Before students can begin logging hours, Timesheets must be activated and configured for the course and the course offerings. 

The settings you choose determine what information students must provide, how submissions are reviewed, and how hours are tracked for reporting purposes.

Time Entry Requirements

Every program has different expectations for how hours should be recorded. Some programs only require start and end times, while others need encounter information, break times, or restrictions on when entries can be submitted.

Limit Hours Per Day

If your program restricts the number of hours students can complete in a single day, enable Limit Hours Per Day and enter the maximum allowed hours.

For example, if students should not record more than 12 hours in a day, enter 12 Hours. Once the limit is reached, additional hours cannot be submitted for that date.

Restrict Editing of Past Entries

Students occasionally need to correct previously entered hours. Use Limit Editing of Past Timesheets to determine how far back students can make changes before approval.

For example, entering 15 Days allows students to modify entries submitted within the previous fifteen days.

Allow Future-Dated Entries

Some programs allow students to plan and record future activities, while others require hours to be entered only after they have been completed.

Enable Allow Future-Dated Entries if future submissions are permitted.

Require Patient Encounter Information

Enable this option when students must document patient, client, or participant encounters as part of their timesheet entry.

This setting is commonly used in programs that require encounter-based reporting or accreditation tracking.

Require Break Time Information

Enable this option when students must record meal breaks or non-working periods during their scheduled hours.

Capturing break time helps ensure accurate hour calculations and reporting.

Review and Approval Requirements

These settings determine how submitted timesheets are reviewed and who is responsible for approving student hours.

Require Faculty Sign-Off

Enable Faculty Sign-Off if submitted hours must be reviewed and approved before they are considered complete.

This setting is commonly used when faculty members are responsible for validating student participation and ensuring hours meet program requirements.

Require Preceptor Selection

Enable Preceptor Selection when students must identify the supervising clinician, instructor, or site representative associated with each timesheet entry.

This information can support audits, accreditation reviews, and placement verification.

Enable Automatic Approval

If submitted hours do not require manual review, enable Automatic Approval.

When enabled, entries are approved immediately after submission. Programs that require faculty or preceptor oversight should leave this option disabled.

Configure Submission Notifications

To help reviewers stay informed, select who should receive email notifications when students submit timesheets.

Notifications can be sent to:

• Preceptors
• Placement Faculty
• School Administrators

You can also review or customize the notification template as needed.

Categorization Settings

Categorization helps organize hours into meaningful groups for reporting, accreditation requirements, and program analysis.

For example, a counseling program may need to distinguish between Direct Service, Indirect Service, and Supervision hours, while other programs may track hours by activity type or clinical setting.

Enable Categorization

Enable categorization if students should classify each timesheet entry before submission.

Once enabled, students will be prompted to select categories when recording their hours.

Customize the Category Label

Use the Category Alias field to replace the default label with terminology that better aligns with your program.

Examples include:

• Activity Type
• Service Type
• Clinical Activity
• Practice Area

The selected label appears throughout the student Timesheet experience.

Choose Single-Select or Multi-Select Categories

Determine how students should categorize their entries.

• Single Select: Students can select only one category for each timesheet entry.

• Multi-Select: Students can select multiple categories when an activity satisfies more than one reporting requirement.

Build a Category Hierarchy

Timesheets support hierarchical categorization with up to three levels, making it easier for students to find the correct category and helping programs generate more meaningful reports.

Example:

• Direct Service
  • Individual Counseling
  • Group Counseling
• Indirect Service
  • Documentation
  • Case Preparation
• Supervision
  • Individual Supervision
  • Group Supervision

Students select the most specific category available, while reports automatically summarize hours at higher levels within the hierarchy.

Understand Category Inheritance

Category structures configured at the Course Setup level are inherited by newly created Course Offerings.

After a Course Offering is created, its category structure becomes independent. Changes made to the Course Setup do not automatically update existing Course Offerings. Existing offerings must be updated individually when changes are required.

Configure Grading Settings

If Timesheets contribute to course grades, enable grading and configure the appropriate grading requirements.

If Timesheets are used only to track hours and do not affect academic performance, grading can remain disabled.

Activate Timesheet

You can configure the Timesheet categorization at the Courses Section level and At the Course Offering level.

Configure Timesheet Categorization at Course Section

1. Login to Exxat Prism using your university credentilas. 
2. From the Exxat Prism Dashboard or the hamburger menu, select Courses.
   
3. In the Courses page  go to Setup, in the left menu navigate to Learning Activities, select Timesheet.
4. Click the Edit icon for the Timesheet accordion.  
   
