Approve, unapprove, and reject timesheets for QuickBooks Time

Learn how to approve, unapprove, or reject timesheets for QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Online. 

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• Approve timesheets
• Unapprove or reject timesheets
• Add a timesheet using the approvals report
• Edit or delete a timesheet using the approvals report

Approve timesheets

Note: If you want to give your team members permission to submit their time for approval, set this up in QuickBooks Time. 

In QuickBooks Time

1. Go to Approvals.
   1. If you want to change the total hours worked format from decimal to HH:MM (hours and minutes), select HH:MM.
2. Select the report dates, team members, and select Run Report.
3. Tick either Select all unapproved, or tick individual team members.
4. Select Approve Selected.
5. Alternatively, select Approve next to the team member's name individually.
6. Select OK to confirm.

Note: Approving the displayed hours approves and locks all time data up to and including the chosen report dates.

Unapprove or reject timesheets

In QuickBooks Time

1. Go to Approvals.
2. Select the report dates, team members, and select Run Report.
3. To unapprove the team member's timesheet, select Unapprove.
   • If the time has already been exported, it'll need to be separately unlocked if accessing from within QuickBooks Time. Note that you can only unlock time up to 90 days in the past.
     1. In QuickBooks Time, select QuickBooks Payroll, then select Unlock Exported Time.
     2. Select a Start date and an End date.
     3. Select All team members to select which employees you want to unlock time for.
     4. Review the timesheets, then select Unlock (#) timesheets.
     5. In the notice that displays, select Confirm unlock.

Note: Unapproving or rejecting the displayed hours unlocks all hours from the present back to and including the displayed report dates.

Add a timesheet using the approvals report

In QuickBooks Time

1. Go to Approvals.
2. Select the report dates, team members, and select Run Report.
3. At the right under the hours, select view details.
4. Select + Add timesheet.
5. In the Timesheet Editor, enter the information, and select Save.

Note: The date range must be in the "unapproved" state to add more time.

Edit or delete a timesheet using the approvals report

In QuickBooks Time

1. Go to Approvals.
2. Select the report dates, team members, and select Run Report.
3. At the right, under the hours, select view details.
4. Do one of the following:
   1. To edit: Select the edit timesheet icon, make the changes, then select Save.
   2. To delete: Select the delete timesheet icon, then select Delete again to confirm.

Note: A timesheet must be in the "unapproved" state to edit or delete the time.