What to do when your timesheet is stuck in "Awaiting Approval"
Applies to: US workers — W-2 employees and 1099 independent contractors — and Canada T4 employees who enter their own time. If you are an International EOR employee working outside the US and Canada, your personal records, time and pay are handled by your in-country HR contact, so ask them instead.
If your timesheet shows a status of Awaiting Approval, this means your hours have been submitted but have not yet been reviewed by your designated approver. This is a normal part of the payroll process. Below is what you need to know and what steps to take if approval is delayed.
When are timesheets typically approved?
Timesheet approvals are generally processed by end of day on Wednesdays following your work week. If your timesheet is still showing "Awaiting Approval" after that time, please reach out to the Ascen support team for assistance.
What if my approver is unavailable or out of office?
If your regular timesheet approver is out of office or otherwise unavailable, there are a couple of options to keep your payment on track:
Designate a backup approver: Ask your staffing agency or manager to identify an alternate approver (such as a supervisor or manager covering for the absent approver). The Ascen team can send the timesheet approval request to that person.
Manual approval via email: If a backup approver cannot be set up in the system right away, the approver can confirm approval by replying to an email with the word "Approved." The Ascen support team can then manually mark the hours as approved and process your payment.
What if there is a discrepancy in my hours?
If there is a question about the number of hours logged, the approver or staffing agency should clarify the expected hours before approval is granted. Significant discrepancies (generally 15 or more minutes, not including breaks) should be flagged to the Ascen support team for review.
What if my timesheet was submitted late?
If you submitted your timesheet after the deadline, contact the Ascen support team as soon as possible. In many cases, late submissions can still be approved and paid on time for the current pay cycle.
How to contact Ascen support
If your timesheet has been awaiting approval longer than expected, or if your approver is unavailable, email Ascen at support@ascen.com. You can also log in at app.ascen.com to check the current status of your timesheet.
When contacting support, please provide the pay period dates and any relevant details about your approver's availability so the team can assist you as quickly as possible.