Timesheet approval adds a review step before time hits a job phase. Instead of time posting straight to the job when a timesheet user submits it, it waits for an approver to check it first. This matters if you need oversight on what gets billed or reported before it becomes final.
This article covers how to approve, hold, query or reject timesheets once they've been submitted.
Approving timesheets
If you're set up as an approver, Synergist can email you when a sheet is waiting for your review.
- Go to Time & Expenses > Timesheet Approval in the left hand navigation panel.
- Filter the list by individual resource, or view all.
- Click into a line to open the full sheet, or click the job phase number to open that phase directly.
Each sheet can be moved into one of four statuses: Approved, On Hold, Queried or Rejected.
Approved
- Click the A icon in the approved column for that line.
- Repeat for each line, or use the Actions button and select Approve all if you're happy with the whole sheet.
You can add a note when approving, but it's not required. Once you're happy with the statuses, post the approved lines onto the job phase. Until you post them, the time stays in a pending status.
On hold
Click the H icon in the held column. The line stays pending across the system until you come back and change its status.
Queried
Click the Q icon in the queried column. The sheet opens automatically, because you must enter Approver's notes explaining what needs amending. Once you confirm, the line shows as pending queried until the submitter either resubmits it or deletes it.
Rejected
Click the R icon in the rejected column. As with querying, the sheet opens and you must enter Approver's notes so the submitter knows why it was rejected. A rejected line needs to be deleted by the submitter.
Excluding a team from approval
Timesheet approval applies to every user in the company once switched on, but you can exclude specific teams.
- Go to File Maintenance > Teams.
- Open the team you want to exclude.
- Select Members of this team are excluded from timesheet approval.
Users on that team will see a Post button instead of Submit, so their time goes straight to the job phase.
Tips
- Always leave a note when you query or reject a sheet. It's mandatory, and it saves a back and forth with the submitter.
- Remember that queried and rejected timesheets don't disappear on their own. The submitter has to act on them before the time can be posted.
- Use Approve all on the Actions button when a whole sheet looks correct, rather than clicking through each line individually.
- Exclude teams from approval where a full review step genuinely doesn't add value, rather than leaving them submitting sheets that always get waved through.