Setting Timesheet and Overtime Rules

Timesheet Rules and Overtime Settings control how clocked time turns into standard hours, breaks, and overtime pay. Getting these right up front means fewer manual corrections on every timesheet run.

Before You Start

• You'll need admin access to Settings

• Agree your standard working pattern (start/end time, paid/unpaid breaks) and any overtime policy before configuring

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Timesheet Rules

The general settings tab allow you to set company wide defaults on items such as rounding clocked-hours but also allows you to enter custom AI prompts.

Go to Settings → Timesheets → Timesheet Rules.

Under the Timesheet Rules, you can see all the rules that are currently active or add new rules

2. Set the projects the rule applies to

If the rule applies to all projects, leave this box blank. If it applies to specific projects, then select all that apply using the drop down list

3. Set standard start/end time and breaks

Define the standard start time, end time, and any paid or unpaid break. This sets the baseline that clocked hours are measured against.

You are also able to set the default pay period (hourly, daily or weekly).

4. Configure overtime thresholds

Set the standard hours threshold — hours worked beyond this count as overtime — and the overtime rate to apply.

5. Set clock time rounding

If there is already a general company wide rule in place, the system will inherit from there. If you want to add a specific rule then you can do that, and it will override the one in place. To do this choose how clocked times round, e.g. to the nearest 15 or 30 minutes. With 30-minute rounding, a 06:40 clock-in rounds to 06:30.

6. Open Overtime Settings for custom rates

For contacts or projects with a non-standard overtime arrangement, go to Timesheets → Overtime Settings to set a custom overtime rate.

You can see all active overtime settings within the organisation. You can either edit these or add a new one.

Set the projects you want to apply the overtime rules to. Then set the trigger condition for overtime and the frequency.

Once the conditions are set, you can set the overtime calculation rule, choosing from a multiplier, flat rate or contact rate.

7. Save and apply

Save your changes. Review a live timesheet afterwards to confirm hours, breaks, and overtime calculate as expected before relying on it for a full payroll run.

Tips and Troubleshooting

• Custom overtime rate not showing where expected? Check it's been set at the right level (contact vs project) in Overtime Settings — if it's a one-off case you don't expect to repeat, it may be simpler to add it manually on that timesheet instead.

• Rounding looks off? Remember rounding always applies to the nearest interval, so double-check whether you need 15 or 30-minute rounding for your workforce.

• Break not being deducted? Confirm the contact has a rate set under Contact Rates — timesheets without a rate skip break deductions and show £0 totals.

• Changing rules mid-cycle? Agree changes with your team before a live payroll run, since updated rules apply to how new hours are calculated going forward.

FAQ

Do Timesheet Rules apply retroactively to already-submitted timesheets?
No. Changes apply to timesheets calculated after the update; already-submitted timesheets keep the rules that were active when they were created.

Can different projects have different timesheet or overtime rules?
Yes — Timesheet Rules and Overtime Settings can be configured per project as well as at the organisation level.

What's the difference between Timesheet Rules and Overtime Settings?
Timesheet Rules cover the day-to-day baseline (start/end time, breaks, rounding, and the overtime threshold). Overtime Settings is where you configure custom overtime rates for specific contacts or projects that sit outside the standard rule.

Need Help?

If timesheet or overtime calculations don't look right, reach out to your Coreloops contact or use the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner.