Purpose Statement

This article explains how to edit, save, and submit time card entries in First Due's Scheduling module. Time card management allows personnel to accurately record their work hours, make corrections to entries, and submit completed time cards for supervisor review and payroll processing. Proper time card management ensures accurate compensation, maintains FLSA compliance, and provides departments with reliable data for staffing analysis and budget planning.

Background Information

First Due's time card feature provides a digital solution for tracking work hours within a specific pay period. This module replaces traditional paper time cards and integrates directly with your department's scheduling system, automatically populating scheduled hours while allowing for manual adjustments when needed. Time cards can be saved as drafts for ongoing edits throughout the work week, or submitted for final approval when complete. Once submitted, time cards typically require supervisor review before being processed for payroll. This feature is essential for departments managing shift trades, overtime, callback hours, and various pay codes that require accurate time tracking for compliance and compensation purposes.

Required Permissions

To edit and submit your own time card, you need the following permission:

• Access Scheduling 
  
• Access Time Card 
  
• Time Card - Ad/Edit for Self 
  
• Sign Time Cards
  

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Your Time Card

1. Navigate to Scheduling > Time Card from the main menu.
2. Your time card for the current work week will display, showing all scheduled and recorded hours.
   

Editing Existing Time Card Entries

3. Locate the day you need to adjust and click on the hour value (the numbers displayed for that day).
   

3. In the entry that appears, you have two options:
   • Click the pencil icon to edit the existing hours
   • Click the trashcan icon to delete the entire entry
4. If editing, type in the corrected hour amount and add any relevant notes to document the change (e.g., "Adjusted for callback hours" or "Corrected shift end time").
5. Click the save icon (checkmark) to save your changes.
6. Click Save at the bottom of the time card to preserve your edits.
   

Adding New Time Card Entries

8. To add hours to a day that doesn't have an entry, click on the blank space for that day.
   

8. Click New Line to create a new entry row.
   

8. Enter the hour amount, add any explanatory notes, and click the save icon.
   

8. Click Save at the bottom of the time card to record the new entry.
   

Saving as Draft vs. Submitting

12. If you're not ready to finalize your time card (perhaps the work week isn't complete), simply click Save as Draft to store your entries as a draft. You can return later to make additional changes.
    

12. When your time card is complete and accurate, click Submit to send it for supervisor review.
    

12. You'll be prompted to digitally sign your time card. Click the pencil icon to activate the signature field, sign your name, and then click Sign to confirm submission.
    
1. You may see a field that allows you to send the request to a specific user. This is a setting that your department can enable. 
   

Best Practices

Do:

• Review your entire time card before submitting to ensure all hours are accurate
• Add notes to any unusual entries (overtime, callbacks, shift trades) to provide context for supervisors
• Submit your time card promptly at the end of your work week to avoid payroll delays
• Save your time card as a draft regularly if you're making multiple edits over several days
• Verify that scheduled hours match your actual worked hours before submitting

Don't:

• Submit time cards with incomplete or missing hours for days you've already worked
• Delete entries without understanding what they represent (consult your supervisor if unsure)
• Make changes to submitted time cards (once submitted, edits typically require supervisor approval)
• Wait until the payroll deadline to submit your time card
• Leave notes blank when making adjustments—documentation helps with payroll questions later

Additional Tips:

• Familiarize yourself with your department's time card submission deadlines
• Understand your department's policies for recording different types of hours (regular, overtime, callback, training, etc.)
• Keep your own record of worked hours to cross-reference with your time card
• Contact your supervisor immediately if you notice discrepancies after submission

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: What happens after I submit my time card? A: Once submitted, your time card goes to your supervisor for review and approval. They may approve it as-is, request corrections, or make adjustments before final approval for payroll processing.

Q: What should I do if my scheduled hours don't match my actual worked hours? A: Edit the entries to reflect your actual worked hours and include a note explaining the discrepancy (e.g., "Left early due to low call volume - supervisor approved" or "Extended shift for apparatus maintenance").

Q: My time card is showing hours I didn't work. What should I do? A: This may be scheduled hours that auto-populated. Edit or delete these entries to reflect your actual worked hours, and contact your supervisor if you notice persistent scheduling errors.

Q: Do I need to add notes to every entry? A: Notes aren't required for standard entries but are highly recommended for any unusual circumstances, adjustments, or deviations from your normal schedule.

Q: What if I forget to submit my time card by the deadline? A: Contact your supervisor immediately. Late submissions may delay your paycheck or require manual payroll processing. Always submit time cards before your department's deadline.