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Time Sheets and Leave Entry

Biweekly staff report the hours they work and the leave they take on a time sheet each pay period. This information can be submitted electronically through the myAU Portal.

Monthly staff make leave entries electronically in the myAU Portal. These entries are updated into the employee's leave balance during payroll processing for that period.

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Due Dates
Submitting Electronically
Submitting by Paper

Due Dates

Each year, a payroll schedule of specific time sheet and leave report due dates are provided to employees and supervisors. The general rules for due dates are as follows:

  • Biweekly time sheets are due on the Monday following the end of the reporting period.
  • Monthly leave entries are due the first working day of the following month.

Due dates may be moved earlier when holidays shorten the payroll processing period. Staff and supervisors are notified when this occurs prior to the due date. Paper time sheets are only accepted when acess to online time sheets or leave entries were not accessible.

Electronic Time Sheets and Leave Entries

Once the hiring process is complete, you will be able to access the 'Time Sheets' link under 'Work@AU' on the myAU Portal. 

  • Biweekly employees see a new time sheet every pay period
  • Monthly employees should submit a leave entry every time they take leave

Staff are responsible for entering hours worked or leave taken for each work day of the period. This can be done daily or at the end of the cycle. At the end of a pay cycle, the staff members should sign their online time sheet or ensure all leave has been reported and then notify their supervisor to obtain their approval. Note: A supervisor must approve the online timesheet or leave entry before it can be processed in the payroll.

Staff members and supervisors are notified via email when an online time sheet or leave entry requires a signature or approval. To ensure accurate and timely processing of online timesheets or leave reports, staff and supervisors should submit time sheets and leave entries by the deadlines listed on the Payroll Schedule.

Paper Timesheets

Paper timesheets or leave reports should only be used for the following reasons:

  • When an employee has worked in a reporting period, but whose profile on myAU is not yet active before the end of the reporting period. This results in an online timesheet or leave report not being generated, and a paper timesheet or leave report must be used.
  • When an employee has worked in a reporting period, but no timesheet was submitted and that period's timesheet is no longer available for submission. A paper timesheet must be completed, signed by the supervisor and turned into the Payroll Office for processing.
  • When an employee incorrectly submits hours on a timesheet that is subsequently processed with the error. A paper timesheet must be submitted with all hours worked in the reporting period. The Payroll Office will adjust a future payment by the difference between the online and paper timesheets. For example: If 5 hours were submitted and paid, but 7 hours were actually worked, a paper timesheet should be submitted with the full 7 hours. The Payroll Office will add 2 hours [7 - 5 = 2] onto a later payment.
  • When an employee transfers to a new position during a reporting period, but a timesheet or leave report is not generated for that position in the reporting period.
  • When a system problem occurs that inhibits online submission. If a problem occurs, before submitting a paper timesheet or leave report, the employee or supervisor should contact the Payroll Office immediately for assistance.

The most effective way to obtain a paper timesheet or leave report is to print the online version for that pay period, make adjustments by hand, have a supervisor approve it by hand, and submit it to the Payroll Office. This requires less work for the employee because the position data is already on the form.

If the online timesheet or leave report cannot be accessed, blank paper timesheets or leave reports can be printed from HR/Payroll Connection. Click on the Info/Forms at the top, then select the Payroll/Taxes submenu. Scroll down the list of forms to the "Timesheets" heading and select the proper link. Contact HRPayrollHelp@american.edu for further assistance.

Employees submitting a paper timesheet or leave report have the same responsibilities for completion and accuracy as with the online form. Employees are responsible for entering their hours worked and leave taken for each work day of the period. Additionally, the employee must be sure to complete the informational area with the appropriate data. Contact your supervisor or department if you need help completing the form. The following information, in addition to the hours entered, is required to process a paper timesheet:

  • Name
  • AU ID
  • Position number
  • Department
  • Work Hours per Week
    • (For full-time employees only, list your scheduled number of work hours per week. It should be either 28, 35, or 40 hours per week.)
  • Reporting Period
    • (This should include both the start and end dates of the period. If you are unsure about the proper reporting period dates, please see the Payroll Schedule.)
  • Supervisor's Signature

When a paper timesheet or leave report is necessary, employees should sign their timesheet or leave report and turn it in to their supervisor for approval. Note: A supervisor must authorize the timesheet or leave report before it can be processed in the payroll.

Each year, a payroll schedule of specific timesheet and leave report due dates is provided to employees and supervisors. This schedule can be found under the quick links section on the right or via HR/Payroll Connection on the portal under the Info/Forms tab and the Payroll/Taxes sub-menu. However, the general rules for due dates are as follows:

  • Biweekly timesheets are due on the monday following the end of the reporting period
  • Monthly leave reports are due the first working day of the following month


Due dates may be moved earlier when holidays shorten the payroll processing period. Staff and supervisors are notified when this occurs prior to the due date.Paper timesheets are only allowed when an online timesheet or leave report is not longer accessible.

Closeup of a calendar

What to know

Payroll deadlines may vary due to events like winter break and fiscal year end. Ensure you're paid on time by viewing the payroll schedule for your pay cycle.

See the Schedules