Project Manager Approval

Use the Project Manager approval workflow to allow project managers to review timesheets. 

How does it work?

When a user submits their timesheet for approval, the project manager for each project that the user tracked time on is asked to review the timesheet. Each PM checks the timesheet and when all projects are reviewed the timesheet is considered approved. If one of the managers rejects the timesheet, the user needs to resubmit the timesheet and everyone needs to re-approve.

Projects without a PM

If a project does not have a PM, the configured fallback reviewer(s) is asked to approve instead. Without a configured fallback reviewer or PM, tracked time for that project is automatically approved. When the Project Managers flow is enabled, you can set the fallback reviewer in the Approval Configuration screen.

Projects with multiple Project Managers

A project may have multiple project managers assigned to it. In such a scenario, only one of the project managers needs to approve the hours tracked for that project. This flexibility enables you to have a backup in case the primary project manager is unavailable or unable to approve the timesheet.

Excluding projects

A project can be excluded from the approval workflow. The project manager is not asked for approval and time is automatically approved. To exclude a project, navigate to the settings of the project you want to exclude and check Section 4:

Enabling

You can enable the Project Manager workflow by selecting the Project Managers tab in the Approval Configuration screen.

Example:

Select the "Project Managers" tab when Configuring Approvals to enable the Project Managers Approval Workflow. 

For this example, this workflow is enabled, but no fallback reviewers are set.

The process is:

1. In week 18, Andrew tracked time on three different projects;
2. Andrew requests approval;
3. Two of those projects have a Project Manager set: John and Sally. Both project managers receive a notification by email;
4. John reviews the hours for his project on Andrew's timesheet and approves. The timesheet is still pending;
5. Sally also reviews the hours for her project on Andrew's timesheet and approves. The timesheet is approved;
6. Andrew receives an email notifying him that his hours are approved.

Example with a fallback reviewer

The Project Managers Approval Workflow is enabled and the Line Manager is configured as the fallback reviewer. Thomas is Andrew's Line Manager.

1. In week 19, Andrew was two days on vacation. He tracked hours on the vacation/PTA project and the Development project;
2. The development project has John as PM, while the PTA project does not have a PM set;
3. Andrew requests approval;
4. John needs to approve the hours for the Development project;
5. Thomas needs to approve the hours for the PTA project as he is Andrew's Line Manager;
6. When both John and Thomas approve, the whole timesheet is approved and Andrew is notified by email.