timesheet glossary

TIMESHEET GLOSSARY

• Ahead
• Approved Hours
• Auto-Blackout Days
• Average Service Days Per Week
• Behind
• Blackout Day
• Blackout Period
• Buffer
• Daily Buffer-Adjusted Hours
• Daily Goal
• Daily Minimum Hours
• Daily Submitted/Approved Average
• Daily Target Hours
• Disallowed Hours
• Disallowed Timesheet
• Expected Hours to Date
• Finish Line Status
• Goal Hours
• Non-Goal Hours
• On-Track
• Pending Hours
• Personal End Date
• Personal Start Date
• Personal Time Off Calendar
• Really Behind
• Remaining Hours
• Remaining Service Days
• Service Day
• Submitted Hours
• Term
• Time Off Calendar
• Time Off Days
• Time Off Reasons
• Timesheet Categories
• Timesheet Dashboard
• Timesheet Director
• Timesheet Position
• Timesheet Reports
• Timesheet Settings
• Timesheet Supervisor
• Timesheet Subcategories
• Timesheet Template
• Timesheet Template End Date
• Timesheet Template Start Date
• Total Service Days in Term
• Unallocated Time
• Weekly Buffer-Adjusted Hours
• Weekly Goal
• Weekly Minimum Hours
• Weekly Submitted/Approved Average
• Weekly Target Hours

Ahead

The Finish Line Status indicating that a reporter's hours per day average is more than their Daily Target Hours. The percentage threshold for this status is managed in the Timesheet Template settings. 

Approved Hours

The total time for all submitted timesheets that have been fully reviewed and signed by all required Timesheet Supervisors and/or Timesheet Directors. 

Auto-Blackout Days

Blackout Days that are automatically applied when a reporter’s Personal Start and/or Personal End Dates do not fully align with the Timesheet Template’s Start and End Dates.

Average Service Days Per Week

The average number of days per week a reporter is expected to serve, based on their assigned Personal Time Off Calendar and/or Blackout Days.

Behind

The Finish Line Status indicating that a reporter's hours per day average is close to -- and less than -- their Daily Target Hours.

Blackout Day

A date set by an admin on which a reporter is not allowed to submit time on their timesheet.

Blackout Period

A series of consecutive Blackout Days set by an admin on which a reporter is not allowed to submit time on their timesheet.

Buffer

An optional and adjustable setting in Finish Line Status that adds extra time to a reporter’s Daily Goal. Increasing the buffer percentage means reporters will be encouraged to serve more hours per day. Buffers can be customized for each Timesheet Position in Timesheet Template settings.

Daily Buffer-Adjusted Hours

The buffer-adjusted average number of hours a reporter needs to serve each remaining Service Day to complete their Goal Hours by the end of their Term. This is calculated by increasing the Daily Minimum Hours by the buffer percentage set in the Timesheet Template. 

Using a buffer encourages reporters to serve a small amount of additional time each day, helping them "bank" time if they need to take an unplanned sick, personal, or vacation day (not already listed on their Personal Time Off Calendar). 

Daily Goal

The number of hours a reporter is expected to serve each Service Day, as displayed on the Timesheet Dashboard. Depending on the settings in the Timesheet Template, this may reflect either the Daily Minimum Hours or the Daily Buffer-Adjusted Hours.

Daily Minimum Hours

The average number of hours a reporter needs to serve each remaining Service Day in order to complete their Goal Hours by the end of their Term. This is calculated by dividing Remaining Hours by Remaining Service Days.

Daily Submitted/Approved Average

The average number of hours a reporter has recorded per Service Day so far. This is calculated by dividing the total Submitted/Approved Hours by the number of Service Days to date. Whether the hours are based on submitted or approved timesheets depends on the Timesheet Template settings.

Daily Target Hours

The average number of hours a reporter needs to serve each Service Day to complete their Goal Hours by the end of their Term. This is calculated based on the reporter's personal Timesheet Settings -- including their Timesheet Template, Timesheet Position, Personal Start Date and End Date, Blackout Days, and Personal Time Off Calendar.

