The following is information shared by the Payroll and Business Services departments:

December represented our first month using the new electronic timesheet system. The system had many successes, but a few glitches. Thank you for your participation, we know you have the option to submit time via a paper timeslip, and we appreciate your patience as we work to solve these glitches and create a 100% success rate. 

One issue that we are finding is that the approval process can take longer than we expected, usually when approvers do not know the correct budget code. This has always been the case, but we were not able to track a paper timeslip as it transferred from person to person, and we never knew when it had started its journey. Now we see the time-item move in the electronic system, and sometimes movement is not a linear or a quick path.

Therefore, it would be helpful if employees submitted their time-items as the month progresses.  We are used to “batching” our items, as we fill up the five or so rows of the paper timeslip. Now batching is not a factor; in the new system you can submit one item at a time. If time items are input by the employee soon after the time is worked, there is more opportunity for the correct budget code to be inserted in the approval chain within the payroll month. To be clear, we are not changing cut-offs, just encouraging you to refrain from batching entry of your time-items, if possible.

Below are a series of links to new trainings on the timesheet system. The trainings are designed by employee group so that the type of time-worked and the instructions for submitting time, are specific to employees.  These are live trainings, and you are able to ask questions during the zoom training.

All of these trainings are appropriate to participate in within your contract day (or to attribute to staff development hours, depending on your employee group).

OTPAA – Olympia Technical Professional Administrative Association	1/12/21 10 AM	Register
TOPA – The Olympia Principal Association	1/13/21 2 PM	Register
OEA – Olympia Education Association	1/19/21 10 AM	Register
TEAMSTER – Food Service	1/19/21 3 PM	Register
TEAMSTER – Technology Support & Service Technicians	1/20/21 10 AM	Register
NRNS – Non Represented Non Supervisor	1/21/21 3 PM	Register
Administrators – Certificated	1/26/21 10 AM	Register
OEA – Olympia Education Association	1/26/21 3 PM	Register
OPA – Olympia Paraeducator Association	1/27/21 10 AM	Register
Approvers and Supervisors – Electronic Payroll Workflow System (EPWS) & Treeno Cabinets	1/27/21 3 PM	Register

Thank you again for helping us implement paperless (contactless) time-payment systems!