Table of Contents

Timesheets

Settings

Within the timesheetConfiguration you can fine tune the timesheet settings for your organisation.

This image displays the timesheet configuration page

  • Timesheet Mode: this selection allows you to set whether you would like your organisation to work in Project Tasks or Projects mode.
  • Project Tasks mode uses the Task list with a project. Resources can record time to project tasks they are assigned to.
  • Projects mode uses Resource allocations and does not use the Tasks section of a project. This can be used when your organisation isn’t scheduling through the Tasks area of the projects. As long as Resource is part of the project group or has been requested and has access to the project, by either being in the project group or based on their security role, they will see these projects in their timesheet. NOTE: the user only sees the Project Name in their timesheet in this mode, not tasks.
  • Precision: this is where you set up how many decimal places you will allow users to enter their time into their timesheet.
  • Auto Populate Timesheets: this setting allows newly created timesheets to be populated with all task/project detail that is available when the timesheet was created.
  • Disable Timesheet Manager Override: this setting will override the ability for any Timesheet Manager to create or complete a timesheet on another user’s behalf.
  • Disable Line Manager Override: this setting will override the ability for any Resource Manager to create or complete a timesheet on another user’s behalf.
  • Disable Admin Role Override: this setting will override the ability for any Admin user to create or complete a timesheet on another user’s behalf.
  • Timesheet Period Name Template: this setting sets the format that timesheet period names will take.
  • Timesheet Admin Security Roles: this setting allows you to set up additional security roles that will have the Timesheet Admin functionality for your organisation.
  • Project Tasks Mode – Active Task Filter: this determines the settings of tasks that will show on your timesheet by default. The base setting is that the task is less than 100% complete.
  • Project Mode – Active Project Filter: this determines the setting of projects that will show by default. The base setting is that the project status is Active.
  • Non Project Time – Default Filter: this determines the setting of Non Project Time that will show by default. The base setting is that the Non Project Time status is Open.

Preparing your environment for timesheets

For timesheets to work in your environment you need to set up the following items:

Resources

Resources should be set up with a Timesheet Manager value.

Image showing the Resource pane showing the Timesheet Manager field

If the Resource has a blank Timesheet Manager field they are not expected to complete a timesheet and will not receive any notifications from the system. They can however still complete a timesheet if needed that can be approved by a Resource Manager or System Administrator.

Note

If the Resource is set up with their own name in the Timesheet Manager field they will auto approve their own timesheet on submission.

The user’s Start Date and End Date will determine how the reports display this timesheet user’s data, as they will not be expected to complete a timesheet before their Start Date or after their End Date.

It is also best practice to have the following fields configured for timesheet users:

  • Enterprise Calendar
  • Target Utilization
  • Cost Rate
  • Sell Rate

User roles

  • Timesheet Managers should be put into the Altus - Timesheet Manager role
  • Resources Managers should be put into the Altus - Resource Manager role

Security groups

If a user is in the Altus Admin User or Altus Resource Manager roles they will be classified as a Resource Manager. Additionally, organizations can add their own custom role ids to timesheetConfiguration to cater for custom scenarios.

Timesheet periods

Setting up Timesheet Periods is a System Administrator task available from the Timesheet Periods page on the Settings menu. Timesheet periods must be configured for that timesheet period to be available to users to complete a timesheet for that period.

System Administrators can either configure an individual Timesheet Period by clicking the New button or can set up bulk create periods by clicking the Generate button.

Image showing the New and Generate Timesheet buttons

New

The new button allows you to create a single timesheet period. Clicking the New button opens the following page:

Image showing the New Timesheet Period screen

The New Timesheet Period screen contains the following fields:

  • Name: this is the name of the new timesheet period. NOTE: you should follow your organisation’s naming conventions for Timesheet Periods.
  • Start Date: this is the start date of the timesheet period.
  • Finish Date: this is the finish date of the timesheet period.
  • Timesheet Period Status: this is where you can set whether this timesheet period is available for users to timesheet against. If this field is set to Closed no changes can be made to timesheets in this period.

Generate

The Generate button allows you to create multiple timesheet periods at once. Clicking the Generate button opens the following page:

Image showing the Generate Timesheet Periods screen

The Generate Timesheet Periods screen contains the following fields:

  • Start date: this is the start date of the timesheet periods.
  • Period duration: this is how long you’d like each timesheet duration to be, for most organisations Week(s) should be selected.
  • Number of periods: the is the number of timesheet periods you would like to create from the Start date.
  • Sequence seed: this number can form part of the template name as {sequence}. This should be the first number in the range, the system will automatically increment it as it creates the Number of Periods you have selected.
  • Name template: this is the name of the new timesheet periods. NOTE: you should follow your organisation’s naming conventions for Timesheet Periods.

Non Project Time

Setting up Non Project Time is a System Administrator task available from the Non Project Times page on the Settings menu To create an item click the New button, to modify an existing item by select the item from the list.

Image showing the Non Project Time creation screen

The Non Project Time screen contains the following fields:

  • Name: this is the name of the field and what is displayed on timesheets
  • Status: this is where you can set whether this item is available to be selected. If the Status = Open this task will show on the users timesheets, if it = Closed users will no longer see this item in their timesheet.
  • Department: this field can show if this Non Project Time task has been requested by a specific Department.
  • Always Display: this is where you can set whether users always see this Non Project Time item or if they need to add it to their timesheet. You should set items that users will use often to Yes, with items that they only occasionally need to access as No, this will help with keeping the default timesheet view uncluttered.
  • Work Type: this is where you can set whether this item is a Working or Non Working task. The Timesheet reports display this data separately, so this can be used to help determine the user’s Working hours per week. NOTE: this field must be filled in so that this data will show on the Non Project Time tab in the Insights report.

Timesheet Modes

Project Groups

Resources can see projects within their timesheet as long as they have been added to the Project Group. Resources can be added to the Project Group in the following ways:

  • They can be manually added to the Project Group.
  • If a Resource is assigned to a Task within the project this will automatically add them to the Project Group.
  • If a Resources is added to the Resource Plan or Resource Demand grids for a project they will be automatically added to the Project Group.

Project Tasks Mode

For users to see tasks within their timesheet they need to be assigned to a task in the project.
If you have an externally linked schedule any tasks assigned to resources linked to an Altus Bookable Resource for that period will display in the Timesheet.

Project Mode

For users to see the project within their timesheet they need to be in the Project Group.

Notifications

Notifications can be configured for Timesheets. Full details on how to set them up are found here.

Software Boundaries and Limits

See Timesheet Limits

Edit this page