Timesheet Export Overview
Turn every clock-in, break, and overtime hour into payroll-ready timesheets — reviewed, approved, and exported without a single spreadsheet.
What Is Timesheet Export?
Timesheet Export is the payroll bridge that connects workforce time tracking to your payroll system. It automatically generates timesheets from attendance records and shift schedules, routes them through a configurable approval chain, and exports the approved data via CSV download or scheduled SFTP transfer. Every edit is audit-tracked, every overtime hour is calculated, and every missing punch is flagged before the data leaves the platform.
Core Value Proposition:
- 📋 Auto-Generated Timesheets — Attendance records and shift assignments populate timesheets automatically each pay period
- ✅ Multi-Level Approval — Manager, regional, and auto-approval workflows ensure accuracy before payroll
- 📊 Overtime & Hours Calculated — Regular hours, weekly overtime (40-hour threshold), and break deductions computed in real time
- 🔄 Flexible Export — Download CSV on demand or schedule automated SFTP exports to your payroll provider
At a Glance
| 📅 Pay Period Types | ✅ Approval Levels | 📤 Export Methods | ⏰ Reminder Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (Weekly, Biweekly, Semi-Monthly, Monthly) | 3 (Manager, Regional, Auto-Approval) | 3 (CSV Download, SFTP Export, API) | 6 (Due Soon, Due Today, Overdue, Rejected, End-of-Period, Missing Punches) |
Perfect For:
- 🏭 Multi-Location Operations — Regional approval chains ensure district and area managers sign off before payroll
- 🏗️ Field & Hourly Workforces — Auto-generated timesheets from clock-in data eliminate manual data entry
- 🏢 Payroll Teams — Scheduled SFTP exports deliver approved data to ADP, Paychex, or any payroll system on time
- 📊 Compliance-Heavy Industries — Full audit trail of every edit, approval, and rejection for labor law compliance
How It Works
Timesheet Lifecycle
┌─────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ ATTENDANCE │───▸│ TIMESHEET │───▸│ EMPLOYEE │───▸│ MANAGER │
│ RECORDS │ │ GENERATED │ │ REVIEW & │ │ APPROVAL │
│ + SHIFTS │ │ (Pending) │ │ SUBMIT │ │ │
└─────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────┬───────┘
│
┌───────────────────┤
▼ ▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ REGIONAL │ │ APPROVED │
│ APPROVAL │───▸│ & READY │
│ (Optional) │ │ FOR EXPORT │
└──────────────┘ └──────┬───────┘
│
┌───────────────────┤
▼ ▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ CSV DOWNLOAD │ │ SFTP EXPORT │
│ (On Demand) │ │ (Scheduled) │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
Integration Ecosystem
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TIMESHEET EXPORT │
│ │
│ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────────────┐ │
│ │ Attendance │ │ Shift │ │ Pay Period │ │
│ │ Records │──▸│ Schedule │──▸│ Configuration │ │
│ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────────────┐ │
│ │ Real-Time │ │ Scoring & │ │ Deadline & │ │
│ │ Sync │ │ Auto- │ │ Reminder │ │
│ │ Service │ │ Approval │ │ Engine │ │
│ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ APPROVED TIMESHEETS │ │
│ └──────────────────────┬───────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌─────────────┼─────────────┐ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ CSV │ │ SFTP │ │ API │ │
│ │ Download │ │ Export │ │ Access │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Features
📅 Automatic Timesheet Generation
Timesheets are created automatically at the start of each pay period, populated with data from attendance records and shift assignments.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Pay Period Auto-Creation | Timesheets generated for all active employees when a new pay period begins |
| Attendance Sync | Clock-in/out times, break durations, and payable hours pulled from attendance records |
| Shift Pre-Population | Assigned shifts appear as placeholder entries even before the employee clocks in |
| Ad-Hoc Shift Support | Unscheduled shifts and ad-hoc clock-ins are automatically captured into the current timesheet |
| New Employee Onboarding | Timesheets created immediately when a new employee is activated mid-period |
| Real-Time Updates | Timesheet entries update live as attendance records change via ActionCable broadcast |
Use Case — Proactive Timesheet Creation:
A new pay period starts on Monday. The system automatically generates pending timesheets for all 150 active employees. As employees clock in throughout the week, their timesheets update in real time. No one has to remember to “start” a timesheet — it’s already waiting.
