Design and implementation of computerized office attendance system (A case study of project e-DELTA)

 Corresponding author: Ibezim Collins Obiora Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. Design and implementation of computerized office attendance system (A case study of project e-DELTA) Ibezim Collins Obiora 1, * and Monday Ernest Micheal Chukwu 2 1 Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, Nigeria. 2 Department of mathematics, statistics and computer science, Faculty of Physical Science, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 Publication history: Received on 31 August 2025; revised on 06 October 2025; accepted on 08 October 2025 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2025.28.1.3454 Abstract Office attendance software is an efficient tool to manage the whole company’s component including level of productivity, resource department data, human resource data, etc. The main function is to capture the time of employee attendance, to avoid error of manual calculation by human. Office attendance program is an answer or instant solution to an efficient labour management. It will provide a company with an easy time and payment management systematically. Computerizing office attendance in organizations enables organizations to track, plan and transform basic labour data into intelligent information, thereby improving productivity and labour resource utilization. It is a method of managing a whole range of business processes, thereby minimizing time wastage associated with manual methods. Keywords: Office Attendance; Software; Tracking; Automation; Artificial Intelligence 1. Introduction The use of computer to solve several human problems in recent years has evolved drastically [1,2]. Way back in mid 1940s and early 1950s, when the First Generation computers – like the MARK I and UNIVAC I machines respectively were invented [3]. To the recent fifth generation computers which are programmed to human thinking, whereby users are able to easily communicate with these computers simply by using their native languages (that is English) [4,5,6]. Recent computers are programmed to imitate the human qualities of creativity, judgement and intuition [7,8] Computerized methods of solving complex tasks have taken meaningful dimension in the 21st century and new ways are being invented each day [9,10]. In line with this trend, this project introduces a computerized approach that record employee’s attendance and non-attendance to work including arrival and closing times. Presently, office attendance is by manual entry which is prone to falsehood. Office attendance is a method of keeping record of presence and absence of employees to work, arrival time and closing time of work daily, using a defined method [11,12]. This project is concerned on the software aspect. Ordinarily in Africa, manual time attendance is prone to human error, which may or may not be verified for correctness [13]. The common phenomenon of an office employee writing the name and time of attendance for a fellow employee is rampant and is becoming a major concern in the business circle. Computerized office attendance record keeping is aimed at eradicating some if not all the limitations of manual office attendance recording[14,15]. Office attendance system has been found as a useful tool to assist employers to analyze and make decisions based on the consistency of their employees to workplace. Attendance control has traditionally been approached using time clocks and timesheets [16]. A time clock sometimes known as a clock card machine or punch clock was first invented in World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 1998 November 20 1888, by William Bundy, a jeweller Auburn, New York. Specifically, a time clock is a mechanical (electronic) timepiece used to assist in tracking hours an employee of a company worked[17,18]. Due to mechanical means of punching day and time to punched cards, wrong entries are likely to occur. Also, storage of official record of hours an employee worked cannot be guaranteed, which might result to complications during payment. To effectively track employees’ attendance and non-attendance to work place, there is need for a modern office attendance system like the one introduced in this project [19,20]. This project was made to introduce a computerized method to keep record of employees’ attitude to work – attendance and non-attendance. The project would stand as an aid to employers, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and most especially, the Head of Information System, Project-e-Delta, Delta State secretariat, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria – my case study, on their underlying struggle to minimize and possibly eradicate non-attendance to work place. Therefore, the objectives of this project include: • To track direct employees attendance and non attendance to work place. • To eliminate manual entry errors of attendance recording. • To make payroll processing more efficient. 2. Material and methods 2.1. Methodology An essential aspect of any research is the ability to show clearly the procedure and method by which data related to the topic under study is gathered. A correct statement of the methodology will help provide a logical and consistent work, thereby making it credible. Computerized office attendance system is made to have the capabilities of an expert system, otherwise, known as expert systems methodology. An expert system is software that attempts to provide an answer to a problem, or clarify uncertainties where normally one or more human experts would need to be consulted. Expert systems are most common in a specific problem domain, and are a traditional application and/or subfield of artificial intelligence (AI). During the gathering of facts at the case study, certain techniques were employed which are: • Observation • Interview 2.2. Observation This is a systematic selection, recording and encoding of a set of behaviors. This entails selecting facts, not all observed facts are being selected. Project-e-Delta