Timesheet Plugin

Introduction #

Redmineflux Timesheet is a comprehensive time tracking and approval plugin for Redmine. It helps teams log time, submit weekly or monthly timesheets, run multi-level approval workflows, manage teams and schemas, monitor dashboard insights, and generate timesheet reports.

This guide explains installation, configuration, daily use, approval flow, administration, and troubleshooting.

Version Compatibility #

Supported Redmine versions:

• 5.0.x
• 5.1.x
• 6.0.x

Installation #

To install the Redmineflux Timesheet plugin:

1. Ensure Redmine is already installed and running.
2. Extract the plugin archive.
3. Upload the plugin folder to redmine/plugins/redmineflux_timesheet.
4. Do not rename the plugin folder.
5. Install dependencies:
   bundle install
6. Run plugin migrations.
   For production:RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rails redmine:plugins:migrate
   For development:RAILS_ENV=development bundle exec rails redmine:plugins:migrate
7. For running timesheet scheduled tasks after installation:
   
   1.Manual run:
   bundle exec rake timesheet:send_reminders RAILS_ENV=production
bundle exec rake timesheet:validate_deadlines RAILS_ENV=production

   2. Schedule these via cron (Linux) or Task Scheduler (Windows) for automation
8. Restart Redmine.

Example:

bundle exec rails server

Note:

If you encounter any UI-related issues after installing the plugin, such as missing styles or JavaScript functionality (for example, CSS or JavaScript files not loading properly), run the following command and then restart your Redmine server:

RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake assets:precompile

This command regenerates the plugin assets and helps ensure that all CSS and JavaScript files are loaded correctly.

Roles and Permissions #

View Timesheet #

Enable this permission to allow users to view their own timesheets.

Manage Timesheet #

Enable this permission to allow users to:

• View timesheets of other users in the same project/team context.
• Review and manage timesheets where approval schema rules allow.

Each team member must have a role that exists in the selected approval schema. Only users whose role includes Manage Timesheet can manage others’ timesheets.

Configuration #

How to Open Timesheet Settings #

1. Log in with administrator credentials.
2. Open the Timesheet module.
3. Click Settings from the left sidebar.

Timesheet Mode #

This setting controls how timesheets are organized.

• Project Mode: Timesheets are associated with projects.
• Team Mode: Timesheets are associated with teams.

Submission Rules #

Submission Period Type

Choose how often users submit timesheets:

• Weekly: ISO week (Monday to Sunday)
• Monthly: 1st to last day of month

Submission Deadline Day

Define the day by which users must submit the previous period timesheet.

If a user submits late, the system shows a deadline message and can block submission based on settings.

Past Date Timesheet Controls #

Allow Past Date Timelog

Control how far back users can log time:

• Allowed Past Days Timelog: Number of days in past allowed for logging.
• Allowed Time (HH:MM): Daily cutoff time in 24-hour format.

Block Edit/Delete After Allowed Period

When enabled, users cannot edit or delete timelogs outside the allowed window after cutoff.

Approval Settings #

Disable Log/Edit After Approval

• Enabled: Users cannot add or edit entries after approval.
• Disabled: Users can continue edits after approval.

Overtime Threshold (Hours Per Day)

Set daily hour limit after which entries count as overtime.

• Set 0 to disable overtime calculation.

Auto-Approve Threshold (Hours)

Timesheets below this total hour threshold are auto-approved.

• Set 0 to disable auto-approval and require manual approval.

Email Notifications #

Email Notification on Submission

Sends notification to approvers when a user submits timesheet.

Email Notification on Approval/Rejection

Sends notification to submitter when timesheet is approved or rejected.

Configuration Summary #

Timesheet settings let administrators:

• Configure project mode or team mode
• Define submission period and deadline
• Restrict past date logging/editing
• Configure approval workflow and automation
• Enable email notifications

How to View Timesheet #

1. Log in to Redmine.
2. Click Timesheet from navigation.
3. Review the default weekly calendar/timesheet view.

How to Add Time Entries #

1. Open the Timesheet dashboard.
2. Click Log Time or hover relevant task cells.
3. Select date.
4. Select activity.
5. Enter hours.
6. Add optional comments.
7. Click Save Time Entry.

How to Update Time Entries #

1. Double-click a task row to view previous entries.
2. Hover target date cell to see entry details.
3. Update fields such as date, activity, hours, and comment.
4. Click Update Time Entry.

Note: If multiple entries exist for same issue and activity, you may be prompted to choose the specific entry.

How to Remove Time Entries #

1. Open Timesheet dashboard.
2. Double-click the target task to open related entries.
3. Select the entry to remove.
4. Click Delete.

How to Submit Timesheet #

1. Open Timesheet dashboard.
2. Verify entries for the target period.
3. Confirm hours, activities, and comments.
4. Click Submit.
5. Confirm submission if prompted.

The timesheet moves into approval workflow.

How to Withdraw Submitted Timesheet #

1. Open submitted timesheet.
2. Click Withdraw Timesheet.

Rules:

• Withdraw is available only before minimum approval level is approved.
• After required approval level is reached, withdrawal is no longer allowed.

How to Use Approver Dashboard #

1. Log in with approver permissions.
2. Open Timesheet module.
3. Click Approval Dashboard from left sidebar.

Dashboard highlights include pending approvals, urgent approvals, pending hours, and recent actions.