⏱️ Hours Calculation & Overtime
The system computes regular hours, overtime, and break deductions automatically with per-week overtime tracking.
| Calculation | Logic |
|---|---|
| Regular Hours | Total hours minus overtime hours |
| Weekly Overtime | Hours exceeding 40 per 7-day week within the pay period |
| Break Deduction | Break duration in minutes subtracted from gross shift hours |
| Overnight Shift Handling | Automatic detection when end time is before start time (cross-midnight shifts) |
| Payable Hours | Uses attendance record payable hours for unedited entries; recalculates from raw times for edited entries |
| 24-Hour Safety Cap | Single entries capped at 24 hours with date-misalignment auto-correction |
Overtime Calculation Flow:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PAY PERIOD: Jan 1 – Jan 14 │
│ │
│ Week 1 (Jan 1–7): 42.5 hours ──▸ 2.5h overtime │
│ Week 2 (Jan 8–14): 38.0 hours ──▸ 0.0h overtime │
│ │
│ Total: 80.5h │ Regular: 78.0h │ OT: 2.5h │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
✏️ Employee Time Entry Editing
Employees can review and edit their timesheet entries with full audit trail tracking.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Edit Start/End Times | Modify clock-in and clock-out times with reason required |
| Break Duration Adjustment | Update break minutes; auto-adjusted if break exceeds shift length |
| Absence Tracking | Entries with no start/end times flagged as absences; can be marked excused or unexcused |
| Missing Punch Detection | Entries missing clock-in or clock-out highlighted for past shifts only (future shifts excluded) |
| Edit Reason Required | Every modification requires a reason, creating a compliance-ready audit trail |
| Future Entry Protection | Entries for upcoming shifts are locked and cannot be edited |
| Audit Trail | Every field change recorded with who changed it, original value, new value, and reason |
✅ Multi-Level Approval Workflow
A configurable approval chain ensures timesheets are reviewed at the right level before reaching payroll.
| Approval Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Manager Approval | Direct managers or permission-based approvers review and approve submitted timesheets |
| Regional Approval | Optional second tier — regional managers review timesheets after initial manager approval |
| Bulk Approval | Managers can approve all pending timesheets in a single action (processed asynchronously in batches of 100) |
| Rejection with Reason | Rejected timesheets are returned to the employee with a reason; employees can edit and resubmit |
| PTO-Aware Routing | If the assigned manager is on leave, approval automatically routes to the skip-level manager |
| Manager Edit Capability | Managers can edit timesheet entries before approving, with edits tagged as “manager” type in the audit trail |
Approval Type Options:
| Type | How It Works |
|---|---|
permission_based |
Any user with the “approve timesheets” permission can approve (default) |
direct_manager |
Only the employee’s direct manager can approve |
location_manager |
The manager assigned to the employee’s location can approve |
🤖 Accuracy Scoring & Auto-Approval
Timesheets are scored based on configurable rules. High-scoring timesheets can be automatically approved.
| Scoring Rule | What It Checks |
|---|---|
| Missing Punches | Deducts points for each missing clock-in or clock-out beyond a configurable threshold |
| Edited Entries | Deducts points for each manually edited entry beyond a configurable threshold |
| Schedule Deviation | Deducts points when actual start times deviate from scheduled shift times beyond threshold |
| Overtime | Deducts points for overtime hours beyond a configurable threshold |
| Consistent Timing | Analyzes standard deviation of start times to evaluate punctuality consistency |
Auto-Approval: When a timesheet’s accuracy score exceeds the configured threshold (default 95%), it can be automatically approved without manager intervention. Auto-approved timesheets generate a notification to the employee.