is located at Delta state Secretariat Asaba, Delta state. Standing at the entrance, early before work commences, we observed the different times, workers enters the building and signed in, also, towards closing, 5.00pm in the evening, the same routine was carried out. According to time intervals each worker arrives, it could be deducted that a particular hour is the starting hour for daily work. Interview: a face-to-face contact between the analyst and the people connected with the enquiry he wants to carry out. It allows for more probing (deeper) unlike observation. Responses from the Unit Heads and Help Desk provided an idea to the nature of attendance, in view of the current system and consequently, what the final system to be designed will look like. 2.2.1. OOADM Object oriented analysis and design methodology (OOADM) promote better understanding of requirements, clearer design and more maintainable systems. It is used to analyse problems and implement a solution in a programming language or database. The most popular OOADM are object modelling technique (OMT) and unified modelling language (UML). These two provide a set of concepts and notations which can be used through the entire software development World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 1999 process. Object oriented analysis is the discovery analysis and specification of requirements in terms of object with identity that encapsulates properties and operations, message passing, classes, inheritance, polymorphism and dynamic binding. 2.2.2. Expert system methodology This method is best for artificial intelligence (AI) and expert system (ES) software development. Expert system is an intelligent computer program that uses knowledge and inference procedures to solve problems that are difficult enough to require significant human expertise for their solution. The expert knowledge must be obtained from specialists or other sources of expertise, such as texts, journals, articles and database. 2.2.3. Prototyping This is the creation of incomplete version of a software program being developed. The process involves identifying basic requirements such as input and output information needed, developing initial prototype including user interface, review with customers, revise and enhance the prototype using a feedback from both specification and customer to improve the prototype. The benefits of prototyping include the following: • It provides proof of concepts to attract funding. • It encourages active participation by user and product development cost is reduced. • It increases system development speed. • Prototyping identifies any problem (s) with the efficiency of earlier design requirements analysis and coding activities. Etc. However, prototyping also have some demerits attached to it, which is as follows: o User’s expectation may be above the performance of the prototype. o Possibilities of causing systems to be left unfinished. o Implementing system before they are ready might prove to be inadequate for overall organizational needs. o Insufficient analysis can lead to poorly designed software with limited functionality. From the understanding of the different concept of methodology as discussed, the prototyping is best suited for this piece of project work and therefore it will be implemented and expected. 2.3. System analyses System analysis can be defined as the process of examining or studying the structure of an existing system with a goal of improving or modifying it. In other words, it is concerned with functional and non functional requirements of a system. It is also the process of breaking down a problem into smaller units for a close study of individual parts. The purpose of such process is to discover a feasible solution to the identified problems in the system and have a clear understanding of it. In this chapter, a system analyst will analyze the existing system of Project-e-Delta manual method used and problems encountered and finally the reason for developing a new system. 2.3.1. The organization and her environment Preject-e-Delta, Asaba was established in May 2004 to provide human capacity-building technologies, including satellite and wireless internet access, telephony and US instructor-led technical training to workers and students throughout Delta State, as well as to the country’s business and government sectors. Demographic variable • Preject-e-Delta is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta state Government, which is based in Delta state, Nigeria. • Preject-e-Delta has offices and operations in Ministries in Delta state, • Preject-e-Delta’s culture is to strive, control and maintain ICT in Delta state as a whole by providing best in service delivery quality. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2000 2.3.2. Present procedure The current fashion of attendance management in Project-e-Delta Asaba is poor. For example a worker comes to work by 9.45am, could put down 8.00am as time of attendance. This is not acceptable, because it will slow down productivity in the particular area the worker occupies. Also, monthly payments are not based on time of attendance to work. A worker could be coming late to work for over a month, and still be paid fully as if nothing is happening. 2.3.3. Organogram to explain power bases Figure 1 Organogram To Explain Power Bases 2.3.4. Modus operandi (method of operation) of the present system. Input format Input involves entering of data in their respective fields in a form. With computer, data is entered through some input devices such as keyboard, mouse, joystick etc. when staff comes to work; he/she will sign IN and sign OUT when leaving the Office. This is to enable the cultivation of critical interpretation and judgment at the end of the month. The below structure is the input format World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2001 Figure 2 Input Format 2.3.5. Output format Output is the result of the processed data supplied to any system, which could be used for decision making process. Below is the output format Figure 3 Output Format 2.3.6. Data Flow Diagram (DFD). