You can use the Off-Line Timesheet feature to record timesheet charges and hours while not connected to the system. First you create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet version of your timesheet. A supervisor can also create the spreadsheet for an employee. You can update this spreadsheet when you are not connected to the system. Later, when you are connected to the system, you (or a supervisor) can merge the data contained in the off-line timesheet back into the online timesheet. The Off-Line Timesheet feature can be broken down to the following three components:
Create Function
Off-Line Timesheet (Spreadsheet)
Merge Function
The ability to use the Off-Line Timesheet feature is controlled by the Allow Off-Line Timesheets check box in the Basic Information tab of the Timesheet Classes screen. If you select this check box, employees assigned to the timesheet class will see the Off-Line Timesheet function enabled on the Timesheet screen. If you do not select the check box, employees assigned to the timesheet class will see the Off-Line Timesheet function on the timesheet, but it will be disabled.
The availability of the Off-Line Timesheet function on the timesheet depends on several factors:
The timesheet class assigned to the employee has the Allow Off-Line Timesheets check box selected.
The timesheet is not missing.
The timesheet status is not "Processed," "Rejected," or "Sent."
There are no processed, rejected, or sent hours on the timesheet.
A timesheet exists with no unsaved changes.
If you are a supervisor viewing an employee's timesheet, your functional role must allow for timesheet modification.
The possible options on the dialog are Create Off-Line Timesheet and Merge Off-Line Timesheet. If you have already started an off-line timesheet, both options will be available with the Merge Off-Line Timesheet set as the default. If you have not started an off-line timesheet, the merge option will be disabled and the Create Off-Line Timesheet will be set as the default.
If you select the Create Off-Line Timesheet radio button and select the OK button on the Off-Line Timesheet dialog, the system will create a formatted Excel file based on the currently displayed timesheet. All timesheet lines and cells on the timesheet will be written to the Excel file. The system will also initiate the browser's download dialog so you can save the file where you wish.
The off-line timesheet Excel file will be named using the following format: XXX_YYYYMMDD.xls. The XXX area will contain the employee's last name. The YYYYMMDD will contain the timesheet's period end date. The number of lines on the Excel file will be 25 unless you have more than 25 lines on your timesheet. If you have more than 25 lines, the excel file will have the current number of lines on your timesheet plus 10.
The off-line timesheet (Excel file) will contain a header and grid area. The header will contain non-editable fields such as your company name, employee name (and ID if so configured), your timesheet class, and schedule.
The grid area is broken down into two sections. The left side displays the charge information and the right side displays the hours information and line comments from your timesheet.
You cannot do the following in the off-line timesheet:
Change the charge information for lines that already exist on the timesheet
Delete the charge information for lines that already exist on the timesheet
Enter or edit cell comments
Enter or edit the Time In/Out information
Enter or edit the Rate 1 or Rate 2 information
However, you do have the following capabilities:
Add new timesheet lines
Enter or edit hours on existing or new lines
Enter or edit line comments on existing or new lines
Line total calculations
Row total calculations
Color coordinated columns
Formatted hours
When you are ready to merge your off-line timesheet changes into your timesheet, select the Merge Off-Line Timesheet option from the Off-Line Timesheet dialog in your Timesheet screen.
You will be prompted with your browser's upload dialog. If you do not attach the off-line timesheet, you will receive an error and the process will be terminated.
The system performs several checks and validations during the merge process. If the system cannot determine a charge because multiple charges exist for the entered charge, the Ambiguous Charge Lookup will display where you can select the charge you wish to use. You will need to select the Repair button to have the selected charge validated. If you select the Cancel button, the merge process will be terminated and none of the off-line timesheet lines will be merged.
If there are validation errors, the Merge Error(s) dialog will display. Please see the following section for details.
Once the merge process finishes, the timesheet will re-display with the updated lines/hours from the off-line timesheet.
If you perform the Save function on the timesheet when the timesheet has an outstanding off-line timesheet, the following confirmation message dialog will display: "An Off-Line Timesheet exists that has not been merged. Those off-line timesheet changes will no longer be valid after Save. Do you wish to continue?"
If you select Yes, the off-line changes will be lost and the Save process will continue. If you select No, the Save process will stop and you can merge the off-line timesheet changes by selecting the Off-Line Timesheet option.
If validations are not successfully passed for a timesheet line, a Merge Error(s) dialog will display. This dialog will show all UDTs with their possible errors displayed to the right of the UDT. You have several options in this dialog.
You can select the Cancel button to stop the merge process. Use the Skip button to skip the timesheet line that has an error (it will not be merged onto the timesheet). Or you can correct the UDT information by using the Lookup button to the right of the field to select a different UDT and selecting the Repair button to send it back through the validation process.
If you allow employees to create interim charges when entering timesheets in Time & Expense with ESS, be aware that the merge process for off-line timesheets will not create interim charges. However, if the interim charge has already been created in Time & Expense with ESS , it can be used in an off-line timesheet, assuming all links are valid.
Select the Allow Off-Line Timesheets check box in the Timesheet Classes screen for the appropriate timesheet classes.