Why Your Time Tracking System Shouldn't Depend on the Cloud: Lessons from AWS

When the Cloud Goes Down, Does Your Business Stop?

Yesterday’s widespread AWS outage affected thousands of businesses worldwide, bringing operations to a grinding halt. Websites crashed. SaaS applications became inaccessible. And for many companies using cloud-based time tracking systems, employees couldn’t clock in or out—leaving managers scrambling and payroll in chaos.

But what if there was a better way?

At UHere, we built QRPunch with a different philosophy: local-first architecture. While competitors struggled with yesterday’s outage, QRPunch users continued tracking time without interruption. Here’s why the local-first approach matters more than ever.

The Hidden Cost of Cloud Dependency

What Happened During the AWS Outage?

On October 21, 2025, Amazon Web Services experienced a significant service disruption affecting multiple regions. The impact was immediate and widespread:

❌ Cloud-based time tracking systems became inaccessible
❌ Employees couldn’t clock in or out for their shifts
❌ Managers lost visibility into workforce attendance
❌ Real-time reporting and dashboards went dark
❌ Mobile apps relying on cloud APIs stopped functioning

For businesses using traditional cloud-based attendance systems like TSheets, Deputy, or When I Work, this meant hours of lost productivity and potential payroll inaccuracies.

The Real Business Impact

When your time tracking system goes offline, the consequences extend far beyond inconvenience:

Lost Time Data - Gaps in attendance records create payroll nightmares
Compliance Issues - Missing time records can violate labor regulations
Employee Frustration - Workers unable to clock in/out properly
Manual Workarounds - Managers forced to use paper timesheets or manual entry
Payroll Delays - Incomplete data means delayed or inaccurate paychecks

The bottom line: Cloud outages don’t just interrupt service—they cost real money and create real problems.

The Local-First Advantage: How QRPunch Stays Online

What Does “Local-First” Mean?

Local-first software prioritizes storing data on your device first, rather than relying on cloud servers for core functionality. QRPunch uses this architecture to ensure your business keeps running, even when the internet doesn’t.

QRPunch Works Offline—Here’s How

Core Features That Never Go Down:

✅ QR Code Scanning - Employees clock in/out instantly using your computer’s webcam
✅ Real-Time Processing - Attendance records saved immediately to your local database
✅ Live Attendance Viewing - See who’s clocked in, view attendance history, run queries—all without internet
✅ Shift Management - Access schedules, roles, and employee information locally
✅ Automatic Backups - Daily backups run on schedule, no cloud required
✅ Data Queries & Reports - Search and filter attendance records by date, employee, or role

Internet Required For:

⚠️ Admin authentication (initial login to access admin features)
⚠️ CSV export functionality (requires admin login)
⚠️ Subscription management
⚠️ SecurePunch card distribution via email/mobile app

The critical difference: Your employees can always clock in and out, and all attendance data is captured and stored safely—even during complete internet outages. Administrative functions like exports can wait until connectivity returns.

Real-World Scenario: Yesterday’s Outage

Let’s compare two businesses during yesterday’s AWS outage:

Company A: Using Cloud-Based Time Tracking

❌ 7:00 AM - First shift employees arrive, but the time tracking app shows “Server Error”
❌ 7:15 AM - Manager calls support, waits on hold
❌ 8:00 AM - Still no access; employees start manual paper timesheets
❌ 12:00 PM - System partially restored but data sync issues
❌ 5:00 PM - Manager spends 2 hours manually entering missed punches

Result: Lost productivity, frustrated employees, payroll complications, and wasted management time.

Company B: Using QRPunch (Local-First)

✅ 7:00 AM - Employees scan QR codes and clock in normally
✅ 7:01 AM - All attendance data recorded and stored locally
✅ Throughout the day - Business operates as usual with complete QR scanning functionality
✅ Throughout the day - Manager views real-time attendance data, runs queries, checks who’s clocked in—all offline
✅ 5:00 PM - All attendance records safely stored; CSV export available once internet restored

Result: Zero disruption to core operations. Employees tracked accurately. Payroll data ready when connectivity returns.

Beyond Outages: 5 More Reasons Local-First Wins

1. Lightning-Fast Performance

No API latency means QRPunch processes clock-ins in under 200 milliseconds. Cloud-based systems can take 2-3 seconds even on good days—and much longer when servers are under load.

2. Complete Data Privacy

Your employee attendance data stays on your computer—not on someone else’s server. This matters for:

✅ GDPR compliance
✅ HIPAA requirements
✅ Data sovereignty regulations
✅ Corporate security policies

3. No Per-Employee Pricing

Cloud systems charge per employee per month ($8-12 typical). QRPunch offers flat-rate subscriptions:

💰 FREE for up to 5 employees
💰 $9.99/month for ESSENTIALS (15 employees)
💰 $29.99/month for BUSINESS (unlimited employees)

Savings example: A 30-employee business saves $2,100+ annually vs. typical cloud competitors.

