Task and Timesheet Settings | Online Help | Zoho Projects

Task and Timesheet Settings

Task Settings

Maintain Task Order

Enable this option to retain the order of tasks even when they are marked complete. Disabling this option will move completed tasks to the bottom of the task list.
  1. Click   
    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
  3. Toggle the Maintain Task Order setting to enable task order.

Task Prefix & ID

  1. Click   
    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
  3. Toggle the setting to enable/disable Task prefix and IDs.

Task Duration

  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to the Task Duration section.
  4. Set the duration of tasks to either Days or Hours.
    If you select Days, the task duration can only be entered in the Days format.


    If you select Hours, the task duration can be entered in the Days or Hours format. Also, the start and end dates will now include time.

  5. Click Update.

Default Task List Flag

The task list flag can now be set as internal or external by default from the setup page.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
  3. Scroll down to Default Task List Flag and select an option.

Dependency Status

Task dependency status lets you know if a task is waiting for other tasks or is blocking other tasks from completion. There are two statuses, Waiting for and Blocking.

You can view the task dependency status in the classic, plain, Kanban view of tasks. The dependency status is also shown in the task details page. Tasks can be filtered by dependency status in the classic and plain view.

Resource Allocation

Resource allocation setting allows you to view a particular user's work allocation when assigning tasks. This setting is enabled by default.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Resource allocation under Task Settings.
  4. Toggle the setting to turn on resource allocation setting.

Associate Tasks with Issues

  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
  3. Scroll the page and navigate to the Associate Tasks with Issues section. You can choose to receive Alerts about the associated Issues or not to receive alerts.
    1. When you select Do no show alerts, you can complete the tasks without receiving any alert messages about the associated Issues status.
  4. Click Update
    at the bottom of the page.

Org Level Task Dependency

You can configure how successor tasks are adjusted when changes are made to predecessor tasks.

  1. Click  in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Task Settings tab.
    1. Moving up due dates
      When the due date of a predecessor task is moved earlier, successor tasks are shifted by the same duration.

    1. Extend due dates
      When the due date of a predecessor task is extended, successor tasks are shifted accordingly.

    2. Completing / Reopening a predecessor task
      When a predecessor task is completed early, late, or reopened, successor tasks are updated to reflect the change in schedule.

    3. Default Dependency Type
      The selected dependency type will be set by default when linking tasks for the first time. You can modify it later if needed.

    1. Dependency Link Type: Define how strictly dependencies are enforced across tasks.
      1. Hard Link: Successor task dates and completion are strictly enforced by the predecessor. Any delay or incomplete status in the predecessor automatically shifts the successor task schedule.
      2. Soft Link: Successor tasks retain a dependency on the predecessor but are not forced to shift. Changes in the predecessor do not automatically affect successor task dates or completion.
      InfoFor example, when the predecessor task Design is moved to March 13, the successor task Development is automatically moved to March 14 in a hard link, whereas it remains on its original date in a soft link.

Time Log Settings

Time Log User Restriction

Users can be restricted to adding time for only tasks and issues that they own or allowed to log time for other users in the project. 
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Time Log User Restriction section.
  4. Select options based on your preference.
    Task & Issue Owners: Only users assigned to task or issue can log time
    Anyone in Project: Any user who is part of the project can log time
    Associated Team Members: All members of the team associated with a task or issue can log time for it
  5. Click Update.


Log Hours for Closed Tasks and Issues

You can now enable time logs for closed tasks and issues.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Log hours for closed tasks and issues section.
  4. Select Allow or Don't allow based on your preference.
  5. Click Update.

Multiple Timers Restriction

Restrict users from starting multiple timers in your portal.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration Task & Timesheet Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Allow Multiple Timers.
  4. Enable or Disable to allow or disallow multiple timers.
  5. Click Update.
Notes
Multiple timers can be started via API calls, even if the "Allow Multiple Timers" setting is disabled in the portal.

Restriction Based on Task Work Hours

Time logs can now be restricted based on the work hours set for the task. If you allot 5 hours for a task, user cannot log more than 5 hours for that task.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration Task & Timesheet Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Toggle the Time Log Restriction Based on Task Work Hours option.

