Timesheets - A-Z

Questions related to timesheets are covered here

• How workers set up their Sonovate Timesheets account
• Worker confirmation when a timesheet has been approved

• End Client - How timesheet authorisers approve worker timesheets

• How to check timesheet status
• Manual timesheets process - Uploading evidence
• Signed timesheet approval criteria
• How to submit expenses
• How to dismiss and re-open timesheets

How workers set up their Sonovate Timesheets account

 

Here we have a step-by-step guide on how workers set up their Sonovate Timesheets account. 

Our section for workers can be found here: help.sonovate.com/guide-for-workers

1. Once the assignment is set up, you can now send the invitation your worker. They will receive the email with a link to time.sonovate.com.
2. Click this link and enter your 'First Name' and 'Last Name'. 
3. Create a strong, unique password. We do not send out temporary passwords. Once have created a password of your own choice, this will be your password going forward.  
4. Once the worker has read and accepted our terms and conditions, click 'Sign up'. 
5. The worker has successfully set up their timesheet account and it is now ready for them to start submitting timesheets.

 

Video Guide
The video below if a submission guide for workers, which provides the whole journey from sign up to submission.

 

Worker confirmation when a timesheet has been approved

• Your contractor will receive an email notification of whether their timesheet has been approved or rejected.
• If approved, they have no more actions to take.
• If rejected, they are directed to the portal to correct any errors and resubmit.

How timesheet authorisers approve worker timesheets

Here is a video guide to help timesheet authorisers get set up on the portal:

• The timesheet authoriser will receive an email notifying them that timesheets are ready to be reviewed and signed. 
  The timesheet authoriser will only receive the link to log in when the timesheet has been submitted to you to approve. Once this has been done, they can log in as normal at time.sonovate.com.
• The email contains a link through to the portal, which the timesheet authorise clicks on to approve or reject the timesheet(s).
• In the case a timesheet is rejected, the authoriser can leave a message explaining why. (Candidate would then receive an email notification, and have the chance to rectify and resubmit).

How to check timesheet status - video

This video provides insight on how you can check worker timesheets status, providing you with full visibility of the process and preparing billing cycles accordingly.

 

Unsubmitted Timesheets: Time records entered by workers but not yet officially submitted for  approval to the timesheet authoriser. If a timesheet is in the ‘unsubmitted’ stage, this means that the timesheet has not been submitted to their approved.

Unauthorised Timesheets: Time entries submitted to the timesheets authoriser, but have not been reviewed or signed by them. If a timesheet is in the ‘unauthorised’ stage, this means that the timesheet has been submitted by the worker but it has not been approved by the authoriser. You can see who the timesheet has been submitted to by clicking on ‘activity’. Below you will see what authoriser the timesheet has been submitted to, and what time.  

Unbilled Timesheets: Recorded billable hours for projects or services not yet invoiced to clients and paid out to workers. If a timesheet is ‘unbilled’, this means that the timesheet has been submitted and approved by the authoriser, and the timesheet is ready to ‘bill’ and send payment to the worker. Once payment has been sent, an invoice will be generated for the client. You can find this under ‘billing’ and ‘billing history’.  

Example:

 

 Manual Timesheets Process - Uploading evidence

Timesheets can be sent to timesheets@sonovate.com by the approver, yourself or your worker can upload the approval in PDF form in to the timesheet app. The below states what must be included on the approved email that should be sent directly to timesheets@sonovate.com by the approver:  

•  The client to emails their approval directly to timesheets@sonovate.com. Once this approval has been sent to timesheets@sonovate.com yourself of your worker can upload the evidence via PDF in to the timesheet app. The timesheet(s) must meet this criteria in order to be approved by Sonovate.  

 

Signed timesheet upload criteria

• Before we can accept timesheets that have been uploaded, they must meet the following criteria: 
• Your candidate's full name  
• Time period worked (calendar week/month) 
• How many days/ hours they have worked. 
• This must be confirmed directly to timesheets@sonovate.com by the approver  
• Sonovate will not upload this, it is down to yourself/or worker to do so 
• Sonovate will then view the evidence that has been submitted  

 

Uploading a physical timesheet

• If the client has their own timesheet system, and or/ signed directly onto a document e.g. via third party timesheet software or a physical signature, yourself of your worker can upload this in PDF format in to the timesheet app.  
• Sonovate will then review the timesheet evidence that has been submitted  

 

Approval status - We accept the following timesheets with either one of the following approved status when uploading a physical timesheet: 

      1) The timesheet has to have either a physical signature or a timestamp with 
           the approved Timesheet authoriser. 
 
     2) The approved timesheet is on an internal system where the status of the 
          timesheet must show: “approved”, “ invoiced” or “exported”. 

If there is an additional rate to process, please clearly state the rate type on your timesheet.  

Please note: 
If the timesheet does not meet the above criteria, the timesheet will not be processed. The sender of the timesheet will receive an email to notify them if this has not met our criteria.   
 
Once we are able to process your timesheet, you will receive payment in your next billing cycle. 

 

Here is our video guide on uploading timesheets in the Sonovate portal on behalf of your workers.

 

 

 

Signed timesheet upload criteria

Before we can accept timesheets that have been uploaded to the portal manually, they must meet the following criteria:

• Your candidate's full name 
• Time period worked (calendar week/month)
• How many days/ hours you have worked. Please ensure this matches the rate as stated on the contract.

 

Approval status - We accept the following timesheets with either one of the following approved status:

      1) The timesheet has to have either a physical signature or a timestamp with
           the approved Timesheet authoriser.

     2) The approved timesheet is on an internal system where the status of the
          timesheet must show: “approved”, “ invoiced” or “exported”.

• If there is an additional rate to process, please clearly state the rate type on your timesheet. 

How to submit expenses

Watch our tutorial video below on how workers submit expenses.

We will need clear evidence on your expenses, e.g. receipts, in order to process them excluding mileage. We also require approval from your timesheet authoriser. Failure to do so will result in your expenses being rejected.

When submitting expenses, it is important to understand if VAT is applicable against expenses. It is the responsibility of whoever it is submitting and approving these expenses to always check that the information we receive is correct. If zero VAT is submitted, this will mean that zero VAT will be generated against the expense. It is crucial for the person who submits or uploads the expense approval in the timesheet app to ensure that the correct VAT element is applied.

For manual timesheets, we require the expenses in the same email as your timesheet in order for us to process. 

 

 

Dismiss & Re-open Timesheets

How to dismiss a Timesheet

1. In the timesheets section, find the timesheet that you would like dismiss.
2. Next, click on the 3 dots next to the timesheet, and then click dismiss.
3. Click dismiss again on the message. The timesheet has now been dismissed and cannot be submitted by your worker.

Please note: You can only do this before the timesheet has been invoiced.

How to Re-open a Timesheet

1. In the 'Timesheets' section, click the 'All' tab.
2. Find the timesheet that has been previously dismissed.
3. Click the 'Options' button on the right hand side and then click 'Re-open.'
4. You will now see that the timesheet will return to the unbilled list of timesheets, and can now be submitted. 

• If you reopen a timesheet on behalf of your worker, this means that the worker will be able to resubmit their timesheet again.  
• If you have an approved manual timesheet, you can upload this into the timesheet app on behalf of your worker.
• You will not be able to submit an online timesheet if you reopen it, you will only be able to upload an approved manual timesheet in to the app.

Need help?

Get in touch with our Customer Experience team at customerexperience@sonovate.com and one of our friendly team will be happy to assist you.