TIMESHEET REVIEW & APPROVAL
Review reported time. Approve it in the right order.
Choose whether reported hours need approval, assign reviewers and approvers, and process entries individually or together.
Start FreeFree forever for teams of up to 3 members.
EXAMPLE · REVIEW AND FINAL APPROVAL
Optional workflows
No approval, approval, or review and approval.
Individual responsibilities
Assign reviewers and final approvers.
Efficient controls
Process eligible rows individually or together.
CHOOSE YOUR WORKFLOW
Use the approval process your team needs.
Formal approval is optional. Choose a single approval stage or add a separate review before final approval.
No formal approval
Keep time records without an additional approval stage.
Approval
A designated approver checks and approves reported hours.
Review and approval
A reviewer checks the entries before the final approver authorizes them.
An employee check can come first
Where configured, employees must approve their own time reports before the review or approval stages can proceed. This reporting step is separate from permission to act as their own final approver.
SEE THE REQUIRED ORDER
Every entry follows the same steps.
In this example, the workflow requires employee confirmation, review, and final approval. A later step waits until the earlier required steps are complete.
EXAMPLE · THREE TIME ENTRIES · REVIEW AND FINAL APPROVAL
| Project / task | Hours | Employee confirmation | Review | Final approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer delivery / Drawings | 3.5 | Confirmed | Reviewed | Approved |
| Product development / Testing | 2 | Confirmed | Ready for review | Waiting for review |
| Website update / Help content | 1.5 | Not confirmed | Waiting for employee | Waiting for earlier steps |
Employee
Checks their project, task, date, hours, and description, then confirms the report where required.
Reviewer
Checks the reported work and completes the review for entries that are ready.
Final approver
Gives final approval after all required earlier steps are complete.
CLEAR RESPONSIBILITIES
Assign reviewers and approvers per member.
Members can have different reviewers and final approvers. For example, an engineer’s team manager can review their hours, while a department manager gives final approval.
Control self-approval
Choose whether a member may approve their own reported time according to your organization’s policies.
Time Tracking Admins
Assign time reporting administration to designated members. Their administrative responsibilities are separate from ordinary reporting and approval roles.
CHECK THE WORK BEHIND THE HOURS
Review the details before approving.
Search, filter, sort, and group time entries to focus on the person or reporting period you need.
Correct activity
Check the date and the project or task the hours belong to.
Reported time
Review the duration and start and finish times when used.
Work description
Read what was done and clarify entries that need more information.
Email notifications support communication about time review and approval. Export time records to Excel when needed.
Explore Project Time Tracking →INDIVIDUAL AND BULK APPROVAL
Approve several entries. Keep every required step.
After reviewing the records, use the top-row checkbox to approve or unapprove multiple eligible entries. Use a row’s own checkbox when you need to handle an entry separately.
Entries that still need an earlier required approval remain unapproved. Bulk approval follows the same rules as individual approval.
ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Is timesheet approval optional?
Yes. You can record time without formal approval, use one approval stage, or require review followed by final approval.
What is the difference between review and final approval?
Review checks the reported time entries. Final approval authorizes the hours after the required earlier steps are complete.
Do employees need to confirm their own time reports?
Where configured, employees must approve their own time reports before later stages can proceed. This is separate from permission to act as their own final approver.
Can members have different reviewers and approvers?
Yes. Reviewers and final approvers can be assigned for individual organization members.
Can I approve one entry or several at once?
Yes. Use the approval checkbox on an individual row or the top-row checkbox to approve or unapprove multiple eligible entries. Entries missing an earlier required step remain unapproved.
Can final approval bypass a required review?
No. Required review and employee reporting approval must be complete before later stages can proceed.
Can we control self-approval?
Yes. Configure whether members may approve their own reported time according to your organization’s policies.
Make timesheet approval clear and reliable.
Choose your workflow, assign responsibilities, and keep approved hours connected to the work performed.
Start FreeFree forever for teams of up to 3 members.
