Timesheet Approval

Timesheet approval is the step where the submitted time record is reviewed and accepted for payroll use.

From a payroll perspective, approval matters because payroll does not want to calculate pay from unreviewed or incomplete time. The approval step tells payroll that the reported hours are ready to move into the run.

Why Timesheet Approval Matters

Timesheet approval matters because it affects:

• payroll accuracy
• payroll cutoff timing
• whether late time must wait for another run
• manager and payroll accountability for hours worked

It is also one of the clearest examples of how payroll depends on upstream workflow. Payroll cannot stay accurate if time enters the run without enough review.

Where It Appears In Payroll Workflow

Timesheet approval appears after time is submitted but before payroll is finalized. In practice, payroll relies on approval to:

• confirm hours are ready for use
• separate approved time from unresolved time
• lock in the hours that belong in the current run
• support payroll review and later reconciliation

That makes approval a control step between time collection and payroll calculation.

Simple Example

An employee submits a timesheet on Friday, and the manager approves it on Monday before payroll cutoff.

Because the timesheet is approved in time, payroll can include those hours in the current run. If approval came too late, payroll might need to move the hours to a later cycle or create an adjustment.

Common Confusion

Timesheet approval is often confused with:

• Timesheet, which is the time record itself
• Payroll cutoff, which is the deadline the approval must usually meet
• Timekeeping exception, which is an unresolved issue that may block approval
• Payroll adjustment, which may be needed if approval happens too late

Related Terms

• Timesheet
• Payroll Cutoff
• Timekeeping Exception
• Payroll Adjustment
• Pay Period
• Payroll Run
• Payroll Exception

Knowledge Check

1. Does timesheet approval happen before payroll uses the time in the run? Yes. That is the point of the approval step.
2. Can late approval cause a payroll issue? Yes. It may miss cutoff and require later correction.
3. Is timesheet approval the same as the timesheet itself? No. Approval is the review step applied to the record.