i am trying to set up a mysql db for a simple punch clock system but i am unsure what is the best way to go about it.

it is just going to be a web interface with php, with an "in" button and an "out" button. and i just need the time a day when each individual clicks either button.

so i am thinking:
punch_clock(name, in, out)
is this going to be good enough??

i am not very good with db's but i would like to do it right... and as simple and clean as possible.

anybody know how i can set up a simple punch clock table/db???

Ok, let's think of it this way.
Today I clock in at 10am and out at 2pm.
I do the same tomorrow.
I just violated your primary key.

You may wish to consider using a foreign key relationship.
Something like this may be acceptable depending on your requirements.

do you need to consider people who forget to clock in or out? if so how does your model allow for the fact that a retrospective adjustment is being made?

it depends on your requirements but do you want to have to look for a previous clock on to register a clock out event.

at first glance Id be looking for at least 2 tables

User
UserID PK
FName
SName....etc

ClockEvent
EventID PK
UserID FK in User
EventTimeStamp 'the time the event occurred according to the clock
ChangedBy 'something to record WHO/WHAT made changed (optionally FK to User)
RowTimeStamp 'date this row was last edited/changed (should be the same as the EventTimeStamp

you could if you required to also store an event type int he clockevents (eg IN, OUT, IN [adjusted], Out [Adjusted], OnBreak, OffBreak etc......)

Is there a reason that you don't use one of the existing time clock routines? I think I've seen 10,000 posted in various source code archives over the last few years.

I'm too lazy to reinvent the wheel, unless I truly need a custom wheel for some reason.

-PatP