Timesheet Approvals | How to Automate the Process

Are You Using a Manual Timesheet Approval Process?

Some offices span several locations, and routing, reviewing, and approving timesheets can become cumbersome.

Employees and contractors often submit their timesheets by email, fax, software, and various other channels, creating confusion for both the HR team and the approvers. Employees often have no idea if their timesheet was reviewed and approved. The approving manager must evaluate and forward the request to the HR group.

One-off emails are insufficient for approval documentation, and paper employee timesheets are often lost or illegible. As a manual effort, this puts a significant strain on the HR team’s time. The employee submitting the request cannot efficiently determine the current status and receive notice of approval. The process is slow, inefficient, prone to mistakes, and hard to track. In addition, a manual or paper-based process makes auditing a nightmare. Who received what and when? Who approved it? Was the information accurate?

Example Timesheet Process and Form

A simple timesheet approval process.

Sample timesheet submission form built with Nutrient Workflow.

The Benefits of Automated Timesheet Approvals

Using Nutrient Workflow, the user timesheet process is now completely automated. Employees and contractors use web browsers to submit and track their timesheet submissions. Managers also use a web browser to review and approve the employee’s or contractor’s submitted timesheet submittals. The employees and contractors know who handles the request and when their timesheet was approved. The application uses business rules to determine the manager responsible for the approval and routes the request automatically through the proper approval channel. The HR team receives the approved timesheet for fulfillment and payment processing.

Use Approval by Email to streamline approvals.

Customize Your Approval Process

Assign process administrators to Nutrient Workflow to implement the process rules and any forms that will be used to gather information. Nutrient Workflow automatically executes the web and email approval notifications to the appropriate personnel, reducing the chances of confusion while maintaining the request’s current status. You can set up “Approval by Email” to keep workflows moving swiftly. Nutrient Workflow administrators can pull reports on all activity for all timesheet submittals within the system, providing much-needed control and documentation.

Integrate Timesheet Approvals with Your Accounting System

Workflow integration refers to a workflow automation system designed to connect with applications and databases of record (ERP, CRM, Accounting, HRIS, etc.). Integrated workflow software can replace the limited workflow functionality in those systems while connecting processes across them. By integrating your timesheet approval process with your existing enterprise systems, you can drastically reduce manual data entry and ensure accuracy.

Interested in Automating Time Sheet Approvals?

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