> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.timetracker.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Export a timesheet

> Get timesheet hours out of TimeTracker as a CSV, Excel or PDF file using a report, and see which people and periods a given export includes.

Timesheet data leaves TimeTracker through **Reports**. Build a report on the timesheet source, then export it as CSV, Excel or PDF.

## Why exports go through Reports

There is no one-click "download this week" button on the timesheet itself, and that is deliberate. An export is almost never one person's week – it is a payroll run, a client pack, or a month-end file.

Reports let you pick exactly who, which periods, and which columns, then save that as a definition you can run again next month.

## Build a timesheet report

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Reports">
    Click **Reports** in the sidebar, then create a new report.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick the Timesheets source">
    This source gives you one row per person, per period.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the date range">
    Every period that overlaps the range is included – both the first and the last, even if they are only partly inside it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Group how you need it">
    Group by person, by group, by manager, or by period.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the report">
    A saved report can be re-run, shared, and scheduled.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What the timesheets report gives you

Rows are the roster crossed with each period in your date range. That has one very useful consequence.

<Note>
  **A missing timesheet is a real row.** A person and period with no submission shows with the status `missing` and zero hours – so you can see who has *not* submitted, alongside who has. Absence of a record is the finding.
</Note>

| Value in the status column | Meaning                                         |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `submitted`                | Sent, waiting on review                         |
| `approved`                 | A reviewer accepted it                          |
| `changes_requested`        | Sent back to the person                         |
| `withdrawn`                | The person pulled it back                       |
| `missing`                  | No submission exists for that person and period |

A zero-hour **submitted** period and a **missing** period are different rows. One person submitted an empty week; the other submitted nothing at all.

## For hour-level detail, use the time entries source

The timesheets source works at period grain – one row per person per period. It carries no cost or billing columns.

If you need a row per entry, with project, task, description, billable value and cost, build the report on the **time entries** source instead. See [/reports/report-sources](/reports/report-sources).

## Export the report

Open the saved report and click **Actions**.

| Option           | What you get                                                    |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Export CSV**   | A comma-separated file. Small sets download straight away       |
| **Export Excel** | An `.xlsx` workbook, prepared in the background                 |
| **Export PDF**   | A PDF rendered on the server, so it looks the same for everyone |
| **Print**        | Your browser's print dialog, for a quick paper copy             |

A large export is prepared in the background. You get "Preparing your export. We'll notify you here when it's ready to download." rather than a frozen screen.

<Warning>
  An export contains only what **you** are allowed to see. A person without cost permission never gets cost or margin columns in their file, no matter which report they run. The filter is applied when the file is built, not hidden in the viewer.
</Warning>

Pivot-layout reports cannot be exported yet. The **Actions** button is disabled with a tooltip explaining why.

## Export the whole workspace

If you want everything rather than a report, an owner can export the full workspace from **Settings → Export**. That takes all your data in open formats. See [/settings/export-your-data](/settings/export-your-data).

## Example

Daniel Okafor runs payroll at the end of the month.

He opens **Reports**, builds a report on the timesheets source, sets the range to the calendar month, and groups by person. The result has one row per person per week.

Two rows show `missing` – Ana Ferreira's last week, and Jonas Bergman's first week of the month. Daniel checks with Priya before running payroll.

Once those two are submitted and approved, he clicks **Actions → Export Excel** and gets a workbook with every person's approved hours per week. He saves the report as "Monthly payroll hours" so next month is one click.

## Options and settings

| Control                         | Where                         |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| Date range                      | The report's period picker    |
| Grouping and pivots             | The report builder            |
| Which columns appear            | The report's column catalogue |
| Sending an export on a schedule | Report scheduling             |

## Permissions

| Action                     | Capability        | Default roles                                     |
| -------------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| View a report              | `report.view`     | Owner, Admin, Project Manager, Member, Contractor |
| Create a report            | `report.create`   | Owner, Admin, Project Manager, Member, Contractor |
| Export a report            | `report.export`   | Owner, Admin                                      |
| Schedule a report          | `report.schedule` | Owner, Admin                                      |
| Export the whole workspace | `data.export`     | Owner, Admin, Finance                             |
| See cost columns           | `time.viewCost`   | Owner, Admin                                      |

Row scope follows your supervision reach. A plain Member's timesheet report contains only their own rows. A project-scoped manager sees their people. See [/concepts/supervision-scope](/concepts/supervision-scope).

## Plan gating

**Exports are Pro.** On the Free plan the three export options stay in the menu – a menu item that vanishes reads like a bug – but clicking one opens the upgrade dialog instead of building a file.

**Print** is your browser's, so it is never gated.

Reading the report on screen is free on every plan.

## What happens next

* A small CSV downloads immediately.
* Excel and PDF are prepared in the background, and you are notified when the file is ready.
* The download link is temporary and is not stored anywhere.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I export one person's single week?">
    Yes. Build the timesheets report, filter to that person, and set the date range to that week.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does my export have fewer columns than a colleague's?">
    Exports respect your permissions. Cost and margin columns only appear for someone who can see cost.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does the export show hours or money?">
    The timesheets source is hours only, at period grain. For money per entry, use the time entries source.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is a partly-finished period in my file?">
    Any period that overlaps your date range is included, at both ends. That way an in-progress period is never silently dropped.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I get exports emailed automatically?">
    Yes, by scheduling the report. See <a href="/reports/schedule-a-report">Schedule a report</a>.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

* **The Actions button is disabled.** The report uses a pivot layout, which has no export path yet. Switch to a flat or grouped layout.
* **"Export failed."** Try again, or narrow the date range and retry.
* **The file is missing people you expected.** Your supervision scope limits the rows. Ask an owner or admin to run it.
* **Excel shows odd characters.** Open the CSV as UTF-8, or use the Excel export instead – it avoids the problem entirely.

## Related guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Export a report" icon="download" href="/reports/export-a-report">
    The export menu in full detail.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Report sources" icon="database" href="/reports/report-sources">
    Which source answers which question.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build a report" icon="wrench" href="/reports/build-a-report">
    Create the report you want to export.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export your data" icon="archive" href="/settings/export-your-data">
    Take the whole workspace with you.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export hours for payroll" icon="wallet" href="/guides/export-hours-for-payroll">
    A worked payroll routine.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export formats" icon="file-text" href="/reference/export-formats">
    What each file format contains.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>