Timely submission of timesheets is crucial for the success of any project, impacting essential functions such as project billing and resource management. To facilitate this process, you can set up reminders and alerts for timesheet submissions based on their due dates. These reminders can be directed not only to employees but also to other relevant roles, including line managers, project heads, and additional stakeholders involved in the project.
To get started with setting up timesheet reminders, navigate to the Global Settings by clicking on the Settings icon located at the top of your Keka HR portal. From there, select the Integrations and Automation tab in the left pane, followed by the Event Triggers tab.
In this section, choose the category labeled "Timesheets" to access reminders specifically related to timesheet submissions. Here, you'll discover a variety of reminders and triggers tailored to timesheet management. Select the option for "Timesheet Submission Reminder" to proceed.
You have the flexibility to tailor the reminders according to your specific requirements. In Keka PSA, the standard timesheet period is set as a week that runs from Monday to Sunday. This structure enables you to schedule reminders that align with the conclusion of this timesheet cycle.
For instance, if you wish to notify an employee on Friday and then send a follow-up reminder on Monday—just one day after the submission deadline—you can easily set this up.
To initiate the process, you will need to establish conditional criteria for your reminders. Simply click on the "+Add Conditional Criteria" link to proceed.
You have the option to set up reminders both prior to and following the due date. For this example, we will focus on sending a reminder on Friday. Since Sunday is the designated end of the timesheet week, the first reminder will be sent two days in advance, on Friday. In the Add Conditional Criteria window, select "Before" and input "2" in the text box to specify the number of days.
Once you have entered this information, click on "Add" to save the criteria.
You will find the criteria you have set displayed in the Timesheet Submission Reminders screen. Next, it's time to define an action for this specified time frame. To proceed, simply click on the "+Add Action" button.
You have the option to send an email, create a Slack notification, or set up a webhook to initiate any other custom action. Choose the option that best suits your needs. For this example, we will select the Email option from the drop-down menu to send a reminder via email.
In the Send Email screen, you can customize the reminder email before it is sent out. Start by providing a name for the action and specifying the recipients in the "To" section. You can choose to send the email to the employee directly, their managers, or select specific Keka User Roles that you have set up globally. This feature enables you to implement escalation levels for reminders; for example, if timesheet submissions are delayed, you can escalate the notification to project managers or payroll administrators for prompt resolution.
Next, make sure to include a relevant subject line for the email. You can then craft the body of the email using either pre-existing email templates or by creating a new one from scratch. To make the emails more personalized and relevant, utilize placeholders that automatically populate with specific details for each employee.
For this particular reminder, you will want to include information about the past periods for which timesheet submissions are still outstanding. Use the "Past Timesheet Period" placeholder to ensure this important detail is included in the email.
After you have customized the content to your satisfaction, simply click on the Create button to finalize the reminder setup.
This will finalize the setup for the email reminder. If you would like to create a second reminder for Monday—one day after the timesheet period concludes—simply repeat the previous steps, this time establishing new conditional criteria for one day after the end of the timesheet period.
Additionally, you have the ability to configure multiple actions under the same criteria. This means you can send an email reminder alongside a Slack notification, ensuring that the task is completed efficiently.
Should you need to modify the conditional criteria at any time, just click on the Edit icon located next to the name of the criteria you wish to change.
To modify or remove an action that you have set up under a condition, simply click on the three dots icon adjacent to the action. From the drop-down menu that appears, choose the appropriate option to edit or delete the action as needed.
For additional details on how to enable daily timesheet submissions and the process for submitting timesheets on a daily basis, please click here: Enabling daily timesheet submissions and submitting daily timesheets
We hope this guide has provided you with a clear understanding of how to set up timesheet submission reminders effectively. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our product experts for support!