How to freeze and lock timecards for payroll

Use this workflow to "Freeze" pay rates and "Lock" punches at the end of a pay period to prevent changes and ensure historical accuracy.

Before you begin...

• Requires unrestricted access to Time & Attendance Administration.

• Freeze vs. Lock: "Freezing" snapshots the employee pay rates so future rate changes don't retroactively update old timecards. "Locking" prevents managers from adding or editing punches.

1. Freeze Punches (Preserve Pay Rates)

1. Navigate to Time & Attendance.
2. Click the Administration menu (located above Employee Setup on the left).
   
3. Select the date range and then Freeze/Unfreeze Punches.
4. Select applicable employee(s). 
5. Click Start Now to confirm the action for the current pay period.

    ◦ This ensures that even if you update an employee's pay rate tomorrow, the payroll you run today remains based on the old rate.

2. Lock Punches (Prevent Edits)

1. Navigate to Time & Attendance > Administration.
2. Click Stored Procedures.
3. In the text box labeled "Enter Stored Procedure," type timelock (all lowercase, no spaces).
4. Click Submit.

5. Enter the Earliest Editable Date.

   ◦ Example: To lock the period ending Sunday 7/7, enter 7/8. No edits will be allowed for 7/7 and prior.

6. Click Save.
    

The Result Success: Timecards for the locked period now display a "lock" icon instead of an "Edit" link next to punches.

If this fails...

• Note: To unlock timecards, repeat the "Lock" steps but change the Earliest Editable Date to a date in the past (e.g., 1/1/1950). Do not leave the date field blank.