🧾 What Timesheets Are About

(Table View)

(See images: “My Timesheet – Table View” and “My Timesheet – Calendar View”)

In Petra, timesheet entries represent work already completed. Each record captures details of a past activity, such as:

• The client or project the work was for.
• The type of task (billable or non-billable).
• The duration and exact time the work was performed.
• A brief description / note summarizing what was done.

This ensures that every hour accounted for is traceable to real, documented work — providing transparency for both team members and management.

👤 Who Can Make Timesheet Entries

Timesheet entries can only be made by users with defined roles or positions within the organization (e.g., Consultant, Developer, Project Lead).

These roles are linked to position-specific settings such as:

• Expected daily or weekly work hours
• Hourly or monthly billing rates
• Billable vs Non-billable classifications

By tying entries to roles, Petra ensures timesheets reflect not only individual activity but also organisational structure and expectations.

✅ Entry Approval Flow

Every timesheet entry is subject to review and approval. Depending on the setup by the organisation’s admin, approvals may be managed by:

• The user’s line manager, or
• Their team lead

Once an entry is made:

• The reviewer receives an instant notification (via email or push).
• They can review, comment, or approve the submission.
• Until approval, entries remain editable by the user.
• Once approved, entries become locked to maintain reporting integrity.

This process ensures accountability while giving managers visibility into team workloads.

🗓 Making Timesheet Entries

(See image: “Timesheet Entry” and “Calendar Entry View”)

Petra offers two flexible entry modes so users can choose their preferred workflow:

1️⃣ Calendar View

• Users can click directly on a time slot to log an activity.
• Ideal for visual scheduling or reviewing how a workday was spent.
• Entries appear as colored blocks (with colors representing clients or billing categories).
• Clicking an entry opens details for editing or deletion before submission.

2️⃣ Table View

• Users can add entries in a list format, focusing on data over visuals.
• Displays columns for date/time, client, category, duration, and status.
• Perfect for users who prefer quick entry or need to review multiple records at once.

In both cases, the form captures:

• Date (always a past date)
• Start and End time
• Client or Project
• Billing category (e.g., Consulting, Development, Support)
• Billable / Non-billable toggle
• Notes describing the task performed

💡 Expected Hours and Reminders

Each position within the organisation has expected working hours defined under the Organisation Settings.

These settings inform Petra’s notification and reminder system, which:

• Sends daily alerts when logged hours fall below the expected number.
• Provides weekly summaries for users and team leads.
• Helps ensure timesheets remain up to date and accurate.

Example: If a consultant’s expected daily input is 8 hours but only 5 are logged, Petra automatically reminds the user to complete their entry before the end of the day.

📅 Entries for Past Months

Timesheet entries are always tied to past work. By default, Petra allows users to log hours for the current month, but the ability to record or edit times for previous months depends on the organisation’s configuration.

Administrators can specify:

• How many days into the previous month timesheets remain editable.
• Whether previous periods are locked after monthly reports are generated.

This ensures data accuracy for payroll, invoicing, and productivity reports.

💼 Billable vs Non-Billable Hours

Petra distinguishes between Billable and Non-billable work:

• Billable hours are linked to clients or projects that generate revenue and can be invoiced later.
• Non-billable hours include internal meetings, administrative work, or training sessions that support business operations but are not directly charged to clients.

This classification is key to profitability analysis — enabling managers to see how much time converts to income versus support effort.

📊 Why Timesheets Matter

Accurate timesheets unlock valuable insights:

• Performance measurement — compare logged hours with project outcomes.
• Profitability tracking — assess whether billed work justifies the effort spent.
• Operational efficiency — identify overworked teams or underutilized staff.
• Client transparency — justify billing with clear, traceable time logs.

Note: When combined with invoicing, timesheets in Petra close the loop between effort, value creation, and revenue generation.

✨ In Summary

Petra’s Timesheets module transforms time tracking from a routine activity into a data-driven management tool.

By connecting user roles, expected hours, automated reminders, and approval workflows, it ensures every recorded hour contributes meaningfully to both performance evaluation and organizational profitability.

Whether you prefer a table view for precision or a calendar view for visualization, Petra makes time logging efficient, accurate, and insightful.