--- title: "Paper list vs. electronic record · Sicheca" description: "Why paper is no longer enough and what you gain with the electronic record." url: https://sicheca.com/en/blog/lista-en-papel-vs-registro-electronico lang: en alternate_es: https://sicheca.com/blog/lista-en-papel-vs-registro-electronico.md --- Comparisons · 3 min read # Paper list versus electronic record Short answer Paper no longer complies: the law requires an electronic record. In addition, the electronic one adds up on its own, does not get lost and is delivered in minutes. ## What you gain - Hours calculated without adding by hand. - Per-person report instantly. - Nothing to file. ## What you lose The daily handwritten signature. It is replaced by the written agreement on the record. ## The reform in one minute The reform has two parts. On March 3, 2026, article 123 of the Constitution was amended to set the 40-hour workweek. On May 1, 2026, the Federal Labor Law was amended, which is where the detail is. - The maximum working week drops from 48 to 40 hours, two hours per year, between 2027 and 2030. - Overtime has a weekly cap: it is paid at double time up to the cap and at triple time for up to 4 more hours. - Each company must electronically record the start and end time of each person's workday. - Not keeping that record is fined 250 to 5,000 UMA. - Salary and benefits cannot go down because of the reduction in hours. What remains pending are the STPS general rules, which will define who the record applies to and what exceptions there will be. They take effect on January 1, 2027. | Year | Maximum working hours | Double-time overtime | Triple-time overtime | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026 | 48 h | 9 h | 4 h | | 2027 | 46 h | 9 h | 4 h | | 2028 | 44 h | 10 h | 4 h | | 2029 | 42 h | 11 h | 4 h | | 2030 | 40 h | 12 h | 4 h | Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on May 1, 2026, second and fourth transitory provisions, and article 68 of the LFT. Each change applies from January 1. ## Common mistakes - Comparing the purchase price and not the cost of operating. - Not testing the tool with the real team. - Forgetting the staff who do not work on site. - Not asking how an error is corrected. - Not checking how data is downloaded if you change providers. ## What to do now 1. Note how your team works: on site, in the field or remotely. 2. Define which report you need to deliver. 3. Try two options for a week. 4. Ask the team which one they used without help. 5. Check how you export your data. ## Related terms **[Night shift: schedule and maximum length](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/jornada-nocturna).** The night shift is the one worked between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. **[What is NOM-037 on telework](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/nom-037-teletrabajo).** NOM-037 sets the safety and health conditions for telework. **[What is the integrated daily salary (SDI)](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/salario-diario-integrado-sdi).** The integrated daily salary adds to the daily-rate salary the benefits the person receives, such as aguinaldo and vacation premium. ## Frequently asked questions ### Should I keep the old notebooks? Yes. They are still your attendance control for previous years. ### Does salary go down if fewer hours are worked? No. The reform prohibits lowering wages and benefits because of the reduction in working hours. ### Is the reform already in force? Yes. The reform to the Federal Labor Law took effect on May 1, 2026. The reduction in working hours starts on January 1, 2027. ### Who monitors compliance? The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, through inspections. ### Where do I find the official text? In the Official Gazette of the Federation of May 1, 2026 and in the current version of the Federal Labor Law published by the Chamber of Deputies. ## Legal basis and sources - Electronic working-time record: article 132, section XXXIV, of the LFT and fifth transitory provision of the decree. - [Decree amending the Federal Labor Law on the reduction of the working week](https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/notas/docFuente/5786537). Official Gazette of the Federation, May 1, 2026. - [Federal Labor Law, current text](https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFT.pdf). Chamber of Deputies. **How we write this content.** The Sicheca team writes it from the official text of the law. When something is not yet defined by the authority, we say so. It is general information and does not replace the advice of a lawyer or an accountant. ## Keep reading [ Comparisons **Recording by QR code or by location: which to use**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/registro-por-codigo-qr-vs-ubicacion) [ Comparisons **Shared tablet or personal phone for recording**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/tableta-compartida-vs-celular-personal) [ Comparisons **Payroll software and working-time record: they are not the same**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/software-de-nomina-vs-registro-de-jornada) [ Law and fines **Is a time clock mandatory in Mexico?**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/es-obligatorio-el-reloj-checador) [See all articles](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/) Who publishes this blog Sicheca is a digital time clock for recording working time from your phone. We write these guides from the official text of the law, so any business can understand what applies to it. If you want to try it, there is a waitlist. [Join the waitlist](https://sicheca.com/en/lista-de-espera?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=articulo&utm_campaign=lista-en-papel-vs-registro-electronico&utm_content=final)