Time Tracking policies include a Timeline that keeps a clear record of which policy applied to each period. This means past timesheets are no longer changed when you move a collaborator to another policy or edit an existing policy.
With the Timeline, you can schedule or backdate policy changes while keeping your time-tracking history consistent and easier to audit.
Overview
The Timeline records changes to Time Tracking policies based on their effective date.
You can:
- Schedule a policy change for a future date.
- Backdate a policy change by up to 24 months.
- See which policy applied during a specific period.
- Review pending policy changes before they take effect.
- Keep past timesheets unchanged after a policy is updated or a collaborator is moved to another policy.
- Track policy changes in the activity log.
This applies both when you move collaborators between policies and when you edit an existing policy.
When and why it should be used
- Use the Timeline whenever you need to change a Time Tracking policy without losing the history of how previous periods were calculated.
- For example, if a collaborator moves to a different working-time arrangement on 1 October, you can set 1 October as the effective date. Their previous periods remain calculated according to the policy that applied at that time, while periods from 1 October onward use the new policy.
- This helps maintain a reliable audit trail and prevents previously approved or paid hours from changing unexpectedly.
How it works
Schedule a policy change
- In your sidebar, go to Settings
- Go to Time tracking
- Open the relevant policy
- Select the collaborator you want to change
- Set the effective date of the change
- By default, the effective date is today
- Choose a future date to schedule the change
- Choose a past date to apply the change retrospectively
- If you select a past date, review the warning showing which periods and calculations will be affected
- Confirm the change
- Until the effective date, the pending change is displayed on both policies:
- A clock badge appears on the current policy
- A muted row appears on the destination policy
- When the effective date arrives, the new policy automatically applies from that date onward
Backdate a policy change
You can backdate a policy change by up to 24 months.
- Open the relevant policy assignment
- Select the date when the new policy should have started
- Review the warning showing what will be recalculated
- Confirm the change only after checking the affected periods
- The periods before the effective date remain associated with the policy that applied at that time
View timesheets affected by multiple policies
When a timesheet period covers more than one policy:
- Open the relevant timesheet period
- Use the policy dropdown to select the policy you want to view
- Review the timesheet calculations for that policy
- Check the banner shown in the timesheet to identify periods that were calculated differently because of a policy change
If a past timesheet has changed after I backdated a policy, check the effective date of the policy change. When a change is backdated, periods from that date onward can be recalculated. Review the warning shown before confirming the change to understand which periods will be affected.
If you cannot find the policy that should apply to a historical period, check the policy dropdown in the affected timesheet period. If the period spans multiple policies, you can select the relevant policy to view its calculations.
If a policy change is showing as pending, check the clock badge on the current policy and the muted row on the destination policy to confirm the scheduled change. A pending change has a future effective date.
The Timeline protects history from the date your company is activated for this functionality. It does not restore historical data that was overwritten before activation. If you believe historical data was affected before activation, contact Factorial Support for assistance.
Tips and best practices
- Use the actual effective date. This keeps policy history aligned with when the change really took effect.
- Review warnings before backdating. A retrospective change can recalculate periods from the selected date onward.
- Plan changes in advance. Use a future effective date when you already know when a collaborator's policy should change.
- Check the Timeline when reviewing historical hours. It shows which policy applied during each period.
- Use the activity log for auditing. Policy changes are recorded so you can review when changes were made.
- Remember that editing a policy also affects its Timeline. Changes to an existing policy are recorded in the same way as moving collaborators between policies.
FAQ
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Does the Timeline protect timesheets from changing after a policy change?
Yes. From the date your company is activated for the Timeline, each policy change is recorded and past periods remain calculated according to the policy that applied to them.
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Can I schedule a policy change for the future?
Yes. Set a future effective date to schedule the change. The new policy will apply from that date.
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Can I backdate a policy change?
Yes. You can backdate a change by up to 24 months. Factorial shows a warning before you confirm the change so you can review what will be recalculated.
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Does the Timeline only apply when moving collaborators between policies?
No. Changes made by editing an existing Time Tracking policy are also recorded in the Timeline.
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Can I see which policy applied to a specific period?
Yes. When a timesheet period spans multiple policies, use the policy dropdown to view the calculations for each policy. A banner also indicates when days in the period were calculated differently.
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Are policy changes recorded in the activity log?
Yes. Policy changes are logged in the activity log, providing a record of changes for auditing purposes.
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Does the Timeline restore history that was changed before activation?
No. The Timeline protects history from the date your company is activated. It does not automatically restore historical data that was already overwritten before activation.
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Do I need to activate the Timeline manually?
No. The functionality is being rolled out automatically to Time Tracking customers in batches. There is nothing you need to do.