Time Tracking FAQ - Approvals & Timesheet Editing

Time Tracking is available as an add-on.

What are the most frequently asked questions about Time Tracking approvals and timesheet editing?

Summary

This FAQ explains how to manage, approve, and troubleshoot BambooHR Time Tracking timesheets. It includes answers for early approvals, missed clock-outs, editing limitations, and system notifications, helping managers and administrators ensure accuracy before payroll processing.

Table Of Contents

FAQs

Expand or collapse content Can I approve timesheets before the pay period ends?

Normally, approvals happen after the pay period ends. However, BambooHR automatically opens approvals early if:

  • The payday falls on a weekend or holiday, or
  • There's no buffer between pay period end and payday.

You'll have a 24-hour approval window, and you may need to future-date an end time to finalize the timesheet.

For example:

  • If today is Wednesday and the pay period runs through Friday, enter 5:00 PM Friday.

BambooHR allows you to enter this as a future end time even before the actual date occurs.

Expand or collapse content What happens if an employee forget to clock out?

If an employee is still clocked in at approval time, BambooHR prompts the approver to enter a clock-out time before approving. Alternatively, you can clock them out manually from their Timesheet tab.

Additionally, if it is not yet time to approve timesheets, the employee will be see a Verify Time and Clock Out warning when they go to clock in next time. If the employee does not have access to edit their timesheet, they will be prompted to notify their manager instead.

Expand or collapse content Can I unapprove or undo a timesheet approval?

No. Once a timesheet is approved, it cannot be unapproved. However, Full Admin users can edit approved timesheets for record corrections.

Expand or collapse content Can I reject a timesheet and send it back to the employee?

There is no reject function. You can either:

  • Ask the employee to edit their timesheet before you approve it (if they have edit rights), or
  • Adjust entries directly as an administrator.
Expand or collapse content Can Full Admins or Custom Access levels approve timesheets if a manager is unavailable?

Yes. Full Admins always have approval permissions. You can also grant permission to Custom Access level users.

To approve timesheets outside the regular workflow, navigate to the Inbox, switch the view to Assigned to Company, and select Timesheets. Alternatively, you can approve timesheets using our Time Tracking reports.

Expand or collapse content Why did a manager receive an approval email after Time Tracking was disabled?

If Time Tracking was enabled and later disabled before hours were added, the system may still send an approval notification. The manager can approve the 0-hour timesheet to clear it. The employee will not appear in the Payroll Hours Report unless Time Tracking is re-enabled.

Expand or collapse content Why doesn't paid time appear on timesheets?

Paid time off is displayed as a reference on the right side of the timesheet. This allows flexibility when employees work partial days and take partial time off.

Expand or collapse content Does BambooHR notify me if employees clock in early or late?

No. BambooHR Time Tracking is not a scheduling tool, so it does not know if an employee is clocking in early or late. Use the Timesheet Entries Report to see start times and who's currently clocked in.