Submitted timesheets should be reviewed in line with your organisation’s timesheet policies and procedures to confirm that:

• Time has been recorded accurately
• Entries relate to the correct Projects, Tasks, or Non-Project Time categories
• Daily and period totals are reasonable
• Required comments have been provided
• Organisational compliance requirements have been met

By default, timesheet approval is performed by the Timesheet Manager assigned to the resource, not the Project Manager.

Important:
Timesheet approval processes, notifications, available actions, security access, and downstream integrations may differ according to your organisation’s configuration.

Always follow your organisation’s internal timesheet, financial, payroll, and governance processes where they differ from this article.

Where This Is Performed

Navigate to:

Resources → Timesheet Approvals

The Timesheet Approvals view is initially filtered to show the timesheets for which you are the assigned Timesheet Manager.

Understand Approval Ownership

Each resource can have a designated Timesheet Manager who is responsible for reviewing submitted timesheets.

In the standard Altus approval model:

• Timesheet Users complete and submit their timesheets.
• The assigned Timesheet Manager reviews and responds to the full timesheet.
• The Project Manager does not separately approve Project Task entries unless that person is also assigned as the resource’s Timesheet Manager.
• Resource Managers and System Administrators may have broader approval access, depending on their security role and system configuration.

Important:
Timesheet approval and schedule acceptance are separate controls.

The Timesheet Manager approves the timesheet. Depending on the Project Schedule Type, the Project Manager or schedule owner may later review approved Actuals before applying them to:

• The native Altus schedule
• A Microsoft Project Plan
• Another configured execution tool

Understand Notifications

Where notifications have been enabled, the Timesheet User and Timesheet Manager may receive a notification when a timesheet is:

• Submitted
• Approved
• Rejected

Important:
Notification behaviour is configuration-dependent.

Do not rely solely on email or task notifications. Review the Timesheet Approvals list regularly for submitted timesheets awaiting action.

Understanding the Approver Screen

The Timesheet Manager reviews the same Timesheet Detail screen completed by the Timesheet User.

The screen may show:

• Timesheet User
• Timesheet Period
• Current Status
• Total Actual hours
• Project and Task entries
• Non-Project Time entries
• Daily hours
• Comments
• Assignment and effort information

Users with the appropriate approval access will also see actions such as:

• Approve
• Reject
• Recall Timesheet

Tip:
There is no separate simplified approval screen. Review the Timesheet Detail information carefully before selecting an approval action.

Understand Who Can Review Timesheets

The Timesheet Approvals view initially shows timesheets assigned to the current Timesheet Manager.

Depending on security access and configuration, the following roles may be able to review and process other timesheets:

• Timesheet Managers
• Resource Managers
• System Administrators

To access timesheets associated with another Timesheet Manager:

1. Navigate to Resources → Timesheet Approvals.
2. Select Edit Filters or the available filter option.
3. Change or remove the Timesheet Manager filter.
4. Apply the filter.
5. Locate the required timesheet.

Important:
Changing the filter does not change the assigned Timesheet Manager or create formal delegation.

The original Timesheet Manager filter may be restored when the page is refreshed unless you create and save a personal view.

Create a Reusable Approval View

If you regularly need broader visibility of timesheets:

1. Navigate to Resources → Timesheet Approvals.
2. Select an appropriate starting view.
3. Select Edit Filters.
4. Remove or amend the Timesheet Manager filter.
5. Apply filters for the required:
6. • Timesheet Status
   • Timesheet Period
   • Timesheet User
   • Timesheet Manager
6. Select Edit Columns.
7. Add useful fields such as:
8. • Timesheet User
   • Timesheet Period
   • Status
   • Total Actual hours
   • Timesheet Manager
8. Select Save As.
9. Enter a meaningful name for the personal view.
10. Save the view.

Tip:
A saved personal view can provide a reusable monitoring list without requiring you to rebuild the same filters each time. You can also set it as your personal default where appropriate.

Auto-Approval Scenario

If a resource is configured as their own Timesheet Manager:

• The timesheet may be approved automatically after submission.
• No additional approval action is required where auto-approval completes successfully.

Important:
The Timesheet User must still select Submit for Approval. Saving the timesheet does not trigger auto-approval.

Review an Individual Timesheet

1. Navigate to Resources → Timesheet Approvals.
2. Select the timesheet you want to review.
3. Confirm the correct:
4. • Timesheet User
   • Timesheet Period
   • Timesheet Status
   • Total Actual hours
4. Review all daily entries.
5. Confirm that time has been recorded against the correct:
6. • Project
   • Project Task, where Project Tasks Mode is used
   • Non-Project Time category
6. Review comments attached to individual entries.
7. Investigate any unusual, unplanned, or excessive hours.
8. Select Approve, Reject, or follow the authorised correction process.

