Users with Timesheet Manager access maintain escalated approvals, automatic period generation, periods, shifts, and timesheet holidays. Before a user can create a timesheet, both a period and a shift must be created

Role: Users with Timesheet Manager, District Manager, or Admin roles.

Timesheet Escalated Approval

The Timesheet Escalated Approval grid will display submitted timesheets waiting for approval. The user will be able to singularly or mass approve submitted timesheets directly, bypassing the workflow approval.

View an Escalated Timesheet

If you prefer to view the details of a timesheet before approving it, click on It will open a window containing their timesheet details. Options to Edit, Reject or Approve it are displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Edit: You may edit the timesheet as long as the approval status is ‘initiated'
Approve: A pop-up confirmation window will appear providing a note area to optionally enter a reason for the approval. Click Approve. The timesheet will bypass the rest of the workflow and will be updated with an approved status. The originator will be notified that the timesheet has been approved. The originator may open their timesheet to view the ‘Timesheet Approval Trail’ which will include the approver who approved the timesheet, optional notes they entered, and the date/time the timesheet was approved.
Reject: A pop-up confirmation window will appear providing a note area to enter a reason for the rejected timesheet. Click Reject. The originator will be notified that the timesheet has been rejected. The timesheet will be updated with as a status of ‘rejected’ and displayed in their ‘My Timesheets’ grid . The originator may view the timesheet to click on the ‘Timesheet Approval Trail’ to see the approval trail of who rejected the timesheet, optional notes they entered, and the date/time the timesheet was rejected. The originator also has the option of editing the timesheet, if needed, and re-submitting it for approval.

Timesheet Export

Role: For users with the Timesheet Manager, District Manager, or Admin role.

Allows users to select Approved timesheets to export and post timesheet information via a CSV file into USPS. ESS requires that the compensation records in USPS have a start and stop date to correctly identify the compensation to be paid during the timesheet extraction. If either date is missing, an error is produced--” no valid compensations found for this position.” For non-contract compensations, an end date of 2099 is acceptable.

The User may filter approved timesheets by:

Specific Period: Option to select a timesheet period. Only one period can be selected for export at a time.
Specific Employees: Option to select one or more employees’ approved timesheets to be included in the export.
Specific Pay Groups/Building Codes: Option to select one or more pay groups and/or building codes associated with the approved timesheet.
- Select Pay Group/Building Code.
  - Click Add to add to the selection.
  - To remove from selection, select Pay Group/Building Code and click Remove.

Once the grid includes the approved Timesheets that should be exported, select the timesheets to Export individually or select all. At least one timesheet must be selected before the export button is enabled. Once all items on a timesheet are marked exported, the status of the entire timesheet will change from ‘Approved’ to ‘Exported’, and the timesheet will no longer appear in the Timesheet Export grid. Optionally, the grid can be printed by clicking the Print Grid Extract Report button, which will produce a .csv with all grid items that have been selected.

Example of Grid Extract Report

Note: If a timesheet line item has 0 hours worked, the export will not contain the row with zero hours.

Export Timesheets Options

Once your grid displays the desired timesheets you would like to export, click on ‘Export Timesheets.' The export options are displayed below. You are required to select one ‘export type’ and one ‘activity option’, which will generate a spreadsheet (CSV format) of the timesheet data included in the filtered grid. The default filename is called timesheet-export.csv. The file can then be imported into USPS manually using the USPS Utilities>Attendance/Absence Import option. Please refer to the USPS Attendance/Absence Import specs for more information on the format of the CSV file.

The following timesheet items are not included in the export CSV file:

Leave entries from the timesheet. Leave entries are posted separately using the ESS Leave Request Export option.
Holiday entries. Depending on the employee’s contract, holidays may be considered a paid day (these days would be indicated with an H on their Position>Job Calendar). If an employee worked on a holiday, a timesheet entry should be added using the EXC (Miscellaneous Pay Type when posted on the USPS side) or OV (Overtime Pay Type when posted on the USPS side).

