Understand and Configure Timesheet Delegates (Admin Guide)

This article explains how timesheet delegation works in OnePlan from an administrator perspective, including how approval responsibility is determined, how delegate roles behave, and how to support common configuration scenarios.

What you will accomplish
By the end of this article, you will be able to:

• Explain how timesheet approval responsibility is assigned
• Distinguish between entry delegates and approval delegates
• Configure and support delegation for common scenarios, such as a manager going on leave
• Troubleshoot common delegation issues

Requirements

Before using or supporting timesheet delegation, ensure:

• Timesheets are enabled and configured with an approval workflow
  (see Manage Timesheet Approval Workflows)
• The Allow Delegates setting is enabled in
  Admin → Time Plan → Task Management
  (see Configure Task Management Settings for Timesheets)
• Users understand whether they act as timesheet submitters, approvers, or both

Background

Timesheet delegation in OnePlan allows another user to act on responsibilities that already belong to someone else. Delegation does not determine who enters or approves time; it only allows a delegate to perform actions on behalf of the responsible user.

Approval responsibility itself is determined by timesheet workflow configuration, not by delegation. Delegation only applies after that responsibility has been established.

Understanding this separation is critical for correctly configuring and supporting delegation.

How Timesheet Approval Responsibility Is Determined

A user becomes a timesheet approver based on timesheet workflow settings. Depending on how the workflow is configured, approvals may be routed using:

• A Resource field (for example, Manager)
• A Plan field
• Project Manager
• A specific user assigned directly in the workflow
• Resource Managers, as configured in Resource Manager settings

For detailed workflow configuration options, see
Manage Timesheet Approval Workflows.

A workflow can assign:

• A single approver, or
• Multiple approvers

When multiple approvers exist, each approver’s responsibility is evaluated independently. Delegation applies only to the approval actions that each individual approver is responsible for.

Delegation applies per approver, not per timesheet.

How Timesheet Delegation Works

‼️IMPORTANT
Approval delegates do not change who the approver is.
Delegation allows another user to act on approvals that the approver is already responsible for.

Delegation never reroutes approvals automatically and never applies to the submitter’s own timesheet.

Types of Timesheet Delegates

Entry Delegates

Entry delegates can:

• Enter time on behalf of another user
• Submit timesheets
• Recall and edit timesheet entries

Entry delegates cannot approve time unless they are also an approver or approval delegate.

When entering time on behalf of another user, the delegate sees the other user’s profile picture in the timesheet interface.

For the end‑user experience, see
Timesheet Delegates (End User).

Approval Delegates

Approval delegates can:

• Approve or reject timesheets on behalf of the approver
• Access approvals through standard Timesheet approval views
• Receive approval notifications on the Home page

NOTE

• Approvals do not visibly indicate that a delegate acted on behalf of someone
• The original approver is recorded as the approver of record

For the end‑user experience, see
Timesheet Delegates (End User).

Assigning the Same Person as Entry and Approval Delegate

The same user can be assigned as both an entry delegate and an approval delegate, but this practice is discouraged due to separation‑of‑duties concerns.

Who Can Assign Delegates

Delegates are primarily managed by end users.

All end‑user delegate assignments are performed from Timesheets → My Delegates.
For user‑level steps, see
Timesheet Delegates (End User).

Common Use Case: Manager on Leave

Scenario

A Timesheet approver (commonly a manager or workflow approver) will be unavailable and needs another user to approve timesheets during their absence.

Prerequisites

Before delegating, confirm:

• The user going on leave is a timesheet approver
• Approval responsibility is defined in the timesheet workflow or Resource Manager configuration
  (see Manage Timesheet Approval Workflows)
• The delegate understands they will be approving time on the approver’s behalf

Step‑by‑Step: Manager on Leave

1. Review Admin → Time Plan → Workflow to confirm approval routing
   (Manage Timesheet Approval Workflows)
2. (If applicable) Review Config → Users → Resource Managers
3. The approver opens Timesheets
4. Select the user profile picture
5. Open My Delegates
6. Add an Approval Delegate
7. Save changes

What the Delegate Should Expect

• Approval items appear in standard Timesheet approval views
• Approval notifications appear on the Home page
• Approved items are attributed to the original approver
• No visual label indicates delegated authority during approval

How Delegation Interacts with Timesheet Workflow

• Timesheet approvals require a configured workflow
• Delegation applies only to responsibilities assigned by that workflow
• Delegation does not replace or override workflow logic
• Without an approval workflow, delegation has no effect

Troubleshooting and Best Practices

“I don’t see My Delegates”

• Confirm Allow Delegates is enabled in
  Admin → Time Plan → Task Management
  (Configure Task Management Settings for Timesheets)

“I’m an Approval Delegate but don’t see approvals”

• Confirm the approver has approval responsibility in the workflow
• Delegation applies to approver responsibilities, not submitter time
• Verify workflow routing

Best Practices

• Confirm approval responsibility before assigning delegates
• Avoid assigning the same user as both entry and approval delegate
• Communicate delegation expectations in advance