Time Tracking Settings

Where do I set up Time Tracking?

Purpose: Master your time tracking processes and simplify approvals. This guide helps you configure BambooHR Time Tracking settings, manage how employees log time, and customize overtime rules to fit your company's unique needs.

Table of Contents

If you have enabled Time Tracking for an employee and then make changes to Time Tracking settings, the following will happen:

  • If an employee has not yet entered time, they automatically transition to the new settings immediately.
  • If an employee has already entered time, they remain on the previous settings until the current pay period ends. The employee then transitions to the new settings at the start of the next pay period.

If you need further assistance, please reach out to one of our support heroes.

Accessing Time Tracking settings and groups

If no time tracking groups currently exist, an admin or a user with custom access can locate the Settings tab for time tracking in the center column.

To create your first Time Tracking group, click Create Group on the Employees tab.

If you have already added employees to Time Tracking before creating separate groups, the system shows all your employees on the Employee tab. Once you create your first group, any remaining employees will be moved to the "Default" group. You can easily rename the Default group by clicking Settings within the Default group.

After creating your first Time Tracking group, you can click on the plus icon next to "Groups" to add a new group.

Time Tracking settings

Once you have accessed Time Tracking settings, you can determine how employees log time, who approves timesheets, set overtime rules, configure holiday pay, and manage mobile options.

1. How do your employees log time at your company?

  • Start & End Times: If your employees need to enter multiple start times and end times to track their hours throughout the day, Start & End Times will be the best option.
    • Enable Time Clock: The time clock feature allows employees to clock in and out throughout the day instead of entering multiple start and end times manually. You must enable this if you would like your employees to clock in using a BambooHR Time Clock or Time Kiosk.
      • Disable clock-in and clock-out on web: This option limits where your employees clock in. If you disable the web app and do not enable the mobile app option, the employee will only be able to clock in using your physical time tracking device.
  • Total Hours Worked: If your employees enter a single amount or multiple amounts throughout the day, Total Hours Worked will be the best option. If selected, you will need to choose one of the following options:
    • Single entry for the whole day: This option is best suited for employees who enter a single amount for the entire day.
    • Multiple entries throughout the day: This option is best suited for employees who need to enter multiple amounts throughout the day without the restriction of start and end times.

2. Approvals

  • Who will approve timesheets?: When you select timesheet approvers, you can choose the manager or a specific person in the account to approve timesheets for all employees in that group. If you have multiple groups, you can assign an approver to each group.
    • If you set the approver to the manager and the employee does not have a "Reports to" listed, the system automatically sends hours worked to the Account Owner for approval. Once an employee's timesheet is submitted for approval, it goes to the employee's current manager. If the employee has a new manager, the approval request remains in the previous manager's inbox.
    • If you assign approvals to a specific person who has Time Tracking enabled, they will be able to approve their own timesheets.
  • Timesheets must be approved by: Enter the time and number of calendar days before the pay date that timesheets must be approved by. The time will be based on your company's timezone.

3. Overtime

  • Overtime Rules: Select either Standard U.S. and Canada Rules or Custom Rules. For more information about overtime rules, click here!
    • Standard U.S. and Canada Rules: Standard rules use automatic calculations based on U.S. state and federal overtime rules, and Canadian province overtime rules. The employee's location (listed on the Job tab) determines which rules apply.
    • Custom Rules: Selecting this option allows you to set Daily, Daily Double, and Weekly Double overtime calculations. If you select custom overtime rules for a specific Time Tracking group, these rules apply only to employees enrolled in that group.
  • Work week starts on: To ensure rules work correctly for your employees, determine the start day of your work week. Overtime hours appear in a separate column on the Payroll Hours report. If you update the work week start day after setting up Time Tracking, you will see a note indicating the change takes effect at the start of the next pay period. Overtime will not be calculated for some days on the next timesheet. If an employee's overtime status is "Exempt" in the Compensation table, overtime will not be calculated for the employee.

