For many Commonwealth employees, HR/CMS is closely associated with Self-Service Time and Attendance, or SSTA. Employees use the applicable HR/CMS time-reporting workflow to record or certify their own time, while designated managers or supervisors have separate approval responsibilities.
Understanding that employee-versus-approver distinction is more useful than treating every HRCMS timesheet problem as the same issue.
Where the Timesheet Fits Inside HR/CMS
The current Employee Self-Service interface includes a Timesheet tile alongside Personal Details, Payroll, Benefit Details and Support. Commonwealth navigation guidance identifies that tile as the route to the employee’s timesheet.
This means time reporting is part of Employee Self-Service rather than an unrelated payroll application.
However, employees may encounter the name SSTA — Self-Service Time and Attendance in official instructions and agency material. The terminology refers to the self-service time-reporting process within the broader HR/CMS environment.
Employees Report Their Own Time
The Commonwealth’s Time and Attendance Policy describes employee responsibilities for accurately reporting time.
Among other requirements, the policy states that employees should record actual deviations from preloaded working times where applicable, report leave using the required increments and certify the accuracy of time entered in HR/CMS by submitting it.
The precise time-reporting pattern can depend on the employee group and agency.
For example, Commonwealth instructions for certain contracted instructors require weekly time entry and refer employees to the applicable HR/CMS pay calendar. That should not be generalized into a universal rule for every employee group, but it illustrates why agency-specific instructions remain important.
Submitted Time and Approved Time Are Different Stages
Entering a timesheet is only one side of the workflow.
Massachusetts maintains dedicated resources for time approvers, and Manager Self-Service includes functions for employees who have that responsibility.
A typical distinction is:
Employee: records or certifies applicable time.
Approver: reviews employee time and performs the approval action required by the employee’s organization.
That matters when a timesheet appears complete from the employee’s perspective but is still waiting on another stage.
Managers May Delegate Approval Authority
HR/CMS also supports delegation for applicable approval responsibilities.
Current Commonwealth guidance explains that managers or supervisors who act as SSTA time approvers may delegate their approval responsibilities to another qualified approver under agency policy. The receiving approver must accept the delegated authority, and the delegation can later be revoked.
Delegation is therefore not simply sharing a password or asking another person to use the original manager’s account.
In fact, Commonwealth policy states that employees may not share passwords or permit others to use their credentials or time-collection cards to record hours.
The legitimate process is role-based delegation within HR/CMS where available.
Why a Timesheet May Not Behave as Expected
Several different issues can look like “my HRCMS timesheet isn’t working.”
You Cannot Reach HR/CMS
That is an authentication or availability problem rather than a timesheet-entry problem.
Use the official Mass.gov Employee Self-Service resource and the applicable support route.
You Can Sign In but Cannot Find the Timesheet
Check that you are in the appropriate Employee Self-Service context and using the instructions applicable to your employee group.
You Can Enter Time but Cannot Approve It
Approval is not an ordinary employee action. It belongs to users who have the applicable approver role.
A Manager Cannot Approve During an Absence
Where agency policy and access permit it, the delegation workflow may be relevant.
Submitted Information Is Incorrect
An actual payroll or time-record correction can require a different process from simple system navigation. Follow your agency’s official instructions or HR/payroll support.
Time Reporting Is Connected to Payroll but Is Not the Same Thing
HR/CMS brings time and payroll data into the same wider environment, but the functions should still be understood separately.
A timesheet records information used in the time-and-attendance process.
The Payroll area gives employees access to records and functions such as paychecks, direct deposit and tax information.
That separation helps diagnose issues.
If hours were entered incorrectly, the relevant problem begins with time reporting.
If a paycheck does not reflect what you expected, the question may involve payroll after the time-reporting stage has already occurred.
Where to Start
For general Employee Self-Service and time-reporting resources, use the Commonwealth’s Employee Self-Service hub.
Official Massachusetts Employee Self-Service resources
Employees should follow the time-reporting instructions that apply to their agency and employment category rather than assuming a workflow found for another Massachusetts organization applies to them.
For supervisors and approvers, see our separate guide to HR/CMS Manager Self-Service.