Mark all timesheets as exported

If checked, all line items on the timesheet (including HO and leave type items) will be updated with an exported status.
If left unchecked, only timesheet line items (REG, EXC, OT) included on the export CSV file will be updated with an exported status.

Export Type

Payments with Attendance: Includes items for payments (based on the activity option selected) and attendance. On the CSV file, column U is marked 'Y' for attendance posting, and the compensation label will be included in column Y.
Payments without Attendance: Includes items for payments (based on the activity option selected) only. On the CSV file, no attendance (column U marked 'N'). Their attendance is already accounted for based on their job calendar in USPS. The compensation label will be included in column Y.
Attendance without Payments: Includes items for attendance (based on the activity option selected) only. On the CSV file, column U is marked 'Y'. The compensation label will be included in column Y.

Activity Options:

Export all items (REG, EXC, OT): Includes all regular, overtime, and exception line items on the CSV file.
Export REG items only: Includes all regular line items only on the CSV file.
Export EXC & OT items only: Includes exception and overtime line items only on the CSV file. This option may be used for employees who need to create a timesheet but only need their exceptions and overtime items posted to USPS. Their regular hours are already accounted for in their contract compensation in USPS.

Use Case Examples:

Employees who do not get credit for attendance in USPS (as indicated on the Position>Job Calendar) must obtain attendance credit via their timesheet.
- Export Type: Attendance w/o Payments
- Activity Option: Export All Items
- Select Mark All Timesheets as Exported if you want all items on the timesheet to be updated with an exported status (including HO and leave entries)
For employees who obtain their payroll payments for exceptions and overtime items via their timesheet:
- Export Type: Payments w/o attendance
- Activity Option: Export EXC & OT items only
- Select Mark All Timesheets as Exported if you want all items on the timesheet to be updated with an exported status (including HO and leave entries)
For employees who do not get credit for attendance in USPS (as indicated on the Position>Job Calendar) and must obtain attendance credit via their timesheet, and are also non-contract compensation employees (Compensation>Type = Non Contract), and must obtain their payroll payments via their timesheet.
- Export Type: Payments with attendance
- Activity Option: Export All Items
- Select Mark All Timesheets as Exported if you want all items on the timesheet to be updated with an exported status (including HO and leave entries)

USPS Importing

Go to Utilities>Attendance/Absence Import.
1. Attendance Import File - Click Choose File and browse to find the saved CSV file.
2. Location Code - None.
3. Post to Payroll Processing Options - Any payment information included in the CSV file can be posted to either Payroll Payments - Current or Payroll Payments - Future. Select the appropriate option from the drop-down. If None is selected, no payment entries will be created.
4. Combine Attendance Entries - If posting payment information to Payroll Payments - Future or Payroll Payments - Current, should multiple attendance entries for the same day be combined into one entry when the payment is created?
  1. If yes, mark the checkbox. This will combine multiple attendance entries for the same day into one entry in Payroll Payments - Future or Payroll Payments - Current. Keep in mind, in order for entries to be combined in Payroll Payments - Future or Payroll Payments - Current, the Employee ID, position number, pay type, tracking unit, and unit amount must be the same on all entries.
  2. If no, unmark the checkbox. This will not combine multiple attendance entries for the same day into one entry in Payroll Payments - Future or Payroll Payments - Current - leaving multiple line entries for the same day.
5. Allow Negative Leave Balances - Leave unchecked.
6. Payroll Account to Charge - Defined Payroll Account for Position.
Click Import. The Records Loaded, Errors, Total Records, Future Pays Loaded (if applicable), and Current Pays Loaded (if applicable) will be displayed. Verify for accuracy.
Any errors will be generated in the ATTERR.TXT report. Verify for accuracy.
Will create Attendance records. The SSDT Attendance Journal Report can be run for verification purposes.