Note that this calculation is based on the Timesheet Settings and does not consider hours being submitted by reporters on timesheets.

Disallowed Hours

The total time for all Disallowed Timesheets. Disallowed Hours do not count toward the reporter's Goal Hours.

Disallowed Timesheet

Timesheet that an admin has marked as disallowed instead of approving or returning it for edits. This is often used when the admin wants to keep a record of the timesheet but cannot approve it. Hours recorded on a Disallowed Timesheet do not count toward a reporter’s Goal Hours

Expected Hours to Date

The number of hours a reporter is expected to have served to date, calculated by multiplying their completed Service Days to date by their Daily Target Hours. The “to date” reference is based on either the reporter’s last submitted or approved timesheet, depending on the settings in the Timesheet Template.

Finish Line Status

Finish Line Status is the label that indicates whether a reporter is Really Behind, Behind, On Track, or Ahead of meeting their Goal Hours by their Personal End Date. Settings for how Finish Line Status is calculated and displayed can be managed in the Timesheet Template.

Goal Hours

The total number of hours a reporter must complete to successfully finish their Term, as defined by their assigned Timesheet Position. For reporters without a required hour total, Goal Hours can be set to 0. 

Time logged under Timesheet Categories designated as counting toward Goal Hours contributes directly to meeting the reporter’s overall hour requirement.

Non-Goal Hours

Hours that do not count toward a reporter’s Goal Hours as defined by their Timesheet Position. Time logged under Timesheet Categories designated as Non-Goal Hours is tracked, but does not reduce the reporter’s Remaining Hours.

On-Track

The Finish Line Status indicating that a reporter's hours per day average is close to -- but not less than -- their Daily Target Hours.

Pending Hours

The total time for all submitted timesheets that have not yet been fully reviewed and signed by Timesheet Supervisors and/or Timesheet Directors.

Personal End Date

A customizable date that marks the last day of a reporter’s Term. Creates Auto-Blackout Days between the reporter's Personal End Date and the Timesheet Template End Date.

Personal Start Date

A customizable date that marks the first day of a reporter’s Term. Creates Auto-Blackout Days between the Timesheet Template Start Date and the reporter's Personal Start Date.

Personal Time Off Calendar

Once a Time Off Calendar is assigned to a reporter, their Personal Time Off Calendar is the set of anticipated Time Off Days that apply to the reporter's specific Term.

Really Behind

The Finish Line Status indicating that a reporter's hours per day average is less than their Daily Target Hours. The percentage threshold for this status is managed in the Timesheet Template settings.

Remaining Hours

Depending on the settings in the Timesheet Template, Remaining Hours is calculated as either Goal Hours minus Approved Hours or Goal Hours minus Submitted Hours.

Remaining Service Days

The number of Service Days left in a reporter’s term based on their last approved/submitted timesheet, excluding any upcoming Time Off Days or Blackout Days. Whether the days are based on submitted or approved timesheets depends on the Timesheet Template settings.

Service Day

A day when a reporter is expected to serve -- not designated as a Blackout Day or Time Off Day based on their Personal Time Off Calendar.

Submitted Hours

The total time for all submitted timesheets. It is the sum of all Pending and Approved Hours.

Term

The period of time between a reporter’s Personal Start and Personal End Dates during which they are expected to complete their Goal Hours.

Time Off Calendar

Created and managed within each Timesheet Template, a Time Off Calendar is a customizable set of anticipated Time Off Days that can be assigned to reporters. Keeping this calendar accurate helps reporters and admins get the most accurate information when calculating Finish Line Status.

Time Off Days

Days when a reporter does not serve that is marked with a Time Off Reason in their timesheet. A count of Time Off Days taken by Time Off Reason is available in Timesheet Dashboards and Timesheet Reports.