4. Holiday Pay

  • You determine if an employee receives a full day's pay or a special holiday pay rate by choosing one of two options in the Holiday settings. Depending on your selection, the correct holiday hours will appear in the Payroll Hours and Payroll Hours detail report, under the Holiday column for each employee.   
    • Timesheets are automatically adjusted to reflect holiday pay for employees if their hire date is before a holiday. If their hire date falls in the middle of a pay period with a holiday, the system will not show the holiday unless the hire date precedes it.

5. Mobile

Check the box to allow your employees to log time and approve timesheets with the mobile app. This box is checked by default, enabling Time Tracking on the mobile app. If you uncheck this box, employees cannot access their timesheet information on the mobile app.

  • Require employee location when clocking in and out: If you set up Time Tracking with Start & End Times and enable the time clock, you can turn on geolocation.** If location is a requirement in Settings, employees must enable location services on the mobile app to clock in and out. A map icon will show on the home screen, timesheet, and day detail, indicating that the system collected location information with a time entry.

If you are using a BambooHR Time Clock or Time Kiosk, enabling the mobile app allows employees to clock in without using your physical time tracking device.

Once you have selected your settings, be sure to save your changes.

Frequently asked questions about geolocation
  1. Is location captured with timesheet edits?
    • The system captures a location only when the employee clocks in or clocks out; it does not collect location when editing a time entry.
  2. Is the clock-in/clock-out location captured only for the employee or anyone who can clock in and out on a timesheet?
    • The system only captures location for the employee. If a manager or someone else clocks in or out for another employee, the system will not collect or require geolocation.
  3. Can a location be edited?
    • You cannot edit or change locations.
  4. If an employee attempts to clock in or out via a web browser on a mobile device, will they be redirected to the mobile app?
    • Only the mobile app requires a location. Therefore, if the employee clocks in or clocks out using a web browser on their mobile device, the system will not redirect them to the mobile app, and it will not collect location information.
  5. If the employee chooses Don’t Allow for location services, will they be shown the same modal again each time?
    • If the employee initially denies location services and an employee attempts to clock in or clock out, a modal will display, stating "Location services must be enabled" for a clock-in/clock-out.
  6. What if an admin or the Account Owner changes the Time Tracking mobile settings while an employee is clocked in?
    • If the settings change while an employee is clocked in, the clock-out information reflects that change. So, if the system required their location when the employee clocked in, it collected the location information. However, if the feature was turned off before they clocked out, the system will not require location information for clock-out.
  7. How exact is the location?
    • Accuracy is generally good but can vary as it depends on many factors (device, GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular service, obstructions, etc.).
    • We display the “margin of error” with a circle around a clock-in/clock-out location.
  8. What are some tips for improving the accuracy of my location?
    • Turn on WiFi.
    • Restart your device.
    • Ensure you are in a good area with limited obstructions that could block a cellular or GPS signal.
  9. What if a location does not have an address? Will it pick up the nearest address or not show an address?
    • The system shows an address if location accuracy is high. If accuracy is low, only the city and state will likely show.
  10. Does geolocation always look for an address?
    • With geolocation, the system will identify an address if the signal is accurate. However, if the accuracy is weak, it cannot precisely identify the exact location.
  11. Is location only captured with a clock-in and clock-out or also while using the app?
    • To help with accuracy, if your company requires a clock-in/clock-out location, location information is gathered whenever the app is open to. However, the location information is only saved when a clock-in/clock-out happens.
  12. Does geolocation work when employees clock in/clock out from their computer?
    • Geolocation is only available on the mobile app, not the desktop version of Time Tracking. You can enable or disable this all-or-nothing functionality for employees in your Time Tracking settings.
  13. Do you track IP addresses of the devices people clock in/clock out from?
    • Yes. The Audit Trail report tracks the IP addresses when employees clock in or out.

**Geofencing is not currently available on the mobile app.