Check the Timesheet Header

Before approving, confirm the information shown in the header.

Review the:

• Timesheet User
• Timesheet Period
• Current Status
• Total Actual hours entered for the period

Important:
Confirm both the user and reporting period before taking action, particularly when you have changed filters or are processing a timesheet on behalf of another manager.

Review the Timesheet Grid

The information displayed depends on the Timesheet Mode configured for your organisation.

Project Tasks Mode

In Project Tasks Mode, the grid may show:

• Projects and Tasks in a hierarchy
• Remaining assigned hours across all periods
• Assigned hours for the current period
• Actual completed hours for the current period
• Daily time entries

Use this information to compare recorded Actual hours with the assignment and remaining work.

Projects Mode

In Projects Mode:

• Hours are recorded directly against Projects.
• Individual Tasks are not shown.
• Remaining and Assigned values are not displayed.
• Daily entries, totals, status, and approval actions remain available.

Important:
Timesheet Mode is centrally configured. Approvers do not change between Projects Mode and Project Tasks Mode from an individual timesheet.

Understand Remaining, Assigned, and Actual Hours

Where Project Tasks Mode is used:

Remaining

Remaining represents the resource’s remaining assigned hours across all relevant periods.

Assigned

Assigned represents hours assigned to the resource for the current Timesheet Period.

Actual

Actual represents the hours recorded as completed for the current Timesheet Period.

Important:
The Timesheet Manager approves Actual time but does not amend the project schedule forecast from the timesheet.

If Remaining Effort, Task dates, or resource assignments need to change, the Project Manager or schedule owner must update the project schedule separately.

Use Hover Information

Where available, hover over Project, Task, or Assigned values to review more context.

Project Information

Project hover details may include:

• Project Name
• Project Manager
• Start and Finish Dates
• Total Effort
• Remaining Effort
• Percentage Complete

Task Information

Task hover details may include:

• Assigned hours for the current period
• Resource allocation percentage
• Total hours assigned
• Hours already submitted
• Hours entered in the current timesheet
• Remaining assigned hours
• Task Start, Finish, and Due Dates
• Total Effort
• Remaining Effort
• Percentage Complete
• Parent Task and Project information

Daily Assignment

Hovering over an Assigned value may show:

• Assigned hours for each day
• Total assigned hours for the reporting period

Tip:
Use hover information when submitted hours appear materially different from the current assignment or Remaining Effort.

Review Comments

Comments can provide context for an individual time entry.

Review comments where entries include:

• Unusual or additional hours
• Overtime
• Leave or another Non-Project Time category
• Work performed outside the planned day or period
• A correction to an earlier entry
• Activity that is not obvious from the Task name

Important:
Comments are not a live chat and do not replace direct communication.

A comment may help explain the Actual time, but the Project Manager or schedule owner may not see that comment when reviewing an external project schedule. If the schedule forecast or Remaining Effort must change, use the organisation’s agreed communication process.

Review Unplanned Time Indicators

An Actual value may appear in red when time has been recorded on a day or within a period where no corresponding hours were assigned.

This indicator:

• Draws attention to a difference from the planned assignment
• Does not automatically mean that the Actual time is incorrect
• Should prompt the approver to review the entry and any supporting comment

Tip:
Confirm whether the work was legitimately completed outside the planned period before approving the entry.

Review Hours Beyond the Assignment

Altus may allow a Timesheet User to record Actual hours that exceed the current Assigned or Remaining hours.

When this occurs:

1. Confirm the time is recorded against the correct Project or Task.
2. Review the user’s Assigned and Remaining information.
3. Review any comment supplied with the entry.
4. Confirm that the additional work is valid.
5. Follow your organisation’s escalation or communication process where required.
6. Ask the Project Manager or schedule owner to review the forecast separately if Remaining Effort or dates must change.

Important:
Approving the Actual time does not automatically approve a change to the Task forecast, Remaining Effort, resource assignment, or project schedule.

Review the Related Project

Where more context is required, you may be able to open the related Project directly from the timesheet.

1. Locate the Project in the Timesheet Detail screen.
2. Select the ellipsis (…) beside the Project name.
3. Select Open in Project.
4. Review the available Project information.
5. Return to the timesheet to complete the approval decision.

Important:
The Project opens only if you have the required access.

Timesheet approval access does not automatically grant access to every underlying Project.

Approve a Timesheet

When the timesheet is complete and accurate:

1. Confirm the timesheet is in Submitted status.
2. Review all Project, Task, and Non-Project Time entries.
3. Review daily and period totals.
4. Review any comments and highlighted values.
5. Confirm that any unusual entries are valid.
6. Select Approve.

Approval information is retained on the timesheet and shows when the approval occurred.

Important:
Approving a timesheet confirms that its entries have been accepted for downstream use. Review the entries and their potential impact carefully before approving.

