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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2025-03-14
Set Up Period Schedules for Time Tracking

Set Up Period Schedules for Time Tracking

If using Workday Payroll and Time Tracking, determine whether to create shared period schedules.
Security:
  • Set Up: Period Schedule
     domain in the Projects functional area.
  • Set Up: Time Off (Calculations - Absence Specific)
     domain in the Time Off and Leave functional area.
  • Set Up: Time Tracking
     domain in the Time Tracking functional area.
(Optional) If you’re using Workday Payroll (or third-party payroll systems) and Time Tracking to create shared period schedules:
  • Set Up: Payroll Interface
     domain in the Payroll Interface functional area.
  • Set Up: Payroll - Pay Group Specific
     domain in the Core Payroll area.
Create period schedules to define consecutive periods, such as weekly or monthly, for Time Tracking.
This topic describes how to manually set up period schedules for Time Tracking. You can also import period schedules from a spreadsheet using Workday's Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB).
  1. Access the
    Create Period Schedule
     task.
  2. Define the schedule:
    Option Description
    Frequency
    Examples:
    Weekly
    ,
    Bi-weekly
    , or
    Monthly
    Usage
    Select
    Time Tracking
    .
  3. Add a row for the first period in the schedule and enter the
    Period Start Date
     and
    Period End Date
    .
  4. Specify the dates available for time entry.
    As you complete the task, consider:
    Option Description
    Open Time Entry
    The date and time that workers can begin entering time for the period. Leave empty if there are no restrictions. You can only run calculations on an open period.
    Lock Time Entry
    The date and time after which workers can no longer enter time or change time entries for the period. As a best practice, lock the period for payroll processing.
    You can make payroll administrators and other users exempt from the lockout so that they can make last-minute changes to time blocks during the initial lockout period. Exempt users must belong to a user-based or role-based security group associated with the
    Time Tracking: Exempt from Lockout
     domain.
    Unlock for Adjustments
    Select to unlock the period after payroll is complete so that you can enter and correct time for the period using either:
    • Workday Payroll retro pay calculations to automatically process corrections.
    • Manual adjustments.
    Close Time Entry
    The final close date and time for the period. Prevents all users from making additional time entries and corrections for the time period. When you select the
    Allow Project Transfer in Closed Periods
     check box on the
    Set Up Project Billing Configuration
     task, users can transfer project time blocks in closed time entry periods.
    Workday recommends that you select a date that is no more than 3 months after the period end date.
    Period schedules always open, lock, unlock, and close in Pacific time.
  5. Click
    OK
    .
  6. Link time periods to pay periods and define eligibility for the time period schedule:
    1. From the related actions menu of the period schedule, select
      Period Schedule
      Edit
      .
    2. Click the expand icon for the
      Time Tracking
       section.
    3. Select the corresponding pay period schedule in the
      Link to Payroll Period Schedule
       field.
    4. For
      Worker Eligibility
      , select all conditions workers must meet to have the schedule assigned.
      You can select from rules created with the
      Create Time Tracking Eligibility Rules
       task. Workers should be eligible for 1 time period schedule only. Review the
      Audit - Workers with Multiple Time Period Schedules
       report to identify workers who are eligible for more than 1 time period schedule. As a best practice, define eligibility criteria that match the guidelines you use to assign employees to pay groups.
    5. In the
      Periods
       grid, select the pay period that corresponds to each time period in the
      Link to Payroll Period
       field.
      The pay period determines the dates for which to pull time into payroll.
  7. Define which workers are eligible for the period schedule for Time Tracking:
    1. From the related actions menu of the period schedule name, select
      Period Schedule
      Edit
      .
    2. Click the expand icon for the
      Time Tracking
       section.
    3. For
      Worker Eligibility
      , select all conditions workers must meet to have the schedule assigned. Workers must meet all the conditions you define here to be eligible for the schedule.
      You can select from rules created with the
      Create Time Tracking Eligibility Rules
       task.
When you save the period schedule, the
Period Number
 column displays the sequential number assigned to each period that has a payment date in the same calendar year.
  • Review the
    Audit - Workers with Multiple Time Period Schedules
     report for workers who meet eligibility requirements for more than 1 time period schedule.
    As a best practice, run this report periodically to ensure that workers have no more than 1 time period schedule.
  • Use the
    Edit Period Schedule
     task, as needed, to update the period schedule.
  • You can extend period schedules for up to 2 years using the
    Generate Period Schedule Periods
     task.