Restriction Based on Task/Issue Dates

User can restrict the time logs or timers to be between the start and end date of the task or issue.
  1. Click  in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Toggle the Restriction Based on Task/Issue Dates option.

Restrict Time Log(s)

Users can be restricted from adding time logs for holidays, weekends, and on their time-offs/leave.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Restrict Time Log(s) section.
  4. Select Holiday, Weekend, or Leave based on your preference.
Notes  Leave can be enabled only if your portal has Zoho People integration. Click here to learn more.

Time Log Configuration

Users can be allowed access to timers or only manual entries. This also can be used to control for which entities users are allowed to enter time (tasks, issues, or general logs).
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Time Log Configuration section.
  4. Select one of the configurations and the modules
    All - To add time logs for all the modules and to start the timer
    Manual - To manually add the time logs
    Timer - To enable timer for the tasks and issues
  5. Click Update.

Time Log Overlap Settings

Time logs can now be allowed or restricted based on an existing time log during the same time frame on any given day. If the time log being entered already has an existing entry for the given time and date, users can be restricted entirely or partially allowed to log time.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Select from the following options:
    Allow: Overlapping time logs will be allowed
    Warn but allow: Overlapping time logs will be allowed with a prompt
    Restrict: Overlapping time logs will not be allowed

Notes
If this Time Log overlap is set to Restrict, the timer will not log any hours if both the start and end time of the latest entry are overlapping with other existing entries. In case of partial overlap, the system will not consider the overlapping portion of time and log the rest in the time log.

Time Log Period Settings

Time logs are an effective way to track your users' hours. You can customize your past and future time-log settings, or even remove time logs entirely.
Notes
The Customize option will allow users to set a time frame up to 3 years from the current date.
To customize your time log settings:
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to the Time Log Period Settings section.
  4. Select Allow, Don't Allow, or Customize option for Log past time and Log future time functions.
  5. Select users in Exclude Users to exempt them for the log past time settings set when selected Don't Allow or Customize options. They will be able to log all past time.
  6. The restriction can also be applied when editing time logs. Select the option Apply this restriction when editing time logs (applicable only for Don't Allow and Customize options)
  7. Click Update.

Log Past Time

This setting determines whether to log past time.
Here are your options:

Allow

Log all past time

Don't Allow
Do not log past time
Customize

Allow past time logs for any specific length of time. Weekends and configured holidays will not be taken into account when selecting your time-log span.

Example :

-If you select 5 days before the current day, you can log time for the current day and past 5 days.

-If you select 5 weeks before the current week, you can log time for past days of the current week and past 4 weeks.

-If you select 5 months before the current month, you can log time for past weeks of the current month and past 4 months.

Log Future Time

This setting determines whether to log future time.
Here are your options:

Allow
Log all future time
Don't Allow
Do not log future time
Customize

Allow future time logs for any specific length of time. Weekends and configured holidays will not be taken into account when selecting your time-log span.

Example:

-If you select 5 days from the current day, you can log time for the current day and the next 5 days.

-If you select 5 weeks from the current week, you can log time for the future days of the current week and the next 4 weeks.

-If you select 5 months from the current month, you can log time for the future weeks of the month and the next 4 months.


The Time log settings will reflect in the following modules:

Affected modules
Relevant action
Affected module component
Issues
Log hours for individual issues.
Date picker
Task Details
Modifying log hours for individual tasks.
Date picker
Timesheet
 
  • Log Time

Logging time for a particular task/issue is added daily.

Date picker

 
  • Weekly Log Time

Logging time for a particular task/issue weekly.

Date picker


 
  • Calendar

Logging time  or editing an existing time log.

Date picker


 
  • Update Log Hours

Editing log entries.

Date picker

  

Example:
Joan wants to allow time-log entries for all past days while restricting entries to only two weeks in the future.
  1. Set the Past time-log to Allow- past days.
  2. Set the Future time-log to custom—2 weeks from the current week.
If the current date is 02/17/2025, all the users in the project will be able to log entries for all past days, and future days of the current week and for next two weeks until 03/02/2025, if time logs are not restricted for weekends. These settings will be reflected in all date pickers shown above.

