If a Project Manager submits a time card on the project, who should approve it?

Keith Gonzales
Kilo Sage

7 hours ago

Hi All, we've ran into a scenario where a project manager has created a resource assignment for themself so they can submit a timecard and track the work they've done on the project. However, the timecard generated doesn't have an approver list because it's usually the PM that's added to that list. We haven't customized any business rules or script includes so I'm assuming this is OOTB. Can somebody confirm who should be approving a PM's timecard?

 

And yes, the PM has the timecard_approver role.

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sachinvic
Giga Guru

6 hours ago

Hi Keith,

In this scenario, the approval routing is controlled by the Project time approver setting in the Time Sheet Policy assigned to the user.

 

If it is set to Project Manager, timecards for project tasks are routed to the Project Manager associated with the task. Since the Project Manager is submitting their own timecard, this can result in a self-approval scenario.

 

For this case, I would suggest considering the following:

  1. Set Project time approver to User Manager for the Project Manager's time sheet policy. This will route their project timecards to their reporting manager.
  2. Ensure the reporting manager is correctly populated in the Manager field on the Project Manager's User record and has the timecard_approver role.
  3. If regular project team members should continue routing their timecards to the Project Manager, consider using separate Time Sheet Policies for the two user groups.

The timecard_approver role provides the ability to approve timecards, but it does not itself determine the approval routing.

 

You can refer to the ServiceNow documentation:

 

Helpful? Please mark the response as Accepted Solution ✅ and close the thread — this helps future readers find the solution faster.

 

Regards,
Sachinvic
✨ ArchX Certified | ✨ 16x ServiceNow AI MVP

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Tanushree Maiti
Tera Patron

5 hours ago

Hi @Keith Gonzales 

 

Refer ServiceNow Documentation: Approve or reject a time card 

 

As a time card approver, you can view and approve or reject a submitted time card.

Before you begin

Role required: timecard_approver or timecard_admin

 

Note:

  • A user manager can also approve the time cards within a time sheet by selecting one or more time cards and approving them. When all the time cards in a time sheet are approved, the time sheet automatically moves to the Approved state.

    A user manager is one who is selected in the Manager field on User form of the time card user.

  • If a time card is in the Rejected state, the associated time sheet also moves to the Rejected state irrespective of the state of other time cards in the time sheet.
    Note:
    If a time sheet is rejected, it gets listed in the notifications for the rejected time sheets under notifications icon TanushreeMaiti_0-1794227985892.png

     

    on Time Sheet Portal.
  • If Project time approver is set to Both in the assigned time sheet policy, the time card is in the Submitted state only if both approvers approve it. If one of the approver rejects, the time card state is set to Rejected and the Approved by field is cleared, requiring approval of both approvers on resubmission.
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sairamkoruk
Tera Guru

3 hours ago

Hi @Keith Gonzales ,

The approver list comes from the Time Sheet Policy assigned to the submitting user, so it is worth checking which policy the PM is on.

If that policy has Project time approver set to None, the card submits with an empty approver list and an admin or timecard_admin has to approve. They do so by role rather than by appearing on the list.

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