Timesheet Overview - Understanding the Workflow

Timesheets are the foundation of labor tracking in Site Service Pro. They capture who worked, how long they worked, what they worked on, and enable accurate billing and payroll. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how timesheets flow through the system.

The Four Phases of a Timesheet

Every timesheet moves through four distinct phases:

┌─────────┐    ┌───────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌────────┐
│  DRAFT  │ →  │ SUBMITTED │ →  │ APPROVED │ →  │ CLOSED │
└─────────┘    └───────────┘    └──────────┘    └────────┘
   Create         Submit          Approve         Close
   & Edit        for Review      & Calculate      Archive

Why This Workflow Matters

For Field Workers & Foremen

• Accuracy: Draft phase allows corrections before submission
• Accountability: Once submitted, records are locked for integrity
• Transparency: Everyone can see the status of their timesheets

For Approvers & Managers

• Review: Submitted timesheets queue up for review
• Control: Approve accurate timesheets, reject those needing corrections
• Audit Trail: Every approval is recorded with timestamp, name, and IP address

For Office & Administration

• Financial Accuracy: Costs calculated only after approval
• Billing Confidence: Closed timesheets are ready for invoicing
• Compliance: Complete audit trail for labor records

Phase 1: Draft

What Happens

When a timesheet is created, it starts in Draft status. This is the working phase where all data entry occurs.

Who Creates Timesheets

Typically created by:

• Foremen - For their crew's daily work
• Project Managers - For their team members
• Individual Workers - For their own time (if permitted)

What Can Be Entered

• Labor Entries: Each employee who worked, with their hours
• Time Types: Regular, Overtime, Double-Time, Travel
• Project: Which job the work was for
• Equipment: Company equipment used
• Materials: Supplies consumed from truck stock
• Subcontractors: Third-party work performed
• Equipment Rentals: Rented equipment used
• Work Description: What was accomplished

Key Rules

• Future dates are not allowed
• Each employee can only appear once per timesheet
• Total hours per employee cannot exceed 24 hours per day
• Project is required for billable work

Editing

Draft timesheets can be freely edited - add employees, change hours, update details. Nothing is locked until submission.

Phase 2: Submitted

What Happens

When the creator clicks Submit, the timesheet moves to Submitted status and enters the approval queue.

Rate Locking

Critical concept: At the moment of submission, all billing and pay rates are "locked" into the timesheet. This captures:

• Employee pay rates
• Client billing rates
• Per diem amounts
• Equipment rates
• Burden percentages

Why lock rates? If rates change later, the timesheet still reflects the rates that were in effect when the work was done.

What Approvers See

Submitted timesheets appear in the approval queue with:

• Employee names and hours
• Project and client information
• Work description
• All line items (equipment, materials, etc.)

Can't Edit - Must Reject

Once submitted, the timesheet cannot be edited. If changes are needed:

1. Approver clicks Reject
2. Timesheet returns to Draft status
3. Creator makes corrections
4. Creator re-submits

Phase 3: Approved

What Happens

When an approver clicks Approve, costs are calculated and the timesheet becomes part of the official record.

Cost Calculations

The system calculates based on locked rates:

Labor Costs:

Regular Cost = Regular Hours × Pay Rate
Overtime Cost = OT Hours × Pay Rate × 1.5
Double-Time Cost = DT Hours × Pay Rate × 2.0
Burden Cost = Total Labor Cost × Burden %

Example:

• 8 regular hours @ $50/hr = $400
• 2 overtime hours @ $50/hr × 1.5 = $150
• Labor Cost: $550
• Burden (25%): $137.50
• Total Labor Cost: $687.50

Revenue Calculations (for billable work):

Regular Revenue = Regular Hours × Bill Rate
Overtime Revenue = OT Hours × Bill Rate × 1.5
Double-Time Revenue = DT Hours × Bill Rate × 2.0

Audit Trail

Every approval records:

• Approver's name and email
• Timestamp of approval
• IP address (for compliance)

What Can't Change

Once approved:

• Hours cannot be modified
• Rates are permanently locked
• Costs are finalized

Phase 4: Closed

What Happens

After timesheets are approved and processed for payroll/billing, they're Closed to archive them.

Who Closes Timesheets

Typically office or administrative staff with the Can Close Timesheets permission.

What Closing Means

• Timesheet is finalized and archived
• Indicates payroll/billing has been processed
• Prevents accidental changes

Reopening (Emergency Only)

Admins can reopen a closed timesheet if corrections are absolutely necessary. The timesheet returns to Approved status (not Draft), and closing audit trails are preserved.

The Players: Who Does What

Foreman / Crew Lead

Primary Role: Create and submit timesheets for their crew

Project Manager

Primary Role: Oversee timesheets and may create/approve

Third-Party Approver (Inspector, Client Rep)

Primary Role: Review and approve timesheets without other system access

Office Administrator

Primary Role: Close timesheets after payroll processing

Understanding Rate Hierarchy

When a timesheet is submitted, rates are locked from a priority hierarchy:

Pay Rate Priority

1. Project-specific rate for this user on this project
2. User's default pay rate
3. System default ($35.00)

Bill Rate Priority

1. Project-specific rate for this user on this project
2. User's default bill rate
3. System default ($75.00)

Per Diem Priority

1. Project-specific per diem rate for this user
2. User's default per diem
3. Project override per diem rate
4. Tenant default per diem rate
5. System default ($55.00)

Why This Matters

• Different projects can have different billing agreements
• Key employees might have custom rates per project
• The hierarchy ensures the most specific rate is always used

Time Entry Types

Not all timesheets are for project work. Site Service Pro supports multiple time entry types:

Billable (Requires Project)

• Project - Standard billable project work

Non-Billable (No Revenue)

• Vacation - Paid vacation time
• PTO - Paid time off
• Holiday - Paid holidays
• Sick Leave - Sick time
• Training - Company training
• Shop/Office - Non-billable administrative work
• Jury Duty - Civic duty leave
• Bereavement - Bereavement leave

How It Affects Calculations

• Billable types: Both cost and revenue calculated
• Non-billable types: Only cost calculated (revenue = null)

Timesheet Numbers

Every timesheet gets a unique number:

TS-2025-0001
TS-2025-0002
...

Format: TS-[YEAR]-[SEQUENCE]

This provides:

• Easy reference in discussions
• Chronological tracking
• Unique identifier for lookups

What Gets Captured

Per Timesheet

• Timesheet date
• Project (if billable)
• Time entry type
• Work performed description

Per Employee (Labor Entry)

• Regular hours
• Overtime hours
• Double-time hours
• Travel time hours
• Truck/tool hours
• Per diem (yes/no)
• Mileage

Additional Line Items

• Equipment: Company equipment with hours used
• Materials: Supplies with quantities and costs
• Subcontractors: Third-party work with costs and markup
• Equipment Rentals: Rented equipment with flexible billing

Quick Reference: Status Actions

Related Articles

• Creating and Submitting Timesheets - Step-by-step creation guide
• Approving and Managing Timesheets - Approval workflow details
• Timesheet Permissions and Real-World Scenarios - Permission setup and examples