Available on Scale subscriptions.
What
Configure how submitted timesheets are reviewed across your organization, including the approval period, approvers, assigned people, and locked timesheets.
Why
  • Ensure submitted time is reviewed before billing, reporting, or payroll workflows.
  • Create clear approver responsibilities across teams.
  • Control who can review, approve, and manage submitted timesheets.
Who
  • Site admins can configure time approvals, assign approvers, and manage approved timesheets.
  • Users with permission to manage time approvals can review and approve submitted timesheets for the people assigned to them.
When
Set up time approvals before users begin submitting timesheets, and review the setup whenever your approval period, team structure, or approver responsibilities change.
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Before you start

  • Enable time tracking for your site.
  • Decide whether timesheets should be submitted and approved weekly or monthly.
  • Decide who should approve submitted timesheets.
  • Define which people each approver is responsible for reviewing.
  • Changing the approval period affects future timesheet submissions and approvals. Existing approved timesheets remain approved and locked.

Setup workflow

Time approvals are configured in a few main steps.
Enable time approvals
⚙ Open Time settings → ✅ Enable approvals
Turn on time approvals for your site before choosing an approval period and assigning approvers.
↓
Choose an approval period
📅 Weekly or 🗓 Monthly
Choose whether timesheets are submitted and approved weekly or monthly.
↓
Assign approvers
👤 Select approver → 👥 Assign people
Assign approvers to review submitted timesheets for specific people.

Enable time approvals

  1. Click your profile icon in Teamwork.com's main navigation menu.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Switch to the Time tab.
  4. Toggle on Enable time approvals.

    Time approvals toggle in Time settings
You need the relevant site-level permissions to configure time approvals. Approvers can only manage time based on their assigned people and project access.

Choose an approval period

The approval period determines whether timesheets are submitted and approved weekly or monthly.
 
Approval period
What it means
Best for
Weekly
Timesheets are submitted and approved each week.
Teams that review time frequently for delivery tracking, utilization, payroll, or billing checks.
Monthly
Timesheets are submitted and approved each month.
Teams that review time in larger accounting, reporting, or billing cycles.
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Approval periods control submission and approval timing. Timesheet views control how users view and enter time in My timesheet.
Changing the approval period affects how future timesheets are submitted and approved. Existing approved timesheets remain approved and locked. When switching approval periods, existing approved time is not included again in the new period.

Assign approvers

  1. Click Add approver.
  2. Select the user who should approve submitted timesheets.
  3. Choose the people whose timesheets the approver can review:
    1. Everyone: Leave the People field unchanged.
    2. Specific people: Click the plus (+), then select each relevant user from the dropdown.
Approvers only see submitted timesheets for the people assigned to them.
Time approver assignment options

Manage approved timesheets

  • Approved timesheets may be locked to prevent further edits.
  • Submitters can request that an approved timesheet be re-opened if updates are needed.
  • Depending on permissions and setup, approvers or site admins can re-open approved timesheets so users can make updates and resubmit them for approval.
Re-opening is an action available after approval. It is separate from timesheet statuses such as Unsubmitted, In review, and Approved.

Best practices

  • Communicate: Ask team members to submit timesheets for the configured approval period.
  • Advise: Ask approvers to review submitted timesheets for their assigned people.
  • Refine: Review your approval period and approver assignments whenever your team structure changes.