What is a Timesheet?
A timesheet is an automatic record of the hours a perm or bank staff member worked during a shift. Every rostered shift generates a timesheet. Once submitted and approved, timesheets feed directly into payroll — so accuracy matters.
Timesheets in Florence are separate for perm & bank staff and agency staff. This article covers perm and bank staff timesheets only. For agency timesheets, see the note at the bottom of this article.
Timesheet Settings & Configuration
Timesheet behaviour is configured during the onboarding/implementation phase by the Florence team. Key settings include:
Clock-in method — whether staff use the Florence Go app (GPS-verified) or a fixed tablet at the location.
Auto-approval rules — whether timesheets that fall within tolerance thresholds are automatically approved (see below).
Break durations — default break lengths applied to shifts.
⚠️ If you need changes to your clock-in and out configuration after go-live, contact your Florence implementation contact or the support team.
How Timesheets Work
Step 1 — Clock In & Clock Out
Timesheets are generated when a worker clocks in and out of a shift. There are two ways to do this:
Option A: Florence Go App (GPS)
Workers use their smartphone to clock in and out via the Florence Go app. Location Services must be enabled — Florence uses GPS to verify the worker is on-site. See our clock-in guide for workers for full steps.
Option B: Tablet Clock-In (Fixed Device)
Some locations use a shared tablet mounted on-site. Workers clock in and out on the tablet directly, without needing their own device. This is useful for staff who don't use smartphones or where a fixed station is preferred. The tablet records times in the same way as the app — generating the same timesheet for admin review.
Step 2 — Worker Submits the Timesheet (Florence Go App)
After a shift ends, the worker needs to confirm the timesheet in the Florence Go app.
Log in to the Florence Go app.
A notification banner will appear for any timesheets awaiting submission.
Tap the relevant shift to open the timesheet.
If the times are correct, tap Approve timesheet to submit.
If the times need changing, edit the start or end time and add a reason before submitting.
If the worker did not attend the shift, select I did not attend instead.
Once submitted, the timesheet moves to Awaiting Approval for admin review.
Step 3 — Admin Reviews & Approves (Desktop)
Admins review timesheets from the Timesheets section of the Florence portal.
Navigate to Timesheets > Awaiting Approval.
Click a row to open the full timesheet, which shows:
Shift ID, location, unit, and staff name
Scheduled shift times
Check-in and check-out times (which may differ from scheduled times)
Break length
Any reason provided by the worker for time differences
From here, the admin can:
Approve → timesheet is confirmed and ready for payroll.
Amend → adjust the start time, end time, or break duration. A mandatory note is required (e.g. "Worker forgot to clock out, corrected to 22:00").
Once approved, the timesheet moves to the Approved tab and displays three sets of times:
Scheduled times — the original rostered hours.
Check-in / check-out times — what the worker actually clocked.
Approved times — the finalised hours that feed into payroll.
Timesheet Statuses
Every timesheet will have one of the following statuses:
Awaiting Submission — shift has ended but the worker has not yet submitted the timesheet. Admins can submit on their behalf.
Awaiting Approval — worker has submitted; awaiting admin review.
Auto-Approved — timesheet met the auto-approval criteria and was approved automatically without manual review.
Approved — manually approved by an admin. Ready for payroll.
Amended — admin has edited the times before or after approval.
Auto-Approval
When auto-approval is enabled, timesheets that fall within the tolerance rules skip manual review and go straight to Approved, tagged as Auto-Approved so there is always a clear audit record.
A timesheet is auto-approved if both of the following are true:
The worker clocks in on time or up to 15 minutes early.
The worker clocks out on time or up to 15 minutes late.
If either condition is not met — for example, the worker worked significant overtime — the timesheet will not be auto-approved and will remain in the Awaiting Approval queue for manual review.
Auto-approval is available to all clients using physical clock-in/out on Rota. Contact support to enable this if it is not already active.
⚠️ Timesheets & Payroll — Why This Matters
Timesheets must be submitted and approved before payroll is run. Any timesheets in an unapproved state at the time payroll is processed will not be included in that payroll run.
Before running payroll, admins should:
Check the Awaiting Submission tab and submit any outstanding timesheets on behalf of workers who haven't done so.
Check the Awaiting Approval tab and approve (or amend and approve) all remaining timesheets.
Timesheet Amendments After Payroll is Finalised
If a timesheet is edited after payroll has been run and finalised, the change will not affect the completed payroll run. Instead, any difference (additional hours, reduced hours, or pay adjustments) will automatically be picked up and included as an adjustment in the next payroll run.
🔔 Agency Timesheets — Important Difference
This article covers perm and bank staff timesheets only. Agency timesheets work differently:
Agency timesheets are submitted by the agency, not by the worker or admin.
Admins review and approve agency timesheets in the same Timesheets section, but the source of the data is the agency.
If an agency timesheet is rejected, a reason must be provided before the rejection can be confirmed.
Agency timesheet editing is not available in the same way as perm/bank — if you have a query about an agency timesheet, raise it with the relevant agency.
FAQs
What if a worker doesn't submit their timesheet?
If a worker hasn't submitted their timesheet, it will sit in the Awaiting Submission tab. Admins can submit the timesheet on the worker's behalf — either matching the scheduled hours in bulk, or manually entering the actual worked hours. See our auto-submission guide for full steps.
What are the exact rules for auto-approval?
A timesheet is auto-approved when the worker clocks in no more than 15 minutes early and clocks out no more than 15 minutes late. Both conditions must be met. If either is outside this window, the timesheet requires manual approval. The 15-minute tolerance is fixed and cannot currently be configured per location.
What if someone works overtime?
If a worker clocks out more than 15 minutes after their scheduled end time, auto-approval will not trigger. The timesheet will stay in the Awaiting Approval queue so the admin can review the overtime and decide whether to approve it as submitted or amend the times.
What happens if a timesheet is edited after payroll is finalised?
The completed payroll run is not affected. The adjustment will be included in the following payroll run as a correction for that employee.
Does amending a timesheet require the worker to re-approve?
No. Once an admin amends a timesheet, the change is final. Workers are not prompted to re-approve admin edits.
Who can edit timesheets?
Only admins with the Access timesheets permission can view, approve, amend, or submit timesheets. This permission can be configured per user — see the Permissions & Access article for details. Editing is not available for agency timesheets.
Why does an approved timesheet show three different sets of times?
An approved timesheet shows: (1) the original scheduled shift times, (2) the check-in/check-out times recorded via the app or tablet, and (3) the approved times — the finalised hours used for payroll. These may differ if a worker clocked in early/late or if an admin made an amendment.
Can workers clock in on a tablet instead of their phone?
Yes. Locations can use a fixed tablet for clock-in and clock-out instead of (or alongside) the Florence Go app. The tablet records the same data and generates timesheets in the same way. Ask your Florence implementation contact to set this up if it is not already available at your location.