Define required fields for time entries

As an Owner / Admin in your Clockify workspace, your aim is often to make sure that all time entries in your workspace are accurate and consistent. One way to achieve this is by defining required fields for time entries.

What are the required fields? #

Required fields are mandatory fields that must be completed before a time entry can be created or saved. By defining which fields should be required, you make sure that time entries contain the necessary information for proper organization, reporting, and analysis.

You can choose from the following fields to make mandatory for all time entries:

• Project
• Task
• Tag
• Description

For example, if Task is a required field, time entries linked to projects without tasks will not show up in the project picker, preventing incomplete time entries from being submitted.

Who can define required fields? #

Only Workspace admins and Owners have the permissions to configure required fields. As an administrator, you can:

• Access the Custom fields tab under Workspace settings
• Create, edit, or delete time entry custom fields
• Create, edit, or delete user custom fields

Required fields are a feature available on paid plans, so you will need to upgrade your workspace to a Pro or Enterprise plan to access this functionality.

What are custom fields? #

In addition to the standard fields, you can add custom fields to track anything specific to your business needs. 

These could include:

• Expenses, mileage, breaks, overtime
• Invoice status, location, equipment
• Links to tickets, receipts, and more

Create custom fields #

To create custom fields for time entries:

1. Go to Workspace settings > Custom fields
2. Click on Create new field and select the field type:
   • Text: Free-text input
   • Number: Only numerical values (e.g. mileage, expenses)
   • Link: URLs (e.g. links to receipts)
   • Switch: Yes/No options (e.g. paid/unpaid)
   • Select: Dropdown list (e.g. status, location)
   • Select multiple: Allows multiple selections (e.g. equipment used)

Make custom fields required #

To set a custom field as required for every time entry:

1. Make sure the field is Visible with a default value, or editable by users
2. In Workspace settings, under the General tab, select the checkbox for the custom field in the Do not allow saving time without section
3. The field will now appear as a required field in both Time tracker and Timesheet, ensuring all users fill it out when entering time

Enable required fields #

Follow these steps to enable required fields for time entries:

1. Go to the Workspace settings page
2. Click on the Custom fields tab where you can define which fields should be mandatory
3. Choose from the fields listed (project, task, tag, description) and check the box next to each field you want to make mandatory
4. Save changes

How it works #

If you mark Project and Tag as required fields:

• Users will not be able to add a time entry without selecting a project and a tag
• The timer can be started, but it cannot be stopped until both fields are filled in
• Time entries will not save without these two fields

Best practices for using required fields #

• Required fields should be consistent across all projects and workspaces to maintain clean and organized time entries
• Set your custom fields to track essential business-specific information for reporting and analytics
• Periodically review your required fields and custom fields to ensure they still align with your workspace’s needs

FAQ #

What happens if I don’t set any fields as required? #

If you don’t set any fields as required, users can submit time entries without completing critical information like the project, task, or description. While this won’t prevent users from adding time entries, it can lead to incomplete or inconsistent data, making reporting and analysis more difficult.

How to make sure that time entries are not submitted without a project or task? #

To ensure that time entries are not submitted without a project or task, you need to enable the Project and Task fields as required. 

Once these fields are marked as required:

• Time entries cannot be submitted without selecting a project and task
• Projects that don’t have tasks will not show up in the project picker
• Timer can be started but cannot be stopped until these fields are filled

Can I make a custom field visible only for specific projects? #

Yes, custom fields can be set to be visible only for specific projects. In Project settings, you can manage which custom fields should be visible and set default values for each project. Additionally, you can choose to make some fields visible only when a user selects a specific project.

What happens if I edit a select-type custom field after time entries have been created? #

If you edit a select-type custom field (such as changing the available options), existing time entries will retain the original value. However, if you update the project of a time entry to one with a different default value for that custom field, the entry will inherit the new default value.

For example, if you had a Location field with options Los Angeles and New York and then changed Los Angeles to San Francisco, any existing time entry marked with Los Angeles will still show that option unless the project is changed, in which case it may inherit the default value for that project.

Can I make certain fields invisible to regular users? #

Yes, you can make certain fields invisible to regular users while still allowing them to track the data. Invisible fields can be used for metadata, project IDs, or backend integrations. Users won’t see these fields in their Time Tracker or Timesheet, but the data will still be available for reporting and can be used in exports or API integrations.

How do I bulk edit custom fields across multiple time entries? #

To bulk edit custom fields:

1. Go to the Detailed report in your workspace
2. Use the bulk edit feature to update custom field values across multiple time entries at once
3. Select the time entries you want to modify and apply changes to the relevant custom field(s)

This is especially helpful for making mass updates to fields like status or location.

Can required fields be used in reports? #

Yes, required fields can be used in reports. When you export time entries to Excel or CSV, the required fields (and their values) will appear in the Detailed report. This allows you to filter and analyze time entries based on those required fields, ensuring you have consistent and complete data for reporting purposes.