Automatic Period Generator

This option may be used if your district prefers that timesheet periods be created automatically. You also have the option to automatically create timesheets for specified positions. Fields denoted with a bullet to the right of the field name are required fields. Once the generator is enabled, it will create the timesheet period(s) and the periods will be displayed in the Period grid, and (if positions are included), it will automatically create timesheets for the selected positions, and those will be displayed under the Timesheets grid.

Creating Automatic Timesheet Periods

Automatic Period Generator: Once finished setting up the automatic period generator settings, select ‘true’ to start running the ‘generatePeriodsjob’ batch job. For more details on the scheduled job, please refer to System>Batch Job.
- Once the Automatic Generation Running is set to true, you will receive the following pop-up notification indicating the automatic period generator is running, starting with the time periods defined in your batch job. You may click ‘Click here to navigate,’ and it will take you to the current batch jobs under System<Batch Job to view the results of your scheduled job; or you may ‘close’ this window.
- Once all timesheet periods, inclusive of the Automatic Period Generator, are closed, this setting will automatically change to ‘false’, indicating the job will no longer create automated timesheet periods (or automatic timesheets if positions are included in the generator).
Closing Time: Select the time - Hour/Minute/Period (AM/PM) - when a period should be automatically closed.
Start Date: Select a date you want to start generating automatic periods. For example, you may want the start date to coincide with the start date of a payroll period.
Available Future Periods: Select the number of future periods to be created when the automatic period generator is enabled.
- Example: if your start date is 11/01/2024, semi-monthly and you enter 1 future period, once the generator is enabled, it will create 2 timesheet periods on the periods grid… the current period (11/1-11/15) and the future period (11/15-11/30). Please refer to Automatic Period Generator Example for more details.
Timesheet Reminders: Sends an email reminding timesheet employees as to when the timesheet period will close.
Duration: Select the duration. The duration must coincide with the USPS Pay Plan. Your period ending date options will change based on the Duration chosen:
- Weekly: Required to enter a ‘Period Ending Day.’
- Bi-Weekly: Required to enter a ‘Period Ending Day.’
- Semi-Monthly: Required to enter a First Period Ending Date and a Second Period Ending Date
- Monthly: Required to enter a ‘First Period Ending Date.’
Close on a non-business day: Option to move the closing date if it happens to fall on a non-business day to a business day. For example, if the closing date were to fall on a Sunday, use this option to move the closing date to the next business day. This option is currently not working ESS-860.
Months to Skip: option to disallow timesheets to be created for a specified month(s)
Period Ending Day: If ‘weekly’ or ‘biweekly’ duration is selected, the period ending day must be selected.
Period Closing Day: You have the option of using the pre-defined setting under System>Configuration>Timesheet Period Close Configuration for the closing day or select a desired day to close the period.
Positions: If position(s) are added, it automatically creates timesheets for the specified employee’s positions when the related period is auto-generated. If left blank, it will not auto-create timesheets. Instead, the user will manually create their timesheets via Timesheets>My Timesheets.

Automatic Period Generator Grid

You may create multiple automatic period generator jobs as long as the timesheet periods defined in the job do not coincide with existing timesheet periods. All automatic period generator jobs are displayed in the grid. The actual timesheet period(s) created are displayed in the Period grid.

View the details of the Automatic Period Generator job.
Edit an existing Automatic Period Generator job.
Delete an existing Automatic Period Generator job [as long as the job is running (true)]. If an automated period is deleted, a confirmation message will appear indicating the number of positions associated with the periods generated during that time. NOTE: The periods created via the automatic period generator (as well as their related timesheets) will stay intact; they will not be deleted.

Automatic Period Generator Example

Listed below is the Automatic Period Generator setup. The start date is 11/01/2024, semi-monthly with 1 future period, using automated closing of the period 3 days after the period ends, and a selected position entered. NOTE: If position(s) are not added in the Automatic Period Generator setup, employees must manually create their timesheets via ‘My Timesheets’.
Once the generator is enabled and running:
- In this example, it will automatically create 2 timesheet periods, and will be displayed under the Periods grid… the current period (11/1-11/15) and the future period (11/15-11/30). Both will be open by default.
Since a position was included in the Automatic Period Generator setup, the system will automatically create timesheets for both periods for the employee’s position. Employees timesheet will be displayed under the Timesheets grid.

