7 timesheet approval checks before records reach payroll

Before approving a timesheet for payroll, check the person, period, completeness, exceptions and approval status. The aim is an accurate record of work and the relevant authorised decisions. Do not change entries simply to make the total look expected.

This is an operational review checklist, not an overtime entitlement calculator. Applicable pay treatment depends on the employee’s circumstances, contract and relevant rules. In Singapore, MOM requires employment records for employees covered by the Employment Act; use its guidance alongside your approved process.

1. Confirm the employee and reporting period

Check the identifier and exact dates before reviewing totals. Similar names or overlapping periods can lead to the wrong record being approved. Ensure the submission belongs to the intended payroll cycle.

Where a correction covers an earlier period, label it as an adjustment rather than blending it invisibly into the current submission. Keep the source record accessible to the authorised reviewer. Do not rely only on a file name if the dates inside the record differ.

2. Look for missing or repeated entries

Check for gaps, duplicate submissions and overlapping records. A blank entry needs clarification; it should not automatically become zero hours or a full scheduled day. Ask the employee or responsible owner to confirm the facts.

For a repeated entry, investigate whether it is an accidental copy or a legitimate separate record. Keep the correction traceable. The goal is an accurate account, not a tidy sheet produced by deleting anything unusual without understanding it.

3. Compare records with relevant context

Use the approved roster, leave information and authorised changes to identify discrepancies that need checking. These records provide context; a planned roster is not automatically proof of actual hours worked.

If an entry differs from the schedule, ask what happened and follow the organisation’s process. Avoid silently replacing actual reported work with planned hours. Record the confirmed explanation and route any unresolved pay-treatment question to the appropriate payroll or HR owner.

4. Check exceptions and their supporting decisions

Identify entries that require review under the organisation’s process, such as changed shifts or additional hours. Confirm the relevant supporting information and decision owner. Do not assume a manager’s timesheet approval alone determines every legal entitlement.

Separate the factual record from the decision about how it is paid. If approval or information is missing, flag the issue for timely resolution rather than erasing the entry. Questions about coverage or overtime rules should be checked against the applicable guidance and circumstances.

5. Review corrections without losing the history

When an entry changes, record what was corrected, why and who confirmed it through the approved method. Make sure the final version is distinguishable from earlier submissions.

Avoid editing a submitted record in a way that the employee and payroll team cannot understand. A concise correction note can prevent the same discrepancy being reopened later. Do not include unnecessary private details in a broadly accessible comment field; keep sensitive supporting material appropriately restricted.

6. Confirm approval by the right person

Check that the person approving has the required responsibility and enough information to review the record. An absent manager may need an authorised delegate rather than an informal substitute.

Approval should reflect a meaningful review, not merely a batch click to clear a queue. Make unresolved items visible and identify who will follow them up. Do not mark an incomplete record fully resolved simply because the payroll cut-off is approaching; escalate the timing problem through the agreed process.

7. Send a clear final record to payroll

Provide the approved version, period, relevant adjustments and unresolved exceptions through the authorised channel. Confirm receipt where the process requires it. Keep the record and supporting information according to applicable requirements.

MOM’s employment records guidance covers records for employees under the Employment Act, including working-hour and salary information. Consult the full requirements rather than assuming a timesheet alone satisfies every recordkeeping obligation.

A fictional exception review

A timesheet contains a day that differs from the planned roster. The reviewer checks the approved change and asks for confirmation of the actual work. The final record identifies the correction and routes any pay-treatment question to payroll. The reviewer does not overwrite the entry merely because it does not match the original schedule.

A compact review log

Use: employee identifier; period; discrepancy; confirmed facts; required decision; owner; status; final version. Keep access appropriate to the information and avoid unnecessary duplication.

Does approval decide overtime eligibility?

Not by itself. Eligibility and calculation require the relevant legal and contractual checks.

Should a blank entry be treated as no work?

Clarify it. A blank may reflect missing information rather than a confirmed absence.

Continue with the payroll input checklist once the records are ready for the pay run.