In addition to admin users having the (default) right to track time for other users, you can enable certain users/managers in your system to have this right as well. This article will show you how to do log and submit time on behalf of others.
How To Log Time for Someone Else
If you have the rights to log time for someone else, then both the daily/weekly timesheet views will have a staffer picklist that allows you log time for other users. Note that your picklist will contain ONLY the users you have authority over.
1. Navigate to your timesheet using the TIME/EXPENSE...TIMESHEETS menu option. You will either see the daily or weekly view (depending on which you prefer).
2. Click the staffer picklist and select the staffer you would like to log time for. Note that you may not see every staff member in the firm in this list. You will only see the users you have management authority over.
3. Edit time on this page. Once you have selected the staffer, the timesheet(s) you see will be comprised of that specific user's time. Keep this in mind as you navigate from week to week.
4. Add new entries/rows to the user's timesheet as needed. Any new rows you add, or new entries you create, will be attached to that user.
5. Submit the user's time using the submission notice footer that appears at the bottom of the screen. This link will allow you to submit time on behalf of the staff member.
Troubleshooting
- WHAT IF I DON'T SEE THE STAFFER PICKLIST ON THE TIME ENTRY SCREEN? If a staffer is not an admin user, the staffer picklist will not be visible to them. They will need the additional security right titled ENTER+SUBMIT TIMESHEETS FOR YOUR USERS. Add them to a security group that has that right enabled.
- HOW DO I GRANT A USER RIGHTS TO ENTER TIME FOR ANOTHER USER? You need to give the "entry" user management authority over the "target" user. You do that using BigTime's staff departments feature.
- WHAT IF I WANT A USER TO HAVE RIGHTS TO SUBMIT FOR ANYBODY? Admin users have that right by default via the security right titled VIEW/MANAGE ANY STAFF MEMBER. To enable non-admin users to log time for any user, you must add them to a security group that has that permission enabled.
- WHAT IF I WANT TO SET UP A DATA-ENTRY USER WITH THE RIGHT TO LOG TIME FOR ANY USER? You do not need to add that data-entry user to the system admins group. Instead, create a new security group called "Time Loggers" and grant that group ONLY the VIEW/MANAGE ANY STAFF MEMBER and ENTER+SUBMIT TIMESHEET FOR YOUR USERS rights. Once you enable these rights, any user who is added to that group will see the full staff list in their timesheet entry picklist.
Missing Names in the Time Entry Dropdown Entering Time for Someone Else
If you cannot see someone's name in the Time Entry dropdown when entering time on their behalf, the most common causes are:
- The Security Group's Management Authority is scoped only to people the manager manages.
- The target staff member isn't active or allowed to track time.
- The manager's permissions don't allow them to view the target staff member.
This guide explains how to set the correct permissions so the person appears in the dropdown. Follow these steps in order.
Note: the Manager field on a staff member's Details page is for reporting purposes only. It does not control who a user manages, so changing it will not make a name appear in the dropdown.
- Step 1: Confirm the Security Group permissions (Management Authority). Ensure the manager's Security Group includes the correct Management Authority permissions.
- Go to MANAGER’S PROFILE > USER RIGHTS
- Open the Security Group used for the manager and ensure “Enter+Submit Time or Expenses for your users” is ON.
- Save, and confirm the manager is assigned to this Security Group.
- Under MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, ensure the correct Departments are selected that match the missing Staffers in the dropdown
- Step 2: Check the target staff member's status and time tracking.
- Make sure the target staff member is Active.
- If your firm uses department or division visibility rules, verify the manager can see the staff members department or division.
- Step 3: Refresh the session and retest.
- Have the manager sign out and sign back in, or refresh their browser.
- Open TIMESHEETS and check the Time Entry dropdown again.