🔔 Deadline Management & Reminders
A comprehensive reminder engine ensures timesheets are submitted and approved on time.
| Reminder Type | Trigger | Recipient |
|---|---|---|
| Submission Due Soon | 2-3 days before deadline | Employee |
| Submission Due Today | On the deadline day | Employee |
| Submission Due Tomorrow | 1 day before deadline | Employee |
| Submission Overdue | Daily after deadline passes | Employee |
| Rejection Resubmit | Daily until rejected timesheet is resubmitted | Employee |
| End-of-Period | 1-2 days before pay period ends (varies by period type) | Employee |
| Missing Punches | When missing punches detected | Employee |
| Approval Needed | When timesheet is submitted | Manager |
| Approval Overdue | When approval deadline passes | Manager |
| Escalation | After configurable threshold (default 48 hours) | Admin |
Reminder Features:
- Daily recurring reminders for overdue timesheets (once per day, no spam)
- Urgency-based notification types (info, warning, danger)
- Configurable reminder days before deadline per business
- Reminders suppressed if already sent within the configured window
📤 Export & Integration
Approved timesheets can be exported to external payroll systems through multiple channels.
| Export Method | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV Download | On-demand download of all timesheets with employee ID, name, hours, status, and approval details |
| SFTP Export | Automated upload of CSV files to a configured SFTP server for payroll system ingestion |
| REST API | Full API access to timesheets, entries, and pay period data with OAuth scope protection |
| Scheduled Export | Configure daily, weekly, or monthly automated exports with custom file name patterns |
CSV Export Fields:
Employee ID, Employee Name, Week Starting, Total Hours, Status, Approved By, Approved At, Regional Approved By, Regional Approved At, Submission Date
SFTP Export Fields:
Business ID, Business Name, Employee ID, Employee Name, Email, Timesheet ID, Week Starting, Status, Total Hours, Regular Hours, Overtime Hours, Submission Date, Approved By, Approval Date
📥 Timesheet Import
Import historical or external timesheet data from CSV or Excel files.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV Import | Upload CSV files with employee ID, name, week starting date, and total hours |
| Excel Import | Support for .xlsx and .xls files via the Roo gem |
| Employee Matching | Matches records by Employee ID first, then falls back to name-based fuzzy matching |
| SFTP Import | Automated file retrieval from SFTP servers with configurable file patterns |
| Processed File Tracking | Imported files are moved to a processed directory to prevent duplicate imports |
📱 API Access
A full REST API enables mobile apps and third-party integrations to interact with timesheets.
| Endpoint | Method | Description |
|---|---|---|
/api/v1/timesheets |
GET | List all timesheets with filtering by status and date range |
/api/v1/timesheets/current |
GET | Get the current pay period timesheet (auto-generates if needed) |
/api/v1/timesheets/:id |
GET | View detailed timesheet with all entries grouped by date |
/api/v1/timesheets/:id |
PATCH | Update timesheet entries with audit trail |
/api/v1/timesheets/:id/submit |
POST | Submit timesheet for approval |
/api/v1/timesheets/:id/entries |
GET | List all entries with attendance and shift details |
/api/v1/pay_periods |
GET | List pay periods with pagination |
/api/v1/pay_periods/current |
GET | Current pay period with timesheet status and estimated pay |
/api/v1/pay_periods/next |
GET | Next pay period details |
/api/v1/pay_periods/:id/summary |
GET | Hours breakdown, attendance stats, and pay estimates |
📅 Pay Period Configuration
Flexible pay period settings that drive timesheet generation, deadlines, and export schedules.
