git:20260713.1fbd3f3 to git:20260728.b7e78fc

---

name: "Autotask Time Entries"

description: >

when_to_use: >-

When logging work hours, billing calculations, approval workflows, utilization tracking, and

budget validation. Use when: autotask time entry, log time, time tracking, billable hours, time

entry approval, billing rate, utilization rate, time billing, work log, timesheet, hours worked,

submit timesheet, or approve time.

---

# Autotask Time Entry Management

## Overview

Time entries are the foundation of MSP billing and resource utilization tracking. Every hour logged against tickets, projects, and contracts flows through the time entry system. This skill covers comprehensive time management including billing calculations, approval workflows, budget validation, and utilization analytics.

## Approval Status Codes

Based on the Autotask API, these are the time entry approval statuses:

| Status ID | Name | Description | Business Logic |

|-----------|------|-------------|----------------|

| **0** | DRAFT | Entry created but not submitted | Editable by resource |

| **1** | SUBMITTED | Submitted for approval | Locked, awaiting manager review |

| **2** | APPROVED | Manager approved entry | Included in billing cycle |

| **3** | REJECTED | Manager rejected entry | Returned for correction |

### Approval Workflow

```

DRAFT (0) ────────────────> SUBMITTED (1)

│

┌───────────┴───────────┐

▼ ▼

APPROVED (2) REJECTED (3)

│ │

▼ ▼

Billing Cycle Back to DRAFT

```

**Workflow Rules:**

- Resources can edit DRAFT entries freely

- SUBMITTED entries are locked until approved/rejected

- REJECTED entries return to editable state

- APPROVED entries are included in next billing cycle

- Only designated approvers can change status from SUBMITTED

## Billing Calculations

### Rate Hierarchy

Billing rates are determined in this order:

1. **Contract Rate** - Specific rate defined in contract

2. **Resource Rate** - Rate assigned to technician

3. **Role Rate** - Rate based on assigned role

4. **Default Rate** - System default rate

## Approval Requirements

### Automatic Approval Triggers

Certain conditions automatically require manager approval:

| Condition | Requires Approval | Reason |

|-----------|-------------------|--------|

| Billable time | Yes | Financial impact |

| Hours > 8 | Yes | Overtime review |

| Weekend work | Yes | Policy compliance |

| Holiday work | Yes | Policy compliance |

| Exceeds budget | Yes | Cost control |

## Budget Validation

## Time Analytics & KPIs

### Industry Benchmarks

| Metric | Target | Good | Excellent |

|--------|--------|------|-----------|

| Utilization Rate | 65% | 70-75% | 80%+ |

| Average Daily Hours | 6.5h | 7h | 7.5h |

| Approval Turnaround | 24h | 8h | 4h |

| Entry Accuracy | 95% | 98% | 99%+ |

## Business Rules

### Quarter-Hour Rounding

Standard MSP practice is to round time to the nearest quarter hour:

```javascript

function roundToQuarterHour(hours) {

return Math.round(hours * 4) / 4;

}

// Examples:

// 1.12 → 1.0

// 1.13 → 1.25

// 1.38 → 1.5

// 1.63 → 1.75

// 1.88 → 2.0

```

### Minimum Billing Increments

| Work Type | Minimum | Rationale |

|-----------|---------|-----------|

| Remote Support | 0.25h (15 min) | Quick remote fixes |

| Phone Call | 0.25h (15 min) | Brief calls |

| On-Site Visit | 1.0h (60 min) | Travel overhead |

| Emergency/After Hours | 1.0h (60 min) | Premium rate |

### Default Date Handling

If no date is provided, default to the current date:

```javascript

function setDefaultDate(timeEntry) {

if (!timeEntry.dateWorked) {

timeEntry.dateWorked = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];

}

return timeEntry;

}

```

## Common Workflows

### Daily Time Entry Flow

1. **Log time** - Create entry with work details

2. **Review** - Check accuracy and completeness

3. **Submit** - Change status to SUBMITTED (1)

4. **Await approval** - Manager reviews entry

5. **Resolve** - Entry approved or rejected

### End of Week Timesheet

```javascript

// Get all draft entries for the week

const weekEntries = await queryTimeEntries({

filter: [

{field: 'resourceID', op: 'eq', value: currentResourceId},

{field: 'dateWorked', op: 'between', value: [weekStart, weekEnd]},

{field: 'approvalStatus', op: 'eq', value: 0}

]

});

// Submit all for approval

for (const entry of weekEntries) {

await updateTimeEntry(entry.id, { approvalStatus: 1 });

}

```

### Manager Approval Queue

```javascript

// Get pending approvals for my team

const pendingApprovals = await queryTimeEntries({

filter: [

{field: 'approvalStatus', op: 'eq', value: 1},

{field: 'dateWorked', op: 'gte', value: lastWeekStart}

],

includeFields: ['Resource.firstName', 'Resource.lastName', 'Ticket.title']

});

```

## Error Handling

### Common API Errors

| Code | Message | Resolution |

|------|---------|------------|

| 400 | TicketID or ProjectID required | Provide either ticket or project |

| 400 | Invalid hours value | Hours must be positive decimal |

| 400 | Future date not allowed | Date cannot be in future |

| 401 | Unauthorized | Verify API credentials |

| 403 | Cannot modify approved entry | Entry is locked after approval |

| 409 | Entry already submitted | Cannot edit while pending |

### Validation Errors

| Error | Cause | Fix |

|-------|-------|-----|

| ResourceID required | Missing technician | Add resourceID field |

| Invalid dateWorked | Date format wrong | Use YYYY-MM-DD format |

| Hours exceed 24 | Too many hours | Check hour calculation |

| Missing summary | No description | Add summaryNotes |

## Best Practices

1. **Log time immediately** - Don't batch at end of day; details get lost

2. **Use descriptive summaries** - Clients see these on invoices

3. **Round appropriately** - Follow minimum billing rules

## Related Skills

- [Autotask Tickets](../tickets/SKILL.md) - Ticket management

- [Autotask Projects](../projects/SKILL.md) - Project management

- [Autotask Contracts](../contracts/SKILL.md) - Service agreements and billing

- [Autotask API Patterns](../api-patterns/SKILL.md) - Query builder and authentication