Timesheet approval and edit rules for 5 apps

Key takeaways for which timesheet apps let a manager approve and edit hours, and what each one says about edit history

Pages differ on the approver and on edit history.

• Connecteam provides an export that presents all changes made in a user's timesheet by the user or an admin, according to Connecteam.
• Sling notes that managers cannot edit a timesheet once it has been approved, according to Sling.
• Homebase states that the Essentials plan stores employee time cards securely in the cloud for four years, allowing access to their full edit history at any time, according to Homebase.
• When I Work describes keeping clean, auditable records with digital timesheets and edit logs, according to When I Work.
• Deputy does not state an edit log on the page read.

These statements define the specific capabilities each publisher documents. Verify which rules align with your payroll process by checking the official pages directly.

Homebase states that managers can review, approve, and lock timesheets before payroll runs, according to Homebase. Sling and Deputy also support manager approval, but their specific rules for locking or editing after approval vary. Some pages detail who can reopen a locked sheet, while others remain silent on post-approval changes. This difference matters when you need to correct a missed punch or adjust hours after initial sign-off.

The short answer: three apps name a manager approver

The core distinction lies in what happens after a manager clicks approve. For Homebase, the official page explicitly describes a workflow where managers review, approve, and lock timesheets before you run payroll, according to Homebase. This "lock" terminology suggests a specific state where the data is fixed for payroll processing. Sling and Deputy also allow managers to approve timesheets, as stated on their respective official pages. However, the exact mechanism for handling edits after approval is not uniform across all five.

How we compared five product pages and the federal record rules

This section explains the source basis for the comparison. We reviewed the official product pages for five timesheet applications to identify who approves timesheets and how edits are handled. We also reviewed the federal record-keeping rules to provide context for how long records must be kept. The federal rules are cited as written from the Legal Information Institute.

The rule text at 29 CFR § 516.2 defines the hours worked record. It states that records must include hours worked each workday and total hours worked each workweek, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School). The rule defines a workday as any fixed period of 24 consecutive hours and a workweek as any fixed and regularly recurring period of 7 consecutive workdays, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School).

The rule text at 29 CFR § 516.5 states that each employer shall preserve for at least 3 years, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School). This applies to records to be preserved 3 years, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School).

The rule text at 29 CFR § 516.6 states that supplementary basic records must be preserved for a period of at least 2 years, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School). This applies to each employer required to maintain records under this part, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School).

Reference table: what each publisher says about approving and editing a timesheet

The table below summarizes the specific permissions and history logs stated on each product’s official page. Each row is built strictly from the official pages for that publisher.

According to Connecteam, approving a timesheet indicates the days within a payroll cycle are locked and ready for payroll. The same page notes that approving and reopening timesheets are controlled separately. The Connecteam page does not specify who holds the approval permission, and an export presents all changes made by the user or an admin.

According to Sling, managers can only approve timesheets for their assigned location(s). For post-approval changes, Sling states that if a manager needs to edit an approved timesheet, an admin will need to mark the timesheet as pending so the manager can make the necessary edits. The Sling pages do not state whether an edit log is kept.

According to Deputy, a manager will still need to approve the timesheet. The page does not specify who else can approve, what happens to an approved timesheet if an edit is required, or whether Deputy keeps an edit log.

According to Homebase, federal law requires employers to store staff members’ timesheets for a minimum of two years. The page does not state the specific rule for editing after approval.

Who approves and post-approval edits are unstated. Keep clean, auditable records with digital timesheets and edit logs.

Who can approve, lock or reopen a timesheet, in each publisher's words

The specific permissions for approving, locking, and reopening timesheets vary by how each product structures its user roles. The pages reviewed for this comparison describe these workflows using distinct terminology for managers, admins, and individual time clocks.

Connecteam’s help center notes that if you have more than one time clock you will need to enable the timesheet approval for each time clock individually, according to Connecteam. This setup requirement implies that approval is configured for each clock rather than globally across the entire organization. The page does not state whether a manager or an admin performs this specific enabling action, only that the approval feature must be activated for each clock.

Sling’s help center states that it is important to note that managers cannot edit a timesheet once it has been approved, according to Sling. This creates a hard lock on the document for the manager role after the approval status is reached. However, the same page explains that if a manager needs to edit a timesheet that has been approved, an admin will need to mark the timesheet as pending so the manager can make the necessary edits, according to Sling. This indicates a two-step process for changes: an admin must first change the status to pending, which then allows the manager to proceed with edits. The page does not state whether the admin can edit the timesheet directly without changing its status to pending.

Deputy’s feature page states that of course, a manager will still need to approve the timesheet, according to Deputy. This confirms the manager’s role in the final approval step. The page does not state what happens to the timesheet after this approval, such as whether it is locked or if an admin can reopen it. The page does not state on the page read whether managers can edit timesheets before approval or if admins have different editing permissions than managers.

Edit history, missing punches and how long records are kept

Each product page describes its own method for tracking changes to time entries. The "How to Edit an Employee's Timesheet | HELP CENTER" page from Connecteam states that an export will present all changes made in a user's timesheet, whether by the user or an admin Connecteam. The "Free Online Timesheet App & Software | Homebase" page notes that the Homebase Essentials plan stores employee time cards securely in the cloud for four years, allowing access to their full edit history at any time Homebase. The "Employee Time Clock App | When I Work" page mentions keeping clean, auditable records with digital timesheets and edit logs When I Work. The "What are timesheets? | Sling Help Center" page and the "Employee Timesheet Software - Easy Timesheet App — Deputy" page do not state an edit log feature on the pages read.

For missing clock-in or clock-out events, the "Employee Timesheet Software - Easy Timesheet App — Deputy" page states that if an employee forgets to clock in and out of work, their manager can input their timesheet details for them Deputy.

Federal record-keeping rules provide context for how long these records should be retained. 29 CFR 516.2 requires records of hours worked each workday and workweek. 29 CFR 516.5 states records must be kept for at least 3 years. 29 CFR 516.7 references 72 hours. This is the rule text, not legal advice.

Check each product's official page to confirm which specific edit history features are available under your current plan.

Illustrative example of a missed clock-out

10 people work 8 hours daily for 5 days. A missing clock-out is entered as 8 hours.

A checklist: your approval rules checked against each page

Connecteam states that approving and reopening timesheets are controlled separately, according to Connecteam. The same page defines approving as the ability to lock all the days within a payroll cycle, indicating that the timesheets were reviewed and are ready for payroll, according to Connecteam.

Write down three timesheet rules you need, such as who may approve, whether an approved timesheet can still be changed, and whether edits are logged. Then open each product's official page named in the reference table and tick which of the three it states. No signup or payment needed.

FAQ: timesheet approval and edit history

Who can approve a timesheet in each app?

Sling states that managers can only approve timesheets for their assigned location(s), according to Sling. Deputy and Homebase also say a manager approves timesheets, with no location limit stated.

Can a timesheet still be edited after it is approved?

Yes for Sling, after an admin marks it pending, and Connecteam treats reopening as a separate control. Deputy, Homebase, and When I Work do not state a post-approval edit rule.

Do these apps keep a record of who changed a timesheet?

Yes for Connecteam, Homebase, and When I Work. The Sling and Deputy pages read do not state an edit log.

What if an employee forgets to clock in or out?

Deputy states that if an employee forgets to clock in and out of work, their manager can input their timesheet details for them, according to Deputy. The page does not state whether the employee still requires manager approval.

How long does the federal rule text say records must be kept?

The rule text for 29 CFR 516.6 states that supplementary basic records must be preserved for a period of at least 2 years, according to Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School).