How to Set Up a Timesheet Approver.

A critical step in the payroll lifecycle is the transition from a completed shift to an approved timesheet. In Platform for Care, "Timesheet Approvers" are the designated individuals responsible for verifying that the hours logged by staff match the service delivered. Assigning the correct approver ensures that payroll is accurate and that any discrepancies in shift times are caught before processing.

1. Understanding the Approver Hierarchy

The system allows for flexibility in how you assign approval authority. You can set approvers at three different levels:

• Employee Level: A specific manager is assigned to approve all timesheets for a particular staff member, regardless of which client they saw.
• Client/Account Level: A manager is assigned to approve all shifts associated with a specific client (common for complex care or high-needs cases).
• Service Level: Approval is based on the type of work performed (e.g., all "Nursing" shifts go to a Clinical Lead).

2. Assigning an Approver to an Employee

This is the most common setup for general support work.

1. Log in to the Platform for Care web portal as an Administrator.
2. Navigate to Staff > Active Employees.
3. Search for and click on the name of the staff member you wish to update.
4. Navigate to the Payroll or Employment tab within their profile.
5. Locate the Timesheet Approver dropdown menu.
6. Select the relevant manager from the list.
7. Click Save.

3. Configuring Multi-Level Approval (Optional)

For larger organizations, you may require a "Two-Step" approval process—one from a direct supervisor and a final sign-off from the Finance/Payroll team.

1. Navigate to Admin > Settings > Payroll Settings.
2. Enable Multi-Stage Approval.
3. Define the roles for Level 1 (Supervisor) and Level 2 (Payroll).
4. Once configured, a timesheet will only move to the "Finalized" status after both parties have checked the "Approve" box in their respective consoles.

4. Setting Approvers by Client or Site

If your organization manages group homes or specific facilities, it is often more efficient to assign an approver to the site rather than the individuals.

1. Go to Clients > Active Clients.
2. Open the profile of the client or the "Site" entity.
3. Go to the Rostering/Admin tab.
4. Set the Default Timesheet Approver for this client.
5. Any shift worked for this client will now automatically route to this manager's approval queue.

Troubleshooting Approver Issues

• Shifts Not Appearing in Queue: If a manager cannot see shifts to approve, verify that they are correctly selected as the "Timesheet Approver" on the worker's profile.
• Self-Approval Prevention: For audit compliance, the system generally prevents staff from approving their own timesheets, even if they have "Manager" access.
• Vacation Coverage: If a primary approver is on leave, an Administrator can perform a Bulk Reassignment of their pending timesheets to a temporary supervisor to ensure staff are still paid on time.