# Entering time for a team member

- URL: https://www.usewisecost.com/help/time-tracking/entering-time-for-a-team-member
- Audience: Admins and approvers
- Last updated: 2026-09-19
- Part of the WiseCost Help Center: https://www.usewisecost.com/help

> An approver can enter time for an employee in WiseCost when the company allows it, with a reason (absent, no connectivity, other) and a full audit record.

In WiseCost, an approver can enter time on behalf of someone on their team when the company allows it. Open **Time Tracker**, choose the employee in the **Enter time for** selector, pick a **Reason** (**Employee absent**, **No connectivity** or **Other**) and log the entry. WiseCost records who keyed it, marks the entry "Entered by" with your name, and marks the timesheet "Contains delegated entries".

**Who can do this:** Administrators and Supervisors, for the employees they approve, when **Allow entering time on someone's behalf** is on.

## What a delegated entry is

A **delegated entry** is a time entry keyed by an approver instead of the employee who did the work. It is meant for exceptions: someone is out and the period is closing, or a crew works on a site with no access to the application.

## Before you start

An Administrator turns it on in **Company Setup → Company settings → Compliance**, in the **Certification and approval** card:

- **Allow entering time on someone's behalf** lets approvers log hours for the employees they approve.
- **Require a different approver** means whoever entered hours for an employee cannot also approve that timesheet. Another approver or an administrator has to. It is separation of duties, and it is recommended.

Neither compliance preset turns delegated entry on. It is your decision, based on your written timekeeping policy.

## Enter time for someone

1. Open **Time Tracker**.
2. In the employee selector at the top of the form, choose the person you are entering time for.
3. Open **Reason** and choose one:
   - **Employee absent**
   - **No connectivity**, which covers work on a site with no access to the application
   - **Other**
4. Add a note. It is required for **Other** and optional for the other two.
5. Fill in the entry as usual: what the time is charged to, the description, the date and the duration. Click **Add**.

[Screenshot: Time entry form in Enter time for mode with the reason dropdown open]

## What happens next

- The entry shows a badge, "Entered by" followed by your name.
- The timesheet shows "Contains delegated entries", in the employee's view and in the **Time Sheets** approval list.
- The Audit Trail records the entry under your name, with the reason.
- Submitting the timesheet is still the employee's certification of their hours.

## Common questions

### Can a supervisor enter time for an employee under DCAA?

WiseCost allows it only if your admin turns it on, and then it requires a reason, records who keyed the entry and flags the timesheet. Whether your policy permits it is for you and your CPA to decide. DCAA expects employees to record their own time, so treat it as a documented exception.

### I entered time for someone and now I cannot approve their timesheet. Why?

**Require a different approver** is on. Another approver, the backup approver or an administrator has to approve it. See [I cannot approve a timesheet](https://www.usewisecost.com/help/troubleshooting/cannot-approve-a-timesheet).

### Can I enter time for anyone in the company?

No. Supervisors can only enter time for the employees they approve.