Time tracking setup checklist

The table below outlines all steps for setting up Polaris to track time via timesheets. Default settings are in place for most of these options, therefore you may be able to skip steps if the defaults work for your organization.

Features can be set up in any order, except options in section 2 must be set up before they can be assigned to users (section 3)

1. Define system-level settings

✓	Feature to set up	What the feature does	Configure at
	Create timesheet custom fields	Users can enter data in custom fields that appear in timesheets.	Administration > Timesheets > Timesheet Templates
	Set timesheet settings such as due dates	Due dates specify when timesheets and timesheet approvals are due. You can also specify whether or not time off bookings are automatically generated on holidays.	Administration > Timesheets > Timesheet Settings

2. Set up system-level options that you'll assign to users

Feature to set up	What the feature does	Configure at
Create timesheet periods	Timesheet periods determine the length of user timesheets	Administration > Timesheets > Timesheet Periods
Create timesheet templates for employees	Timesheet templates define how users enter their time and what additional data they capture with their time entries	Administration > Timesheets > Timesheet Templates
Add timesheet approval paths	Approval paths specify who approves timesheets and in what order	Administration > Timesheets > Timesheet Approval Paths
Set up timesheet permissions for managers	Permissions determine what approval and timesheet management actions supervisors and managers can take	Administration > Employees and Organization > Permission Sets
Create activities	Activities are functions users can enter time against	Administration > Timesheets > Activities
Configure validation rules	Validation rules define criteria that the timesheet must meet before it can be submitted, such as a minimum number of hours. You can customize rules, if needed, then assign them to timesheet templates.	Administration > Timesheets > Validation Rules and Administration > Timesheets > Timesheet Templates
Set up timesheet notifications	Notifications can be sent to approvers when timesheets are ready for approval, and to users when their timesheets have been approved, rejected, or modified	Administration > Notifications System > Notifications or Administration > Notifications System > Email Notifications

3. Assign timesheet functionality to users

Feature to set up	What the feature does	Configure at
Ensure employees have a license for a timesheet product	The license allows the user to access timesheet functionality. Users are assigned a license for all products by default.	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Licenses
Assign timesheet periods to employees	A System timesheet period is assigned by default	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Timesheets
Assign timesheet templates to employees	Users must be assigned a timesheet template before they can use timesheets	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Timesheets
Assign timesheet approval paths to employees	The Supervisor default path is assigned automatically, though you can change this	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Timesheets
Assign activities to employees	No default activities are assigned	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Timesheets
Assign notifications to employees and managers	All notifications in the system are assigned to new users by default, but emails will only be sent for ones that are enabled at the system level	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Notifications
Assign permission sets and licenses to managers	Ensure all supervisors and managers who work with or approve timesheets are assigned the permission sets and licenses they need	Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Roles & Permissions and Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Licenses

Help Administrators

Time tracking setup checklist

1. Define system-level settings

2. Set up system-level options that you'll assign to users

3. Assign timesheet functionality to users

Related links