How to Set Up Timesheets in WorkRoster (5 Minutes)

A step-by-step guide to creating your first timesheet workspace, inviting your team, and getting your first approval workflow running in under 5 minutes.

beginner·5 min read

Getting started with WorkRoster takes under 5 minutes. This guide walks you through setting up your workspace, configuring timesheet settings, inviting your team, and submitting your first timesheet.

What You'll Need

  • A WorkRoster account (sign up free — no credit card required)
  • Your team members' email addresses (to invite them)
  • Your standard working hours (e.g., 8 hours/day)

Step 1: Create Your Workspace

When you first sign in, WorkRoster walks you through the onboarding flow:

  1. Click Create a Workspace
  2. Enter your company or team name (this becomes your workspace URL, e.g., workroster.net/acme-plumbing/)
  3. Choose your timezone — this affects timesheet dates and report generation
  4. Set your standard working hours (e.g., 8.0 hours/day). This is used to calculate overtime automatically

Your workspace is created immediately. You're the Owner by default.

Step 2: Configure Timesheet Settings

Before inviting your team, configure the settings that affect how timesheets work:

Navigate to Settings → Workspace:

  • Working week: Set which days are working days (e.g., Mon–Fri). Weekend hours will still be logged but flagged separately.
  • Overtime threshold: Default is 8 hours/day. Any hours above this are automatically calculated as overtime.
  • Timesheet submission: Choose daily or weekly. Weekly is the default and works for most businesses.
  • Break deduction: Optional — if you want break time automatically deducted from total hours.

Step 3: Invite Your Team

Navigate to Settings → Team Members:

  1. Click Invite Member
  2. Enter their email address
  3. Choose their role:
    • Employee — can submit timesheets and leave requests, view own history
    • Manager — can approve timesheets and leave requests for their direct reports
    • Admin — full access to all team data, reports, and settings
  4. Click Send Invite

The team member receives an email invitation with a link to set up their password and join the workspace. Invitations expire after 7 days.

Note: Invited members default to inactive until they accept the invitation and log in for the first time. Only active members count toward your billing.

Step 4: Submit Your First Timesheet

Once your account is set up, try submitting a timesheet:

  1. Navigate to Timesheets in the left sidebar
  2. Click Add Entry (or the + button on the date you want to log)
  3. Fill in:
    • Time on: When you started work (e.g., 9:00 AM)
    • Time off: When you finished (e.g., 5:30 PM)
    • Break: Break duration in minutes (e.g., 30)
    • Project: Optional — assign to a project if you're tracking project time
    • Notes: Optional — add any context the manager should know
  4. Click Save

Your total hours are calculated automatically. The status shows as Pending until your manager approves it.

Step 5: Have Your Manager Approve It

Once a timesheet is submitted, it appears in the manager's approval queue:

  1. Manager navigates to Timesheets → Pending Approvals
  2. Clicks the timesheet to review the details
  3. Clicks Approve (or Reject with a required comment)
  4. Employee receives an instant notification

The approved timesheet is now locked. It can't be edited without creating a new entry.

What Happens Next

With your workspace set up and your first timesheet submitted and approved:

  • Leave requests work the same way — employees submit, managers approve. See the Leave Management guide.
  • Reports are available immediately — navigate to Reports to generate a PDF or CSV for any date range
  • Calendar view shows all team timesheets and leave on a shared calendar

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does setup take? Creating a workspace takes under 2 minutes. Inviting a 10-person team takes another 3–5 minutes. Your first timesheet can be submitted the same day.

Can employees submit timesheets from a phone? Yes — WorkRoster is fully mobile-responsive. Employees open the browser on any device and access their account. No app download required.

Can I import historical timesheet data? Not currently via the UI. If you have existing timesheet data in a CSV, contact us at hello@workroster.net and we can help with a bulk import.

What if I set the wrong timezone? Go to Settings → Workspace and update the timezone. Existing timesheet entries are stored in UTC and will display correctly after the timezone change. Future entries will use the updated timezone.

Can employees see each other's timesheets? Employees can only see their own timesheets. Managers can see the timesheets of their direct reports. Admins and Owners can see all team timesheets.