Once the 1st period (11/1-11/15) automatically closes on 11/18 at 11:59 PM, the next period (12/1-12/15) will automatically generate and display under the Period grid. Employee’s timesheet for the 12/1-12/15 period will be automatically created.
- Once the 2nd period (11/15-11/30) automatically closes (on 12/3 at 11:59 PM), the next period (12/16-12/31) will automatically generate and display under the Period grid. Employee’s timesheet for the 12/16-12/31 period will be automatically created.
- The automatic period generator will continue this cycle of automatically generating periods (and timesheets if positions are included in the setup) as long as the generator is enabled and the prior period is closed automatically. WARNING: Closing an auto-generated period manually via the Period grid will NOT automatically create the next period.

Period

This option may be used if your district prefers timesheet period(s) to be created manually (instead of via the automatic period generator). Multiple Timesheet periods may be created manually as long as the timesheet periods specified are inclusive of one another. Fields denoted with a bullet to the right of the field name are required fields. Once the timesheet period(s) are generated, they will be displayed in the Period grid.

Create a Period

Click to create a new timesheet period.

Begin: Select the date the period should begin. For example, the beginning date may coincide with the start date of a payroll period.
End: Select the date the period should end. For example, the end date may coincide with the end date of the payroll period.
Close Date & Time: This field will auto-populate with the closing date and time if Periods are configured to automatically close periods via System>Configuration>Timesheet Period Close Configuration.
Description: (optional) Enter a description defining the timesheet period. NOTE: When a period is generated automatically, it will not contain a description.

Click to save the timesheet period or Cancel to return to the Period grid. The period will be open by default and will remain open until it is closed manually or automatically.

Period Grid

Periods created either manually or via the automatic period generator will be displayed in the Period grid.

View an existing Timesheet period. When viewing, you may also Edit the period, X out to Close the popup, Open/Close the period, and generate an Audit Report on the period.
- - Audit Report allows an Audit report to be generated using the defined start and end dates.
- will close the Pop Up window to return to the Grid
- - When editing a Closed Timesheet Period, you can click to open the period.
- - When editing an Open Timesheet Period, you can click to close the period.
Edit an existing Timesheet period. NOTE: The timesheet period must be opened to edit it.
Delete an existing Timesheet period. NOTE: You can only delete an open timesheet period.
Open a Timesheet period.
Close an open Timesheet period. WARNING: Closing an auto-generated Timesheet period via the ‘close’ icon (or ‘close period’ button when viewing a period) will NOT automatically create the next period.
- When closing a period, a confirmation box will appear displaying the number of timesheets within the specified period, their approval statuses, and the total number of timesheets for the period.

Shift

Before a timesheet employee can create a timesheet, we recommend a shift be created for their position. In doing so, when the user creates their timesheet, the start time and end times will be pre-filled with the shift start and end times. You may create a single shift for multiple positions.

Create a Shift

Name: Enter a Shift Name.
Start Time/End Date: Select a start and ending time for the shift.
Break Time: Enter a break time (i.e. 1.0 for an hour break, 0.50 for a half-hour break, etc).
Hours in Work Day: The hours in the work day are required. Currently, the start/end times, break time, and hours in a workday do not check (balance) against one another.
Flexible Shift: If this flag is enabled, the start/end time fields and the hours worked field are disabled. Please refer to Flexible Shift for more information.
Select Position for this Shift: Add one or more positions that should be included in this shift.
- NOTE: It will only display employees who have a user account in ESS and have marked the USPS record as a timesheet employee.
- The employee’s name is included on the drop-down position list for selection.

After a position has been assigned a shift, when a user creates a timesheet for that position, all shift data will be prefilled for that user’s timesheet.

