King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC)

Implementation of Time Attendance System at KAPSARC, Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), a leading energy think tank in Saudi Arabia, sought to implement a state-of-the-art Time Attendance System (TAS) to enhance operational efficiency in one of their division and improve employee productivity tracking. The primary goal was to streamline security attendance, seamlessly integrate the system with their existing SAP infrastructure, and ensure a high level of security compliance. The project emphasized critical security certifications such as GDPR, Safe to Host, and VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) to safeguard sensitive organizational data.

Requirements and Objectives

KAPSARC required a Time Attendance System that could not only track employee work hours but also integrate effectively with their enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, SAP. The project had several

key objectives:

• Security Certifications: Ensure full compliance with global security standards, particularly GDPR, Safe to Host, and VAPT, to safeguard employee data and protect against security breaches
• Integration with SAP: The system needed to integrate seamlessly with SAP’s HR and payroll modules to ensure smooth data flow between time tracking, payroll processing, and employee performance analytics.
• Customization and Reporting:The system had to support custom report generation tailored to various stakeholders within the organization. Automated report scheduling was required to provide regular productivity analytics.
• Productivity MonitoringTrack productivity rates by collecting data on attendance patterns, punctuality, work hours, and absenteeism, enabling managers to make informed decisions based on real-time data

Solution Implementation

The implementation of the Time Attendance System at KAPSARC followed a structured process divided into several

key phases:

• System Design and Planning:
  • Initial consultations with KAPSARC’s HR and IT teams helped identify specific requirements for integrating the TAS with their SAP ERP.
  • Detailed planning ensured compliance with GDPR regulations and other data protection and security best practices
  • Stakeholder groups were identified, and reporting needs for HR, department managers, and senior management were defined.
• Security Measures
  • The system underwent rigorous vulnerability assessments and penetration testing (VAPT) to identify and resolve any security weaknesses.
  • Data encryption protocols were implemented to ensure secure storage and transfer of sensitive employee data.
  • Compliance with GDPR was ensured through strong data privacy policies and role-based access control to restrict data access to authorized personnel only.
• Customization of Reports:
  • The system was tailored to generate reports specific to KAPSARC’s needs, including attendance patterns, overtime hours, absenteeism rates, and productivity analysis
  • Automated report scheduling ensured that stakeholders received updates at regular intervals (daily, weekly, or monthly).
  • Dashboards were created for managers and HR personnel to visualize key metrics in real time, allowing them to make data-driven decisions on workforce management.