Timesheet Approval Workflow

How do I set up this timesheet workflow for my team?

Publish the template in your workspace and it's ready to use immediately — no development or installation needed. You can then assign which team members act as managers for the review task and which handle payroll processing. The request form and email content can be adjusted in the workflow editor to match your terminology.

How long does it take to get this running?

Since it's a ready-to-use template, a workspace can publish it and start collecting timesheets within minutes. There's no setup project or IT involvement required. You can refine details like due dates or email wording afterward without disrupting live submissions.

Who submits timesheets and do they need an account?

Employees or contractors submit timesheets through a public request form, without needing to create an account. If a correction is requested, they receive a form by email to submit corrected hours and notes, again without logging in. This keeps the process simple for people outside your workspace.

What happens when a manager requests a correction?

The timesheet status changes to Correction Requested, and the submitter gets an email with the manager's comments and a form to enter corrected hours. Once submitted, the total hours are recalculated and the timesheet returns to the manager review task. This correction loop can repeat up to 3 times before requiring resolution.

What does the manager actually review and decide?

The manager reviews the submitted hours and records a decision — Approve or Request Correction — along with comments, and this task is due in 2 days. The workflow waits for this decision before proceeding, and the decision and comments are saved to the record. This creates a clear timeline of who reviewed what and when.

What happens after a timesheet is approved?

The status updates to Ready for Payroll, a payroll processing task is created with a 2-day due date, and the submitter receives an approval confirmation email. The payroll task runs independently and its Processed field is tracked on the task itself rather than held up in the review flow. This keeps approved timesheets moving into payroll without delay.

Can I customise the fields on the timesheet form?

Yes, you can describe the change you want in plain English or edit the request form directly in the workflow editor. This applies to the initial submission form and the correction form sent to submitters. Earlier versions of the workflow are kept, so you can review what changed over time.

How do I track the status of all timesheets at once?

Each timesheet is a record with a reference number, current status, and a full timeline of what happened at each step. The workspace includes a table view showing records by status and a status breakdown chart for a quick overview. This gives managers and payroll a shared view of what's submitted, in review, or ready for processing.

What if the correction loop needs to happen more than 3 times?

The workflow is built to return to manager review up to 3 times for corrections. If a timesheet still needs changes after that, your team would need to handle it outside the automated loop, using the record's timeline and comments as reference. You can adjust the number of allowed cycles in the workflow editor if your process needs a different limit.

Does this workflow send notifications automatically?

Yes, the workflow sends an acknowledgement email with a reference number when a timesheet is submitted, and an approval email once payroll processing is triggered. Email is built into the platform, and a workspace can optionally route these through its own AWS SES account. Correction request emails are also sent automatically with the manager's comments attached.