Timesheet Approvals

When a sheet is submitted, the active approval rules are evaluated in priority order. Each rule can match on project category, whether billable time is present and a minimum number of hours, and names the role for step one and optionally step two: Project Manager, Resource Manager, Time Approver or Controller. A rule matches in First Match or All Match mode. The result is an ordered chain of approval steps on the sheet, one per approver, each Pending.

Each approver approves or rejects their step with comments. When the chain is approved, the sheet is Approved and its entries lock. A rejection sends the sheet back with the reason. A rule may also allow auto-approval when the sheet’s variance from forecast is within its threshold and the person has no open policy violations that week.

• Rules in priority order. Rules are evaluated from highest priority, so a specific rule for travel time can sit above a general delivery rule.
• Steps with roles. Each step records the approver role, the approver, the rule it came from and the decision.
• Auto-approval within limits. Low-variance sheets with no open violations can skip manual approval when the rule allows it.

List the approval paths you use today and turn them into rules with priorities. Agree who approves billable delivery time, internal time and travel. Decide whether any rule should auto-approve, and at what variance. Confirm each person’s resource manager is recorded.

A consultant’s week includes 30 billable delivery hours and 8 hours of travel. The travel rule has the highest priority and routes step one to the Project Manager and step two to the Controller. The delivery rule routes to the Project Manager only. In All Match mode both apply, so the chain has a Project Manager step and a Controller step.

The Project Manager approves on Monday. The Controller questions a 4-hour taxi wait and rejects the step with a comment. The consultant splits the time correctly and resubmits, and a new chain is built. Another consultant’s sheet, 40 hours against a 40-hour forecast with no violations, is auto-approved by a rule that allows a 5 percent variance.

• Timesheet Approvals — Pending approval steps with sheet, step, role, approver and source rule.
• My Approval Steps — The steps assigned to the signed-in approver, with decisions and comments.
• Active Approval Rules — The rules in force with priority, conditions and approver roles.

• Timesheet approval routing: From submission to an approved, locked sheet.
• Time entry to payroll export: What approval releases.

Check who may approve before go-live.