Skip to content
Customer Portal Sign In
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

ZKTeco US15 Time Clock Troubleshooting Guide

ZKTeco US15 (Basic Clock)

Empeon Workforce’s time clock system offers precise tracking and efficient management of employee hours. If the ZKTeco US15 time clock encounters any issues, the following troubleshooting tips can help to resolve them quickly and effectively. If the issue cannot be resolved using these troubleshooting tips, please don't hesitate to reach out to Customer Support.

Clock Power Source

If the clock isn’t receiving power, check the connected cables. If only a CAT 5E or CAT 6 cable is connected and there is no additional AC/DC power cord, the issue is likely with your Ethernet (PoE) setup. Contact your IT department to resolve the issue.

Time Clock Reboot

For any clock issue, start by rebooting the device to see if it resolves the problem. To do this, hold down the button with the red dot, located in the lower left of the time clock.

Hold this button down until a countdown appears on the screen. Continue holding the button down until the countdown is finished and the device is turned off. To turn the device back on, hold down the red dot button once more until the screen turns on.

Please note that there is a "Reset" button found within the System settings of the Main Menu. While this option will restart the device, it will also reset the devices settings as well. This method is only recommended if you intend to perform a factory reset of the time clock, otherwise rebooting the time clock should be handled by holding down the left arrow button with the red dot.

ZKTeco US15 Navigation

The ZKTeco US15 time clock is not a touchscreen device, so navigation relies on a series of physical buttons. Understanding the functions of these buttons is key to accessing menus and performing basic actions, such as adjusting punch types on the main screen.
  • Menu/Enter - This button is used to access the time clock's menu of settings. It also acts as the "Enter" button for confirming actions within the time clock.
  • Arrows - These buttons are used to navigate the time clock. Please note that the left arrow also functions as the power button—holding it down turns the device on or off.
  • F1, F2, F3, F4 - These buttons allow quick adjustment of the punch type displayed on the screen. By default, F1 is configured for "Check-In" and F2 for "Check-Out." 

    However, F3 and F4 can be customized to suit the specific needs of the business, such as tracking Job Codes, Tip Codes, or Breaks. To configure these buttons within the time clock, navigate to the Personalize icon within the Main Menu and select Shortcut Key Mappings.

User Management

For more technical needs relating to the time clock, further troubleshooting is required within the Main Menu of the time clock. In order for someone to have access to the time clock's Main Menu, they need to be set up as a Super Admin. This permission is established under User Management when registering a New User to the time clock.

When adding a New User, the system will prompt for the employee's Clock ID number, Name, and User Role. This process also involves setting up the employee's time clock credentials—such as their fingerprint, password, or badge ID—to enable identity verification and allow them to punch in and out.

The User Role determines the level of access and functionality a User has to the the time clock:

  • Normal User - Someone who can only use the time clock to punch in and out.
  • Registrar - Someone who, in addition to using the time clock to punch in and out, can also enroll, edit and remove other Users.
  • Super Admin - Someone who, in addition to using the time clock to punch in and out, can access the Main Menu of the time clock in order to view and edit the time clock's settings.

Communication Settings

For situations where records from the clock—such as punches or employee additions—are not syncing with Workforce, the issue is almost always due to the clock not having Internet access. Empeon recommends using a CAT 5E/6 connection to network the time clock, though a strong wireless signal is also supported.

For any syncing issues between the Time Clock and Empeon Workforce, access the Main Menu and select the COMM icon to review how the time clock is connected to the internet.

Ethernet & Wireless Network

Depending on how the time clock is configured, there are settings for both Ethernet and Wireless Network to help troubleshoot any issues with the time clocks connection. 

There are also settings for Serial Communication, which manages data transfer via RS232 or RS485—protocols used for direct or multi-device connections over short or long distances—and PC Connection, which configures the time clock's link to a computer for data synchronization.