The Time Tracking importer accepts CSV and XLSX. It prepares draft timesheets by employee and week, but will not overwrite an existing employee/week timesheet. It checks duplicates against the current workspace again immediately before import.

What this means

Open Time Tracking → Import timesheets. The panel accepts a Basic CSV or Basic XLSX template. CSV is parsed locally; XLSX is profiled by the local runtime. Review mappings, row errors, and prepared drafts before importing.

Common causes

  • The file is not a supported CSV or XLSX, its extension does not match its contents, or it exceeds the displayed row or size limit.
  • Employee identity, week start, activity, type, or hours is missing or cannot be matched.
  • The week start is not a Monday, or row hours violate per-day/row limits.
  • An employee/week group conflicts with a timesheet already saved in the workspace; the final duplicate check can find a record added after the file was first reviewed.
  • There are no active employees configured for timesheet capture.
  • An XLSX workbook could not be profiled by the local runtime, or its mapped values do not produce a valid draft.

How to fix it

  1. Download the right template

    In Import timesheets, select Download template → Basic CSV or Basic XLSX and use that structure.

  2. Check required values

    Ensure each row identifies an existing active employee, a Monday week start, activity/description, type, and positive hours. Keep each activity row and each day’s total within the validation limits.

  3. Resolve employee and week conflicts

    Check the employee/week grouping. If a timesheet already exists for that key, edit the existing entry or remove the conflicting import rows; the importer does not replace it.

  4. Correct mappings and rows

    Inspect detected mappings and the review grid. Correct mapped cells where offered, then confirm the validation summary shows prepared drafts without blocking errors.

  5. Import and review drafts

    Select “Import timesheets”. Imported rows are saved as Draft; open them in the list, review totals, and use “Save and submit” or the row’s “Submit timesheet” action when ready.

What to check before continuing

The dialog should show a Ready state, zero import errors, and one or more prepared drafts. In Time Tracking, confirm employee, week, hours, variance, payroll impact, and Draft status.

How to prevent it

Use the matching Basic CSV or Basic XLSX template, keep one clear employee/week grouping, and validate employee timekeeping eligibility before preparing the file. If import stops after some drafts were created, refresh the list before retrying so those saved drafts are not duplicated.

Still stuck

Record the import summary, file type, employee/week key, and exact error. Do not email a full payroll file when a redacted row or validation message is enough; local workspace data should be shared only through an approved support process.

Related guideTime trackingRelated guideImport timesheets from CSV or XLSXRelated guideTime and attendance overviewRelated guidePayroll preparation checklist