can differ from measuring actual elapsed time.

RFID vs. NFC vs. a PIN

RFID is a broad radio-identification technology. NFC supports short-range communication. A PIN is a secret entered by a user. None independently proves the full duration of work.

FAR: biometrics or contracting?

In biometric testing, FAR refers to false acceptance rate. In government contracting, it refers to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The surrounding document determines which meaning fits.

EVV vs. a payroll timesheet

EVV supports verification of covered service visits. Payroll records support compensation. Travel, training, and other work may require separate records outside the service visit.

A break code vs. a pay rule

BRK and MEAL identify recorded activities. Whether an interval is paid depends on the facts and applicable rules, including whether duties continued. Review automatic deductions against actual work.

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Disclaimer: The TimeTrex USA Time & Attendance Acronym Database is provided for general information and educational use only and does not constitute legal, payroll, or employment advice. Acronyms, time codes, and search or decoding results may vary by employer, system, agreement, and jurisdiction. TimeTrex does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information. Definitions and examples do not determine compensable time, overtime eligibility, required breaks, or lawful rounding practices. Verify the intended meaning against original time records, current wage-and-hour requirements, applicable agreements, and workplace policies, and consult qualified professionals before making pay or attendance decisions. References and external links do not imply endorsement.

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Time and Attendance Acronym Database

Disclaimer: The content provided on this webpage is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the information presented here, the details may change over time or vary in different jurisdictions. Therefore, we do not guarantee the completeness, reliability, or absolute accuracy of this information. The information on this page should not be used as a basis for making legal, financial, or any other key decisions. We strongly advise consulting with a qualified professional or expert in the relevant field for specific advice, guidance, or services. By using this webpage, you acknowledge that the information is offered “as is” and that we are not liable for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the content, nor for any actions taken based on the information provided. We shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your access to, use of, or reliance on any content on this page.

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