Table Type: Time Entry (Advanced Timecard Capture, Conflict Checks, Thresholds & More)
š Table Type: Time Entry ā Advanced Timecard Capture with Conflict Checks, Preloading, and Workflow Control
The Time Entry Table is the most feature-rich table type in Ontraccr. Itās designed to handle everything from simple daily time tracking to advanced billing workflows, project audits, and integration with cost codes, rates, and custom timecard fields.
š§ What Is the Time Entry Table?
A Time Entry Table lets users:
- Log time entries for themselves or their teams
- Pull in existing timecards
- Preload data by project/date/status
- Calculate costs, billing, durations, and compliance
- Use validations like conflict warnings and threshold alerts
š How to Set Up a Time Entry Table
- Go to Step 2: Fields
- Add a new field ā Choose Table ā Select Time Entry as the data type
- Customize:
- Columns
- Permissions
- Preloading rules
- Conflict detection and thresholds
š§¾ Key Features & Configuration Options
š¦ 1. Column Options (Standard + Custom Fields)
Includes system columns like:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| User | The person whose time is being logged |
| Start/End Time | Manual entry or calculated duration |
| Duration | Total hours |
| Time | Full breakdown: reg, OT, DT |
| Hourly Rate / Cost / Billing Rate | For costing and invoicing |
| Union, Work Class, Shift | From time tracking settings |
| Status | Unsubmitted / Submitted / Approved |
| Entered Via | Shows how the entry was made and from which form |
| Custom Fields | Any custom timecard field from Settings ā Time Tracking ā Custom Fields |
š§° 2. Entry Methods
- Add New: Manual entry row
- Add from Team: Pull all team members into the table at once
- Preload Existing Entries: Pull in timecards from past week, date fields, or a range
š”ļø 3. Access & Validation Settings
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| ā Hide Add New | Prevent manual row entry |
| ā Hide Add from Team | Prevent bulk team add |
| ā Lock Time Entry to Form Author | Only allow time for the person filling the form |
| ā Warn User of Time Conflicts | Flag overlapping entries in red |
| ā Enable Threshold Warning | Alert if entry exceeds configured hours (e.g., > 8 hrs) |
| ā Prevent Edits | Lock preloaded rows from changes |
ā¬ļø Preloading Options
š Preload New Entries:
Set default values for each new entry added by the user:
- Project
- Date (None / Current / Linked to another form field)
š„ Preload Existing Entries:
Automatically pull in actual timecards matching:
- A date or date range field
- A time span (e.g. ālast 7 daysā)
- Project selection
- Status (e.g. only Approved entries)
ā Use this for billing workflows and daily log summaries
š Calculations and Costing
You can include fields for:
- User Wage (default wage or overridden by union class)
- Hourly Billing Rate
- Hourly Cost (from user wage or cost code)
- Daily Cost (from cost code setup)
Custom Calculation Columns also available for:
- Total cost
- Markups
- Conditional logic (see Article 18)
š Layout Options
| Option | Use When |
|---|---|
| Vertical Layout | Lots of columns; see all data in stacked format |
| Standard Layout | Ideal for small to medium column sets |
š§ Use Case Examples
| Scenario | Setup |
|---|---|
| Foreman logging time for crew | Use Add from Team |
| Worker submitting personal time | Use Lock to Author + Threshold Warning |
| Billing form pulling last weekās time | Enable Preload Existing Entries (Approved Only) |
| Show where time came from | Add āEntered Viaā and āStatusā columns |
š Pro Tips
- Use āWarn of Time Conflictā for overlapping entriesābut note: users can still submit unless blocked in the Workflow Settings (
Prevent Duplicates) - Use āVertical Layoutā for audit-friendly form views
- Enable āEntered Viaā to track which form/device created the time