# Timesheet statuses and the approval process

> Every timesheet status in TimeSheeta, from Draft to In QuickBooks: what each means, who can change it, and how a week moves from entry to payroll.

TimeSheeta support · Getting started · Last updated 2026-10-19 · https://www.timesheeta.com/support/timesheet-statuses

In TimeSheeta, a timesheet is one worker's week on one job, and its status says where it is on
the way to QuickBooks. It starts as **Draft** while hours are entered. It becomes **Submitted**
when the foreman submits it, **Approved** when the office approves it, and **In QuickBooks**
once the Web Connector has sent it. On the way, it can be **Sent back** to be fixed, be
**Being corrected** by an approver, or be refused by QuickBooks.

## The approval process, step by step

1. **A foreman enters the hours.** The week is a **Draft**.
2. **The foreman presses Submit.** The week is **Submitted**, and the hours become locked. The
   foreman can press **Recall** to take the week back until it is approved.
3. **At the office** an approver either:
   - presses **Approve**, and the week is **Approved**;
   - presses **Send back** with a reason, and it is **Sent back** to the foreman; or
   - presses **Edit**, and the week's hours are **Being corrected** by them.
4. **The Web Connector sends approved hours** on its next run, and the hours arrive
   **In QuickBooks**. If QuickBooks turns hours down, the week is **Refused** or
   **Partly in QuickBooks**.

![One job with a week in every status, each with the buttons the office sees](https://www.timesheeta.com/support/img/states-all.webp "One job with a week in every status, as an approver sees it. Each status shows the buttons that apply to it.")

## What each status means

| Status | What it means | Who can change the hours | What can be done next |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Draft** | Hours are being entered, and the week hasn't been submitted. | Whoever entered the hours. | **Submit**. An approver can **Call back** a week someone else started, to correct it. |
| **Submitted** | Waiting for approval. | Nobody, until it is recalled or an approver presses **Edit**. | An approver: **Approve**, **Edit** or **Send back**. Whoever submitted it: **Recall**. |
| **Being corrected** | An approver is correcting it. | Only that approver. | The approver can **Submit** or **Send back**. Another approver can **Take over**. |
| **Sent back** | Returned to be fixed. The reason is shown on the week. | Whoever enters hours. | **Submit** again. An approver can **Call back**. |
| **Approved** | Approved, and waiting for the next QuickBooks sync. | Nobody. | **Unapprove** returns the entry to Draft, and the process repeats. |
| **Sending** | Some hours are in QuickBooks, and the rest go on the next sync. | Nobody. | Nothing; the next sync finishes it. |
| **In QuickBooks** | In QuickBooks. Hours in TimeSheeta are locked. | Nobody. | Corrections are made in QuickBooks. |
| **Refused** | QuickBooks refused the hours. Its message is on the QuickBooks tab. | Nobody. | **Send again** after fixing it in QuickBooks, or **Reopen for editing**. |
| **Partly in QuickBooks** | Some hours are in QuickBooks and some were refused. | Nobody. | **Send the rest again** after fixing it in QuickBooks. |

A locked week shows a padlock beside its status. Hover over it to see why it is locked.

## Which weeks can be edited?

Only three:

- **Draft** and **Sent back** weeks, by the people who enter hours.
- A **Being corrected** week, by the approver correcting it.

Every other status is locked. To change a week that is submitted or approved, an approver uses
**Edit** or **Unapprove**.

## What do I do with a Refused week?

Open the **QuickBooks** tab and look under **Hours QuickBooks refused**, which quotes
QuickBooks' own reason. Then:

- **If the problem is in QuickBooks,** such as an employee's payroll setup, fix it there and
  press **Send again**. The hours go on the next Web Connector run.
- **If the hours themselves are wrong,** press **Reopen for editing**. The week returns to
  **Draft**, to be corrected and approved again.

The reasons QuickBooks gives most often are in [QuickBooks errors](https://www.timesheeta.com/support/quickbooks-errors).

## Can a week be locked by date?

Yes, by two company settings:

- **Entry deadline.** Once a week's deadline passes, a foreman can still submit it, but can no
  longer add or change its hours, or recall it. A week sent
  back to its foreman opens again until they resubmit it.
- **Payroll lock.** Nothing on or before the **Locked through** date can be entered, submitted,
  approved or sent, by anybody.

Both are explained in [Company settings](https://www.timesheeta.com/support/company-settings).

## Related articles

- [How to enter crew time in TimeSheeta](https://www.timesheeta.com/support/enter-time)
- [How to approve timesheets in TimeSheeta](https://www.timesheeta.com/support/approve-time)
- [Checking a sync on the QuickBooks tab](https://www.timesheeta.com/support/checking-a-sync)