NEW FEATURE (Beta) - Available from Release 1.00.23.307# (or later)

Users on versions prior to this release will require a software update before the feature becomes available.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview
• Pre-Requisites
  • 1. Sign up for Cognito Account
  • 2. Check if you have the Cognito Integration
  • 3. Import the Timesheet forms to your Cognito Account. 
  • Example Timesheet Forms (Links)
  • 4. Setup a Timesheet email that includes the 'Link' to your online form.
  • (Optional) Sending Timesheet 'Link' as an SMS
• Parameters for Cognito Timesheet Setup
• Explanation of example Timesheet Forms / Templates
• How to specify an Authoriser in Influence
• Where to Store/Set PIN codes
  • i) PIN Code for Contact
  • ii) PIN Code for Site
  • iii) PIN Code for Client
  • iv) PIN Code for System (used if no other PINs found)
  • PIN Definitons (Auth PIN Type)
• Importing Submissions (Timesheets)
  • i) Importing Submissions Individually (Drag/Drop from Email)
  • ii) Importing Submissions Automatically (batches) on a Timed Process (Scan an email box)
  • Import Rules - When Submissions are Imported/Rejected

Overview

Influence can work with Cognito Forms and provide an online timesheet. This provides workers with a way to complete and submit timesheets for shifts that they have worked, and it is possible to import (Drag/Drop) these timesheets into influence as a way to confirm the hours worked. Workers can be emailed a link to their form or links can be sent via SMS. 

(Sending via SMS requires a paid subscription to Short.io so that links can be shortened for sending via SMS. Note the 'Free' plan does not work.)

Pre-Requisites

In order to use Cognito for online timesheets, the following must be true.

1. You must have a Cognito Account. (Plan must be Teams or higher, Free accounts will not work)
2. You must have purchased the Cognito Integration for your Influence system - If not please contact our Sales Team 
3. You need to import our example Template form(s) into your Cognito Account
4. You need to setup an email template (Booking Confirmation) that will generate an email a link to the on-line timesheet. The template uses a special merge field that will pre-fill the timesheet with the worker details AND the shifts for that week. {Our templates include an example of the field for you to use}
5. (Optional) If you wish to send timesheets via SMS (text) you will need the SMS licence for your Influence and you will require a subscription to Short.io  {Short.io are a link shortening service, and you will require a paid subscription to use their services}

1. Sign up for Cognito Account

If you do not already have a Cognito account, please sign up for an account using the link below.

Signup with Cognito using the link below and pick your monthly pricing Plan. (TEAMS or Higher.  The FREE plan from Cognito will not work.)

Use this Link:  >>>>>> Click to Signup for a Cognito Forms Account   <<<<<<<<<

2. Check if you have the Cognito Integration

In order to allow the import of Cognito Forms, you must have purchased the integration for your Influence database. If not you will need to contact our sales team to organise the relevant licence/add-on. {You will also require a paid subscription to Cognito Forms. The free plan does not work.}

[If you wish to sign up to Cognito forms, use the link above] 

Tip:  You can check whether you have this integration or not as below:

Login to your Influence Database.

Click the [Help] button at the bottom right, and click the [Licence] button - Check if the database is licenced for Web Forms

 If not, you will need to contact us.  (See our website www.influence-it.com for contact details)

3. Import the Timesheet Example forms to your Cognito Account. 

Use the 'share links' below to Import the example forms into your Cognito account. These forms have been specially designed to work with Influence, and should only need customising with your Branding/Logo.

Example Timesheet Forms (Links)

4. Setup a Timesheet email that includes the 'Link' to your online form.

In your Influence database, create an email template that will allow you to send the worker a link to their online timesheet form when they are booked.

As part of the email you will want to include a Merge Field that contains the link to the relevant online timesheet form in Cognito and will Pre-Fill the form with the relevant worker name and ID as well as their bookings;

An example of such as email  Template is shown below:

Which will produce an email something like this:-

(Optional) Sending Timesheet 'Link' as an SMS

It is possible to send the timesheet link to workers via SMS rather than email.

