Timesheets for Grant-Funded Research - Frequently Asked Questions - Version 23 October 2018

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Mabel

Guidance explains why certain staff must complete monthly research timesheets for grant-funded projects and how these timesheets support compliance with grant terms, allocation of salary costs across project accounts, and calculation of person-month effort for work packages and projects. It describes the verification role for auditors and the consequences of incomplete timesheets, including potential sanctions. It also clarifies which staff are required under EC FP7 and Horizon 2020 and outlines key handling differences and exceptions, including hourly-paid contractors and fixed-allowance cases.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Why are some staff required to complete monthly timesheets?

Compliance, cost allocation, and auditor verification

Which staff members are required to complete monthly timesheets?

EC FP7-funded research grants

EC Horizon 2020-funded research grants

UK government-funded projects using FEC

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs): TIMESHEETS FOR GRANT-FUNDED RESEARCH (VERSION 23 OCT 2018) *Note, this guidance relates to Research and Innovation (R&I) timesheets required for some staff working on grant-funded projects. For information about Human Resources (HR) Division timesheets completed by hourly-paid staff in order to receive salary payment, please see the HR website. Why are some staff required to complete monthly timesheets? Staff members are required by LSE to complete timesheets when required by the terms and conditions of the research grants on which they are working or when necessary to determine the correct allocation of their staff costs. