Timesheets let your talent log the hours they work on a Task, so you approve hours before anyone is paid for them. This article shows how to approve and reject timesheets, how to reopen one that needs a correction, and why a freelancer can have several timesheets in the same week.

Who can do this: Team members who can edit the Task, and anyone added to the Task's Timesheet approvers.

Availability: Available on request. Ask your Business Solutions Architect to turn on timesheets for your account.

Your workspace may use different names for Tasks or Partners, such as Assignments or Freelancers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How timesheets are organized

  • One timesheet per Task per period. A period is usually a week. Your account can use two weeks or a month instead. A freelancer on three Tasks has three timesheets that week. Worksuite blocks a second timesheet for the same Task and period, so these aren't duplicates. When you build reports, group by Task as well as by worker and week.
  • Periods exist only between the Task's start and end dates. Your talent can't log hours before the start date or after the end date. To let them log more time, extend the Task's dates.
  • Time-tracking entries roll up. Entries from the timer or added by hand are combined into that period's timesheet.
  • Timesheets with breaks. Some accounts use timesheets that record breaks and non-billable time. You approve and reject them the same way.
StatusWhat it means
UnsubmittedThe freelancer is still entering hours.
Under reviewSubmitted and waiting for an approver. The freelancer can't change it.
ApprovedHours approved. An invoice may have been created from it.
RejectedSent back to the freelancer, who can edit and resubmit it.

Approve a timesheet

  1. Go to Tasks & Projects → All timesheets, or open the Task.
  2. Find the timesheet with the status Under review.
  3. Click Approve on its row. To approve several at once, select them first, then click Approve.
  4. (Optional) Tick Generate Invoice to create an invoice from the approved hours at the Task's hourly rate.
  5. Click Confirm.

You'll see "The Timesheet was successfully approved." If you approve a timesheet before its period ends, Worksuite warns you first. After approval, the freelancer can't add the rest of that period's time to it.

Reject a timesheet

Important: If the timesheet already has an invoice, rejecting the timesheet rejects the invoice too. This can't be undone.
  1. Go to Tasks & Projects → All timesheets, or open the Task.
  2. Open the actions menu on the timesheet's row and choose Reject. To reject several at once, select them first, then click Reject.
  3. Enter the Reason for rejection. The freelancer sees it on their timesheet.
  4. If the timesheet has an invoice, read the warning and tick I am aware that the Invoice will be rejected and that action can't be undone.
  5. Click Reject.

You'll see "The Timesheet was successfully rejected." The status changes to Rejected, and the freelancer can edit the hours and submit again.

Reopen an approved timesheet

There's no separate reopen or amend action. To correct an approved timesheet, or to let a freelancer add forgotten hours:

  1. Reject the approved timesheet, following the steps above.
  2. The freelancer edits the hours and submits it again.
  3. Approve the corrected timesheet. Tick Generate Invoice if you need a new invoice for it.

You can reject an approved timesheet only while its invoice hasn't started payment. Once the invoice is Processing, In-Flight or Paid, the timesheet can't be rejected.

Good to know

  • Approvers can't edit hours. Once a timesheet is submitted, only the freelancer can change the hours, and only after you reject it.
  • Early submission locks the rest of the period. If a freelancer submits before the last day of the period, they can't add time for the remaining days unless you reject it.
  • Worksuite doesn't approve timesheets. Approval and rejection are always your team's decision.

Troubleshooting

A freelancer says there's no timesheet for the dates they worked

The dates are probably after the Task's end date. Extend the Task's dates, and the missing periods appear. If the freelancer has no timesheet at all, check that they have an accepted, active Task that uses timesheets.

A freelancer sees "Time entry is not in task start/end range."

The date they're logging falls outside the Task's start and end dates. Extend the Task's dates, then ask them to log the hours again.

A freelancer sees "Task can't be used - limit of hours for task reached."

They've logged all the hours the Task allows. Raise the hours on the Task if more work is approved.

I don't see Reject or Approve

You need edit access to the Task or a place in its Timesheet approvers. Reject appears only for timesheets that are Under review or Approved. If the timesheet already has an invoice, your role also needs Can reject Invoices. Ask an admin to check your role.

Why don't I see timesheets at all?

Timesheets may not be turned on for your account. Ask your Business Solutions Architect.

Support/Resources

Still have questions about approving timesheets? Click Support in the bottom-left corner of Worksuite to contact our Support team, or email support@worksuite.com. Including a link to the page you're on and a screenshot helps us answer faster.