Available on Scale subscriptions.
What
Time approvals give teams a structured way to review submitted timesheets before logged time is used for billing, reporting, and project performance. Approvals are managed based on your organization’s configured approval period.
Why
  • Improve financial accuracy and consistency across teams.
  • Create a clear review process between submitters and approvers.
  • Give approvers visibility of submitted, in-review, and approved timesheets.
  • Prevent submitters from editing approved timesheets unless a reviewer re-opens them.
Who
  • Site admins configure time approvals, choose the approval period, assign approvers, and manage approval settings.
  • Assigned approvers review and approve submitted timesheets for the users assigned to them.
  • Users who log time submit their weekly timesheets for review based on the site’s approval process.
When
Timesheets are reviewed during recurring approval periods. Depending on configuration, approvers review submitted weekly or monthly timesheets.
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How time approvals work

Time approvals help teams review and approve logged time before it is used for billing, reporting, and project performance.
  • Users log time to projects and tasks, then submit timesheets for review based on the configured approval period.
  • Assigned approvers review submitted timesheets for the users they are responsible for.
  • Approvers can approve submitted timesheets or request changes before approval.
  • After a timesheet is approved, it is locked for the submitter. If updates are needed, they can use the Request to re-open timesheet action.

Approval workflows

Time approvals typically move through the following workflow.
Standard approval flow
⏱ Log time → 📩 Submit → 🔎 Review → ✅ Approved
Team members submit timesheets for review by assigned approvers.
↓
Changes before approval
↩ Request changes → ✏ Edit → 📩 Resubmit → ✅ Approve
Reviewers can request updates before approving a submitted timesheet.
↓
Updates after approval
🔒 Approved → 🔓 Request re-open → ✏ Edit & resubmit
Approved timesheets are locked for the submitter until a reviewer re-opens them.

Approval periods

Approval periods determine whether timesheets are submitted and approved weekly or monthly.
  • Weekly approval period: approvers review submitted weekly timesheets for assigned users.
  • Monthly approval period: approvers review one submitted monthly timesheet per user. Opening the timesheet displays the full list of submitted time entries for the month.
Approvals page showing submitted timesheets in the Approvals area
Timesheet views and approval periods are separate. Users can switch between weekly, monthly, and calendar-based timesheet views without changing how timesheets are submitted for approval.

Timesheet statuses

Timesheet statuses help submitters and approvers understand where each timesheet is in the approval process.

Status
What it means
Unsubmitted
The timesheet has not yet been submitted for review.
In review
The timesheet has been submitted and is waiting for an approver to review it.
Approved
The timesheet has been reviewed and approved. Approved timesheets are locked for the submitter unless a reviewer re-opens them.
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Setting up Time Approvals 

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.


Time approvals FAQs

Are time approvals monthly or weekly?

Time approvals can be weekly or monthly. The approval period controls whether timesheets are submitted and approved each week or each month.

Can a submitter edit an approved timesheet?

After a timesheet is approved, it is locked for the submitter. If updates are needed, they can use the Request to re-open timesheet action.

Who can approve timesheets?

Timesheets are reviewed by assigned approvers, admins, or other permissioned users, depending on your organization’s time approval setup and permissions.

Explore time approvals

Set up time approvals
Turn on time approvals, choose an approval period, assign approvers, assign people to approvers, and configure reminders.
Review and approve timesheets
Review submitted timesheets, request changes, approve logged time, and handle approved timesheets that need to be re-opened.