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2008) defines data flow diagram (DFD) as a representation of the “flow” of data through an information system. NOTE: ‘Data’ can be understood as anything e.g. raw materials, filed information, ideas etc. which is processed within the system. Tony Drewry (2008) claimed that data flow diagrams illustrate how data are processed by a system in terms of inputs and outputs. The DFD is an excellent communication tool for analysts to model processes and functional requirements. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2002 Data flow diagram notations A data flow diagram illustrates the process, data stores, and external entities in a business or other system and the data flows between these things. Four diagrammatical components are used to develop a DFD. These are: Data flow (represented by arrows) Figure 4 Data flow Diagram Notation Data process (Represented by a circle or rounded rectangle) External Entity (Represented by a square or Oval) Data store (Represented by two parallel lines or by vertical) Information Process Process Process Process External Entity External Entity World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2003 Figure 5 Data flow diagram of the present system 2.4. Information/product flow 2.4.1. Product flow Project-e-Delta ICT offer a full range of affordable, services, including super-fast, always-on internet access, Voip telephony and support services for students and business including printing, photocopying and facsimilean exact copy of something. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2004 2.4.2. Information flow Project-e-Delta offers a unique set of blended training solutions, tailored to meet the needs of every kind of computer userfrom beginners to students and professionals looking for advanced career tracks. Project-e-Delta’s systems approach – combining infrastructure services and trainingbased on years of experience in designing, implementing and operating telecommunications and IT-related projects in more than 15 countries. 2.5. Weakness identified Weaknesses identified in the present system (Project-e-Delta) are as follows: • Poor method office attendance system(pen and paper) • There is no means of having daily reports on each worker’s job, at closure. 2.6. Design of high level model of proposed solution An expert system to provide solution to the issue of attendance in Project-e-Delta should have the following modules: • An Administrator that oversees the activities of each employee in the workplace. • A method by which employees accept a unique log on and log out key each day to mark attendance. • A daily, weekly, or monthly report for jobs done. 3. Results and discussion 3.1. System design System design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements for the user. System design is a process problem solving and planning for a software solution. It is also to deliver the requirements as specified in the feasibility report. 3.2. Objective of design This chapter deals with the development of detail pattern and presentation from analysis obtained from the proposed system. The objectives include: • To track employees time-in to the office and ensure minimal falsification of employees’ attendance to work. • To improve payroll department’s capability to pay employees adequately. • To boost IT technology in this field. 3.3. Program design steps • Identification phase • Conceptualization phase • Formalization phase • System design phase • System development phase • Testing/Evaluation phase • Prototype phase World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2005 Figure 6 Program design steps/life cycle 3.3.1. Main menu (control centre) The main menu (Multiple Document Interface) is the bedrock of other modules inside the program. Hence, it is an intermediary among the forms in the program. The organization has a system administrator who oversees all activities of workers. The main menu provides administrative and user privilege access to program modules. The system administrator adds all workers in the organization with the ADMINISTRATOR account option. The USER account option logs in the employee/worker with the username and password created by the ADMINISTRATOR. The employer logs in with the given password and username from the ADMINISTRATOR. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(01), 1997-2013 2012 Office attendance software is an efficient tool to manage the whole company’s component including level of productivity, resource department data, human resource data, etc. The main function is to capture the time of employee attendance, to avoid error of manual calculation by human. Office attendance program is an answer or instant solution to an efficient labour management. It will provide a company with an easy time and payment management systematically. Recommendations Computerizing office attendance in organizations is new technology in IT and its still developing from one phase to a higher phase. With this tool, the company’s management tracks untrustworthy employees who time-in wrongly, for self benefit. In the world of information technology, this software is a great improvement to educate illiterate persons to know more. Also, this attendance software is a powerful tool to improve proper payment of employees as and when due. Compliance with ethical standards Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the management and staff of project-e-Delta, Asaba, delta state, Nigeria for their cooperation and support during the data collection and system testing process. Disclosure of conflict of interest No conflict of interest to be disclosed. References [1] Zhu S, Yu T, Xu T, Chen H, Schahram Dustdar, Sylvain Gigan, et al. Intelligent Computing: The Latest Advances, Challenges, and Future. Intelligent Computing. 2023 Jan 3;2. https://doi.org/10.34133/icomputing.0006 [2] Lu H, Li Y, Chen M, Kim H, Serikawa S. Brain intelligence: go beyond artificial intelligence. 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