Overview
Timesheet audit trails maintain detailed, unalterable records of every action taken on time entries throughout their lifecycle. This comprehensive logging creates accountability, enables compliance with regulations like DCAA, and provides evidence for billing disputes or labor law issues.
Change Details
- Original time entry values
- Modified values
- Fields changed
- Change timestamp (date and time)
- Who made the change (employee, manager, admin)
- User role and permissions
- IP address and location
- Device used
Action Types
- Created
- Modified
- Deleted
- Approved
- Rejected
- Submitted
- Locked
- Unlocked
Supporting Context
- Reason for change
- Manager approval notes
- Exception justifications
- System-generated changes
Compliance Requirements
DCAA Standards
- Unalterable audit trail required
- Must show all modifications
- Track approver actions
- Retain for required period (typically 3-6 years)
GDPR/Privacy Laws
- Track access to personal data
- Log data exports
- Record consent and permissions
- Support data subject requests
SOX Compliance
- Financial data change tracking
- Segregation of duties verification
- Management review documentation
Use Cases
Billing Disputes
Prove exactly what hours were billed and when
Payroll Corrections
Document adjustments and approvals for audits
Review historical time allocation patterns
Fraud Investigation
Identify suspicious patterns or unauthorized changes
Compliance Audits
Provide required documentation to auditors
Best Practices
- Never allow audit trail deletion or modification
- Require explanations for significant changes
- Regular audit trail review by management
- Automated alerts for unusual patterns
- Export and archive audit trails regularly
- Include audit trail in security reviews
