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Troubleshooting

This guide helps you resolve common issues with the Timesheet app. Issues are organized by category for quick reference.

If you can't find a solution here, contact support at support@timesheet.io with details about your issue.

Timer & Tracking Issues​

Timer won't start​

Symptoms: Tapping START button does nothing or timer immediately stops

Solutions:

  1. Select a project first - You must select a project before starting the timer
  2. Check for running timer - Stop any currently running timer first
  3. Restart the app - Force close and reopen the app
  4. Clear app cache - Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Clear Cache
  5. Update the app - Check Google Play for latest version

Timer stops unexpectedly​

Symptoms: Timer stops on its own without user action

Possible Causes:

Battery Optimization:

  1. Go to Android Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Battery
  2. Select "Unrestricted" or "Optimized" (not "Restricted")
  3. Some manufacturers require additional steps (see manufacturer-specific settings below)

Automation Interference:

  • Check Automation screen for unwanted automations
  • Temporarily disable Automation Service toggle to test
  • Review geofence radius (might be triggering exit)

Background Restrictions:

  • Ensure notifications are enabled
  • Grant "Display over other apps" permission if prompted
  • Some Android versions aggressively kill background apps

Manufacturer-Specific Settings:

Samsung:

  • Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Battery → Allow background activity
  • Settings → Device care → Battery → App power management → Add Timesheet to "Apps that won't be put to sleep"

Huawei/Honor:

  • Settings → Battery → App launch → Timesheet → Manage manually
  • Enable all options (Auto-launch, Secondary launch, Run in background)

Xiaomi/MIUI:

  • Settings → Apps → Manage apps → Timesheet → Battery saver → No restrictions
  • Settings → Battery & performance → App battery saver → Timesheet → No restrictions

OnePlus:

  • Settings → Battery → Battery optimization → Timesheet → Don't optimize

Timer shows wrong time​

Symptoms: Duration doesn't match expected work time

Solutions:

  1. Check for automatic breaks - Settings → Breaks → Automatic breaks (might be enabled)
  2. Review break history - Open task → Breaks tab to see all pauses
  3. Verify start/end times - Tap task to check actual timestamps
  4. Check timezone - Ensure device timezone is correct
  5. Rounding settings - Settings → Timer → Rounding (might be rounding time)

Can't edit or delete tasks​

Symptoms: Edit button disabled or changes don't save

Solutions:

  1. Check sync status - Wait for sync to complete (spinning icon)
  2. Verify permissions - Team projects may restrict editing
  3. Check task status - Billed/Paid tasks may have edit restrictions
  4. Update app - Older versions may have bugs
  5. Try editing on web - my.timesheet.io as alternative

Automation Issues​

Geofence automation not triggering​

Symptoms: Timer doesn't start/stop when entering/leaving location

Critical Requirements:

1. Location Permission (MUST be "Allow all the time")

  • Android Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Location
  • Select "Allow all the time" (NOT "Allow only while using the app")
  • Enable "Use precise location"

2. Battery Optimization

  • Exempt Timesheet from battery restrictions (see Battery Optimization section above)

3. Location Services Enabled

  • Quick Settings → Enable Location/GPS
  • Settings → Location → On

Common Issues:

Geofence Too Small:

  • Open automation → Edit geofence
  • Increase radius to 100-200m for testing
  • Reduce once working reliably

GPS Signal Poor:

  • Geofencing works better outdoors
  • Indoor locations may have delayed triggering
  • Tall buildings can interfere with GPS

Background App Restrictions:

  • Check manufacturer-specific battery settings (see above)
  • Some Android versions limit background location updates

Testing Geofence:

  1. Create test geofence with 200m radius
  2. Walk completely outside the radius (300m+ away)
  3. Wait 2-3 minutes
  4. Walk back into the radius
  5. Check if timer starts (may take 1-2 minutes)

WLAN (Wi-Fi) automation unreliable​

Symptoms: Timer starts/stops randomly, creates multiple short tasks

Root Cause: Many Android devices disconnect Wi-Fi when screen locks to save battery

Solutions:

1. Keep Wi-Fi Connected During Sleep

  • Settings → Wi-Fi → Advanced → Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep → Always
  • Samsung: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Advanced → Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep → Always

