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Create timesheets on behalf of employees in QuickBooks Advanced Payroll

by Intuit•1• Updated 1 month ago

In QuickBooks Online Advanced Payroll, managers can create and submit timesheets for employees. You can enter hours, breaks, work types, and locations directly in the timesheet grid, or use the timesheet editor for extra details.

This article is for customers who use QuickBooks Online Advanced Payroll.


Create a timesheet

Managers can create timesheets for employees enabled for timesheets. This is done through the payroll dashboard.

  1. Follow this link to complete the steps in product Open this link in a new window
  2. Choose the employee and date range.
  3. Enter the timesheet details:
  4. Adjust the week or fortnight using the arrows or calendar.
  5. Select the employee from the dropdown.
  6. Select the Work type. If none is selected, hours will default to the employee’s pay category.
  7. Enter start and end times. For example, type 9a for 9:00am or 530p for 5:30pm.
  8. The Duration field shows the total hours.
  9. Add break times if needed.
  10. Select a Location. If none is selected, hours default to the employee’s location.
  11. To clear a line, select the red X. (Approved, processed, or rejected timesheets can’t be cleared.)
  12. Leave blank any days the employee didn’t work.
  13. When finished, select Save.
  14. If you have approval permissions, you’ll also see Save and approve.

To view the cost of timesheets:

  • From the filter menu, select Show costs.
  • A Costs column appears. Hover over a value to see a breakdown.

Some details must be added in the timesheet editor instead of the grid:

  • Notes
  • Additional breaks
  • Higher classification (for higher duties)

To open the editor, select the pencil icon next to a timesheet line. Make changes, then select Apply to return to the grid.

Select Actions for more options:

  • Add another timesheet line – add multiple shifts for one day.
  • Copy timesheets from last week – pre-fill with the previous period’s timesheets. Adjust as needed before saving.
  • Clear timesheets – remove all entries. (Not available for approved, processed, or rejected timesheets.)
  • Revert changes – discard edits and reload saved timesheets.
  • Type directly into a cell, then use Tab, Enter, or arrow keys to move to the next cell.
  • Use copy and paste to reuse timesheet lines or entries from another period.
  • Drag down the fill handle to repeat values.
  • Use the pencil icon for advanced edits.
  • Remember: no changes are saved until you select Save.

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Arrow keys – move between cells
  • Tab / Shift + Tab – move right / left
  • Home / End – move to first / last cell in a row
  • Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End – move to first / last cell in a column
  • Ctrl + A – select all
  • Shift + arrow keys – extend selection
  • Shift + Home / End – select all cells in a row
  • Ctrl + Shift + Home / End – select all cells in a column
  • Enter or F2 – open/close editor
  • Esc – cancel editing
  • Backspace / Delete – clear a cell
  • Ctrl + C / X / V – copy, cut, paste
  • Ctrl + Arrow Down – add another timesheet for the same date
  • Ctrl + Enter – fill all selected cells with the same value
  • Ctrl + Z / Y – undo / redo

Allow managers to create timesheets for all employees

By default, only employees enabled for timesheets can have timesheets created. To allow managers to create timesheets for all employees:

  1. Go to the Company cog.
  2. Select Payroll settings.
  3. Select Timesheets.
  4. Tick Managers can create timesheets for all employees that aren’t enabled for timesheets.

If an employee isn’t enabled for timesheets in their Pay Run Defaults, a message will appear for admins to enable it.

QuickBooks Online Payroll Advanced