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Period Type | Weekly, Biweekly, Semi-Monthly, Monthly |
| Submission Deadline | Configurable number of days after period end (default: 1 day) |
| Approval Deadline | Configurable number of days after submission (default: 2 days) |
| Lockout Period | Days after which timesheets can no longer be edited (default: 7 days) |
| Regional Approval | Enable/disable the second-tier regional approval step |
| Pay Day Offset | Days between period end and payday (default: 5 days, adjusted for weekends) |
| Escalation Threshold | Hours before unapproved timesheets are escalated to admins (default: 48 hours) |
User Roles & Permissions
| Action | Employee | Manager | Regional Manager | HR / Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View own timesheets | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit own timesheet entries | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Submit timesheets | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| View team timesheets | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Approve/reject timesheets | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit team timesheet entries | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Regional approval | — | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bulk approve timesheets | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Export timesheets (CSV) | — | — | — | ✅ |
| Import timesheets | — | — | — | ✅ |
| Configure pay periods | — | — | — | ✅ |
| Configure approval settings | — | — | — | ✅ |
| Configure scoring rules | — | — | — | ✅ |
| Set up SFTP integration | — | — | — | ✅ |
| View escalation alerts | — | — | — | ✅ |
Getting Started
For Employees
- Check your timesheet — Navigate to Timesheets from the main menu. Your current pay period timesheet is auto-generated and shows attendance data
- Review entries — Verify that clock-in times, clock-out times, and break durations match your actual hours. Missing punches are highlighted
- Edit if needed — Click any past entry to adjust times. Provide a reason for the change (required for audit compliance)
- Submit for approval — Once all entries are accurate, click Submit. Your manager receives a notification to review and approve
For Managers
- Monitor your dashboard — The Team Timesheet Management dashboard shows pending approvals, missing timesheets, and current period status at a glance
- Review submissions — Click a pending timesheet to see daily entries, edit history, total hours, overtime, and missing punches
- Approve or reject — Approve accurate timesheets or reject with a specific reason. Rejected timesheets return to the employee for correction
- Bulk approve — Use the bulk approval action to approve all pending timesheets at once when everything looks correct
For Administrators
- Configure pay periods — Set up the pay period type (weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly) and anchor dates
- Set approval workflow — Choose between permission-based, direct manager, or location manager approval. Enable regional approval if needed
- Configure deadlines — Set submission deadline days, approval deadline days, lockout period, and escalation thresholds
- Set up scoring rules — Define accuracy scoring rules for missing punches, edited entries, and schedule deviations. Set the auto-approval threshold
- Configure exports — Set up SFTP connection details and schedule automated exports (daily, weekly, or monthly) with custom file patterns
- Monitor compliance — Use the export and import features to reconcile timesheet data with your payroll provider
Best Practices
- ✅ Review timesheets daily — Employees should check entries each day rather than waiting until the end of the pay period
- ✅ Address missing punches promptly — Edit entries to fill in forgotten clock-ins or clock-outs before submitting
- ✅ Always provide edit reasons — Detailed reasons create a defensible audit trail for labor law compliance
- ✅ Submit before the deadline — Recurring reminders help, but submitting 1-2 days early avoids last-minute payroll delays
- ✅ Managers: review edit history — Check the audit trail on edited entries to understand what changed and why before approving
- ✅ Use bulk approval carefully — Only bulk-approve when you’ve verified the team’s timesheets are consistently accurate
- ✅ Enable auto-approval for trusted teams — Set a high threshold (95%+) so clean timesheets flow through without manual review
- ✅ Schedule SFTP exports — Automated exports eliminate the risk of forgetting to send data to payroll before the deadline
- ✅ Configure regional approval for multi-site — Add the regional approval layer when district or area managers need visibility before payroll runs
- ✅ Monitor escalation alerts — Admin escalation notifications catch timesheets stuck in the approval queue past the threshold
Related Resources
- Time & Attendance Overview — Clock-in, clock-out, break tracking, and attendance verification
- Compensation Management Overview — Pay rates, salary structures, and compensation planning
From clock-in to paycheck — Timesheet Export ensures every hour is captured, approved, and delivered to payroll on time.
