How to Get Time Sheets Filled Out

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Is your online time sheet method built to track time, or is it an add-on to some accounting or project mgmnt application? Apps dedicated to time entry and approval will be better designed for end users than an afterthought add-on.
Can users enter time on an iPhone, Blackberry, or Angroid phone? If they can enter time anytime, anywhere they're more likely to do it than if logging in is the only method.
Did you pick the application you use solely based on the management features? Every time sheet app has two sets of users -- data producers and data consumers. And usually there are more data producers than consumers.
Can end users launch timers to run during tasks? Look for features they might like.Jo
If time sheet entry is simple and universal, you improve the chances that people will use it.
This is the type of app that cloud computing/SaaS is meant to do better. Look in that direction.

Joe Piekarz of IL 8:56PM August 21, 2009

I agree that checking the process is the first step.
One thing to look at is the Monday morning submission. Can the time sheet be submitted Friday? Or doe it have to be done Monday, when all the issues from the weekend have to be dealt with?
If the time sheet id detailed, can it be updated during the week, or does it all have to be done at once?

Greg of SC 9:11AM August 21, 2009

This email is an important update on the rules around timesheets.
The business units are wanting to run reports either mid month or weekly to ensure that they are on top of their budgets and are beginning to push back on Technology when timesheets have not been submitted by month end. Specifically they are now saying that they will not cover the costs included in any late submissions, with the line drawn at month end. Obviously, this has very serious implications for Technology and our budget.
Therefore it will now be compulsory to submit timesheets weekly, with final submission being close of business on each Monday for the previous week e.g all timesheets for week commencing 20th of July need to be submitted by the end today, the 27th of July. All approvals need to happen by the Tuesday ready for the weekly Agresso update.
This is such an important issue for Technology that the CTO has introduced a policy that 3 late submissions in succession will result in a written warning. Reports are being submitted directly to the CTO on the status of timesheet submissions.
Please put a reminder in your diary (or whatever works for you!) to make sure you remember to complete your timesheets in time, and then hit the voting button above.

RBM 5:16AM August 21, 2009

Your first suggestion, while harsh, is what I think will be most effective.
- Lewis, SeattleInterviewCoach.com

Seattle Interview Coach of WA 11:40PM August 20, 2009

There may be instances where an employer's time sheet process is overly tedious, and that should be addressed if it's a problem. However, it is my view that completing an accurate time sheet is a job duty just like any other job duty.
If an employee is not completing their time card accurately or on time, then the first step is to find out if there is a reason they are unable to do so. I'd start by saying something like, "Timesheets are due by X day at X time. You have not been getting your time sheet in before the deadline. Is there any reason you are unable to complete it accurately and on time? Do you need training on how to correctly complete the timesheet?"
If the employee gives a legitimate reason why they are not able to complete the time card, then you work on addressing the problem. If they don't have a reason, then you make clear your expectation that timesheets will be in on time, reiterate that it is a job duty that is not optional, and let them know that while a failure to complete a time card won't delay their pay, it will certainly lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination. And yes, I have terminated someone for not filling out a timesheet correctly and on time. Any employers who has ever sat through a wage claim that was exacerbated by a lax timesheet policy would do the same thing.

HR Gurl of CA 6:40PM August 20, 2009

have many purposes beyond merely finding out how many hours to pay the employee. The "systems" are probably gathering information from these for things like customer billing, job cost accounting, units produced, various "reason codes" and maybe employee incentive plans. There can be a lot of politics and "fudging" in these reports for all kinds of reasons. It's also possible that requirements for "supervisor approval" are making the process more cumbersome than it ought to be.
As for delaying someone's pay, well, if you have to resort to that, chances are you're in trouble on a whole variety of management issues.

Muser of NM 2:46PM August 20, 2009