Start Here: Run Diagnostics
The Sense Clock Transactions Service includes built-in diagnostics to help identify connection and configuration issues quickly.
Before following the troubleshooting steps below:
Open the Sense Clock Transaction Service.
Select the Diagnostics tab.
Click Run Diagnostics.
The service checks:
Configuration
Certificate validity
Internet connection
DNS resolution
MQTT port 8883
TLS handshake
Windows service
IoT Hub connection
Clock connectivity
Run Diagnostics to check the connections and services required for your Anviz clocks to communicate with Sense HR.
What to look for
✓ Passed — the check completed successfully.
Ⅹ Failed — there is a problem with that part of the connection or configuration.
The diagnostic result can help you identify whether the issue is with:
the Windows service
your local network
internet or DNS access
firewall or security configuration
communication with Sense H
communication with an individual clock
If a network, DNS, port, TLS or internet check fails, you may need help from your IT team.
Then Check Status and Devices
Before investigating an individual problem, make two quick checks.
Status tab
Confirm:
Service Status = Running
IoT Hub = Connected
Also check:
Last Successful Publish
Last Publish Error
Pending Retries
Devices tab
Confirm each Anviz clock shows:
Connected
These checks, together with Diagnostics, will often identify where the problem is occurring.
What Issue Are You Experiencing?
If your Anviz clock is not working as expected, choose the closest match:
No Attendance Data for Any Employees
If no clock-in data is appearing for any employees, this usually indicates a connection, service, or network issue.
Check the following:
Step 1: Check the service PC is powered on
The Sense Clock Transactions Service must be able to run at all times.
If the PC is turned off:
clock events cannot be sent to Sense HR until the service is available again
Clock events are stored on the clock and can be retrieved when connectivity is restored.
Step 2: Check the service is running
On the computer running the Sense Clock Transactions Service:
Open the Sense Clock Transactions Service.
Select the Status tab.
Check Service Status shows Running.
If not:
• Select Start or Restart as appropriate.
Step 3: Check the clock is connected
In the Sense Clock Transactions Service:
Open the Devices tab.
Confirm the clock shows as Connected.
If it is not connected:
• ensure the clock is powered on
• confirm network connectivity
• check that the correct IP address is configured for the clock
Check the clock IP address
On the Anviz clock, open the device menu.
For keypad devices: Press the M key.
For touchscreen devices: Open Settings.
Log in as administrator and open the device’s network settings.
Check the IP address for the Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection being used.
Compare this with the IP address shown for the clock in the Devices tab of the Sense Clock Transactions Service.
If the IP addresses do not match, the Sense Clock Transactions Service may be trying to connect to the clock using an outdated IP address.
Step 4: Check whether the PC can reach the clock
If the clock still does not connect, test whether the Windows PC running the Sense Clock Transactions Service can reach it over your local network.
Run a Ping test
Open Command Prompt on the Windows PC.
Enter:
ping [clock IP address]
Example:
ping 192.168.1.25
Expected result:
0% packet loss
low response times in milliseconds
If Ping fails:
The Windows PC cannot reliably reach the clock.
This is a network or firewall issue.
Contact your internal IT team to check:
firewall rules
network access
whether the clock and service PC can communicate
VLAN or network isolation
device connectivity
Step 5: Check the connection to Sense HR
The Sense Clock Transactions Service must be able to communicate with Azure IoT Hub to send attendance data to Sense HR.
The Diagnostics tab checks this automatically, including:
Internet connection
DNS resolution
MQTT port 8883
TLS handshake
IoT Hub connection
If these tests pass:
Continue to Step 6.
If MQTT, TLS, DNS or IoT Hub Diagnostics fail:
Your firewall or security configuration may be preventing the Sense Clock Transactions Service from reaching Azure IoT Hub.
Your IT team should ensure outbound access is available for:
TCP port 8883 — MQTT communication
TCP port 443 — HTTPS communication
TCP port 80 — may be required for certificate validation
The service must also be able to reach:
devices-iothub6b4a7fb.azure-devices.net
Some firewalls or security appliances may interfere with this communication if they use:
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
SSL inspection
certificate filtering
restrictive outbound firewall rules
Additional port test
If your IT team needs to verify port 8883 manually:
Open Windows PowerShell.
Run:
Test-NetConnection devices-iothub6b4a7fb.azure-devices.net -Port 8883
Expected result:
TcpTestSucceeded : True
If the test fails, ask your IT team to review the firewall and security configuration.
🖊️ Important note: A successful Ping test only confirms that the service PC can reach the Anviz clock on the local network.
Attendance data may still fail to reach Sense HR if internet, MQTT, TLS or certificate-validation traffic is blocked.
Step 6: Perform a test clock-in
Ask an employee to perform a clock-in.
Wait a few minutes.
Open the Records tab in the Sense Clock Transactions Service.
You can:
select the relevant date
filter by device
search by employee name or employee number
Does the test event appear in Records?
✓ Yes → The clock event has reached the Sense Clock Transactions Service. Continue to Step 7.
╳ No → The event has not reached the service.
Check:
the employee’s authentication was accepted by the clock
the correct clock shows as Connected
clock connectivity in Diagnostics
local network connectivity
Use the Records tab to check whether a clock-in event has reached the Sense Clock Transaction Service.
Step 7: Check whether the event reaches Sense HR
If the event appears in Records, check whether the same clock-in appears in Sense HR.
