What's the difference between a pay period and a timesheet?
In 7shifts Time Clocking, a pay period is the date range used to organize, review, and process employee time for payroll. A timesheet shows an employee's worked time within that pay period, including shifts, breaks, and total paid hours. Put simply: the pay period is the container, and the timesheet is the detailed record inside it.
Changes to a timesheet update the underlying shifts or breaks, they don't change the pay period itself.
How pay periods and timesheets work together
A pay period defines the payroll window for your location. Within that window, timesheets pull together each employee's punches and breaks to calculate paid time and labor costs. One pay period can have multiple timesheet views (filtered by employee, location, department, or role) while remaining the same payroll container.
Pay periods also control your payroll workflow:
- A location's pay period can be open, closed, or exported.
- Punches must be approved before a location's period can close.
- Exporting to payroll requires the relevant period to be closed first.
Sync Timesheet in Payroll
When you sync a timesheet in 7shifts Payroll, the system recalculates time, time off, and tips into draft pay items. Re-syncing replaces those calculated items but keeps any earnings or reimbursements you've entered manually.