HOWEVER - In order to do this, you should be using FIRETEXT as your SMS message provider and will require an account with Short.io to shorten the link to the online Timesheet Form so that it can be sent as part of an SMS text message to a mobile.

e.g.  The URL https://www.cognitoforms.com/Influence9/InfluenceTimesheetSimpleXXX?entry={"Worker":{"Forename":"Hudson","Surname":"Hawk","Ref":"00002948","WorkerEmail":"hh@inf.cogtstest.com"}, "BookingDetails":{"BookingID":"TS_BOOK_ID#","Company":"Little Timers","BranchDept":" "},"ManagerApproval":{"ApproverName":"TS_APP_NAME#","ApproverEmail":"TS_APP_EMAIL#"},"Shifts":[{"Date":"TS_DATE#","Shift":"Day","Role":"WHOP","From":"18/10/2023","To":"18/10/2023","Break":"60"}]}

Might become https://bo99.short.gy/9Ukv53  

Which can then be sent via SMS

Explanation of example Timesheet Forms / Templates

For the different templates below, they each behave slightly differently, and those differences are explained below. You should ideally decide on ONE approach that you are going to take, and then implement the relevant timesheet template and processes within your Influence database.

Example Timesheet Forms (Links)

Parameters for Cognito Timesheet Setup

The following parameters will affect the way the system interacts with Cognito Timesheets. If you have used the timesheet forms that require a PIN and/or Approval, then these parameters will hold details to be used in the case no other relevant PIN/Approver can be identified.

How to specify an Authoriser in Influence

To set the name of an Authoriser for a company, go to the Company record in Influence, and make sure to add a contact.

The contact should be given the importance code that indicates they are an approver.  (i.e. Whatever was set as parameter TSPORTAL, Flag(1) ) See below

If you are using an online timesheet template which requires an approver, then:-

- If there is no contact specified as an approver for this site or client, then it will try to use the Booking Contact.

- If the approver has no email address, then the system will display a warning when you try to send the email.

The system tries to find an email address to use for approval. It will try to find this in the following sequence

Site Approver > Client Approver > Booking Contact > System Parameter (TEMPS, Path(3) ) > Consultant UserID

ie

Where to Store/Set PIN codes

If you are using either of the timesheet forms which require a PIN code to allow submission, then you will need to store these PIN codes in the Influence database.

When generating the html link to the form, the system will look for the PIN code in sequence, and then ensure the relevant code is required by the form.

IMPORTANT:  PIN Codes can be stored in several different places.

i) PIN Code for Contact

Open the Contact record and choose the [Manage] tab.

Click the [PINS] button - You can then set the PIN for this specific contact.

To remove/delete a PIN just set the PIN to <blank> (ie. delete all the numbers)

ii) PIN Code for Site

Open the Client record and click the Branches icon (?️ - buildings) in the toolbar to open the SITE record.

Select the [Manage] tab

Click the [PINs] button - this will set the PIN for the relevant SITE. (If a client has multiple Sites/branches, then each branch could have a different PIN)

To remove/delete a PIN just set the PIN to <blank> (ie. delete all the numbers)

iii) PIN Code for Client

Open the Company record, and choose the [Misc] tab.

Click the [PINs] button - This will allow you to set a PIN code for this particular Client/Company.

To remove/delete a PIN just set the PIN to <blank> (ie. delete all the numbers)

iv) PIN Code for System (used if no other PINs found)

If no other PINs have been found when sending an HTML link to an online timesheet, then it is possible to set an overall System / Agency PIN. This is the PIN of Last resort. It can be set in the following way.

