Requiring employees to log their expected hours

Require employees to log 100% of their expected hours in WiseCost: set hours per week per employee and turn on Require expected hours to submit.

To require employees to log 100% of their expected hours in WiseCost, turn on Require expected hours to submit in Company Setup → Company settings → Compliance, and enter each person's expected hours per week in Company Setup → Employees. An employee with expected hours cannot submit a timesheet until the period's total reaches them. Hours above the expectation are always allowed and are flagged for the approver.

Who can do this: an Administrator.

What expected hours are

Expected hours are an optional weekly figure per employee, for example 40. They exist so a timesheet reflects the total of a person's activity, not only the hours charged to contracts or awards. That is what DCAA calls total time accounting, and what time and effort reporting under 2 CFR 200.430 asks of records that support salaries charged to federal awards.

Set it up

1. Go to Company Setup → Employees.
2. In the Expected hrs/week column, enter the weekly hours of each employee it applies to. Leave it empty for anyone it does not apply to.
3. Go to Company Setup → Company settings → Compliance.
4. In the Time entry card, turn on Require expected hours to submit.

What the employee sees

The header of their timesheet shows "X of Y hours" for the period. Until X reaches Y, they cannot send the timesheet for approval. To get there they log the rest of their time, including internal time such as PTO or holiday. See Internal and indirect time.

What the approver sees

Hours over the expectation are never blocked. In the Time Sheets list the timesheet carries a badge, "Over expected: +Xh", so the approver notices. It is informational.

Who it does not apply to

• An employee with no expected hours entered. The requirement does not touch them.
• Everyone, while Require expected hours to submit is off. The figure on the employee is then only a reference.

Compliance presets never change this switch. It is yours to decide.

Undo it

Turn the switch off, or clear the employee's Expected hrs/week. The change is recorded in the Audit Trail with its old and new value.

Common questions

An employee says they cannot submit their timesheet. Why?

Most likely their total is below their expected hours for the period. Send them Why can't I submit my timesheet?.

Can employees log more than their expected hours?

Yes. Hours above the expectation are always allowed. The approver sees an "Over expected" badge.

Do part-time employees need a different number?

Yes. Expected hours are set per employee, so enter each person's own weekly figure.