Shift Grid

- View an existing shift. When viewing a Timesheet Shift, you have the option to Edit the Shift and generate an Audit report on that specific Timesheet Shift.
- Audit Report allows an Audit report to be generated using the defined start and end dates.
- Edit an existing shift NOTE: The timesheet period must be opened to edit the shift.
- Delete an existing shift. NOTE: A warning message will display with the number of positions currently associated with this shift.
- Reset grid to original options
- More option that allows selection of data to include on the grid

Flexible Shift

If a shift is created and the flexible shift flag is enabled, the split shift checkbox, the start/ending time, and the hours worked fields are disabled. Enter the break time (i.e. 0.5 for half an hour), select the positions, and click Create.

When the employee creates their timesheet and selects the position associated with the flexible shift, the start time and end time will be blank on each line item. Once both the start and end times are entered, the hours worked field will be automatically calculated. A Timesheet can be saved if some of the line items have blank start/end times; however, the timesheet cannot be submitted until all times are filled in.

Split Shift

Allows for 2 time periods to be defined for one shift. If selecting the checkbox for Split Shift, the flexible shift will be disabled. Enter the break time (i.e. 0.5 for half an hour), select the positions, and click Create.

If selecting Split Shift, the Flexible Shift can no longer be used. Then the 2 sets of times can be set for the shift, and the positions can be entered.

The ‘Break Time’ box is for the 1st set of Start/End times, and the ‘Split Break Time’ is for the Split Start/End times. Note that the combined break time will never force the hours worked to be less than what’s listed in the shift; you may not see all of the break time applied to the hours.

Timesheet Holidays

Timesheet holidays are periods or specific dates during which timesheets are restricted due to a holiday. Timesheet Holidays will be reflected on any existing and/or future timesheets that fall on the holiday’s date and time.

Create a Timesheet Holiday

From Timesheet Manager,

Click ‘Create.’
Provide a label for the timesheet holiday.
Check Notify Managers if you want Timesheet Managers to receive an email when a timesheet is submitted during the holiday date range.
Check ‘Enabled’ to activate the holiday.
Check Entire Day if it applies to the entire day, or leave unchecked to select a start/ending time.
Select start and end dates for your holiday period.
If any specific timesheet types should be included in the holiday, select all that apply. Leave empty to select all activity types.
You can filter by employee and their position. (or leave blank to include all positions for an employee).
If specific employees are not selected, you can filter by Pay Group and/or Department Codes.
Click ‘Create’ to save your holiday or ‘Cancel' to exit without saving changes.

When a user creates their timesheet, any holiday that falls within the timesheet period will automatically be marked as a holiday on the timesheet.

Timesheet Holiday Grid Options

The Timesheet Holiday grid allows users to filter holiday information by entering their search query in the filter row.

View entire holiday record.
Edit an existing holiday record.
Delete an existing holiday record.

Exported Timesheet History

Each entry listed in the Exported Timesheet History grid will contain all the Timesheets that were exported together.

Revert Timesheet Details

Allows you to click to revert one or multiple Timesheets. Upon clicking the Revert Timesheet Details icon, a pop-up will open showing the details included in the file. The View icon allows you to see the details of a specific Timesheet. To remove the Exported status flag from one or more Timesheets, select the desired records and click , or click Close to return to the grid.

Reverted Timesheets will return to an Approved status and reappear in the Timesheet Export grid. For each reverted Timesheet, the Timesheet Approval Trail will include a note stating “Export Reverted.'

If you revert only some of the timesheets in the detail, the start/stop dates will be updated when the revert dialog is closed. You then have the option to click on the Export Again icon to create a new file with the updated results.

View Requests

Click the View Requests icon to see all the timesheets for this entry. You can also click the View button next to each timesheet to display its line items for that specific Timesheet in a separate window.

Export Again

Click the Export Again icon to download the updated details to a CSV file. A confirmation pop-up box will allow you to download the file or to click Cancel to return to the grid.