Subcontractor timesheet approval on Belgian construction sites

Attendance and approved work are different records

Checkinatwork records presence for workplaces within its scope. The Belgian Social Security service says registration is made daily before the person starts work. That presence record does not by itself approve a subcontractor's hours, work quantity or invoice. Keep statutory registration and commercial timesheet approval connected but clearly separate.

Start from the subcontract, work order or agreed rate sheet. Identify the legal entity, people or crew, site, period and package of work. Define who may submit hours and who may approve them. A site manager should not have to infer which agreement applies from a free-text name.

Require a complete submission

Capture date, start and end time or duration, breaks, activity, zone and relevant work reference. Separate labour from travel, waiting time, equipment or materials when the agreement treats them differently. Attach a signed work ticket, site note or other evidence only when it is needed and proportionate.

Run understandable checks for duplicates, overlapping time, closed periods, unknown people and hours outside the agreed package. A warning asks for review; it is not proof that the subcontractor acted incorrectly. Let the submitter explain an exception and retain that explanation.

Approve at the right level

The supervisor confirms that the entry matches what could be observed on site. The commercial or project owner checks the agreement, rate and cost code. These may be the same person in a small company, but the system should still show which decision was made.

Approve, reject or return the entry with a reason. Record the user, timestamp and version. If an approved entry changes, reopen approval instead of silently replacing the value. Lock a settled period and route later corrections through a traceable adjustment.

Reconcile before supplier settlement

Group approved hours by subcontractor, site and period. Compare the summary with the supplier invoice or self-billing process where applicable. Differences need an owner: missing approved time, different rate, unagreed extra work or a duplicated line. Do not turn an approved timesheet automatically into a payment instruction.

For workers or contractors from abroad, verify applicable Belgian declarations and proof separately. The official Working in Belgium guidance notes requirements such as Limosa evidence for relevant foreign contractors. Obtain qualified advice for employment-status or wage questions; software cannot determine those from a timesheet.

Connect this workflow with construction time tracking, subcontractor management and withholding checks before payment.

Sources: Belgian Social Security Checkinatwork and Working in Belgium guidance, checked 1 August 2026.