Change QuickBooks Workforce settings and permissions

Learn how to turn on settings and permissions in your QuickBooks Time web dashboard so you and your team can get started using QuickBooks Workforce. Depending on your specific company needs, you have options to turn on different features for the Workforce app. 

These settings need to be managed by a QuickBooks Time admin: 

• Mobile time entry
• GPS set up and permissions
• Timesheet submission
• Mileage tracking
• Geofencing
• Notifications
• Who’s working permissions
• Mobile device time zone

If you want your team members to add or request time off in the app, make sure you also grant them that permission when you set up time off. 

When mobile time entry is turned off, a team member can't use their mobile device to clock in and out. They can sign in and view their time, but they can't track time.

Turn on mobile time entry for all team members

Note: Manually changing the permissions for an individual team member will override account-wide settings. If a team member’s permission is incorrect, you can turn on mobile time entry for an individual.

1. Go to Company Settings, select Time Options, then Time Entry.
2. Select an option:
   • To allow the mobile time entry permission: Select Allow team members to track time on the mobile app, then Save.
   • To allow all team members to sign in from anywhere (computer or mobile) and manage their own timesheets: Select Allow team members to manage their own timesheets, then Save. By default, this turns on the mobile time entry permission (and greys it out) both in company settings and individual team member permissions. If needed, you can customize mobile time entry for individual team members. 

Turn on mobile time entry for an individual

If you don’t want all of your team members to have access to track time in the Workforce app, you can limit access by individual team member.

1. In QuickBooks time, go to Company Settings, select Time Options, then Time Entry.
2. Uncheck Allow team members to manage their own timesheets, and Allow team members to track time on the mobile app, then Save.
3. Go to My Team, and select a team member.
4. Select the Permissions tab.
5. Select Mobile time entry, and then Save.
   1. If you want them to have access to manage their timesheets from any platform, select Manage my timesheets, then Save.
6. Repeat for each team member you want to have mobile time entry access.

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GPS set up and permissions

Follow these steps to turn on GPS settings, then check out additional GPS information for admins.

Set up location tracking for all team members

1. In QuickBooks Time, go to Company Settings, select Location, then Tracking.
2. Select an option:
   • Required: Location services must be turned on on the team member's mobile device for them to track time.
   • Optional: The team member can prefer to turn location services on or off with no effect on how they track time.
   • Off: location is never tracked.
3. For Geofencing setup, go to the Geofencing section. 

Set up location tracking for an individual team member

1. Go to My Team, and select a team member.
2. On the Location tab, select Custom Rules for this Team Member.
3. Select your rule, then Save.

Permissions to view GPS

Admins, managers, and team members granted the Manage timesheets for all team members permission can view another team member's GPS points. Otherwise, team members can only view their own GPS points. The GPS map data also appears the same for all viewers. 

Turn on permission:

1. In QuickBooks Time, go to My Team, then select the team member you want to grant permissions to.
2. Select Permissions, then select one of these as the Role:
   • Admin
   • Payroll Manager
   • Custom 
3. Select Manage timesheets for all team members, then Save.

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Timesheet submission

To allow team members to submit their timesheets from a mobile device:

1. In QuickBooks Time, go to Feature Add-ons, then Manage Add-ons.
2. Go to Approvals, and select Install.
3. In the Approvals Preferences window, select Team members can review and submit their time.

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Mileage tracking

This feature is only available on Elite accounts. Once you follow these steps, you can start tracking mileage. 

Turn on mileage tracking

1. Go to Feature Add-ons, then Manage Add-ons.
2. Search for Mileage Tracking, and select Install.

Turn on location settings

1. For team members to track mileage automatically while they’re clocked in, you need to first turn on location tracking on the web dashboard.
2. Then, they need to turn on ‌location tracking for the app. 

iPhone: 

1. On your iOS device, go to Settings, then select Workforce.
2. Select Location, then Always.
3. Make sure your global location settings are also on.
   1. On your iOS device, go to Settings, select Privacy & Security, then Location Services.
   2. Turn on Location Services. 

Android:

1. On your Android device, select Settings, Location, then select App Permissions.
2. Find QuickBooks Time, and select Allow all the time.
3. Turn on use precise location.

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Geofencing

This feature is only available in Elite accounts. Geofencing will be automatically enabled on Elite accounts, but has some additional setup. Once you finish the setup, you can start using it to track your team.

Set up geofencing

1. Go to Company Settings, select Location, then Tracking.
2. Set Location Tracking to required (recommended) or optional for geofencing to work.
   1. Location Tracking settings can be changed for individual team members if you go to My Team, select the team member, select Location, then Custom Rules for this Team Member, and make your selection, then Save. 
   2. Team members must turn on location services on their device to use geofencing.
   3. They also must set Location to Always and High Accuracy (Android) or Precise Location (iOS).
3. Add a geofence to your jobs or customers so you can start using it to track your team.

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Notifications

There are many different notifications you can turn on for your team members to receive from the Workforce app. 

1. In QuickBooks Time, select Company Settings, then Notifications. 
2. Select the notifications you want your team members to receive, then select Save.  

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Who’s working permission

Grant this permission if your team member needs to see who’s currently clocked in. It’s helpful if they need to know who’s nearby and what everyone is doing.

1. In QuickBooks Time, select My Team.
2. Select your team member, then Permissions.
3. Turn on View 'Who's Working' for all team members, then Save.

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Mobile device time zone

When you go to My Team, and select a team member, then select General, the Allow mobile app to set timezone setting is checked so your team member’s timesheets display in the time zone they’re working in. This is helpful if your team members have to travel for work or they work in a different time zone than the company’s time zone.

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