Login as the UserID 'ADM' (or other high-priority user with access to parameters)

Choose Maintenance > Setup > Parameters

Once open, select the parameter set called FORMS and choose parameter TEXT (11) 

You can then set the System/Agency PIN

PIN Definitions (Auth PIN Type)

It is possible to define the 'length' and format rules for the PIN code. By default this is 6-digit, numeric (e.g. 125981)

The format/definition of the Timesheet PIN is controlled by code table AUTH PIN TYPE [239]

If needed the PIN length can be changed by amending this table.

Please contact Influence if you need to amend the PIN length or require help.

Importing Submissions (Timesheets)

Once a worker has completed the timesheet, clicking [SUBMIT] will either send the form back to a nominated email address <OR> could send the form to a specified contact at the client for authorisation before being [APPROVED] and then sent to the nominated mailbox.

Once the timesheet form is received, it can be imported into Influence in two ways;

i) Importing Submissions Individually (Drag/Drop from Email)

The submission email can be dragged/dropped onto the TIMESHEET ENTRY screen. The system will then attempt to identify the Matching bookings, update the Start/End times (and Hours) - and then open the Entry Form so the user can see the imported hours.

ii) Importing Submissions Automatically (batches) on a Timed Process (Scan an email box)

It is possible to scan a mailbox containing timesheet submissions and have the system import these as a batch. This import process can be run as a single batch, or set to check periodically as an ongoing, automatic process.

STEP 1

In the mailbox where the submitted timesheets will be received, setup 3 Folders

IMPORT  - The folder where incoming timesheet submission forms will be received  {You could call this SOURCE if you prefer}

PROBLEMS - The folder where submissions that cannot be processed by the auto-import will be moved to.

PROCESSED - The folder where successfully imported submissions will be moved to.

STEP 2

Ensure that you have access to the mailbox where the received timesheet submissions are stored. {as above}

Login to Influence and go to the TIMESHEET ENTRY screen.

At the bottom of the screen, click the [Select] button

You will then need to use the popup window that appears to select each of the above folders in-turn from the mailbox.

(i.e. IMPORT, PROBLEMS and PROCESSED )

STEP 3

(a) Run Manually as a one-off Batch

Having selected the mailbox folder to scan, click the [Go] button

The system will display the Outlook Timesheet Import window. 

Click [Start] to scan the selected folder. The system will then attempt to import any emails found in the IMPORT folder and then move them to PROCESSED or PROBLEMS as appropriate.

The system will show details of any problems in the 

(b) OPTIONAL - Automatic Re-Scan

If you want to run this as a continuous process, use the 'Every:' drop-down to specify how often the system should re-check for new submissions and import them. 

NOTE: If you do decide to use the auto re-scan, we recommend that you choose longer periods such as 30mins or 60mins - this will usually be much better and reduce the load on your system.

Import Rules - When Submissions are Imported/Rejected

When a timesheet Submission is received, it will be imported into the system and update the relevant Bookings/Timesheets except for the following circumstances -

Timesheets will not be imported, and will be moved to the [Problems] folder :

- If the system cannot identify the relevant Candidate/Contact/Site/Booking(s)

- If there are 'Extra' days on the timesheet which do not exist in Influence

- If the timesheets have already been manually entered and have a 'real' timesheet number 

(i.e. have a status of TSE/M  and have a number other than "1")

- If the timesheets have already been exported from Influence and marked as PAID/INVOICED (or both)

As mentioned earlier, if there are errors that can be identified (such as missing fields in the timesheet form, non-existent bookings, or bookings where two bookings exist on the same DAY/SHIFT/ROLE/CLIENT combination) then these errors will be flagged/described in the Import screen above.

IMPORTANT: If a form is submitted with missing days, these days will be 'entered' as ZERO Hours, and marked as Timesheeted. e.g. Steve was booked for Mon-Thur, 9:00-17:30 on each day. The completed FORM had the Wednesday removed. When this is imported, the Wednesday will be set to 0:00-0:00, i.e. Zero hours (not worked). See below....