Q1.      Why
are we being asked to do this?

A1.      The
College is administering an increasing number of Full Economic Costing (FEC)
and European Commission Framework Programme 7 (FP7) research awards
which are subject to externally imposed comprehensive timesheet requirements
for all (FP7) and some (FEC) staff costs.

The College is also required under TRAC (Transparent Approach to
Costing) to record all technical staff activity across teaching, research and
other categories.  Furthermore,
Technician time spent in support of Research must be further allocated across Directly Incurred, Directly Allocated Infrastructure and
Directly Allocated Pool categories. This technical activity information was previously
gathered by means of an annual survey, which has not proved to be sufficiently
robust to provide information to the degree of accuracy that is required.

Failure to meet timesheet requirements has previously resulted
in significant levels of non-payment of associated staff costs and risks;

Ø  Reputational damage to the College
(damaging our competitive position)

Ø  Project level sanctions (disallowed costs,
early termination etc.)

Ø  Institutional level sanctions (special
measures such as capped rates)

Q2.      Why have only
technicians been asked?

A2.      The College is
required under TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) to record all technical
staff activity across teaching, research and other categories.  Furthermore, Technician time spent in
support of Research must be further allocated across Directly
Incurred, Directly Allocated Infrastructure and Directly Allocated Pool
categories. This technical activity information was previously gathered by
means of an annual survey, which has not proved to be sufficiently robust to
provide information to the degree of accuracy that is required.

Other categories
of staff are already required to complete timesheets while working on specific
types of research projects and other work activities.  In order for the College to maximise
income from research projects it has become
necessary for technicians to complete timesheets.

Q3.      This
seems like a way of checking up on technicians. Why have we been singled out?

A3.      The
College has no option but to comply with the terms and conditions for those
Funders who demand timesheets, otherwise they have the right to withhold
payments for work carried out on their projects.

The College is required under TRAC (Transparent Approach to
other categories.  Furthermore,
Directly Allocated Pool categories. This technical activity information was
previously gathered by means of an annual survey, which has not proved to be
sufficiently robust to provide information to the degree of accuracy that is
required.

The College has no other interest in singling out any particular
groups of staff.

Q4.      Do all
Technicians have to complete TimeSMART records?

A4.      All Technicians
other than those who are working in the Facilities Management (Estates)
Division and Catering Services will be required to use the system.  This is because the College is required
under TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) to record all technical staff
activity across teaching, research and other categories.  This technical activity information was
previously gathered by means of an annual survey, which has not proved to be
sufficiently robust to provide information to the degree of accuracy that is
required.

Those
groups of staff that are excluded from using the system have been identified as
permanently assigned to one specific category.  They were also excluded from the
previous annual survey.

Q5.      Will
we have to account for all our time?

A5.      Yes
– Funders’ requirements for comprehensive timesheets and the
College’s obligation to survey Technician time across Teaching, Research
and Other activities means all of your time must be accounted for.

Q6.      What
about time NOT spent on specific projects?

A6.      Funders
who require timesheets for audit purposes insist we must provide comprehensive
timesheets to account for all time including time spent working on non research
related activities - and the College’s obligation to survey Technician
time across Teaching, Research and Other activities means all of your work time
has to be accounted for (please refer to the Timesheet Activity Definition
Guide on the TimeSMART web page for more information)

Q7.      Which
projects will I be able to allocate time to?

A7.      You
will only be able to allocate time to projects that are currently set up on
your ICIS Labour Distribution Schedule (this is part of the College accounting
system which determines where your salary costs are charged to).  However, if you are currently working on
more than one research project and none of those projects are available to
select on your timesheet, it may be that those projects are using Pool
Technicians.  If this is the case,
you can record time for those projects using the ‘Pooled Technician Work’
category (please refer to the Timesheet Activity Definition guide on the
TimeSMART web page for more information).

Q8.      How will this
list of projects be drawn up?

A8.      The list of
available research projects and cost centres will be fed directly from ICIS
(the Imperial College finance system).
The list of available projects for you to be able to record time for is
fed from another part of ICIS - your Labour
Distribution Schedule (this is part of the College accounting system which
determines where your salary costs are charged to).

