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  5. Clone timesheets and timesheet templates
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  2. Knowledge Base
  3. Time & Cost
  4. Clone timesheets and timesheet templates

Clone timesheets and timesheet templates

If you find that you work on the same clients and projects from one week to the next you can use a previous timesheet as a template and save some data entry time.

There are two options for cloning/copying timesheets

You can duplicate or copy a previous timesheet, or create a new timesheet from a template.

  • Clone timesheets (from a period)
    • The clone feature will duplicate or copy any previous timesheet. This process will copy across the client, job, task, and activity but it will not copy the original days and dates. Cloning units and comments are optional.
  • Clone timesheets (from a template)
    • The template feature will create a new timesheet based on a previously created template or example. This process will copy across the selected client, job, task, and activity. It will also copy across days, and optionally units and comments.

We recommend using cloning along with the system setting of removing zero units when timesheets are committed. See more below.

To clone a timesheet first create a new blank timesheet

It’s simplest to create the new timesheet period first, then choose the Clone button.

You cannot clone an ‘open’ timesheet, which is why it’s best to start with a blank screen

Choose Cross Tab View to view the clone timesheet options

You can only copy timesheets in the CrossTab view of your timesheet using the “Clone Timesheet” Button.

Then select either clone timesheets: from a period, or from a template.

The current option will be selected with a green border.

Clone timesheets: from a period

The clone feature will duplicate or copy any previous timesheet.

This process will copy across the client, job, task, and activity but it will not copy the original days and dates. Cloning units and comments are optional.

Cloning timesheets from a period is useful to copy across the current project information you worked on the previous week.

Create a new timesheet period

It’s simplest to create the new timesheet period first, then choose the Clone button.

Choose Cross Tab View to view clone options

You can only copy timesheets in the CrossTab view of your timesheet using the “Clone Timesheet” Button.

Select the timesheet period to copy from

Then select the timesheet date you are cloning from, then…

Select the date to clone the timesheet lines to

…then select the day within any timesheet period that you want to clone it to.

When copying timesheets people will often clone the data to a Sunday or another non-work day to keep track of which entries need to be edited/amended and which can be deleted at the completion of the timesheet.

Choose whether to clone units, comments and lines with zero units

You can choose to clone placeholder lines with zero units, or to omit these records.

Confirm the clone process (and that duplicates won’t be copied)

You’ll be prompted to confirm the timesheet copy before continuing.

Any data that duplicates that already within the timesheet period will not be copied.

CloneTimesheetPopupConfirm

Any duplicate lines will not be carried across, for example if you have multiple lines which are the same but logged on different days in the original timesheet – only one line will be cloned.

Clone timesheets: from a template

The template timesheets feature allows you to create a curated selection of template timesheets to clone from.

When cloning using templates this process will copy across the selected client, job, task, and activity. It will also copy across days, and optionally units.

Cloning timesheets from a template is useful to copy across starting information for your week, regular meetings and non-chargeable work etc.

Create or Save a Template timesheet for later use

Choose a timesheet to use regularly as a template from any previous timesheet. Open the selected timesheet, and choose the Manage Template option.

Select “Is a timesheet template” and give the template a name.

You cannot use a template from another employees timesheets. Timesheet templates are only available for the employee whose timesheet the template was created from.

Create a new timesheet period

It’s simplest to create the new timesheet period first, then choose the Clone button.

Choose Cross Tab View to view clone options

You can only copy timesheets in the CrossTab view of your timesheet using the “Clone Timesheet” Button.

Select the timesheet template to copy from

Any previously created templates will be available from the drop down list, select the chosen template and then…

Select the date to clone the timesheet lines to

…then select the day within any timesheet period that you want to clone it to.

When copying timesheets people will often clone the data to a Sunday or another non-work day to keep track of which entries need to be edited/amended and which can be deleted at the completion of the timesheet.

Choose whether to clone units, comments and lines with zero units

When cloning from a template copying units is selected by default. You can also choose to clone placeholder lines with zero units, or to omit these records.

Confirm the clone process (and that duplicates won’t be copied)

You’ll be prompted to confirm the timesheet copy before continuing.

Any data that duplicates that already within the timesheet period will not be copied.

CloneTimesheetPopupConfirm

Admin Settings when cloning timesheets

When cloning timesheets, you may have extra rows with zero units that need to be deleted.

There is a system setting for administrators that allows a system wide feature – removing zero units when timesheets are committed.

From System Settings >> Timesheets tab >> tick the box for ‘Remove zero units when committing timesheets’ and this will be enabled.

Abtrac KB# 2112

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