Resolve Time Clock and POS Access Issues

Last updated: May 1, 2026, 1:54 PM

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Overview steps

Required permission: 4.9 Employee Info in Toast Web. If you use Toast Payroll, you also need access to Toast Payroll.

 

Employee clock-in and POS access issues usually have one of a few common causes. Start with the most common fix and work down:

 

  1. Verify the employee's POS access code is correct in Toast Web. See Find or edit an employee's POS access code.
  2. Check whether the employee's Toast Web profile shows an Expired or Invited badge.
  3. If the employee uses Toast Payroll, confirm their Payroll and Toast Web profiles are mapped correctly.
  4. Try clocking in from a different terminal to rule out a device-specific issue.
  5. If none of the above resolve the issue, see "Before you contact Customer Care" at the bottom of this article.

 

For details on each scenario, continue to the sections below.

 

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Expired employee profile

If an employee's profile shows an Expired badge in Toast Web, they cannot clock in or access the POS until their access is renewed.

 

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Employees > Employee management > Employees.
  2. Locate the employee profile with the Expired badge.
  3. Resend the invitation email for the employee to update their access.

 

Expected outcome: The employee receives an email to reactivate their profile. Once they complete the process, they can clock in again.

 

For more information, see Grant or Remove Toast Web Access for Existing Employees.

 

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Missing Toast Web profile (Payroll-only employee)

If an employee has a Toast Payroll profile but no Toast Web profile, they cannot clock in on POS devices.

 

  1. In Toast Payroll, navigate to Profile > User Account.
  2. Locate the employee profile and ensure it is not archived.
  3. Add an email address to the employee profile. This should trigger automatic creation of a Toast Web profile.
  4. If the Toast Web profile is not automatically created, manually create one and map the employee. See Toast Payroll: Manage Employee Mapping.
  5. Ensure the new profile is assigned a POS access code. See Find or edit an employee's POS access code.
  6. If the employee has multiple Toast Web profiles:
    1. Verify there is only one active profile per employee in Toast Web.
    2. If the profile is mapped to an archived Toast Web profile, unarchive that profile or create a new employee profile.

 

See Why doesn't my employee have any shifts? for more on resolving duplicate profile issues.

 

Expected outcome: The employee has a single active Toast Web profile with a valid POS access code and can clock in.

 

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Incorrect or non-working POS access code

If an employee's POS access code is not working:

 

  1. Verify the correct code in Toast Web. Navigate to Employees > Employee management > Employees, select the employee's hyperlinked last name, and check the Account info section on the Profile tab. See Find or edit an employee's POS access code.
  2. If the code is correct, resync data on the POS device. On the POS device, select the menu icon in the upper-right corner and choose Resync All Data.
  3. If the code still does not work after resyncing, enter a new POS access code in the employee's profile and select Save Changes. Then resync the POS device again.

 

Note: POS access codes must be three to eight digits. If you use Toast Payroll, the code may have been set from the employee number during the hiring process. See Toast Payroll: Employee Number and POS Access Code FAQ.

 

Expected outcome: The employee can clock in with the verified or updated POS access code.

 

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Employee clocking in shows wrong name

If an employee clocks in and a different employee's name appears, two employees may share the same POS access code. Each code must be unique within a location. [Suggested approach – requires validation]

 

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Employees > Employee management > Employees.
  2. Check the POS access codes for both the affected employee and the employee whose name appeared.
  3. If the codes match, assign a unique code to one of the employees and select Save Changes.
  4. Resync data on the POS device.

 

Expected outcome: Each employee clocks in under their own name.

 

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Terminal-specific clock-in issues

If the issue only occurs on one terminal but the employee can clock in on other devices:

 

  1. Have the employee try clocking in from a different terminal to confirm the issue is device-specific.
  2. On the affected terminal, fully log out of the POS system using the menu in the upper-right corner and log back in. See Log Out and Into Another Location in the Toast POS App.
  3. If the issue persists, force stop the Toast POS app and clear its cache. See Get Help With the Toast App on the POS.
  4. Resync all data on the device after restarting the app.

 

Expected outcome: The terminal accepts employee clock-ins after the restart and resync.

 

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Location-specific access issues

If an employee cannot clock in at a specific location but can at other locations:

 

  1. In Toast Web, confirm the employee's job roles and access permissions are configured correctly for that location.
  2. Verify the POS access code assigned to the employee for that location.
  3. Ensure all changes have been saved and published.
  4. Resync data on the POS device at the affected location.
  5. Have the employee try to clock in again.

 

For employees assigned to multiple locations, see Get Help With MLM Employee Access & Permissions.

 

Expected outcome: The employee can clock in at the affected location after permissions and sync are confirmed.

 

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Persistent clock-in problems

If none of the above steps resolve the issue:

 

  1. Archive the employee's profile in Toast Web.
  2. Create a new employee profile.
  3. Assign a fresh POS access code and ensure all permissions are accurate.
  4. If you use Toast Payroll, ensure the new and old profiles are mapped correctly. See Toast Payroll: Manage Employee Mapping.
  5. Resync data on all POS devices at the affected location.

 

Expected outcome: The employee can clock in with the new profile and POS access code.

 

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Before you contact Customer Care

If you were unable to resolve the issue using the steps above, gather the following information before contacting Customer Care:

 

  • The employee's name and current POS access code
  • The specific error message or behavior (for example, "Invalid Passcode," wrong name appearing, or "account disabled")
  • The terminal or location where the issue occurs
  • Steps you have already tried from this article
  • Whether the employee has a Toast Payroll profile
  • Whether the employee was recently onboarded or transferred from another location

 

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FAQ

 

Can employees clock in from the Toast Now app?

No, employees cannot clock in or view POS access codes on the Toast Now app at this time. Employees must clock in using a Toast POS device at the restaurant.

 

Can I set clock-in restrictions for employees?

Yes, you can configure clock-in permissions and restrictions through employee job roles in Toast Web. Navigate to Employees > Jobs & Permissions to manage these settings. [Navigation path requires validation]

 

What if an employee forgets to clock out?

If an employee forgets to clock out, a manager can manually edit their time clock entry to add the correct clock-out time. See Edit Employee Time Clock Entries.

 

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