Reject a Timesheet

Reject a timesheet where it is incomplete, inaccurate, or requires correction by the Timesheet User.

1. Open the submitted timesheet.
2. Select Reject.
3. Enter a clear comment explaining:
4. • Why the timesheet was rejected
   • Which entries require correction
   • What the Timesheet User needs to do
4. Confirm the rejection.

The rejection information and comment are retained on the timesheet.

The Timesheet User can then correct and resubmit the timesheet.

Tip:
Make rejection comments specific and actionable. Avoid general messages such as “Incorrect timesheet” that do not explain what needs to change.

Choose Between Rejection and Correction on Behalf

Where an entry needs correction, your organisation may require one of two approaches.

Reject for User Correction

Use this approach when:

• The Timesheet User should validate and correct the entry
• The correction requires explanation from the Timesheet User
• Your internal process requires user accountability for amendments

Recall and Correct on Behalf

Where your security access and internal process allow it, you may:

1. Recall the submitted timesheet.
2. Make the authorised correction.
3. Save the changes.
4. Select Submit for Approval again.
5. Review the resubmitted timesheet.
6. Select Approve.

Important:
Recalling a timesheet returns it to an editable state.

After correcting it, you must select Submit for Approval again before approving it. You cannot recall, amend, and approve the timesheet without resubmitting it first.

Always follow your organisation’s rules for correcting time on behalf of another user.

Approve Multiple Timesheets

You can approve multiple timesheets from the Timesheet Approvals list.

1. Navigate to Resources → Timesheet Approvals.
2. Select the required timesheets.
3. Select Approve from the command bar.

Only selected timesheets in Submitted status are processed.

Timesheets in another status are not affected.

Important:
Use bulk approval only after completing an appropriate review of the selected timesheets.

Reject Multiple Timesheets

You can also reject multiple submitted timesheets from the list.

1. Select the required timesheets.
2. Select Reject from the command bar.

Warning:
Bulk rejection does not allow you to provide a separate rejection comment for each timesheet.

Open and reject timesheets individually where different Timesheet Users require different corrective instructions.

Process Timesheets on Behalf of Other Users

Depending on security access and configuration, Timesheet Managers, Resource Managers, and System Administrators may be able to create, complete, submit, approve, or reject timesheets on behalf of other users.

To access another user’s timesheet:

1. Open the relevant Timesheets or Timesheet Approvals list.
2. Select Edit Filters.
3. Change the User or Timesheet Manager filter.
4. Apply the filter.
5. Open the required timesheet.
6. Complete the permitted action.

Important:
Confirm the Timesheet User and Timesheet Period before making changes on another person’s behalf.

Available actions depend on your security role and your organisation’s timesheet configuration.

Review Locked Task Warnings

A Project Manager or schedule owner may lock an individual Task to prevent further time entry.

If no time has been recorded against the Task:

• The locked Task does not normally appear in the timesheet.
• The Timesheet User cannot add it manually.

If time was entered before the Task was locked:

• The Task may remain visible with a lock indicator.
• The Timesheet User may be prevented from saving or submitting the timesheet.
• A warning may explain that values must be cleared.
• The user may need to select Clear Locked Rows.

If the time is valid and the Task needs to remain open, contact the Project Manager or schedule owner to review the Task lock.

Recalled Timesheets with Locked Tasks

If a previously approved timesheet is recalled after a Task has been locked:

• The locked Task row may appear as read-only.
• Other entries can still be updated.
• The timesheet may be resubmitted with the read-only locked Task entry present.

Understand Closed Timesheet Periods

An administrator may close a Timesheet Period to prevent further changes.

When a Timesheet Period is closed, timesheets in that period cannot normally be:

• Modified
• Deleted
• Recalled
• Submitted
• Approved
• Rejected
• Moved to another status

Important:
A Task lock and a Timesheet Period closure are different controls:

• A Task lock prevents time entry against a specific Task.
• A closed Timesheet Period prevents changes across the full reporting period.

Reopening a Timesheet Period may affect multiple users, not just one timesheet. Follow your organisation’s governance process where a correction is required after closure.

Export Timesheet Data

Timesheet data can be exported for reporting, auditing, or analysis.

Export Your Own Timesheets

1. Navigate to Work → Timesheets or My Timesheets.
2. Select the relevant list view.
3. Apply filters if required.
4. From the command bar, select Export to Excel.
5. If the option is not visible, select the ellipsis (…), then select Export to Excel.

Export Timesheets as an Approver

1. Navigate to Resources → Timesheet Approvals.
2. Select the required view.
3. Use Edit Filters to refine the list by:
4. • Timesheet User
   • Timesheet Manager
   • Timesheet Period
   • Status
   • Date range
4. Use Edit Columns where additional fields are required.
5. Save the personal view if it will be reused.
6. From the command bar, select Export to Excel.
7. If required, locate the option under the ellipsis (…).