Time Off Reasons

A menu of options managed in Timesheet Template settings that can be used in two ways: (1) by reporters to explain why they did not serve on a given day, and/or (2) by admin when creating entries in the Time Off Calendar within the Timesheet Template.

Timesheet Categories

The way reporters allocate their time when submitting timesheets. Common categories for AmeriCorps programs include Service, Training, and Fundraising.

Timesheet Dashboard

A visual display showing a reporter’s progress toward their Goal Hours, their timesheet submission history, and (if enabled) their Finish Line Status. The dashboard is viewable by both the reporter and admin.

Timesheet Director

A permission assigned through the Admin Role Management page that allows admins to review and sign off on timesheets. The rules for number and order of timesheet signers are determined by the settings in the Timesheet Template.

Timesheet Position

A setting that defines a reporter’s Goal Hours for their term and helps categorize them within the system. Each reporter may be assigned only one Timesheet Position at a time.

Timesheet Reports

Space where users can create on-screen data views, printable PDFs, Excel exports, and track timesheet completion.

Timesheet Settings

A panel in a reporter’s profile where you assign their Timesheet Template, Timesheet Position, Personal Start Date, Personal End Date, Blackout Days, and Time Off Calendar. These settings control how the reporter’s timesheets function and how their Finish Line Status is calculated.

Timesheet Supervisor

A permission assigned through the Admin Role Management page that allows admins to review and sign off on timesheets. The rules for number and order of timesheet signers are determined by the settings in the Timesheet Template.

Timesheet Subcategories

More specific classifications within a Timesheet Category that allow reporters to further detail on a timesheet how their time is spent. Subcategories provide greater granularity for tracking and reporting purposes.

Timesheet Template

A Timesheet Template sets the rules, fields, and overall flow for how timesheets work for the assigned group of reporters during a set time period. Changes to Timesheet Template settings can be made at any time and will take immediate effect on any unsubmitted timesheets.

Timesheet Template End Date

The last date reporters assigned to the Timesheet Template can enter and submit hours, unless their Personal End Date is earlier.

Timesheet Template Start Date

The first date reporters assigned to the Timesheet Template can enter and submit hours, unless their Personal Start Date is later.

Total Service Days in Term

Total number of days within a reporter’s Term when they are expected to serve --  excluding Blackout Days and Time Off Days designated by their Personal Time Off Calendar.

Unallocated Time

The portion of time between a reporter’s Time In and Time Out on a timesheet that was not allocated to any Timesheet Category or Subcategory.

Weekly Buffer-Adjusted Hours

The buffer-adjusted average number of hours a reporter needs to serve each remaining week to complete their Goal Hours by the end of their Term. This is calculated by multiplying the reporter’s Daily Buffer-Adjusted Hours by their Average Service Days Per Week.

Using a Buffer encourages reporters to serve a small amount of additional time each day, helping them "bank" time if they need to take an unplanned sick, personal, or vacation day (not already listed on their Personal Time Off Calendar). 

Weekly Goal

The number of hours a reporter is expected to serve each week, as displayed on the Timesheet Dashboard. Depending on the settings in the Timesheet Template, this may reflect either the Weekly Minimum Hours or the Weekly Buffer-Adjusted Hours.

Weekly Minimum Hours

The average number of hours a reporter needs to serve each remaining week to complete their Goal Hours by the end of their Term. This is calculated by multiplying the reporter’s Daily Minimum Hours by their Average Service Days Per Week.

Weekly Submitted/Approved Average

The average number of hours a reporter has recorded per service week so far. This is calculated by dividing the total Submitted/Approved Hours by the number of service weeks to date. Whether the hours are based on submitted or approved timesheets depends on the Timesheet Template settings.

Weekly Target Hours

The average number of hours a reporter needs to serve each week to complete their Goal Hours by the end of their Term. This is calculated by multiplying the reporter’s Daily Target Hours by their Average Service Days Per Week.