However,
if you are currently working on more than one research project and none of
those projects are available to select on your timesheet, it may be that those
projects are using Pool Technicians.
If this is the case, you can record time for those projects using the
‘Pooled Technician Work’ category (please refer to the Timesheet
Activity Definition guide on the TimeSMART web page for more information).

Q9.      Supposing I spend time on a project that is not on my list?

A9.      You
will not be able to record time for that project until it is set up on your ICIS
Labour Distribution schedule.  If
the project that you spent time on is not on your list, it is important you contact
your Line Manager to let them know.
The Time SMART system relies on data from ICIS. There is a daily
information update between ICIS and Time SMART. New information entered in ICIS
will be available in Time SMART the following day.

However, it may be that if you are currently working on more
than one research project and none of those projects are available to select on
your timesheet, that those projects are using Pool Technicians.  If this is the case, you can record time
for those projects using the ‘Pooled Technician Work’ category
(please refer to the Timesheet Activity Definition guide on the TimeSMART web
page for more information).

Q10.    How often must I complete a
timesheet?

A10.    Timesheets have to be
approved monthly to satisfy external audit requirements.  Feedback from staff already completing
timesheets indicates recording time on a weekly basis is much easier to
manage.  The Time SMART system will
send out reminder emails on a weekly basis.

Q11.    How
long will it take to complete a timesheet?

A11.    The
system is designed to be simple and quick to use.   There are also additional features to
assist you, including memorised sheets and memorised entries.  If you are carrying out repeat tasks on a
week by week basis, your work activities and number of hours for each activity can
be stored as a template that can be submitted weekly, until such time as your
work pattern changes.

Q12.    Who approves my timesheet?

A12.    Your timesheet is approved by
your home Department/Work Group Approver and your Supervisor/Line Manager.  If you have recorded any research
project time, then an additional approval for the research project time will be
made by the Principal Investigator of that research project.  All approval notifications are sent
automatically by the system.

Q13.    Why
do I need more than one approver?

A13.    The approvals
are configured to comply with external audit requirements.  Time can be recorded for
departments/work groups (cost centres) and research projects.  A timesheet submitted for a given period
is required to be approved by your home Department/Work Group Approver and Supervisor/Line
Manager, as only they have the local knowledge to do so.  However, only a Principal Investigator
can approve time recorded for their research project, as only they have
authority to do so in accordance with external audit requirements.

Q14.    What happens if my timesheet
is rejected?

A14.    You will receive a timesheet
amendment notification email, which will have a link to explanatory comments
from the Approver who has returned the timesheet.  If the explanatory comments are clear and
you have no issues with the amendments requested, you will need to amend the
timesheet for that period and submit it again for approval.  If you do not understand the explanatory
comments or disagree with the requested amendments you must contact your
Supervisor / Line Manager to discuss how to resolve the issue.

Q15.    Supposing I make a mistake?  Can I recall the timesheet?

A15.    If
you make a mistake on the timesheet you must inform your Supervisor/Line
Manager.  They can arrange to have
the timesheet returned back to you for correction or, if it has already been
fully approved, contact your Department Time SMART Administrator who can make
the necessary corrections for you.

Q16.    What happens to the
information stored in the system?

A16.    The information on the system
will be securely stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act
requirements.

The
data will be used to provide comprehensive timesheet audit records to those
Funders who require them.  It will
also be used to assign technical staff activity across teaching, research
(directly incurred, directly allocated infrastructure, directly allocated pool)
and other categories as part of the annual TRAC (Transparent Approach to
Costing) return.

The
information may be used to assist with general resource planning.

Q17.    What if I am already keeping
paper timesheets due to EU project commitments?  Do I now have to complete
both?

A17.    In the majority of cases we
only require you to complete your electronic timesheet.  The system is set
up with specific activities relating to European projects that you can record
time for.   The only exception
is on a very small number of EU projects where the Coordinator requires
timesheets to be completed in their own specific format.  On these projects you will be required
to complete the Coordinator’s timesheets as well.