Purpose
1. Automate recurring reminders and collection of timesheet submissions from project staff for archiving professional services projects, ensuring consistently accurate and timely entry for information management compliance and billing.
2. Centralize automated timesheet reminders, automate process tracking, automate error reduction, automate escalation for overdue entries, and automatedly enforce end-of-cycle cutoffs for archiving completeness.
3. Integrate timesheet data into archival systems via automators for rapid retrieval and audit readiness while automating compliance with internal policies and industry standards.
Trigger Conditions
1. Pre-configured schedule (e.g., every Friday at 4 PM or end of month).
2. New project or new staff member onboarded in professional services workflow initiates automation.
3. Absence of timesheet update for a specified period triggers automated reminders.
4. Detected incomplete entries prior to project archival phase activates the automator.
Platform Variants
1. Microsoft Teams
- Feature/Setting: Automated scheduled message to channel using Teams API or Power Automate "Send message" action; sample — set trigger to Friday 4 PM, post adaptive card with "Submit Timesheet" button.
2. Slack
- Feature/Setting: Automating reminders via scheduled message with Slack API's `chat.scheduleMessage`; set for weekly/group reminders and direct DMs to individuals missing entries.
3. Google Calendar
- Feature/Setting: Use Calendar API to automate recurring event invites with reminder notifications labelled "Timesheet Submission Required".
4. Salesforce
- Feature/Setting: Configure Salesforce Flow to trigger automated task creation and email/SMS alert when timesheet records not updated; use Process Builder for escalation automating.
5. Jira
- Feature/Setting: Jira Automation rule to comment/tag users on issue/ticket if worklogs not filled by cutoff.
6. Asana
- Feature/Setting: Use Asana Rules to generate automatable reminder task& assign for overdue submission; automate reporting status to supervisor.
7. ServiceNow
- Feature/Setting: Workflow automator sets notification via ServiceNow Flow Designer; runs queries for missing timesheets and notifies users via email or ServiceNow chat.
8. Twilio SMS
- Feature/Setting: Use Programmable Messaging API to automate direct SMS reminders for timesheet deadlines, targeting phone numbers from directory.
9. SendGrid
- Feature/Setting: Automating scheduled reminder email campaigns via SendGrid Marketing Campaigns API; includes timesheet link and escalation path.
10. Workday
- Feature/Setting: Business Process Framework triggers Workday notification automation for timesheet reminders to all employees or filtered project groups.
11. BambooHR
- Feature/Setting: Webhook and Native BambooHR Reminders configured for scheduled email reminders for submission, with escalation rules for repeats.
12. SAP SuccessFactors
- Feature/Setting: Automated workflows in SuccessFactors; Notification configuration for missing time entries, escalated via automatedly triggered alerts.
13. Monday.com
- Feature/Setting: Board Automation for recurring reminders, automating individualized notification pulses to project members lagging submission.
14. Zapier
- Feature/Setting: Multi-app automation zap—trigger: missing Google Sheet timesheet row, action: Gmail/Slack/SMS reminder.
15. Trello
- Feature/Setting: Butler automation sets scheduled card notification and automates tagging users with incomplete checklists labelled "Timesheet".
16. ClickUp
- Feature/Setting: Automating repeating tasks and reminders; uses ClickUp’s scheduled notifications for individuals or teams with overdue entries.
17. HubSpot
- Feature/Setting: Automated workflow reminders via HubSpot workflow automation and notification triggers based on timesheet completion field.
18. Smartsheet
- Feature/Setting: Automation rules for conditional alerts; triggers emails or alerts to users if project timesheet records aren’t completed by specified date.
19. Google Chat
- Feature/Setting: Bots/API-based automator sends group or direct reminders; possible interactive message for automated acknowledgment.
20. Notion
- Feature/Setting: Automated reminder to-do’s using Notion API integration, scheduled for archiving workflow’s critical dates.
21. Microsoft Outlook
- Feature/Setting: Automating recurring calendar invites and Email Alerts via Outlook API or Power Automate, set to recur at the required interval.
22. Basecamp
- Feature/Setting: Scheduled Check-in feature triggered to ask about project timesheet completion; integrates with project dashboards for escalation.
Benefits
1. Automated reminders increase consistency and accuracy in timesheet collection for archiving and billing.
2. Automates compliance, reducing risk of missed or late entries and audit failures.
3. Reduces manual chasing and labor through automated escalation and completion checking.
4. Improves project archival quality and retrieval with automatedly maintained records.
5. Elevates professional services productivity by shifting focus from admin to core activities through powerful automating workflows.
Professional Services Project Workflows