Depending on your permissions and your System Setup, you may have to approve Timesheets before they are either passed on for a further level of approval or processed by Payroll. Fortunately, you don’t have to approve each Timesheet individually. You have the option to bulk approve them instead.

‍

This guide will look at:

• Bulk Approval - single Approval Level
• Bulk Approval - two Approval Levels
• Bulk Approval - three Approval Levels
• Timesheets at different levels of approval

Bulk Approval - single Approval Level

1. Select ‘Reports’ from the Menu Bar.
2. Select ‘Payroll’ from the Reports Tree.
3. Select ‘Payroll - Weekly Hours’.
4. In ‘Groups’, select the required Group whose Timesheets need approving.
5. In ‘Date’, select the period of time that you require.

‍

Lowest Approval Level

a) The current level of approval of Timesheets, within the chosen date range, if they have all been approved to the same level, or;

b) Where multiple Timesheets are currently approved at different levels, the lowest approval level in the chosen date range.

‍

Approved (of …)

The figure in brackets is the number of Timesheets, per employee, that fall within the chosen date range.

The ‘Approved’ column remains blank until a Timesheet, in the chosen date range, has been approved to the highest required level.

‍

Red - indicates that Timesheets, in the chosen date range, have yet to be approved at any level.

Green - indicates that all Timesheets, in the chosen date range, have been approved to the highest required level.

Other colours - indicate that all Timesheets, in the chosen date range, have been approved to some level but not the highest required level.

‍

Locked (of …)

The figure in the brackets is the number of Timesheets, per employee, that fall within the chosen date range.

The ‘Locked’ column shows the number of Timesheets, in the chosen date range, that are currently locked. 

‍

6. Select the ‘Timesheets’ tab.
7. Select ‘Approve’.

8. Select ‘Approve’ again from the subsequent list. A warning message will appear, informing you of how many Timesheets are about to be approved.
9. Select ‘OK’.

• Lowest Approval Level = 1 (as there is only one level of approval required, in reality, this is also now the highest level).
• Approved = 3 (of 3)
• Locked = 3 (of 3)

‍

Remember, Timesheets automatically lock when they are approved at any level. Unlocking a Timesheet automatically unapproves it. You can also lock a Timesheet without approving it.

‍

Bulk Approval - two Approval Levels

Selecting Approve Level 1

• Lowest Approval Level = 1, as only Level 1 has been approved so far.
• Approved = blank, as they have not been approved to the highest level yet.
• Locked = 3 (of 3)

Selecting Approve Level 2

• Lowest Approval Level = 2 (in reality, this is also now the highest level).
• Approved = 3 (of 3), as all have now been approved to the highest level possible.
• Locked = 3 (of 3)

‍

Bulk Approval - three Approval Levels

Selecting Approve Level 1

• Lowest Approval Level = 1, as only Level 1 has been approved so far.
• Approved = blank, as they have not been approved to the highest level yet.
• Locked = 3 (of 3)

‍

Selecting Approve Level 2

• Lowest Approval Level = 2, as only Level 2 has been approved so far.
• Approved = blank, as they have not been approved to the highest level yet.
• Locked = 3 (of 3)

‍

Selecting Approve Level 3

• Lowest Approval Level = 3 (in reality, this is also now the highest level).
• Approved = 3 (of 3), as all have now been approved to the highest level possible.
• Locked = 3 (of 3)
  
  

Timesheets at different levels of approval

The example below shows employees’ Timesheets at different levels of approval (with a 3 Approval Level system), prior to any bulk approval.

‍

• Ben, Gina, Jenny and Ryan have all of their Timesheets approved to Level 3.
• Dan has one more Timesheet to approve to Level 3. It is currently at Level 2.
• Ellie has two Timesheets that have not been approved at any level (notice she only has one locked).
• Sally doesn’t have any Timesheets approved at any level, even though she has two locked.
• Wendy’s Timesheets are all locked. She has one approved to Level 3 and at least one at Level 1. The third Timesheet may either be at Level 1 or Level 2.

• A Level 1 bulk approval will only affect those Timesheets that have not been approved at any level yet (ie. Ellie and Sally).
• A Level 2 bulk approval will only affect those Timesheets that have not been approved to Level 2 yet (ie. Ellie, Sally and Wendy).
• A Level 3 bulk approval will only affect those Timesheets that have not been approved to Level 3 yet (ie. Dan, Ellie, Sally and Wendy).

‍

Additional information

It may be the case that there is a 2 or 3 Approval Level system in place but, as a User, you only have access to bulk approve one of these levels.

‍