If:
the service is Running
the device is Connected
Diagnostics pass
the clock-in appears in Records
... but the event does not appear in Sense HR:
contact Sense support.
This information helps establish that the clock and local connection are working and that the issue occurs after the Sense Clock Transactions Service receives the event.
No Attendance Data for a Specific Employee
If only one or a few employees are affected, this is usually an employee setup or enrolment issue.
Step 1: Check the employee exists on the clock
On the Anviz clock:
Open the device menu.
Log in as administrator.
Open User / Users.
Search or scroll to locate the employee.
🖊️ Note: Menu names and navigation vary between Anviz models.
If the employee is missing:
Sync the employee from Sense HR.
Go to Sense HR Dashboard > People.
Open the employee profile.
Click More actions (…).
Select Anviz sync.
✅ This sends the employee to all connected clocks.
Check the Employees tab in the Sense Clock Transactions Service to confirm that the employee appears.
Step 2: Check the authentication method is registered
Ensure the employee has at least one supported clock-in method registered:
card
fingerprint
facial recognition
Available methods depend on the Anviz device model.
If authentication has not been registered, follow the relevant guide:
👉 Using RFID / NFC Cards with Anviz Clocks
👉 Using Fingerprint Clocking on the Anviz C2 Pro
Step 3: Check the employee is not marked as a leaver in Sense HR
Employees marked as leavers in Sense HR are automatically removed from clocks once their leaving date has passed.
If the employee’s leaving date has passed, they will no longer be able to clock in.
Step 4: Re-test the clock-in
After making any changes:
Ask the employee to clock in again.
Check that the clock accepts the authentication.
Wait a few minutes.
Search for the employee in the Records tab.
Check that the event appears in Sense HR.
If the event appears in Records but not Sense HR:
Contact Sense support.
If the event does not appear in Records:
Check the employee’s authentication and the connection to that clock.
Clock Connected but Data Appears Delayed
Clock devices store events locally before sending them to the Sense Clock Transactions Service. They are then sent to Sense HR.
This means:
events may take a few minutes to appear
temporary delays can occur during network interruptions
clock events are stored so they can be transmitted when connectivity returns
🖊️ Important note: The timestamp reflects the actual scan time, not when the data subsequently appears in the Sense Clock Transactions Service or Sense HR.
Check for pending events
Open the Status tab.
Check:
• Last Successful Publish
• Last Publish Error• Pending Retries
Pending retries indicate records waiting to be published.
You can also check Records to confirm whether the clock event has reached the service.
If pending records do not clear or publishing repeatedly fails, run Diagnostics.
Authentication Not Working
Card issues
Check:
the card is assigned to the correct employee
the correct card is being used
the employee exists on the clock
If needed:
re-register the card to the employee
For detailed card troubleshooting, see:
Fingerprint issues
Check:
the fingerprint is enrolled
the employee is positioning their finger correctly
the sensor is clean
If needed:
re-enrol the fingerprint
For detailed fingerprint troubleshooting, see:
Face recognition issues
Check:
the face is enrolled
the employee is positioned correctly
lighting and visibility are suitable
If needed:
re-enrol the face
For detailed face recognition troubleshooting, see:
Users Are Different Across Multiple Clocks
If an employee exists on one connected Anviz clock but is missing from another, you can reconcile users across the clocks.
In the Sense Clock Transactions Service:
Open the Sync tab.
Select Sync Clocks.
Review the results.
Sync Clocks:
adds an employee found on one clock to other connected clocks where they are missing
copies fingerprint templates
copies face templates
copies registered usernames and passwords
does not remove employees
🖊️ Important note: Sync Clocks is additive. It does not remove users from the clocks.
Use Anviz sync in Sense HR instead when a Sense HR employee does not exist on any of the clocks.
Quick Checks
If you are unsure where the issue is, check:
Does Diagnostics pass?
Is the service Running?
Does the clock show as Connected?
Is the employee visible in Employees and on the clock?
Is the employee’s authentication method registered?
Does the clock-in appear in Records?
Does the event then appear in Sense HR?
When to Contact Your IT Team
Contact your IT team if:
Ping fails and the clock cannot be reached
Diagnostics reports internet or DNS connectivity failures
MQTT port 8883 or TLS checks fail
devices cannot communicate across your network
firewall or security restrictions may be blocking communication
certificate validation traffic may be blocked
IP configuration needs updating
These issues typically require access to your organisation’s network or security configuration and are outside Sense Support’s control.
When to Contact Sense Support
Contact Sense support if:
the clock shows as Connected but expected records are not being received
a clock-in appears in Records but does not appear in Sense HR
Diagnostics passes but communication still fails
employees are correctly set up but still cannot clock in
pending retries or publishing errors persist
the issue continues after completing the relevant checks above
Please provide:
employee name(s) / IDs affected
time of attempted clock-in
clock location
whether the event appears in Records
screenshots of the relevant Diagnostics, Status and Devices information, if available
When to Refer to Anviz Device Documentation
Refer to your Anviz device manual if the issue relates to using or navigating the clock itself, such as:
finding specific settings on the device
best practice for registering or managing authentication methods
adjusting device-specific configuration, such as network or time settings
understanding device behaviour or on-screen messages
Each Anviz model may have slightly different menus and interfaces.
💡 Tip: If you are unsure which guide to follow, check your device model and refer to the relevant Anviz manufacturer manual for device-specific instructions.