2. Disable Wi-Fi Optimization

  • Settings → Battery → Wi-Fi optimization → Disable
  • Some devices: Settings → Developer options → Wi-Fi scan throttling → Disable

3. Switch to Geofence Automation

NFC tag not detected​

Symptoms: Tapping phone to NFC tag does nothing

Solutions:

1. Enable NFC

  • Settings → Connected devices → Connection preferences → NFC → On
  • Quick Settings → NFC toggle → On

2. Find NFC Reader Location

  • Usually on back of phone near camera
  • Try different positions/angles
  • Hold steady for 2-3 seconds

3. Tag Issues

  • Verify tag is writable and not damaged
  • Try writing automation to tag again
  • Test with different NFC tag if available
  • Remove phone case (may block NFC signal)

4. Phone Compatibility

  • Not all phones have NFC capability
  • Check device specifications
  • Settings → About phone → Look for NFC in specs

Synchronization Issues​

Data not syncing between devices​

Symptoms: Changes on one device don't appear on another

Requirements for Sync:

  1. Timesheet Pro subscription (required for cloud sync)
  2. Same account logged in on both devices
  3. Internet connection on both devices
  4. Account sync enabled in Android

Solutions:

1. Verify Account Login

  • Menu → Account → Check logged in email
  • Must be identical on all devices
  • Sign out and sign in again if uncertain

2. Enable Account Synchronization Android Settings → Accounts → Timesheet → Enable synchronization toggle

3. Force Manual Sync

  • Menu → Account → Pull down to refresh
  • Or: Menu → Settings → Sync now

4. Check Sync Settings

  • Settings → Accounts → Timesheet → Account sync
  • Ensure "Timesheet" toggle is enabled

5. Network Issues

  • Verify internet connection is active
  • Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data
  • Check firewall/VPN isn't blocking sync

6. Clear Sync Cache

  • Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Clear cache (NOT clear data)
  • Restart app
  • Allow time for full sync

Wait Time: Initial sync can take several minutes depending on data volume

Sync conflicts or duplicate data​

Symptoms: Same tasks appear multiple times, data inconsistencies

Solutions:

  1. Don't use backup/restore with sync - Choose cloud sync OR local backup, not both
  2. Wait for sync to complete before making changes on second device
  3. Contact support - support@timesheet.io with account details for manual conflict resolution
  4. Last resort: Export data, delete account, recreate account, import data

Data & Backup Issues​

Lost data after phone reset​

Prevention:

  • Enable cloud sync (Timesheet Pro) for automatic backups
  • Regularly export data (Export screen → All time → Save to cloud storage)
  • Create manual backups before major changes

Recovery Options:

If you had Timesheet Pro:

  1. Reinstall app from Google Play
  2. Sign in with same account
  3. Wait for cloud sync to restore data

If you created XML backups:

  1. Reinstall app
  2. Locate backup file (usually in /Timesheet/Backups/)
  3. Menu → Backup & Restore → Restore
  4. Select TimesheetBackup_xxxxxxx.xml file

If no backup exists:

  • Unfortunately, local data cannot be recovered after factory reset
  • Contact support@timesheet.io in case recent data is in cloud

Backup & Restore​

If you change phones you can transfer data as follows:

Create XML Backup:

  1. Menu → Backup & Restore → Press "Backup"
  2. Creates file at: /sdcard/Timesheet/Backups/TimesheetBackup_xxxxxxx.xml
  3. Transfer file to new device (email, cloud storage, USB)

Restore Backup:

  1. Install Timesheet on new device
  2. Menu → Backup & Restore → Press "Restore"
  3. Select TimesheetBackup_xxxxxxx.xml file
  4. Wait for restore to complete

Note: You need a file browser app to locate .xml files (Files, Solid Explorer, etc.)

Recommended: Use Timesheet Pro for automatic cloud sync instead of manual backups. Register at Menu → Account, then log in on both devices. 30-day free trial available.

iOS: passphrase prompt keeps appearing on restore​

Symptoms: You pick an encrypted backup file, enter your passphrase, and Timesheet asks for it again.

Causes & fixes:

  1. The passphrase doesn't match this file. Encrypted backups can't be opened without the right passphrase — there's no hint or recovery option. Try other passphrases you might have used. A common cause is restoring a backup that was made under a different Apple ID.
  2. The backup was made by a different Timesheet account. The passphrase you need is the one used when the file was created, not necessarily the one for the account you're signed in with now.
  3. The file might be incomplete. iCloud Drive sometimes downloads only part of a file on a flaky connection. Open the Files app, find the backup, long-press it, and tap Download to force a fresh copy.

See Backup & Restore for more on encrypted backups.

iOS: HR warnings not showing​

Symptoms: No daily-target, legal-maximum, or break warning appears on the Timer view or the iPad Cockpit, even though you have an active contract.

Causes & fixes: Common reasons are listed on the HR Compliance Warnings page. The most frequent one is the project you're tracking belonging to a different organisation than the contract — open the project in the web app and check it's assigned to the right team.

iOS: daily target indicator missing from the Duration card​

Symptoms: The Timer's Duration card shows your day, week, and month totals but no progress bar or "/ 8h" target line.

Cause: You don't have a contract with overtime turned on that covers the project you're tracking. Open More → Contracts and check that your contract is Active, has Overtime turned on, and has Daily hours set — and that the project belongs to the correct organisation in the web app.

iOS: Forgotten Timer notification didn't fire​

Symptoms: Your timer ran past the threshold you configured but no notification arrived.

Cause: The notification respects an "active usage" backstop — if you tapped, paused, resumed, or interacted with the app in the last 30 minutes, the notification holds off. Walk away from your phone for half an hour. Other gates: quiet hours, snooze cooldown, or iOS-level notifications disabled. See Forgotten Timer.

iOS: Live Activity buttons keep pausing my timer​

Symptoms: Your timer randomly shows as paused without you deliberately pausing.

Cause: Almost always a mistap on the Lock Screen Live Activity's Pause button when reaching for your phone. Open More → Settings → Live Activity and toggle Show action buttons OFF. The activity stays visible, but the action buttons disappear.

Cannot find backup file​

Solutions:

  1. Check Timesheet folder

    • Open file manager
    • Navigate to /Timesheet/Backups/
    • Look for TimesheetBackup_xxxxxxx.xml

  2. Check Downloads or Documents

    • Some devices save to different locations
    • Search for "TimesheetBackup" in file manager

  3. Grant storage permission

    • Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Storage → Allow

  4. Create new backup

    • Ensure you have write access to storage
    • Try backup again

Export Problems​

Export not working or fails​

Symptoms: Export button does nothing, error message appears

Solutions:

1. Grant Storage Permission

  • Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Storage → Allow
  • Required for saving export files

2. Set Export Folder

  • Settings → Export → Export Folder → Select Folder
  • Choose accessible location (Documents, Downloads)

3. Check Available Storage

  • Ensure device has sufficient free space
  • Large exports (many years) need more space

4. Try Different Format

  • If Excel fails, try CSV
  • CSV files are smaller and more compatible

5. Reduce Export Size

  • Narrow time period (month instead of all time)
  • Reduce number of exported fields
  • Filter to specific projects

6. Clear App Cache

  • Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Clear Cache
  • Restart app and try again

Exported file is empty or corrupted​

Solutions:

  1. Verify data exists - Check tasks screen has data for selected period
  2. Check filters - Ensure export filters aren't excluding all data
  3. Try CSV format - More reliable than Excel for large exports
  4. Update app - Export bugs may be fixed in newer versions
  5. Export in smaller chunks - One month at a time instead of all time

Excel file won't open properly​

Symptoms: Excel shows errors, formatting issues, or wrong separators

Solutions:

1. CSV Separator Settings

  • Settings → Export → CSV separator
  • Use Comma (,) for US/UK Excel
  • Use Semicolon (;) for European Excel

2. Try Different App

  • Google Sheets (cloud)
  • Microsoft Excel (official app)
  • LibreOffice (desktop)

3. Open CSV in Excel Properly

  • Excel → Data → From Text/CSV
  • Choose file, set delimiter
  • Proper import instead of double-click

Performance Issues​

App is slow or laggy​

Solutions:

  1. Clear cache - Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Clear Cache
  2. Archive old projects - Reduces data load
  3. Export and delete old data - Keep last 1-2 years active
  4. Restart device - Clears memory
  5. Update app - Performance improvements in newer versions
  6. Check device storage - Ensure sufficient free space (1GB+)

App crashes or freezes​

Solutions:

1. Update to Latest Version

  • Google Play → Timesheet → Update
  • Bug fixes in newer releases

2. Clear App Cache

  • Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Clear Cache
  • Does NOT delete your data

3. Restart Device

  • Power off completely
  • Wait 30 seconds
  • Power on

4. Reinstall App (Last Resort)

  • IMPORTANT: Export or sync data first
  • Uninstall app
  • Reinstall from Google Play
  • Sign in with same account (Pro users)
  • Or restore from backup

5. Report to Support

  • Email support@timesheet.io with:
    • Android version
    • App version (Settings → About)
    • What you were doing when crash occurred
    • Device model

Permission Issues​

Location permission problems​

Symptoms: Geofence not working, location tracking disabled

Solution:

  1. Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Location
  2. Select "Allow all the time" (required for geofencing)
  3. Enable "Use precise location"
  4. Restart app

Notification permission issues​

Symptoms: Timer notification not showing, no alerts

Solution:

  1. Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Notifications → Allow
  2. Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Notifications → Ensure all categories enabled
  3. Check Do Not Disturb mode isn't blocking notifications

Storage permission problems​

Symptoms: Cannot export, backup fails, photos won't attach

Solution:

  1. Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions → Storage → Allow
  2. Android 11+: May need "All files access" for some operations
  3. Restart app after granting permission

Web Application Issues​

Sign-in popup closes immediately​

Symptoms: Cannot sign in at my.timesheet.io, popup disappears

Solutions:

1. Enable Third-Party Cookies Chrome:

  • Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
  • Select "Allow all cookies" or add [*.timesheet.io] to allowed sites

Firefox:

  • Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection → Custom
  • Uncheck "Cookies" or add exception for timesheet.io

Safari:

  • Settings → Privacy → Uncheck "Prevent cross-site tracking"

2. Disable Ad Blockers

  • Temporarily disable AdBlock, uBlock Origin, etc.
  • Add timesheet.io to whitelist
  • Try signing in again

3. Disable Pop-up Blockers

  • Browser settings → Allow pop-ups for timesheet.io
  • Check browser toolbar for blocked pop-up icon

4. Try Different Browser

  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • Incognito/Private mode to test without extensions

5. Clear Browser Cache & Cookies

  • Clear browsing data
  • Restart browser
  • Try signing in again

Common Error Messages​

"No internet connection"​

Even with working internet:

Solutions:

  1. Toggle Airplane mode on/off
  2. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data
  3. Check VPN isn't interfering
  4. Restart device
  5. Check firewall settings

"Sync failed"​

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Verify Timesheet Pro subscription is active
  3. Sign out and sign in again
  4. Wait 5 minutes and try manual sync
  5. Contact support if persists

"Permission denied"​

Solutions:

  1. Review all app permissions (Settings → Apps → Timesheet → Permissions)
  2. Grant all requested permissions
  3. Restart app
  4. Check Android version compatibility (minimum required)

Getting Additional Help​

Before Contacting Support​

Please try:

  1. Restart the app
  2. Clear app cache
  3. Update to latest version
  4. Review this troubleshooting guide
  5. Check FAQ for common questions

Contact Support​

Email: support@timesheet.io

Include in your message:

  • Device model and manufacturer
  • Android version (Settings → About phone)
  • App version (Timesheet → Settings → About)
  • Timesheet Pro subscription status
  • Clear description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce the problem
  • Screenshots if applicable
  • What you've already tried

Response Time: Typically within 24 hours (business days)

Community Resources​

Known Issues & Limitations​

Current Limitations​

Android Version:

  • Minimum: Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
  • Some features require Android 8.0+
  • Background restrictions vary by Android version

Battery Optimization:

  • Some manufacturers aggressively kill background apps
  • Geofencing may be delayed on some devices
  • Keep app exempt from battery optimization

Sync Limitations:

  • Requires Timesheet Pro subscription
  • Large data sets may take time for initial sync
  • Poor internet connection can delay sync

Export File Size:

  • Very large exports (10+ years) may be slow
  • Excel has 1 million row limit
  • Use CSV for extremely large datasets

Known Bugs:

  • Check release notes in Google Play for current issues
  • Updates are released regularly with fixes

Reporting Bugs​

Found a bug not listed here?

  1. Document steps to reproduce
  2. Take screenshots
  3. Note device and app version
  4. Email support@timesheet.io with details

Your feedback helps improve Timesheet for everyone!

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