Timesheet Collection & Approval

Chasing, collecting, routing timesheets before every pay run.

340 hrs
All data is based on anonymized FullSpec mapping sessions and proprietary industry research. Learn more
Manual time identified
10
All data is based on anonymized FullSpec mapping sessions and proprietary industry research. Learn more
Companies have mapped
Map This Automation

About This Automation

Timesheet collection and approval is the manual process of gathering, tracking, and validating employee timesheets before payroll entry. Manual collection creates bottlenecks: staff miss deadlines, approvers delay sign-off, and the payroll manager spends hours chasing submissions and verifying data.

Automation sends reminders automatically, tracks submissions in real time, and escalates missing timesheets to the payroll manager. Approved timesheets flow directly to payroll, cutting processing time and reducing errors.

Key features:
Send automatic reminders to staff who have not submitted timesheets by the deadline
Track submission status in real time and flag missing timesheets
Route approved timesheets directly to payroll without manual re-entry
Escalate critical delays to the payroll manager for immediate action
Reduce manual data verification by validating timesheet completeness automatically

Top friction points when done manually

The issues teams report most often with this process

#Friction pointCompanies Report This
1
Repeated chasing of late submissions
Payroll manager spends 45 minutes per cycle sending multiple follow-up messages to staff who miss the deadline.
80%
2
Approval delays block payroll processing
Waiting for project leads to approve timesheets adds 30 minutes per cycle and delays payroll by days.
67%
3
Manual submission monitoring
Payroll manager manually checks the form or email inbox multiple times per week to track who has submitted.
53%
4
Data entry errors and rework
Manual verification and entry into payroll software introduces errors and requires correction cycles.
40%
5
Lack of visibility into submission status
No real-time dashboard means the payroll manager cannot quickly identify which staff are outstanding.
26%
DisclaimerAll data is based on anonymized FullSpec mapping sessions and proprietary industry research. Learn more

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™Manual chasing of submissions and approvals consumes 75 minutes per cycle and.
9.2/ 10
AI Fit Rating™Reminder logic, submission tracking, and escalation are rule-based and highly.
9.1/ 10
Automation Lift Index™Automation eliminates chasing work, reduces payroll delays from 3-5 days to 1.
8.7/ 10
Hidden Overhead™Context switching between email, forms, and payroll system; repeated manual.
7.3/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Timesheet Deadline Reachedtrigger

On the scheduled submission deadline, the automation is triggered to begin collecting timesheets.

2. Send Submission Reminder

An automated email is sent to all staff reminding them to submit timesheets via the form link.

3. Monitor Form Submissions

The automation checks the Google Form for new submissions and tracks which staff have submitted.

4. Send Chase Reminders

Automated follow-up emails are sent to staff who have not submitted 24 hours before the deadline.

5. Route to Approvers

Completed timesheets are automatically sent to the assigned project lead or manager for approval via email.

6. Log to Payroll System

Approved timesheets are automatically imported, creating payroll records ready for processing.

7. Notify Payroll Manager

A message confirms that all timesheets have been collected, approved, and logged, ready for payroll run.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use
DisclaimerAll data is based on anonymized FullSpec mapping sessions and proprietary industry research. Learn more

What you get when you map this process

Everything you need to understand, plan, and build your automation.

ROI and business case

What this process costs today and what changes once it's automated.

Launch schedule

What gets built, in what order, and what success looks like once it's live.

Process runbook

How the automation runs day to day, including exceptions and human decision points.

Developer handover pack

Full build spec, logic, and configuration — ready to hand off without a briefing call.

Integration and connections guide

Every tool connection, credential, and data mapping the build needs.

Test and QA plan

Every scenario checked and signed off before the automation goes live.

Recommended for you

Other high-impact processes teams commonly map alongside this one.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

Automation sends an initial reminder to all staff on the submission list, then sends targeted follow-up reminders only to those who have not yet submitted. This reduces message volume and keeps focus on the staff who need it.

View more FAQs
340 hrs
Time identified
Process pain:9.2/10
Mapped by:10 Companies

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