Timesheet approval configuration
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Topic Last Modified: 2016-11-14
Project Managers and Resources Managers can be designated as the Timesheet Manager. A dedicated individual can also serve this function. There can be multiple hierarchical Timesheet Managers or a single hierarchy per Project Server instance. The decision depends on the criteria that are set by the organization.
For example, an IT Department is comprised of two divisions: IT Administration and IT Programming. There are individual areas of expertise and responsibilities within each division. For example, the head of the department is the Director, Eva Corets. Peter J. Krebbs manages the administration area and Brad Sutton is his counterpart in programming and development. Peter and Brad report to Eva. There are 30 individuals on their teams who serve various roles and functions. Peter and Brad are designated as the Timesheet Manager for each of their teams. Eva approves the Timesheets that are submitted by Peter and Brad. The majority of the approvals are performed by Peter and Brad, based on the guidelines that are set by the organization.
After the Administrative Time and Timesheet Approval process are planned, security permissions are defined for users who are Timesheet Managers. A Timesheet Manager designation is applied for each user.
Timesheet Manager
A Timesheet Manager is designated in the Enterprise Resource Pool, Resource Center, or Manage Users. The Enterprise Resource Pool and Resource Center are options where users can see a list of all users in Project Web Access (PWA).
Manage Users displays accounts that log in to Project Web Access. This is also the place where the administrator has the option to bulk-edit resources, which makes data entry much more efficient. The Timesheet Manager is entered in the Assignment Attributes section of the user properties for each resource.
Another way to designate a Timesheet Manager is to click Browse to select from a list of users in Project Web Access that have the Accept Timesheets global permission. After a user's Timesheet Manager is configured in the Assignment Attributes, a list of Timesheet Managers for each resource appears in the Resource Center or Enterprise Resource Pool.
If an individual's own account is listed as the Timesheet Manager, administrative time categories that require approval are automatically approved, as is the overall timesheet. A status of Approved is designated on the user's Timesheet List with a Transaction Comment of System generated automatic approval.
The Timesheet Manager field may also be left blank. In this case, the timesheet manager must be specified whenever a timesheet is submitted.
Timesheets require an approver if the Fixed Approval Routing option is enabled under Timesheet Settings and Defaults. The Timesheet is automatically sent to the designated Timesheet Manager for approval when the user clicks Save and Submit and OK in the Comments dialog box.
Global Permissions
Users who have Administrator permissions to PWA automatically have permissions to review and approve Timesheets. Users who are responsible for reviewing and approving Timesheets require a minimum Global Permission of Approve Timesheets.
The following permissions should be considered for Timesheet Request processing before the permissions are configured to approve Administrative Time requests for Timesheet Managers:
View Timesheet Approval
Accept Timesheets
Approve Timesheets
View Surrogate Timesheets
Fixed Approval Routing
There is an option for Fixed Approval Routing in Timesheet Settings and Defaults. If this option is enabled, the team member is not allowed to change the next approver during the initial Timesheet submission.
Multiple Approvers
A hierarchy can be created in the approval process after Timesheet Managers are entered. A team member can submit the Timesheet to their Timesheet Manager. The first-level Timesheet Manager can seek the approval of their Timesheet Manager, and so on, until there is a final approver and the Timesheet status displays Approved.
If a user's Timesheet Manager is not available or the Timesheet requires the approval of a manager two levels higher, the Timesheet can be sent to another approver for review. An option to Set Next Approver appears at each level. Timesheet Managers who are granted the permissions to review, approve, and accept Timesheets are listed when the user clicks Browse to select the next approver. This gives users an opportunity to select a temporary approver or to bypass the default approver (whichever process your organization supports).
The team member does not have the option to Set Next Approver if the option for Fixed Approval Routing is enabled. Subsequent Timesheet Managers in the hierarchy have the option to Set Next Approver. The organization must consider this scenario when a decision is made regarding the use of Fixed Approval Routing.
Timesheet Status
With the potential of multiple approvers, the Timesheet Status field identifies a Timesheet phase during the approval process.
Users can see Timesheets on their Timesheet List that have a status of In Progress, Rejected, Submitted, Acceptable, and Approved. Timesheet Managers see the status field in their Approvals/Timesheet page with possible values of Rejected, Submitted, Approved, Acceptable, and Error.
The following Status Definitions are available:
In Progress. The Timesheet is built by the team member. Data may be saved. Nothing is submitted.
Rejected. The Timesheet is rejected by a Timesheet Manager.
Submitted. The Timesheet is sent to the first-level Timesheet Manager for review.
Acceptable. The Timesheet is accepted by a Timesheet Manager and is sent to the next approver.
Approved. The Timesheet is approved by a Timesheet Manager at any level.
Error. An error occurred when the Timesheet was processed.
The Submitted status and the Acceptable status show that the Timesheet is still in a transitional phase. The Approved status shows that the approval process is final.
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