Timesheet Portal supports the approval and rejection of timesheets via email. When using this approach, the approver will be sent an email with the contents of the timesheet embedded within the email body. Under the timesheet are two buttons, one for approving, the other for rejecting, the timesheet. The screenshot below shows what a typical timesheet via email looks like:
There are three modes of authentication which can be applied when using email approval.
No Authentication
The approver simply clicks on Approve or Reject, which opens a web page on their browser, and performs their action without a need for any authentication.
Pin Code Validation
In this approach, the email with the embedded timesheet contains a four-digit pin code for approving the timesheet. After clicking the Approve or Reject button, the approver will be taken to a web page where they must enter the code. This method does not provide more security than the standard process, however it can be used to prevent email bots from following the links and automatically approving the timesheets. You can enable email pin code approval on a per client basis or globally.
To set it for a specific client, edit their record: go to System Management > Clients, click the pencil / edit icon to open their record and, in the Timesheet Options section at the bottom of the page, click the third box, Email approval pincode:, and select the option you want.
To enable pin code validation globally, go to Settings > Timesheets and Timesheets in the sub-menu. Click the third tab along the top of the page, Approval. There are seven blue tick boxes. Tick the fifth one down, Use pin validation for timesheet approval, then click Save at the bottom of the page.
Password Authentication
This is the most secure form of email approval as it requires the approver to enter their password after clicking the Approve or Reject button. This also provides a more thorough audit trail, proving that it was the actual approver that approved or rejected a timesheet (assuming that the approver does not share their password with anyone).
To enable the password authentication requirement, go to Settings > Timesheets > Timesheets, and then click on the Approval tab to view the Timesheet Approval settings, and tick the fourth box down, Email approval requires password verification.
Watch how to setup Timesheet approval by email below