Time log restriction

  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Time Log Restriction and toggle to enable the setting.
  4. The Daily log hour limit and Weekly log hour limit are calculated based on business hours by default . You can edit the log hour limits as required.
    1. The daily log hour limit cannot exceed 24 hours and the weekly log hour limit cannot exceed 168 hours.
  5. Click Update at the bottom of the page.
Click to learn more about restrictions for timer.

Time Log Reminder

  The time log reminder can be used to remind users to update their daily and weekly time logs.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Settings tab.
  3. Scroll to Time Log Reminder and toggle to enable the setting.
  4. Set the time for Daily and Weekly Reminder based on your preference.
  5. Check the Notify running timers .
  6. Select the profiles or users to Exclude reminder for.
  7. Click Update.

    Options available in Daily Reminder

    Before end of business hours: Users will be sent a reminder on the same day that the time logs are due
    Before start of business hours: Users will be sent a reminder on the next day

    Options available in Weekly Reminder

    Before end of business week: Users will be sent a reminder on the last working day of the week that the time logs are due
    Before start of business week: Users will be sent a reminder before the start of the next business week
Notes
Users can also switch off the Daily and Weekly Reminders.

Time Log Threshold for Reminders

Admins can set a time log threshold. Users will be notified via email and in-product notifications if the duration of time logged falls below the threshold. For instance, the threshold is set to 9 hours per day in the image below. Users will be notified if they log less than 9 hours in a day.

Time Log / Timesheet Approval Settings

Configure how time logs and timesheets are approved across your portal. Choose between time log-level or timesheet-level approvals, set fallback options, control edit access, and manage multi-level approval behaviors.

  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log Approval tab.
  3. Enable the Time Log Approval setting based on Time Logs or Timesheet.

If the Approval Setting is Based on Time Logs:

Enable Time Log Approval 

Enable this to mandate approval for all time log entries.

Approvers can Approve setting

  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log / Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Select the appropriate option under the Approvers can approve section.
    All log entries: Users with approval permission can approve all log entries irrespective of hierarchy.
    Log entries of direct reports only: Users with approval permission can approve log entries of their direct reports.
    Log entries of all subordinates: Users with approval permission can approve log entries of all subordinates.
    Log entries associated to you as approver: Users can approve time logs where they are added as approvers.
  4. Click Update.

Automatic Time Log Approval

  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable the Automatic Time Log Approval setting.
    Time log of users with approval permission will be approved automatically.
  4. Click Update.

If the Approval Setting is Based on Timesheet

Fallback Approver

A fallback approver is the designated backup who handles timesheet approvals when no primary approver is assigned.
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Select a fallback action (e.g., Auto Approve or specific user) when no approver is assigned.
Allow Approver to Edit Time Logs
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable to allow the current approver to edit time logs while reviewing them.
Multi-user Timesheet
  1. Click  in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable Multi-user Timesheet setting to allow creation of timesheets that include time logs from multiple users.
Notes
This setting is available in Ultimate plan only.
Recurring Approver Action
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
    1. Approve Once: Approver needs to act only once for recurring timesheets.
    2. Approve Every Time: Approval is required for each instance.
Auto-approve Levels Where Creator is the Approver
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable Auto-approve Levels Where Creator is the Approver to automatically approve timesheets when the creator is also listed as an approver.
Notify Current Approver
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable Notify Current Approver to notify the current approver when the timesheet is submitted and approved at previous levels.
Notify Approvers on Recalling Timesheets
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable Notify Approvers on Recalling Timesheets to notify approvers when a timesheet is recalled from the approval process.
Notify Previous Approvers on Approval or Rejection
  1. Click    in the top navigation panel.
  2. Navigate to Portal Configuration > Task & Timesheet > Time Log /Timesheet Approval tab.
  3. Enable Notify Previous Approvers on Approval or Rejection to notify previous approvers of the final approval made on a timesheet.

See Also
Configuration
Date & Time setting
Project & Budget setting
Zia