Tip:
Combine saved views, filters, and Export to Excel to extract timesheet data for selected users, managers, statuses, or periods in bulk.

Understand the Downstream Impact of Approval

Approved timesheets become part of the organisation’s Actual work data.

Depending on configuration and process, approved hours may contribute to:

• Actual resource work
• Task Effort Completed
• Project Percentage Complete
• Actual labour cost in Project Financials
• Resource utilisation reporting
• Committed-versus-submitted variance reporting
• Payroll or another connected business system

Important:
Approval does not necessarily update the project schedule or Project Financials immediately.

A separate review and import process may be required before approved Actuals are applied.

Review entries carefully before approval because a later recall or correction may require corresponding updates to the:

• Native Altus schedule
• Microsoft Project Plan
• Project Financials
• Payroll system
• Reporting dataset
• Other integrated business systems

Understand Schedule Acceptance After Approval

Approved timesheet hours may be reviewed separately by the Project Manager or schedule owner before they update project progress.

Native Altus Schedule

Where native Altus Tasks are used, authorised users may review approved timesheet effort and select which Task Actuals to apply to the schedule.

Microsoft Project Schedule

Where Microsoft Project is the schedule source, the schedule owner may:

1. Open the Microsoft Project Plan.
2. Import approved Altus timesheet Actuals.
3. Review the resource and period information.
4. Select the Actuals to apply.
5. Apply and save the updated schedule.
6. Publish the schedule back to Altus.

Other External Schedules

Where another execution tool is used, the schedule owner follows the configured integration and update process.

Tip:
The Project Manager or schedule owner may still review approved Actuals before accepting them into the project schedule, even though the Project Manager does not approve the timesheet itself.

Understand Removed Task Assignments

If a resource records time against a Task and is later removed from the Task assignment:

• The previously recorded time remains attached to the timesheet.
• Approved hours may still be applied to the Task.
• Financial Actuals may still be recorded against the resource.
• The resource may continue to edit an existing entry if the timesheet and period remain editable.
• The resource cannot newly add the Task if it is no longer available.

Downstream Task and Financial processes use the Task information attached to the timesheet entry rather than relying only on the current resource assignment.

Monitor Timesheet Reporting

Where available, Resource Assignment Insights can help authorised users monitor the wider process.

Timesheet Compliance

This report may show:

• Timesheet Users
• Timesheet Periods
• Timesheet Status
• Recorded hours
• Draft, Submitted, Approved, and Rejected timesheets

Non-Project Time

This report may show hours recorded against organisation-wide Non-Project Time categories.

The results depend on the appropriate configuration of the Non-Project Time records.

Actuals Variance

This report may show the difference between:

• Hours committed to a resource
• Hours submitted through timesheets

Important:
Power BI reports may operate on a scheduled refresh cycle. Recently submitted or approved entries may not appear immediately.

Report availability depends on security access, Power BI workspace permissions, licensing, and the reports deployed in your environment.

Key Considerations

• The assigned Timesheet Manager is the default approver, not the Project Manager.
• Notifications depend on system configuration.
• The Timesheet Approvals view is initially filtered by Timesheet Manager.
• Authorised managers may amend the filter to access additional timesheets.
• Changing a filter does not change approval ownership.
• Review the user, period, status, daily entries, totals, and comments before responding.
• Use hover information to understand assignment and Task context.
• Red Actual hours may indicate time recorded outside the planned assignment.
• Actual hours can exceed the current assignment and require additional review.
• Approving time does not update the Task forecast.
• Reject the timesheet or correct it on behalf according to internal rules.
• A recalled and corrected timesheet must be resubmitted before approval.
• Only Submitted timesheets are processed through bulk approval.
• Bulk rejection does not support individual rejection comments.
• Locked Tasks can affect entry and submission.
• Closed Timesheet Periods prevent further status changes.
• Approval may contribute to schedule progress, Financial Actuals, payroll, and reporting.
• Applying approved Actuals may require a separate review and import process.
• Project access is separate from Timesheet Approval access.

Tips

• Review Timesheet Approvals regularly rather than relying only on notifications.
• Create a saved personal view if you need broader approval monitoring.
• Open individual timesheets when detailed validation is required.
• Compare Actual hours with Assigned and Remaining values.
• Review red or unexpected entries before approval.
• Read comments attached to individual entries.
• Use Open in Project where additional context is required and you have access.
• Provide clear and actionable comments when rejecting.
• Follow the correct Recall, Save, Resubmit, and Approve sequence.
• Use bulk approval only after appropriate review.
• Avoid bulk rejection when users need different corrective instructions.
• Check Task locks and Timesheet Period status before requesting changes.
• Export filtered timesheet data where required for audit or reporting.
• Consider all downstream impacts before approving or correcting Actuals.