   The Timesheet setup drawer opens.
5. Define the Categorization
   1. Select Categorization
      • Select Yes , if you want students to categorize each timesheet entry. 
      • Select No, if you do not want timesheet entry to be categorized.
   2. Define Category alias. 
      • The default value is "Category" and will remain Category if no changes done. 
      • Enter a alias if required. The entered text will override the Category label in all places applicable. 
   3. Select Type
      • Select Single for a flat structure 
      • Multi-select for hierarchical structure.
   4. Add Category
      1. Click Add Category button
      2. Enter a Name for the category.
      3. (Optional) to add a sub-category, click the "+" icon next to category name. 
         
         You can add up-to 3 sub-categories. Exxat Prism support 3 level of hierarchical structure.
         
         Repeat steps 2 and 3 for as many categories you want create as per the program requirements. 
6. Click Save.
   
   Timesheet category is defined available for all course offerings.

Activate Timesheet for a Course Offering

1. Login to Exxat Prism using your university credentilas. 
2. From the Exxat Prism Dashboard or the hamburger menu, select Courses.
   
3. In the Courses page go to Course Offerings tab and select the course offering from the list. 
   
4. In the course offering's page left menu , go to Learning Activities and Setup.
5. Go to Timesheet section and select the edit icon. 
   
6. In the Timesheet drawer 
   1. Enable the Activate toggle.  
   2. Define Rules.
      
   3. Define Review and Approval settings. 
      

   4. You can define additional Timesheet Categories specific to a Course Offering. Categories created at the Course Offering level are available only for that Course Offering and are not shared with other offerings.

      The Timesheet Categories configured at the Course level are automatically available within the Course Offering. You can add new categories or delete existing categories as needed for the selected offering.

      Navigation: Courses > Setup > Learning Activities > Timesheet

      For detailed instructions on creating and managing Timesheet Categories, see Add and Configure Timesheet Categorization at the Course Level.
      
      
       

   5. Select Grading contribution. 
      • Select yes, if the timesheet contributes to the final course grade and enter the weightage. 
      • Select No, if it does not contribute. 
        
   6. Click Save

Once activated, students enrolled in the course can access the Timesheet activity and begin submitting hours based on the requirements you configure.

Update Timesheet Settings

Program requirements may change throughout the term. To update an existing Timesheet configuration:

1. Return to Learning Activities > Setup.
2. Click the Edit (Pencil) icon next to Timesheet.
3. Update the required settings.
4. Click Save.

Reviewing Timesheets

Once students begin recording hours, you can review submissions, provide feedback, and approve or return entries directly from the course.

Access Submitted Timesheets

1. Login to Exxat Prism using your university credentials. 
2. Click on the Course Offering name to open the course offering.
   
3. In the left menu expand the Learning Activities  and select Review.
   
4. Select Timesheets 
   The Timesheet Review page displays all students enrolled in the course along with their submitted hours.
5. Click the hours displayed for the week for the student you want to review.
   A details drawer opens displaying the information submitted by the student.
   Depending on your program configuration, you may see:

• Date of activity
• Hours recorded
• Categories
• Patient encounters
• Break times
• Selected preceptor
• Student notes

Review the information to ensure the entry is complete and meets program requirements.

If categorization or encounter tracking is enabled, use this information to verify that students are accurately recording their activities.

Reviewing these details regularly helps maintain consistency in reporting and reduces the need for corrections later.

There may be situations where a student needs to clarify or update information before an entry can be approved.

6. Add Comments to Individual Entries or multiple Entries
   1. Select Add Comment  for individual entry or select multiple entries and select Add Comments.
   2. Enter your feedback.
   3. Click Save.
      
      Students can view the comments and make any necessary corrections.
      This approach is useful when reviewing multiple entries with the same issue.
7. Approve or Return Timesheets
   After reviewing the submitted information, determine whether the entry should be approved or returned for correction.
8. Approve Submitted Timesheets
   1. Select one or more entries.
   2. Click Approve.
   3. Review the confirmation message.
   4. Click OK.
      The selected entries are marked as approved.

Return Timesheets for Corrections

1. Select the entry.
2. Click Not Approve.
3. Enter comments explaining what needs to be corrected.
4. Confirm your decision.
   Note: Comments are required when marking an entry as Not Approved.

Review Multiple Entries Using Bulk Actions

For larger cohorts, use the selection checkboxes to:

• Approve multiple entries at once
• Return multiple entries for correction
• Apply comments to multiple entries

Bulk actions can significantly reduce review time while maintaining consistency across submissions.

Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions