Work Entry Management Odoo 18
By Braincuber Team
Published on December 29, 2025
Manufacturing company processing payroll 200 employees discovers calculation chaos: manually tracking working hours overtime leave creating payroll errors overpayments underpayments employee complaints, employee requesting sick leave while attendance shows working same day creating conflicting data payroll system unable determining which record accurate resulting incorrect salary calculation, HR spending 40 hours monthly manually reconciling attendance records leave requests work schedules before generating payslips prone errors delays, payroll audit revealing inconsistent work entry records lacking documentation employees' actual working hours absences creating legal compliance risks potential penalties, and retail chain with shift workers unable tracking irregular working patterns variable hours different employees working different schedules lacking automated work entry generation requiring manual data entry each payroll cycle—creating payroll inaccuracy employee dissatisfaction compliance risks administrative burden and inability systematically tracking employee working time leave attendance requiring work entry management conflict resolution automated generation and integrated payroll processing supporting accurate compensation legal compliance operational excellence.
Odoo 18 work entry management enables accurate payroll processing through Work Entry module tracking employees' hours duties schedules main data source calculating salaries overtime payroll components, integration with Attendance Time Off modules automatically importing time-related data work entries eliminating manual entry reducing errors, conflict detection identifying overlapping inconsistent entries preventing payroll calculation errors maintaining data accuracy, Gantt chart visualization displaying work entries timeline enabling visual conflict identification schedule management, regeneration functionality allowing bulk updating work entries resolving conflicts recalculating based updated information, work entry sources supporting Working Schedule generating entries based predetermined schedules or Attendance creating entries from actual attendance records, manual entry creation enabling HR adding custom work entries special situations adjustments corrections, status tracking showing Draft Validated Conflict states maintaining workflow transparency, automated duration calculation computing work entry hours based start end times eliminating manual calculations, and payslip integration automatically feeding work entry data payroll computation ensuring accurate salary generation—reducing payroll errors 95 percent through automated work entry generation improving compliance via accurate time tracking shortening payroll processing 80 percent automation enhancing employee trust via transparent accessible work records and achieving operational excellence systematic work entry management accurate payroll legal compliance supporting business success employee satisfaction.
Work Entry Features: Time tracking, Attendance integration, Leave integration, Conflict detection, Gantt visualization, Entry regeneration, Multiple sources (schedule/attendance), Manual creation, Automatic duration, Payslip integration
Understanding Work Entries
Foundation of accurate payroll:
Purpose and Importance:
Work entries foundation any payroll system. They serve main source information used calculating salaries overtime other payroll components by keeping track employees' hours responsibilities schedules. Work entries payroll module carefully integrated Odoo 18 offering smooth payslip attendance vacation management experience.
Key Functions:
- Log actual hours worked each employee
- Track paid time off absences
- Record overtime additional hours
- Document leave periods
- Integrate attendance data
- Feed into salary calculations
Eight Key Benefits:
| Benefit | Impact |
|---|---|
| 1. Accurate Calculations | Precise wage computation preventing errors |
| 2. Integration | Seamless data flow attendance leave |
| 3. Legal Compliance | Auditable time records regulations |
| 4. Batch Processing | Efficient multi-employee payroll |
| 5. Automation | Reduced manual data entry |
| 6. Salary Rules | Foundation overtime leave calculations |
| 7. Transparency | Employee portal access builds trust |
| 8. Reporting | Analytics absenteeism overtime patterns |
Accessing Work Entries
Navigating work entry interface:
Work Entry Dashboard:
- Navigate to Payroll:
- Go to: Payroll app main menu
- Payroll dashboard displays
- Access Work Entries:
- Menu: Work Entries → Work Entries
- Work entries list displays
- Default View:
- Gantt chart view timeline visualization
- Shows entries organized by employee date
Understanding Conflicts
Identifying resolving data inconsistencies:
What Are Conflicts:
Conflicts inconsistencies or overlapping data entries obstruct accurate employee payroll processing calculation. Arise when records employee's working hours leaves time-related entries overlap or inconsistent.
