Time entry

Use this function to enter labor time on a day-by-day basis.

You can use this function either independently or with the Weekly timesheet function (PJMTEW).

If you’re entering your own time, you can enter labor time against your projects, against specific task operations and budget codes, and against non-project activities such as training or annual leave.

If you're authorized as a time entry administrator, you can enter labor time for any employee assigned to a project.

Time management stages

Entry, approval, and posting labor time against projects occurs in separate individual stages. An optional stage is available to your organization if they require it. This additional stage is called a "control" phase. It’s essentially the opportunity for one time entry record administrator to review a validated time entry record before a different time entry record administrator approves it. With a control phase in place, a time entry record is processed as follows:

  • Entry: Labor time is entered, then validated.
    Entry and validation take place in this function (PJMTE) or in the Weekly timesheet function (PJMTEW). Time can be entered in both functions. The Weekly timesheet function simply provides a quicker way to enter and validate time across a working week.
    Entry and validation that the time entered is correct is usually made by the employee themselves, by the user that entered the time entry record, or by a time entry administrator.
    Each new time entry record is created at Validated status if the PJMTIMAUTO—Time entry auto. validation parameter (TC chapter, PJM group) is set to Yes.
  • Control: All validated time entry records need to be "controlled" before they can be approved if the PJMTIMENT—Time entry control phase parameter (TC chapter, PJM group) is set to Mandatory.
    The "control" phase takes place in the Time approval function (PTEVAL).
    Time entry record control is usually carried out by a project manager or a project administrator. Whatever the role of the manager or administrator they need to be authorized as such in their function profile, as defined in their user record.
  • Approval: Validated and controlled (optional phase) time entry records are approved or rejected.
    Approval or rejection of a validated and controlled time entry record takes place in the Time approval function (PTEVAL), again usually by a project manager or a project administrator.

    • Time entry records need to be approved before they can be posted.
    • A time entry record cannot be changed after it has been controlled.
    • Rejected time entry records are redisplayed in this function and in the Weekly timesheet function for correction.
  • Posting: When a time entry record is posted, it’s included as a cost against a project in the accounting module.
    Approved time entry records are posted in the Time posting function (PTELABPOS).

All time entry records need to be validated first, then controlled if the PJMTIMENT parameter is set, before they can be approved, then posted.

Prerequisites

See also Refer to documentation Implementation

Screen management

The Time entry function contains a home section for you to enter your selection criteria, 2 sections for you to enter labor time spent, and 2 reference sections:

  • Header
  • Time summary. Use this section to enter labor time spent, by date.
  • Assignments. Use this section to enter labor time spent by date against the list of operations you or this employee are assigned to for the filtered projects.
  • Analytical dimension. This section displays the analytical dimension types associated with the selected time entry line.
  • Activity template selection. Use this section to select predefined activities to add to your timesheet.

Use this section to filter, or select your employee time records.

Tab Time summary

This section displays the time spent, by date, according to the defined selection filters. Use this section to enter labor time for a project, a task, an operation, for a specific budget code, and for non-project activities such as training or annual leave. Each time entry line for a project provides expense information which is used to calculate the rate to be charged to the project.

You can use the PJMTIMBUD-Allow time entries on budgets and PJMTIMTAS-Allow time entries on tasks parameters (TC chapter, PJM group) to control mandatory or optional recording of time against task operations and budget codes.

"Rejected" time entry lines are displayed for correction. Controlled, approved, and posted time entry lines are not displayed.

A "control phase" for approving validated time entry lines applies if the PJMTIMENT-Time entry control phase parameter (TC chapter, PJM group) is set to Mandatory. Only when a time entry line is at Controlled status can it then be advanced to Approved status and posted against a project.

Tab Assignments

This section displays the list of operations you or the defined employee are assigned to for the projects selected from the selection criteria entered in the home section. Use this section to enter labor time instead of or in conjunction with the Time summary section.

Tab Analytical dimension

This section displays the analytical dimension types associated with the selected time entry line.

The default dimension code PTE is supplied with your system to provide default dimension values for all new time entry lines. PTE is defined in the Default dimensions function (GESCDE).

Tab Activity template selection

You use this section to select predefined activities to add to your timesheet.

The template activities listed are filtered to those activities defined without dates and activities with dates that match the dates defined in the home section.

Each activity you select in this section is added as a new line in your timesheet. An activity template line can be for a specific date, for a specific working day, or generic. A generic line provides a quick reference for you to add common activities to your time entry record as and when required. A template line is just that, a basic outline of a timesheet activity. You can change most of the template fields after the line is displayed in the Time summary section.

You can add a single template activity to your timesheet multiple times. Simply select the activity, clear the Select checkbox then reselect the activity. Each time you select a line, the template activity is added to your Time summary.

Specific actions

Error messages

The only error messages are the generic ones.

Tables used

See also Refer to documentation Implementation