How do I know if my timesheet was approved?
Last updated: November 4, 2026
Applies to: Workers on US and Canada assignments, both employees and independent contractors. If you are an employee working outside the US and Canada, your time is not tracked in Ascen, so this does not apply to you.
Summary: Check the status in Timesheets in your Ascen portal. An entry that shows Approved has been approved and can be paid in the next payroll for your assignment. Most assignments do not send you an email when your hours are approved, so the portal is the place to check. Some clients are set up to email you a list of your approved hours each time they approve.
How to check
Log in at app.ascen.com and open Timesheets.
Find the days or the week you want to check.
Look at the status shown next to each entry.
What each status means
Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|
Draft | You started the entry but did not submit it. Submit it so it can go for approval. |
Awaiting approval | Submitted and waiting for your approver, usually your client or staffing partner. It is not in payroll yet. If your approver has only just approved it, the entry can show a processing label for a short time before it changes to Approved. |
Signed | Your assignment needs the timesheet signed before it is approved, and it has been signed. It still needs final approval. |
Approved | Your hours are approved and can be included in payroll. Approved does not mean the money has been sent yet. |
Rejected | Your approver sent it back. Check for a note, correct the entry and submit it again. |
Will I get an email when my timesheet is approved?
Usually not. On most assignments there is no approval email, and the status in Timesheets is how you know. Some clients are set up to send you an email each time they approve your hours, listing the assignment, each date, your start and end times and your total approved hours. Whether you get one depends on how your client is set up, not on a setting in your own account. If you would like approval emails, ask your staffing partner.
Approved is not the same as paid
Once your hours are approved, they are paid on your assignment's normal pay schedule. To see whether a paycheck has been created and sent, open Paychecks in your portal. See Where is my paycheck? How to check your pay status.
If you pick up shifts in a gig or scheduling app
Your hours are approved in the app first. They appear under Timesheets in Ascen only after the app sends them to us. See If you get your shifts through a gig or scheduling app: how your hours reach Ascen.
If your timesheet is not approved yet
It still says Awaiting approval: your approver has not acted on it yet. See What to do when your timesheet is stuck in "Awaiting Approval".
You need to change an entry: see Why can't I edit my timesheet when it still says Awaiting approval?
The hours are not there at all: they may never have been entered. If the deadline has passed, see How to Submit a Timesheet After Missing the Deadline.
Where to get help
Your staffing partner: getting your timesheet approved, who your approver is, and approval emails.
Ascen (support@ascen.com): pay, paychecks and your account. If you still cannot tell whether your hours were approved, email us and we will check for you.