# Buddy Punch MCP MCP > Buddy Punch connects your workforce time tracking to any AI agent. Use this MCP to manage employee profiles, perform GPS-verified clock-ins/outs, check PTO status, and pull payroll-ready timesheets directly from conversation. ## Overview - **Category:** productivity - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** time-tracking, attendance-monitoring, gps-tracking, timesheets, pto-management, workforce-scheduling ## Description Tracking work hours used to mean juggling multiple dashboards, checking out spreadsheets, and chasing down employees who forgot to punch in. Now you can handle the whole process through natural language commands. Your agent acts as your dedicated HR administrator, pulling data like schedules or time card history without you ever leaving your workspace. You use this MCP to orchestrate everything: from creating a new staff record to getting a precise list of hours worked for payroll. It handles punch-in/out actions and pulls detailed employee records based on pay periods. Since Vinkius hosts thousands of specialized tools, adding Buddy Punch means your agent has one reliable place to manage all things time and attendance. ## Tools ### create_employee Adds a brand new staff member record into your company's directory. ### list_employees Retrieves a list of all current employees in the system. ### list_pay_periods Shows the defined pay periods and historical payroll cycles for record-keeping. ### list_work_schedules Displays the planned work schedules and published shift updates for staff. ### list_time_entries Pulls detailed time card records by specifying a date range or pay period. ### punch_in_out Records a clocked time event (punch in or punch out) for an employee, including descriptive notes. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` List all active employees in my Buddy Punch account. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved your employee directory. You currently have 15 active staff members, including 'John Doe' (ID: 1024) and 'Jane Smith'. Would you like to check the current punch status for any of them? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Punch in employee '1024' with the note 'Starting early morning shift'. ``` **Response:** ``` Punch complete! I've successfully recorded a 'Punch In' for employee 1024 at 7:55 AM. The shift note has been added to their time card. Shall I check their scheduled end time? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show the time entries for the current pay period. ``` **Response:** ``` Fetching pay period data... For the current cycle, your team has logged a total of 480 hours. Highlights include 40 hours from 'John Doe' and 38 from 'Jane Smith'. Would you like the high-fidelity break metadata? ``` ## Capabilities ### Record Employee Actions Perform clock-in or clock-out actions for any employee, adding specific shift notes when you run the command. ### View Staff Directories List and manage all current employee profiles and basic organizational settings programmatically. ### Generate Time Reports Retrieve detailed, high-fidelity time card data for specific pay periods to prepare payroll records. ### Check Schedules Access and monitor published work schedules and shift updates to see team coverage at a glance. ## Use Cases ### Closing Payroll Month-End The Payroll Specialist needs to verify 150 hours of work from last month. They tell their agent: 'Show me all time entries for the last pay period.' The agent uses `list_time_entries` and summarizes the data, saving days of spreadsheet review. ### Onboarding a New Employee The HR Manager hires Alex Jones. Instead of manually updating multiple systems, they instruct their agent to 'Create employee record for Alex Jones' using `create_employee`, keeping the workforce directory accurate immediately. ### Verifying Shift Coverage The Operations Lead needs to know who is working next week. They ask the agent to check `list_work_schedules`. The agent returns a clear view of planned shifts, confirming no gaps in coverage. ### Logging Field Changes A field worker clocks out early due to an emergency. Instead of calling HR, they tell their agent: 'Punch out for me with the note: Early departure.' The `punch_in_out` tool records the precise time and reason. ## Benefits - Stop chasing missing time cards. You can use `list_time_entries` to pull accurate, detailed time card history for any pay period instantly. - Maintain perfect records by using `list_employees` and `create_employee` to manage staff profiles in one place. - Know your team's availability without leaving your chat window. Check published shifts with `list_work_schedules` to oversee labor capacity. - `punch_in_out` lets you record clock-ins or outs programmatically, adding notes and metadata right when it happens. - Simplify payroll data collection by running `list_pay_periods` first, then pulling the specific time entries needed for reporting. ## How It Works The bottom line is: your AI turns complex HR data retrieval and manual actions into a simple conversation with reliable guardrails. 1. First, subscribe to this MCP and get your Subscription Key from the Buddy Punch Developer Hub. (The Enterprise plan is required.) 2. Next, connect your AI agent using the key; you'll then access all workforce tools within your chosen AI client. 3. Finally, ask your agent what you need—for example, 'What are the time entries for John Doe last month?'—and it runs the necessary functions. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I find my Buddy Punch Subscription Key?** Log in to the Buddy Punch Developer Hub, navigate to your profile, and copy your Subscription Key (requires an active Enterprise plan). **Can I punch in an employee via AI?** Yes! The `punch_in_out` tool allows your agent to record a punch action by providing the employee ID and punch type (In/Out) programmatically. **How do I retrieve time entries for payroll?** Use the `list_time_entries` tool to retrieve detailed historical records of all work duration and breaks for the current pay period. **How do I use `create_employee` to add new staff members?** The MCP validates required fields like name and department before creating the record. You just provide the necessary details, and the system handles adding them to your workforce directory. **How can I check upcoming shifts using `list_work_schedules`?** This tool lists all published work schedules for your team. Your agent monitors these updates, helping you spot scheduling gaps or resource imbalances before they become problems. **What if an employee ID is wrong when I use `punch_in_out`?** The MCP will return a clear error message detailing the issue. This immediate feedback tells your agent exactly why the punch failed, letting you correct the ID or status quickly. **How do I determine all available pay cycles using `list_pay_periods`?** The tool provides a comprehensive directory of every defined pay period and historical cycle. You reference this list to guarantee your payroll data collection aligns with required financial records. **How can I filter staff when listing them with `list_employees`?** You pass specific criteria, such as department or status, directly into the tool call. This limits the results to only what you need, letting you focus on active personnel for reporting.