Configure Timesheet Breaks

Overview

You can configure how breaks appear on your timesheet in Config > System Setup > Timesheet Settings, in the Timesheet Break Entry drop-down field.

There are three configuration options for showing breaks in timesheets:

• Standard Drop Down allows users to select from a list of available break lengths when entering breaks into the timesheet (eg 45 min, 60 min). This is the default setting.
• Free Text allows users to type their break length directly in the field that appears in the Break column.
• Break Start/Finish Times will allow you to enter the start and finish time for a break, with the system calculating the total break length based on these values.

If your Timesheet Break Entry method is set as Break Start/Finish Times, you'll also have the option to configure the number of breaks that can be entered in a timesheet. This will allow employees to enter up to three breaks for each time block in their timesheet. 

Please note that this functionality is only available for hourly timesheets, and does not apply to master or daily timesheets.

Set the Timesheet Break Entry Method

You can set your Timesheet Breaks display preferences in the following parts of the system:

Rule Group	Set in Config > Payroll > Rule Groups > select rule group > Timesheet Break Entry drop-down field. Options available are Pay Entity Default Standard Drop Down Free Text Break Start/Finish Times If you have nested Rule Groups configured, the Timesheet Break Entry setting for the Job or Customer rule group assigned to an employee will be used If no Rule Groups are linked to an employee, the system will look at Entity Preference
Entity	Set in Company Management > Entities > select entity > Entity Details, in the Timesheet Break Entry drop-down field. Options available are: Use Portal Default Standard Drop Down Free Text Break Start/Finish Times If no Pay Entity preference is set, the system will look at the Portal setting.
Portal	Set in Config > System Setup > Timesheet Settings

When a timesheet is generated, the system will use this hierarchy to determine which Timesheet Break Entry method to apply to a timesheet.

Interpretation of Changes to Timesheet Break Entry Method

If the timesheet break entry method is changed (eg Standard Drop Down to Start/Finish Times) and the timesheet is re-interpreted, the interpretation of the data in Pay Conditions can be impacted.

For example, this can occur where a rule group is assigned to a job, and the timesheet break value does not match the rule group timesheet break entry method. 

To amend this, you will need to delete the existing break line in the timesheet and enter a new one ni the correct break entry format. 

Configure Timesheet Breaks in the API

The API includes optional fields in timesheetSave and timesheetAddShift to add daily break start and finish times. 

If break times are entered via the API, the start and finish times are used to calculate the total break time.

Break times are entered in the format day_break_startfinish, where ‘day’ is the three letter day of the week for which the break applies and ‘startfinish’ is either ‘start’ or ‘finish’, depending on the time being recorded.

The following fields are accepted:

• mon_break_start
• mon_break_finish
• tue_break_start
• tue_break_finish
• wed_break_start
• wed_break_finish
• thu_break_start
• thu_break_finish
• fri_break_start
• fri_break_finish
• sat_break_start
• sat_break_finish
• sun_break_start
• sun_break_finish

Each of the above fields has a maximum length of 4 characters, and should be formatted in 24 hour time.

When time (shift and break times) is entered via API, the times are added to the timesheet and the total break is calculated in the same way as adding breaks via a manual timesheet.

Entering Multiple Breaks via the API

Where multiple breaks are allowed, you will need to identify which break is being entered, using the format day_breaknumber_startfinish, where:

• ‘day’ is the three letter day of the week for which the break applies
• ‘breaknumber’ is the numbered break (‘break’ for the first break of the time block, then ‘break2’ or ‘break3’)
• ‘startfinish’ is either ‘start’ or ‘finish’, depending on the time being recorded.

Breaks must be entered in order from earliest to latest.