Raken offers two separate sign-off workflows for time cards — supervisor approval and worker sign-off. Supervisor approval confirms that hours are accurate and locks the time card from further edits. Worker sign-off lets employees acknowledge that their own hours are correct before payroll is processed. Both workflows help ensure your team gets paid accurately and on time.
Quick Answer
To approve time cards as a supervisor (web):
Click Time in the left navigation, then click Time cards > Summary.
Select the pay period using the date picker.
Click Bulk actions and select Approve all — or check individual employees and use Approve selected.
Approved time cards are locked from editing. Only supervisors and Account Administrators can unapprove a time card to unlock it.
Supervisor and Administrator Time Card Approval
Step 1: Set Up Approval Notifications (Optional)
Log into the Raken web app. Click Company in the left navigation, then click Time > Approvals. Toggle on Supervisor approvals. Set the day and time you want Raken to send approval reminder notifications.
This is optional — you can approve at any time without setting up notifications.
Step 2: Navigate to Summary
Click Time in the left navigation, then click Time cards > Summary. Use the date picker to select the pay period.
Step 3: Review Employee Hours
The Summary view shows columns for Employee, Group, Status, Signature, Payroll notes, Attachments, RT, OT, DT, and Total. The Status column shows how many entries have been approved (e.g., "0 of 3 approved"). The Signature column shows whether the employee has signed off.
If a warning banner appears — "Employees have used multiple time policies in the week" — click Filter to see employees to identify who is affected and review carefully before approving.
Step 4: Approve Time Cards
To approve all at once: click Bulk actions > Approve all. To approve specific employees: check the checkbox next to their name, then click Bulk actions > Approve selected.
You can also approve from the Entries view — check individual time card entries, then use Bulk actions.
Step 5: Confirm Approval
Once approved, the Status badge updates to show all entries approved. Approved time cards are locked — they cannot be edited, signed, or deleted until unapproved.
Unapproving a Time Card
Step 6: Unapprove
From the Summary view, click Bulk actions > Unapprove all — or select individual employees first and use Unapprove selected. Once unapproved, the time card is unlocked for editing, signing, or deleting. Regular employees cannot unapprove their own time cards.
Worker Time Card Sign-Off
Worker sign-off is separate from supervisor approval. It allows employees to acknowledge their own hours are accurate before the pay period closes. Time Clock is not required for workers to sign off — any worker with a phone number or email address in their Raken profile will receive a sign-off notification.
Step 7: Enable Employee Sign-Off
Click Company in the left navigation, then click Time > Approvals. Toggle on Employee sign-off. Set the day and time for sign-off notifications. Customize the disclaimer text if needed.
To ensure workers receive sign-off notifications, make sure each employee has a valid phone number or email address saved in their profile. Notifications are sent via text (phone number) or email depending on what is on file.
Step 8: Workers Sign Off via Text Message
On the scheduled day and time, workers receive a text message with a link. Tapping the link opens a web page to review and sign off on their outstanding time cards.
Step 9: Workers Sign Off via the Mobile App
Log into the Raken mobile app. Tap Time in the bottom navigation. Tap the Review tab. Tap Sign off. Tap an employee's name. Tap the ellipsis (...) in the top right and select Add signature. Tap the orange Complete button.
The Review tab also shows Approvals, Time card issues, Photo ID, and Clock questions — all in one place. Sign-off and approval here apply to the selected crew.
Step 10: Add Employee Signature on the Web
Supervisors and administrators can add an employee signature on the web from the employee's individual time summary:
Go to Time > Time cards > Summary
Click the employee's name to open their individual time summary
Make sure the Overview tab is selected
Click Bulk actions > Add employee signature
Note: this path is separate from the top-level Summary bulk actions (which handle approvals). You must click into the individual employee first to access the signature option.
Reviewing Sign-Off Status on the Web
Step 11: Check Signature Status
Navigate to Time > Time cards > Summary. The Signature column shows Unsigned (grey) or Signed (green) for each employee. Use this as your final check before exporting to payroll.
Step 12: Send Sign-Off Reminders
Click Bulk actions > Send reminders to notify all employees with unsigned time cards.
Step 13: Download Signed Time Card Reports
Click the download icon in the top right of the Summary view. Select Time card by worker PDF — includes weeks, projects, cost codes, totals, and signatures for all workers.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
What is the difference between supervisor approval and worker sign-off?
Supervisor approval confirms accuracy and locks the time card — it's the admin's formal sign-off for payroll. Worker sign-off is the employee's acknowledgment that their hours are correct. Both can be used independently or together.
Can I approve time cards individually?
Yes. Check the checkbox next to specific employees or entries, then use Bulk actions > Approve selected.
What if I need to correct time after approving?
Use Bulk actions > Unapprove all or Unapprove selected to unlock the time card. Only supervisors and Account Administrators can do this.
Do workers need the Raken app to sign off?
No. Workers can sign off via the text message link — no app required. Workers with the app can also sign off under Time > Review > Sign off.
Does a worker need Time Clock enabled to sign off on their timecard?
No. Time Clock is not required for worker timecard sign-off. As long as the worker has a phone number or email address in their Raken profile, they will receive a sign-off notification and can complete the process via the text or email link.
Where do I find Add Employee Signature on the web?
It's in the individual employee view — not the top-level Summary. Go to Time > Time cards > Summary, click the employee's name, make sure Overview is selected, then click Bulk actions > Add employee signature.
Technical Specifications
Compatibility: iOS 15+, Android 10+, and all major web browsers
Offline Capability: No — approval and sign-off require an active connection
Plan Required: All plans
Add-on Required: None — Time Clock is not required for worker sign-off
Role Required: Supervisors and Account Administrators for approval/unapproval; Project Administrators for assigned projects; Workers/Project Workers for sign-off
Considerations
Approved time cards are locked from editing, signing, and deleting. Only supervisors and Account Administrators can unapprove.
Regular employees cannot approve or unapprove their own time cards.
Worker sign-off and supervisor approval are independent — enabling one does not require the other.
Time Clock is not required for worker timecard sign-off. Workers need a valid phone number or email address in their Raken profile to receive sign-off notifications.
Add employee signature on web is accessed via Time > Summary > click employee > Overview tab > Bulk actions — it is not available from the top-level Summary bulk actions menu.
The mobile Time tab approval and sign-off workflow is crew-based — for full cross-project approval, use the web app.
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More Questions?
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