About timesheet approvals

Timesheet Approvals let you define who approves which staff members’ timesheets.

Timesheet Approvals help you:

• Ensure review before use: Timesheets are reviewed before they are used for billing, reporting, or payroll.
• Have clear status visibility: Staff can see the timesheet status (Draft, Awaiting Approval, Submitted, Changes Requested).

• Customise Approvers

  The Customise Approvers section allows you to dictate which staff require approval and who approves them.

  • Create an approval group
    1. Go to Settings > Approvals > Timesheets.
    2. Enable the Approval required for submitted timesheets option.
    3. Complete the Customise Approvers section:
       • Approvers – select one or more Managers/Admins who will approve these timesheets.
       • Staff – select one or more staff whose timesheets will follow this group.
    To streamline setup, you can select entire Teams in both the Approvers and Staff sections, saving time when assigning groups of users.
    4. Repeat for as many groups as you need (for different teams, locations, or departments).
    5. Click the page‑level Save button.

    Validation rules

    • At least one Approver is required.
    • At least one Staff member is required.
    • A staff member cannot be their own approver.

  • Managing rejection reasons

    Rejection reasons are used when approvers request changes to a timesheet.

    1. In Settings > Approvals > Timesheets, find the Rejection Reasons section.
    2. Add reasons that are meaningful for your organisation, such as:
       • “Missing project code”
       • “Incorrect job selected”
       • “Overtime not authorised”
    3. Each reason is added as a tag. Remove a reason by clicking the x on its tag.

    These reasons appear in the Request Changes modal for approvers and help standardise feedback to staff.

• Configuring notifications for approvers

  You can automatically email approvers when timesheets are submitted, or provide a weekly digest.

  1. In Settings > Approvals > Timesheets, scroll to the Submitted Notifications section.
  2. Enable the Notify approvers when a timesheet has been submitted for review option.
  3. Choose one of:
     • Every time timesheets are submitted
       Sends an email each time a staff member submits a timesheet for approval.
     • At set time with all submitted timesheets awaiting approval
       Shows:
       • Day of week dropdown (Monday–Sunday).
       • Time picker (24h).
  4. Click Save.

  The system creates or updates the required scheduled jobs so notifications are sent at the correct times.

• Staff experience: submitting and tracking timesheets
  • Weekly timesheet statuses

    When Timesheet Approvals are enabled, staff see a Status column in their Weekly Timesheet summary:

    • Draft – Timesheet not submitted.
    • Awaiting Approval – Submitted and waiting for an approver.
    • Submitted – Approved by all required approvers in the group.
    • Changes Requested – An approver has requested changes; staff must update and resubmit.

    This allows staff to instantly see what needs attention.

  • Submitting a timesheet
    1. Staff fill in their weekly timesheet.
    2. They submit it for approval.
    3. The status changes from Draft to Awaiting Approval.
    4. Approvers may:
       • Approve the timesheet, or
       • Request changes with reasons and a message.

  • Responding to “Changes Requested”
    1. If a timesheet status is Changes Requested the timesheet is unlocked for editing.
    2. The staff member receives an email listing:
       • Rejection reasons selected by the approver.
       • The approver’s message.
    3. The staff member makes the required changes and resubmits the timesheet.
• Approver workflow: approving and requesting changes
  • Approving a timesheet
    1. When a timesheet is in Awaiting Approval open Team Timesheets for the relevant staff member and week.
    2. If you’re the designated approver the Approve button is enabled.
    3. Click Approve.

    The system:

    • Processes your approval (with a loading state).
    • Updates the timesheet status (up the group or to Submitted).
    • Locks the timesheet from further edits (unless an admin unlocks it).
    • Sends an Approval email to the staff member.

  • Requesting changes
    1. With the timesheet open, click Request Changes.
    2. In the modal:
       • Select relevant rejection reasons.
       • Add an optional message to the staff member.
    3. Click Request Changes.

    The system:

    • Changes the status to Changes Requested.
    • Unlocks the timesheet so the staff member can edit.
    • Sends an email to the staff member with reasons and your message.
    • Shows a confirmation message.

  • Viewing approval history
    1. Open Team Timesheets for the relevant staff member and week.
    2. Click History in the header.

    A side panel opens showing an event timeline, for example:

    • Timesheet submitted for approval.
    • Approval(s) by each approver.
    • Requests for changes, including reasons.
    • Resubmissions.
    • Unlock events.

    Each event shows who acted, what they did, and when. Close the panel using the X or by clicking outside it.

FAQ

• Why can’t I see the Approvals tab?

  Check your plan (Approvals require Advanced) and ensure you have the Approval Workflows permission.

• Rule won’t save — what to check?

  Make sure percentages (for capacity tracking) are set in 10% increments (from 10% to 100%), at least one recipient is selected for targeted rules, and there are no conflicting rules with the same schedule and overlapping recipients.

• Submitted timesheet failed to approve

  If you have set up timesheet approvers, please ensure that the approver has the 'Financial' permission set to 'Full Access' to successfully approve submitted timesheets.