Chapter 9   *Administering Timecards


This chapter provides guidelines and information for administering the timecard process.

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Note	The information in this chapter is based on the assumption that you have already read Concepts and Release Notes.

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This chapter contains the following sections:

• *About Administering the Timecard Process

• *Administrator's Timecard Tasks

• *Setting Up a Timecard Project

• *Setting Up a Contractor Profile

• *Configuring Timecard Business Rules

• *Mapping an XML File for Timecards

  
  

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  Note	This chapter applies to BuyerXpert only.

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*About Administering the Timecard Process

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The timecard process is a method for capturing contractor hours into BuyerXpert so the tracking and approval processes of BuyerXpert can be used. If an organization is set up to use the timecard process, contractors are able to enter their hours into a timecard screen in the BuyerXpert User interface. The timecard hours that are entered here forms the basis for the timecard requisition.

When a timecard is submitted, it goes through the approval process and is available to be tracked. After the timecard requisition is approved, it is sent to the legacy system of the organization, where statistics are gathered or other actions are taken, depending on the needs of the organization

The following components work together to create the timecard process:

• Timecard Projects table

• Contractor Profile table

• Timecard business rules

• BuyerXpert approval matrix

• ECXpert (for transport to buyer organization legacy system)

As the administrator, you will need to set up all of these for the organization before your organization can use the timecard process.

The following must be true before contractors can use the timecard option:

• The projects they will work on must already exist in the Timecard Projects table.

• The contractors must already be set up as BuyerXpert members.

• Contractor profiles must be set up.

*Timecard Projects

The Timecard Projects table lists all the projects that can be associated with timecard line items. Project data includes project name, description, and the types of hours that are allowed for the particular project.

Each entry in the table has a unique profile ID assigned by the system. The profile ID is a link that can be used to modify a project.

Before a timecard project can be assigned to a specific contractor, you must have already entered the project in the Timecards Project table.

*Contractor Profile

The Contractor Profile table contains the data required for a BuyerXpert member to enter billable hours into the timecard process. Contractor data include:

• Name—name of the contractor who will be entering hours

• Employer—organization the contractor works for, such as an agency

• Project—projects the contractor is allowed to work on

• Work type—the type of work the contractor is allowed to enter hours against, such as Normal, Overtime, and so on)

• Hourly rate—rate charged by the employer for the contractor's time (in User interface, only displays for approvers)

• Type of currency—the currency used to for calculating costs, such as USD

• Approver—the BuyerXpert member who can approve line items for this contractor

• Cost center—the accounting code associated with this contractor (in User interface, only displays for approvers)

Each entry in the table has a unique profile ID assigned by the system. The profile ID is a link that can be used to modify a contractor profile.

*Timecard Business Rules

The timecard business rules must be configured before the timecard option can be used. These rules determine the following:

• Availability of the timecard process to the user (Can Create Timecard rule)

  If the timecard process is available to the user, the Timecard link displays in the Welcome screen of the User interface.

• Timecard approval process (Timecard Approval rule)

  This business rules defines the approval process for the organization.

Further details on business rules are contained in Chapter 5, "Setting Up Business Rules."

*Timecard Approval

BuyerXpert assigns a default accounting code to each timecard line item. In the User interface, users cannot see the accounting code, but approvers can. An approver can change or add to the default accounting code specified for any timecard line item.

In the Admin interface, you can cancel a timecard approval case.

*Administrator's Timecard Tasks

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Some of the instructions for administering the timecard process are contained in this administrator's guide and some are contained in the Admin interface Help.

Table 9-1 contains a list of common approval process tasks. The right-hand column provides information about where to find instructions, guidelines, or tools for performing that task.

Table 9-1    Administrator's Timecard Tasks 

Task	Location of Instructions/Guidelines/Tools
Set up timecard user	Admin interface Help
Set up projects for timecards	Admin interface Help
Set up timecard business rules	*Configuring Timecard Business Rules section Chapter 5 "Setting Up Business Rules"
Cancel a timecard approval case.	Admin interface Help
Mapping timecards XML file.	*Mapping an XML File for Timecards section
Import timecard data	Chapter 8 "Importing Data"
Run timecard reports	User interface Help

*Setting Up a Timecard Project

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Follow these guidelines to set up a timecard project using the Admin interface (field and procedure details are contained in Help):

1. Select Timecards.

2. Select Project.

   
   
   

3. Follow procedures in Help to fill in the fields.

4. Click ADD to add a new project, or UPDATE to change an existing project.

5. For a new project, you will need to define the various worktypes associated with the project by selecting the Create Worktype(s) link.

6. Choose from the list of work types

   OR

   Add your own work type.

7. Click Create New.

8. To make any changes to a Timecard Project table line, click the associated Project ID.

*Setting Up a Contractor Profile

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Follow these guidelines to set up a timecard contractor profile using the Admin interface (field and procedure details are contained in Help):

1. Select Timecards.

2. Select Contractor Profile. The Contractor Profile table displays above the Matrix Details window.

   
   
   

3. Enter data in the fields of the Matrix Details window.

4. To make any changes to a Contractor Profile table line, click the associated Project ID.

*Configuring Timecard Business Rules

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Follow these guidelines to set up timecard business rules using the Admin interface (field and procedure details are contained in Help):

1. Select Timecards.

2. Select Timecard Rules.

3. Select the rules you want to configure.
   1. Can Create TimeCard—Determines which users can submit timecards.

   2. Timecard Approval—Identifies the timecard approval process for the organization.

4. Enter the conditions needed.

5. Click Save Changes.

*Mapping an XML File for Timecards

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On final approval, an XML file representing the approved timecard is generated and placed into the directory specified in the xdocinfo.ntv file which is located in the following directory: <SERVER_ROOT>/buyer/buyer/config/xdoc/. This file can be configured using the following utility:

server_root/buyer/sample_data/xdoc/scripts/config_timecard.pl

The XML file adheres to the following DTD:

<!ELEMENT Timecard (TimecardHeader , TimecardDetail , TimecardSummary )>

<!ELEMENT TimecardHeader (TimecardReference , TimecardDate , TimecardPeriod ,

ClientParty, ContractingParty , CurrencyCode )>

<!ELEMENT TimecardDetail (LineItem+ )>

<!ELEMENT TimecardSummary %TimecardSummaryRef;>