How Approvers Approve or Reject Timesheets #

1. Open Approval Dashboard.
2. Find user in Pending Approvals.
3. Click Review, Approve, or Reject.
4. Add comments and confirm.

Both Team mode and Project mode submissions can appear in approval queues based on access.

Approval Flow Logic #

Timesheets follow selected approval schema in strict sequence.

• Higher-level approver cannot act before lower-level decision.
• If an approver submits their own timesheet, it routes to next level.
• If submitter is final-level approver, only admin can complete approval/rejection.
• No approval level can be skipped.

Email notification is sent to submitter after each approval/rejection action.

How to View Timesheets Across Users, Projects, and Teams #

1. Open Timesheet module.
2. Use View dropdown.
3. Select user, team, or project.
4. Click Apply.

Note: Access depends on permissions and team/project visibility.

How to View Timesheet for Custom Date Range #

1. Open date range picker.
2. Select start date and end date.
3. Apply selection.

Timesheet data refreshes for selected period.

How to View My Dashboard #

1. Open Timesheet module.
2. Click Dashboard icon from left sidebar.

The dashboard shows:

• Total submitted timesheets
• Approved timesheets
• Rejected timesheets
• Total hours

Tabs also provide segmented lists for submitted, approved, and rejected entries.

Timesheet Reports #

1. Log in as admin.
2. Open Report from left sidebar.
3. Choose report type:
   • Submission/Approval Report
   • Timelogs Report
4. Apply filters and Group By option.
5. Click Apply to generate report.
6. Export report (CSV).

Admin Dashboard #

The Admin Dashboard gives a centralized operational view of timesheet activity.

Key Sections #

• Timesheet Configuration
• Workflow Health
• Summary Metrics
• Late Submission Unlock Queue
• Insights and Analytics
• Reports and Charts
• Quick Access links

Purpose #

Helps administrators monitor approvals, enforce policy, and analyse usage from one place.

Managing Teams #

Create a Team #

1. Log in as admin.
2. Go to Team section under Timesheet.
3. Click New Team.
4. Enter team name and create.

Configure a Team #

1. Open team details.
2. Assign approval schema.
3. Add members and assign roles.

Edit or Delete Team #

1. Open Team section.
2. Use Edit to update name.
3. Use Delete to remove team.

Manage Team Members #

• Remove member from team details.
• Update member role from team details edit action.

Managing Approval Schemas #

Create Approval Schema #

1. Log in as admin.
2. Open Approval Schema section.
3. Click New Schema.
4. Enter schema name, description, and enable status.
5. Add one or more approval levels by role.
6. Save schema.

Edit Approval Schema #

1. Open Approval Schema section.
2. Click Edit.
3. Update levels, roles, or details.
4. Save changes.

Delete or Deactivate Schema #

• Use Delete to remove schema.
• Use Lock to deactivate schema.

Note: A schema assigned to a team/project cannot be deleted.

Selecting Approval Schema in Project #

1. Open project settings (or create new project).
2. Under Timesheet settings, choose Approval Schema.
3. Save project.

Behavior:

• Project timesheet approvals follow selected schema roles.
• Approval Schema selector appears when Timesheet mode is Project Mode.

Audit Log #

Overview #

Audit Log is admin-only and records timesheet workflow actions.

Access #

1. Open Timesheet module.
2. Click Audit Log in left sidebar.

What It Shows #

• Approval and rejection actions
• Workflow activity by selected context (project/team)

Troubleshooting #

If you face issues, try:

1. Confirm plugin is installed and enabled.
2. Verify user roles and permissions.
3. Clear browser cache and refresh.
4. Confirm plugin and Redmine version compatibility.
5. Review plugin settings.
6. Check conflicting plugins by disabling temporarily.
7. Restart Redmine.
8. Update or reinstall plugin if needed.
9. Check plugin documentation/support resources.
10. Report issue with reproduction steps and error details.

Always take a database backup before major configuration/plugin changes.

Frequently Asked Questions #

Q1. How do I install the Redmineflux Timesheet plugin?

Follow the installation steps in the Installation section above.

Q2. How do I access the Timesheet Dashboard?

Log in and open Timesheet from the main menu.

Q3. Can I view timesheets for specific teams?

Yes. Use the View dropdown filters by team/project/user, based on permission.

Q4. How do I add a new time entry?

Use Log Time, select date/activity/hours, and save.

Q5. How do I edit an existing time entry?

Open the entry from task row/cell, update fields, then save update.

Q6. Can I generate timesheet reports?

Yes. Admin users can generate submission/approval and timelog reports.

Q7. How do approvers approve or reject timesheets?

Use Approval Dashboard, review entry, then approve/reject with comments.

Q8. Can I customize plugin settings?

Yes. Admins can configure mode, deadlines, approvals, notifications, and controls.

Q9. What should I do if the plugin shows errors?

Follow troubleshooting steps and share logs/error details with support if needed.

Uninstallation #

To uninstall the plugin:

1. Go to Redmine plugin directory.
2. Remove the Timesheet plugin folder from Redmine/plugins.
3. If plugin migrations were applied, roll back:bundle exec rails redmine:plugins:migrate NAME=timesheet VERSION=0 RAILS_ENV=production
4. Restart Redmine.

Take a database backup before rollback/uninstallation.

Conclusion #

Redmineflux Timesheet provides a full workflow for time logging, submission control, multi-level approvals, team/project governance, reporting, and administrative monitoring. With proper configuration, it gives organizations a reliable and scalable timesheet process directly inside Redmine.