4. Works Anywhere

No internet at a remote site? Construction job with spotty connectivity? QRPunch still works perfectly. Your business location shouldn’t limit your software options.

5. You Own Your Data

Export to CSV anytime. No vendor lock-in. Your data is truly yours—stored on your computer, not held hostage in a cloud database you don’t control.

Security Without Sacrifice

Some might wonder: “Isn’t the cloud more secure?” Not necessarily.

QRPunch Security Features:

🔒 SecurePunch™ Encryption - Military-grade encrypted QR codes that refresh regularly
🔒 Optional Database Encryption - Full AES-256 encryption for sensitive data (BUSINESS PLUS tier)
🔒 OS-Level Key Storage - Windows Credential Manager, macOS Keychain integration
🔒 Complete Audit Trail - Track every change with admin attribution
🔒 No Cloud Storage - No data breaches from compromised cloud servers

The reality: Local-first can be just as secure—or more secure—than cloud storage, without the single point of failure.

The Future of Business Software is Local-First

Yesterday’s AWS outage is a reminder that even the most reliable cloud providers have vulnerabilities. As businesses become more dependent on digital tools, reliability and resilience matter more than ever.

The local-first movement represents a return to common sense:

➡️ Core functionality shouldn’t require internet
➡️ Your data should live where you can control it
➡️ Business-critical systems should be resilient by design

QRPunch embodies these principles while delivering modern features and user experience.

Make the Switch to Reliable Time Tracking

Don’t wait for the next cloud outage to disrupt your business. Try QRPunch free for up to 5 employees—no credit card required.

Get Started Today:

Download QRPunch for Windows from the Microsoft Store
Set up your first employee in under 5 minutes
Generate QR codes and start tracking time
Experience the local-first advantage

Choose Your Plan

FREE STARTER - Perfect for testing or micro-businesses

✅ Up to 5 employees
✅ Core QR tracking features
✅ Works 100% offline
✅ $0/month forever

ESSENTIALS - $9.99/month

✅ Up to 15 employees
✅ SecurePunch encryption
✅ Multiple shifts and roles
✅ Work duration calculations

BUSINESS - $29.99/month (Most Popular)

✅ Unlimited employees
✅ All ESSENTIALS features
✅ Event management
✅ Automatic daily backups

BUSINESS PLUS - $49.99/month

✅ All BUSINESS features
✅ Full database encryption
✅ Priority support
✅ Advanced admin controls

View detailed pricing →

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does QRPunch require any internet connection?

A: The most important function—employee QR code scanning and clock-in/out—works completely offline. You can also view attendance data and run queries offline. Internet is needed for admin authentication (to access admin features like CSV export), subscription management, and SecurePunch card distribution. The key point: your employees can always track time, even during internet outages.

Q: What happens if my computer crashes?

A: QRPunch includes automatic daily backups (BUSINESS and BUSINESS PLUS tiers) and manual backup options (all tiers). Your data is safe and restorable. For additional security, you can store your backup files in third-party cloud sync services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive—giving you the best of both worlds: local-first reliability with cloud backup protection.

Q: Can employees use their phones?

A: Yes! Employees can use QR codes displayed on their phones to scan. Basic QR codes are available on all tiers, while encrypted SecurePunch QR codes (which refresh regularly for maximum anti-fraud protection) are available on BUSINESS and BUSINESS PLUS tiers.

Q: How is this different from cloud backup?

A: QRPunch stores data locally first. Optional backups are your choice—not a requirement. Your data doesn’t need to “sync” with a cloud server to be usable.

Q: What if I want to access data from multiple locations?

A: You can export data to CSV and share it, or run QRPunch on multiple computers. We’re also exploring multi-location features for future releases.

The Bottom Line

When AWS went down yesterday, QRPunch users didn’t even notice. Their employees clocked in and out normally. Their managers accessed reports without issue. Their business kept running.

That’s the power of local-first architecture.

Your time tracking system is too important to trust entirely to the cloud. Choose reliability. Choose control. Choose local-first.

Try QRPunch free today and see why businesses are moving away from cloud-dependent time tracking.

Download Free Now →

About UHere & QRPunch

UHere builds modern workforce management tools that put businesses in control. QRPunch is our flagship time tracking application, designed with a local-first philosophy to ensure reliability, security, and data ownership. Learn more at uhere.co.

Have questions about local-first architecture or QRPunch features? Contact our team for expert guidance.