The approval policy decides whether timesheets go through a review step before they count as final, and whether old entries lock automatically. It applies to the whole business, so you set it once for your team.
In this guide you’ll learn how to:
- Turn timesheet approvals on
- Let managers approve their own time, or not
- Turn invoice approval warnings on or off
- Lock past periods automatically
- Submit unsubmitted time and expenses when a lock fires
Before you start
You need access to Settings. The Approval Policy page carries an Admin only badge, and people without that access see the switches greyed out.
How to turn on timesheet approvals
You turn on approvals with the Timesheet approvals switch on the Approval Policy page.
- Click your name at the bottom of the sidebar, then click Settings.
- Click Time Tracking, then Approval Policy.
- Turn on Timesheet approvals.
- Click Save changes.
With approvals on, people submit a week for review, and a manager approves it or sends it back with a reason. Timesheet shows Submit week for approval, and each week in Expenses shows Submit for approval.
The page notes that this switch also puts the Approvals row in the sidebar. While approvals are off, there is no Approvals row, nothing can be submitted, and timesheets cannot be locked. Reviewers also need the right permissions to see the row.
How to set manager self-approval
You decide whether managers can approve their own time with the Manager self-approval switch.
- On the Approval Policy page, turn Manager self-approval on or off.
- Click Save changes.
With it on, managers can approve their own submitted time and expenses. With it off, they can see their own submissions, but someone else has to approve them, and their own row shows Needs another reviewer. Administrators are never restricted.
How to set invoice approval warnings
Invoice approval warnings decides whether OneSuite warns you when a new invoice pulls in hours or expenses nobody has submitted or approved yet.
- On the Approval Policy page, turn Invoice approval warnings on or off.
- Click Save changes.
The warning never removes anything. The hours are still included either way.
How to lock old timesheets automatically
Automatic locking freezes past time and expenses so nobody can edit or delete them.
- On the Approval Policy page, turn on Automatically lock timesheets.
- Choose a Lock period:
- The previous week
- The previous month
- Entries older than…, then enter a number of days
- Turn on Submit for approval when locking if any unsubmitted time and expenses should be submitted at the moment the lock fires.
- Click Save changes.
Lock period starts on The previous week when you first turn locking on. The boundary moves forward on its own as time passes. Once saved, the page shows Currently locked through a date, or Time and expenses are still editable if nothing is locked yet.
If you choose Entries older than…, enter a whole number of days from 1 to 365. Turning Automatically lock timesheets off also turns off Submit for approval when locking.
What each setting does
| Setting | When on | When off |
|---|---|---|
| Timesheet approvals | People submit a week for review. The Approvals row is in the sidebar. | No Approvals row, nothing can be submitted, and timesheets cannot be locked. |
| Manager self-approval | Managers can approve their own time and expenses. | Someone else approves a manager’s submissions. Administrators are never restricted. |
| Invoice approval warnings | A new invoice warns about unsubmitted or unapproved hours and expenses. | No warning. The hours are included either way. |
| Automatically lock timesheets | Time and expenses in the Lock period cannot be edited or deleted by anyone. Approving and sending back still work. | Nothing locks on its own. A reviewer can still apply a one-time lock from the Approvals page. |
| Submit for approval when locking | Unsubmitted time and expenses are submitted when the lock fires. Needs Timesheet approvals on. | Unsubmitted entries stay unsubmitted. |
How to lock a period once, without a standing policy
You lock a single period from the Approvals page instead of here.
- Click Approvals in the sidebar.
- Click Apply one-time manual lock.
- Pick the last date to lock.
- Click Apply lock.
You can change or remove that lock later from the same place. If an automatic lock is also on, whichever of the two reaches further forward applies.
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FAQs
What is the difference between approving and locking timesheets?
Approving is a reviewer signing off on someone’s week. Locking freezes every entry up to a date so nobody can edit or delete it. Approving and sending back still work on locked entries.
Can I lock timesheets without turning approvals on?
No. The Approval Policy page says that while Timesheet approvals is off, timesheets cannot be locked. Turn approvals on first, then set up locking.
Who can approve timesheets in OneSuite?
People whose permissions let them approve timesheets and see team time. With Manager self-approval off, nobody but an administrator can approve their own submissions.
Can a locked entry be edited?
No. Locked time and expenses cannot be edited or deleted by anyone. To reopen them, an admin changes the lock: the automatic settings on this page, or Remove on a one-time lock.
Can I just check timesheets by hand instead of turning approvals on?
You can, and for a small team that often works. Turn approvals on when you want a record of who signed off, a way to send work back, and invoices that pull approved time only.
What to do next
Review your team’s time: See how the queue works in Approving Timesheets and Expenses.
Set your tracking rules: Choose timer mode, rounding and formats in Timesheet Preferences.
Bill approved time: Turn approved hours into an invoice with Invoice Generation from Billable Hours.