Common Conflict Scenarios:
- Overlap: Attendance sick leave same day
- Double Entry: Multiple work entries same time period
- Inconsistency: Schedule shows work but leave approved
- Missing Data: Gap between expected actual hours
Viewing Conflicts:
- Access Conflict Dashboard:
- Navigate: Payroll → Work Entries → Conflicts
- Gantt chart displays conflicting entries
- Or Use Filter:
- Work Entries page
- Advanced search: Filters section
- Select: Conflicting option
- Only conflicting entries display
- Visual Identification:
- Conflict entries highlighted Gantt view
- Color coding indicates conflict status
Resolving Conflicts
Regenerating work entries:
Work Entry Regeneration:
- Click Regenerate Button:
- Work Entries page
- Button: Regenerate Work Entries
- Regeneration form opens
- Set Date Range:
- Field: From (start date)
- Field: To (end date)
- Specify period regenerate
- Initiate Regeneration:
- Click Regenerate Work Entries
- System recalculates work entries period
- Updates based current attendance leave data
- Review Results:
- Check regenerated entries
- Verify conflicts resolved
- If conflicts persist review investigate further
Manual Conflict Resolution:
- Open conflicting work entry
- Review details identify issue
- Edit entry correct information:
- Adjust dates times
- Change work entry type
- Modify duration
- Save changes
- Conflict status should clear
Creating Work Entries Manually
Adding custom entries:
Manual Entry Creation:
- Click New Button:
- Work Entries page
- Popup form displays
- Fill Required Information:
- Employee: Select employee
- Work Entry Type: Choose type:
- Attendance (regular working hours)
- Paid Time Off
- Sick Leave
- Unpaid Leave
- Public Holiday
- Overtime
- From: Start date time
- To: End date time
- Duration: Automatically calculated
- Description: Optional notes
- Save Entry:
- Click Save & Close
- Work entry created
- Entry Status:
- Displayed top window:
- Draft: New unvalidated entry
- Validated: Confirmed entry
- Conflict: Overlapping inconsistent
- Displayed top window:
Gantt View Interaction:
- Click + symbol add entry specific date employee
- Click existing entry view edit details
- Right-click access context menu options
- Drag entries adjust dates (if editable)
Work Entry Sources
Automated generation methods:
Configuring Work Entry Source:
- Access Employee Contract:
- Navigate: Employees → Employees
- Select employee
- Open employee form
- View Contract:
- Click Contracts tab or smart button
- Select active contract
- Set Work Entry Source:
- Field: Work Entry Source
- Options:
- Working Schedule: Generate based predetermined work schedule
- Attendances: Generate from actual attendance records
Working Schedule Source:
How it Works:
- Work entries automatically generated based employee's working schedule
- Schedule defines expected work days hours
- System creates work entries matching schedule pattern
- Suitable for regular fixed-schedule employees
Example:
Employee works Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. System automatically generates 8-hour work entries each weekday.
Attendances Source:
How it Works:
- Work entries generated from actual attendance records
- Employees check-in check-out using Attendances app
- System converts attendance data work entries
- Suitable for flexible irregular schedules
Example:
Shift worker checks in 10:30 AM checks out 7:15 PM. System creates work entry 8.75 hours that day.
Attendance-Based Workflow
Complete attendance payroll integration:
Step-by-Step Process:
- Mark Attendance:
- Navigate: Attendances app
- Employees check-in check-out
- Attendance records created
- Create Payslip:
- Navigate: Payroll → To Pay
- Select employee
- Payslip form displays
- View Attendance Smart Button:
- Top payslip page
- Smart button: Attendances
- Shows marked attendance records
- Generate Work Entries:
- System automatically imports attendance data
- Creates work entries based actual attendance
- Work entries visible payslip
- Complete Payslip:
- Review work entries
- Compute sheet
- Process payment
Viewing Work Entry Data
Gantt chart visualization:
Gantt View Features:
- Timeline Display:
- Horizontal bars representing work entries
- Organized by employee
- Time-based layout
- Time Scale Options:
- Day view
- Week view
- Month view
- Custom date ranges
- Color Coding:
- Different work entry types different colors
- Conflicts highlighted distinctly
- Easy visual identification
- Filtering:
- By employee
- By work entry type
- By status (draft validated conflicting)
- By date range
Best Practices
Configure Work Entry Source Correctly Each Employee Based Their Work Pattern: Wrong source configuration equals inaccurate work entries payroll errors employee dissatisfaction. Configuration strategy: Use Working Schedule for regular full-time employees fixed hours predictable patterns, use Attendances for shift workers part-time employees variable hours flexible schedules, review employee work patterns before choosing source, communicate source implications employees if using attendance-based ensure consistent check-in check-out. Correct source ensures work entries accurately reflect actual working time supporting accurate payroll.
Regenerate Work Entries After Making Changes Attendance Leave Records: Failing regenerate after changes equals outdated work entries incorrect payroll calculations. Regeneration workflow: Employee updates approved leave attendance correction made immediately regenerate work entries affected period, set date range regeneration covering only changed period avoiding unnecessary processing, review regenerated entries verify accuracy, communicate payroll team about regeneration ensuring they aware updated data. Timely regeneration maintains work entry accuracy preventing payroll errors downstream.
Resolve Conflicts Immediately Before Processing Payroll Preventing Payment Errors: Processing payroll with unresolved conflicts equals incorrect salary calculations overpayments underpayments employee disputes. Conflict resolution routine: Daily check Conflicts dashboard identifying issues early, investigate root cause each conflict (scheduling error data entry attendance issue), correct underlying problem not just clearing conflict symptom, document resolution process future reference, establish cutoff date conflict resolution before payroll processing. Proactive conflict management ensures clean accurate payroll runs maintaining employee trust financial accuracy.
Use Gantt View Regular Audits Identifying Unusual Patterns or Gaps: Never reviewing work entries visually equals missed anomalies undetected errors. Audit workflow: Weekly review Gantt view entire team checking unusual patterns, look gaps where work entries expected but missing, identify excessive overtime patterns potential burnout issues, spot inconsistencies leave patterns attendance records, investigate anomalies with employees managers clarifying discrepancies. Visual audits provide quick health check identifying issues before becoming payroll problems supporting proactive workforce management.
Conclusion
Odoo 18 work entry management enables accurate payroll processing through time tracking Attendance Time Off integration conflict detection Gantt visualization entry regeneration work entry sources manual creation status tracking automatic duration calculation and payslip integration. Reduce payroll errors through automated generation improving compliance via accurate tracking shortening processing automation enhancing employee trust via transparency achieving operational excellence systematic management and achieving competitive advantage accurate compensation legal compliance efficient payroll supporting business success employee satisfaction organizational excellence.
