Timesheets
Timesheets are how worked hours become pay. Tommy builds them automatically from the shifts and attendances for each member, the member submits them at the end of the pay period, and a manager approves. Approved timesheets export to your accounting software for payroll.
If you've set up Scheduling, Time Clock, and a pay template, timesheets are mostly hands-off.
The timesheet lifecycle
A timesheet moves through these states:
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unsubmitted | The default starting state — the member hasn't submitted yet. Editable by the member. |
| Submitted | The member submitted it for approval. |
| Preapproved | An intermediate approval state, used when a first-pass reviewer (e.g. a location manager) endorses but doesn't finalise. |
| Approved | A manager approved it. Ready to export. |
| Denied | The manager rejected it. Returns to the member for edits. |
Separately, a timesheet has a locked flag that prevents further edits. Approving a timesheet locks it; an admin can reopen by unlocking.
Screenshot needed: Timesheet detail view showing line items and the Submit / Approve buttons.
What's on a timesheet
For each member, per pay period, the timesheet shows:
- Line items — one per shift or manual entry, with start, end, breaks, and hours
- Attendances — the clock-in/out records that drove the line items
- Adjustments — manual edits (with audit trail)
- Mileage — if your team tracks it
- Allowances — extras like meal, travel, on-call (from the pay template)
- Calculated pay — base hours × rate, plus overtime, allowances, mileage
- Notes — from the member, manager, or both
Members see only their own timesheet. Managers see every timesheet they have permission to approve (typically: every member at their location, or every member if they're a team admin).
Submitting (member)
At the end of the pay period, the member opens Timesheets in the app, reviews their hours, and taps Submit.
Before submitting, they can:
- Edit a line item — adjust times, add a missed clock-in, fix break duration
- Add a note — context for the manager ("worked through lunch on Tuesday")
- Attach evidence — photos or documents (medical certs, mileage receipts)
Edits are tracked. The original clocked time is always recoverable from the audit log.
Once submitted, the timesheet status flips to Submitted and the manager is notified.
Approving (manager)
The manager opens the submitted timesheet and reviews:
- Hours total
- Any flagged exceptions (overtime, late clock-in, missed breaks)
- Edits or notes from the member
- Calculated pay
Then they tap Approve, Deny, or edit-and-approve.
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Approve | Locks the timesheet. Ready to export. |
| Deny | Returns it to the member with a note. They edit and re-submit. |
| Edit and approve | Adjust line items in place, then approve. The member sees the changes. |
After approval, the timesheet is locked — no further edits without an admin reopening it.
For larger teams, use bulk approve from the timesheets list. You can review summaries side-by-side and approve a whole pay period in one pass.
Pay templates
A pay template is the rule set Tommy uses to calculate pay for a member or shift. Manage them from Settings → Pay Templates.
A pay template has:
- Title (e.g., "Award Level 1", "Casuals")
- Default hourly rate
- Maximum hours per week — for overtime detection and scheduling guards
- Minimum hours between shifts — for fatigue rules
- Assign template to — roles or specific team members
- Location — scope the template to one location
Plus four configuration tabs:
| Tab | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Pay Rates | One or more hourly rates with conditions (multiple rates per template support different days, hours, or scenarios) |
| Break Rules | Paid vs unpaid breaks, scheduled break windows, automatic deductions |
| Overtime Rules | Thresholds and multipliers for overtime calculation |
| Allowances | Meal, travel, uniform, on-call — one-off or per-shift extras |
Each member has a default pay template. Each shift can override with a different template (useful for casual rates or special projects).
You can also install pre-built templates from the Library for common award structures (e.g., hospitality, retail, construction awards) rather than building from scratch.
For NDIS and Staffing Agency Solutions, you can also map pay templates to billing rates for invoicing the funder or client.
Manual timesheets
Sometimes there's no shift to drive a timesheet — a member did a one-off task, attended training, or worked off-roster. Managers can create a manual timesheet entry:
Open the member's timesheet
From Timesheets, find the member and the pay period.
Tap Add line item
Pick a date, start, end, and pay template.
Add a note explaining the entry
Helps with audit later.
Save
The line item is added to the draft timesheet. The member can see it before submitting.
Exporting
Approved timesheets can leave Tommy three ways:
Export to your accounting integration
If you've connected Xero, QuickBooks, or MYOB, approved timesheets push automatically (or on a schedule you configure).
This is the recommended path — no CSV juggling, no manual entry, no transposition errors.
Download as CSV
From the Timesheets list, select the period and tap Export → CSV. You get a flat file you can email to a bookkeeper or upload to any payroll system that takes CSV.
Download as PDF
From a single timesheet, tap Download → PDF. Useful for printing, signing, archiving, or sharing with someone who doesn't have access to Tommy.
Editing an approved timesheet
If you find an error after approval — wrong rate, missed allowance, mistaken clock-in — an admin can edit the timesheet, which moves its status back from approved and unlocks it for changes. Re-approve afterwards to lock it again.
If the timesheet has already been exported to payroll, you'll need to handle the reconciliation in your accounting system manually.
Status notifications
Tommy notifies people automatically as timesheets move through states:
- Member submits → Manager is notified
- Manager approves → Member is notified
- Manager denies → Member is notified with the reason
- Approval reminder → If a submitted timesheet sits unapproved past your configured threshold, the manager gets a reminder
Tune notification timing from Settings → System Notifications.
Common questions
Who can edit a timesheet, and when?
Members can edit their own timesheet while it's Unsubmitted. After submitting, they can't edit unless the manager denies it back. Managers can edit at any state. Admins can edit and reopen approved timesheets, but only with an audit-log entry.
What if a member forgot to clock in?
The member can edit the timesheet line item before submitting and add the missing time, with a note explaining what happened. Or the manager can adjust during approval. Either way, the change is logged.
How are overtime and penalties calculated?
By the pay template. Tommy applies overtime multipliers when worked hours cross the threshold, and penalty rates on weekends or public holidays (defined in Settings → Special Days). The math is shown on the timesheet so you can see exactly how the totals were derived.
Can a member dispute an approved timesheet?
Yes — they can flag it from their app, which prompts an admin to reopen and review. If you need a formal dispute trail, the audit log captures every change with timestamps.
What happens to clocked time on a cancelled shift?
The attendance is preserved. It appears on the timesheet as a line item without an associated shift, flagged for manager review. Approve or remove it during approval.
