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Time & Attendance APIs Release Notes

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Overview

This page explains the changes that have happened to our Time & Attendance APIs since April 2008.

These Release Notes are up-to-date at the time of the release. Further improvements or corrections to our API documentation will normally occur in the guide only. If you need access to a Time & Attendance guide, please get in touch.

If you have already integrated with Fourth and would like to be kept abreast of API changes via email, please fill in this form.

Breaking change notification

20th August 2023

As part of its ongoing commitment to the security of its customer’s information, Fourth will be updating its platform to require all connections to use TLS 1.2 or higher from 9 January 2024. Older versions of TLS will be retired.

TLS is the encryption method used to secure communications over HTTPS. This will have no impact on SFTP connections.

Confirming the Time & Attendance API you are using

Due to expanding into different markets and products, we have five different API variants for submitting Time & Attendance data. These APIs are very similar. The APIs are:

Time & Attendance 5a

  • For UK HR & Payroll only.
  • This is a SOAP API, and Fourth is not supporting further integrations to this API.
  • The documentation for this API version was originally called "Part 5a – T&A Submission Methods SOAP".

Time & Attendance 5b

  • For UK HR & Payroll only (UK customers only).
  • This is a REST API.
  • The documentation for this API version was originally called "Part 5b – T&A Submission Methods REST Rota Module".

Time & Attendance 5c

  • For UK HR & Payroll and Labor Productivity (UK customers only).
  • This is a REST API. Our recommended integration for any partners operating in the UK is the Time & Attendance (5c) API.
  • The documentation for this API version was originally called "Part 5c – T&A Submission Methods REST Labour Productivity Module".

Time & Attendance 5d

  • For Labor Productivity, UK customers only.
  • This is a REST API.
  • The documentation for this API version was originally called "Part 5d – T&A Submission Methods REST Labour Productivity Module".

Time & Attendance 5e

  • For Labor Productivity, North America customers only.

  • This is a REST API.

  • The documentation for this API version was originally called "Part 5e – Clock (Time & Attendance) Submission Methods REST- Labour Productivity Module (US)".

1 September 2021 — Location code now optional for submissions into Labour Productivity (5c, 5d, 5e)

A new setting lets you now submit time clock data to the Fourth Time & Attendance (5c, 5d, 5e) APIs without having to include Location codes. This allows for a single clocking-in device to be used across multiple locations. 

By default, it is mandatory to submit Location codes via the 5c, 5d and 5e APIs. However, if there is a reason that this is not possible, then the customer can set this as optional in the solution. When location codes are set to optional (and no codes are sent in the API requests), then each T&A record is matched to the employee's forecasted shift. If there is no forecasted shift for the employee for that day, then if the T&A shift:

  • Overlaps one forecast shift for the same employee, the role and location for the shift is set to the forecast shift.
  • Overlaps more than one forecast shift for the same employee, the role and location for the shift is set to the shift with the greatest overlap.
  • Is incomplete (where there is a missing clock-in or clock-out time), the shift will not be matched, and a Fourth user will need to assign the shift manually.

Even when location codes are set to optional, it is still better to include location codes if at all possible. When included, the location for any forecast shifts is ignored.

Note: If sending some payloads with Locations and some without, then the submissions MUST be split into two submissions.

20 November 2018 — new documentation created for submitting T&A data to Labor Productivity

To support T&A data submission for Labor Productivity, we have created the following variations on our documentation:

  • Time & Attendance API 5c
    This API is for use with both UK HR & Payroll and Labor Productivity (in the UK).
  • Time & Attendance API 5d
    This API is for use with Labor Productivity ONLY in the United Kingdom.
  • Time & Attendance API 5e
    This API is for use with Labor Productivity ONLY in North America.

20 Nov 2018 Time & Attendance (5b) API — Added ability to send in employee breaks

You can now send through break records along with the start and end shift times for employees. Please see the Time & Attendance documentation for more information about this change.

29 June 2010 Time & Attendance (5b) API — New XML schema released for the API.

New XML schema has been released for the API. Please see the Time & Attendance (5b) documentation for more details about this change.

21 April 2008 Time & Attendance (5b) API — Launch of this API!

Our Time & Attendance APIs enable you to send in clock data, with fields for employee number, location, clock status, check in and out times and actual minutes. This is a RESTful API, providing a simpler development experience compared to our Time & Attendance 5a SOAP API.

Please see the Time & Attendance (5b) documentation for more information about this API.