Troubleshoot QuickBooks Workforce

Learn how to troubleshoot QuickBooks Workforce if you run into issues using the app. 

Before you troubleshoot the app, make sure you’re set up correctly and have the newest version of the app. For location or GPS issues, refer to: Troubleshoot GPS for QuickBooks Workforce.

In this article, you'll learn about:

• Sync issues
  • Common sync issues
  • Files or attachments not syncing
  • Missing jobs or customers
• Clock in or out issues
  • Mobile time entry restricted error 
  • Time is submitted or approved
  • Clock in or out time is incorrect
  • Timesheet note is empty. Please enter a note to clock in.
• Timesheet view issues
  • Crew setting is off
  • Timesheet view setting
• Report a problem

Sync issues

When the Workforce app syncs, it sends timesheets to the web dashboard, gets any new information from the dashboard, and adds it to the app. 

Common sync issues

If you’re having issues with your Workforce app not syncing, such as timesheets not sending to the web dashboard or changes to jobs and custom fields not updating in the app, these may be some of the reasons:

• Battery save mode, battery optimization mode (Android), or airplane mode is on
  • Check the specific instructions from your Android device’s support page to turn off battery optimization for the app.
• App was force closed (while clocked in, the app should be open in the background) 
• Restrict background data is on (Android) or background app refresh is off (iOS)
• You’re signed out of the app.
• The app or the device operating system is out of date.
• You’re clocked in on a computer or kiosk. (You can only be clocked in on 1 device)
• No data or Wi-Fi signal
• The device is off or the battery died
• You’re in a location with satellite interference.
• Your device is damaged.

Troubleshoot common sync issues

1. Make sure your device settings are correct. 
2. Check if any of the other listed issues apply to you.
3. To find out if your Workforce app is syncing properly now, you can force a sync.
   1. Go to More, select Settings, then Help & Support, and select Sync data. 
4. If you’re still having issues, continue troubleshooting sync issues below. 

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Files or attachments not syncing

When Transfer files only over Wi-Fi is turned on, attachments only sync when you’re connected to a Wi-Fi source. If you’re connected to data, you’ll need to connect to Wi-Fi or turn off this setting in the Workforce app.

Turn off setting

1. Select More, then Settings, and select General.
2. Turn off Transfer Files only over Wifi.
3. Go back to Settings, and select Help & Support.
4. Select Sync data to run a manual sync.

Note: Turning on Transfer files over WiFi saves data because attached files won't try to sync until you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

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Missing jobs or customers

If you set up your jobs in QuickBooks Time or imported customers from QuickBooks, or another software, but they aren’t in your QuickBooks Workforce, try the following:

1. If you installed QuickBooks Workforce before you added jobs to the web dashboard on your computer, your device may not have synced with the web dashboard yet.
   1. In the app, select More, then Settings, and select Help & Support, then Sync data. 
   2. At the bottom of the app, select Track Time, then Time clock, and search for your job or customer to determine if the sync worked.
2. If that doesn't work, make sure you assign the jobs or customers to team members.
3. If your jobs or customers still haven’t synced to the app, you’ll need to reset the app.
   1. Before resetting the app, make sure any timesheet data stored on your mobile device has synced with the web dashboard. Otherwise, your timesheet data will be lost. 
   2. In the app, select More, then Settings, and select Reset App.
   3. Select Reset App to confirm.
4. If that doesn't work, uninstall, then reinstall QuickBooks Workforce.
   1. Before uninstalling and reinstalling the app, make sure any timesheet data stored on your mobile device has synced with the web dashboard. Otherwise, your timesheet data will be lost.
   2. Uninstall the app for iOS or Android.
   3. Next, install the app again by going to the Google Play store or the App store, searching for QuickBooks Workforce and installing.
   4. After it's installed, open the app and sign in.
   5. Select Track Time, then Time clock, and search for your job or customer to check if they were added.

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Clock in or out issues

Mobile time entry restricted error 

Your admin or manager needs to grant you the Mobile Time Entry permission to use the Workforce app. If they don’t, you’ll get an error when attempting to clock in on the app.

To fix:

1. Your admin needs to go into the web dashboard, and select My Team.
2. Open the team member profile, and select Permissions.
3. Turn on Mobile time entry.
4. Once you sync, you should be able to start tracking time in the app.

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Time is submitted or approved

If you've recently submitted your time for approval, make sure you didn't submit it on a current or future date. Once a day is marked as submitted, it locks the date range and prevents you from clocking in or out, or editing time. 

To fix:

1. Work with your manager or admin to have them unapprove or reject your submission. 
2. Then you can add or edit time, clock in or out, or sync your device.

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Clock in or out time is incorrect

If your clock in or out time doesn’t look correct on your timesheet, your admin or manager may have clocked you in or made an edit to your timesheet. 

Check if your time was created or edited by someone else:

1. Go to QuickBooks Time on the web dashboard, and select Time Entries.
2. Find the timesheet in question, and select View Log .
3. See if the timesheet was created by someone else. If it shows any edits, this may explain the reason.

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Timesheet note is empty. Please enter a note to clock in.

This displays for accounts using the geofencing feature for QuickBooks Time Elite. When you clock in outside the geofence, you’re required to enter a note describing why you’re tracking time outside the location. 

You’ll either need to enter a note when clocking in outside the geofence, clock in while inside the geofence, or the admin needs to turn off geofencing so it’s not required for tracking time.

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Timesheet view issues 

Crew setting is off

If you’re having issues viewing team member timesheets in QuickBooks Workforce, you may not have the crew setting turned on:

1. In the Workforce app, go to More, then Settings, and select General. 
2. Turn on Show Admin Crew.

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Timesheet view setting

Another reason you may not be seeing your team member’s timesheets is if you have the wrong view selected:

1. To access your team members’ timesheets in the Workforce app, select Track Time, then Timesheets. 
2. Select My timesheets, and then select, All timesheets. 

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Report a problem

1. Sign in to your QuickBooks Workforce.
2. Select More, then Settings, and select Help & Support, then Upload device logs.
3. Enter a Description of the issue, then select the camera to upload any images that may provide context.
4. Select Upload.
5. Once you send in the device log, contact our support team, and ask them for your case number associated with the log.

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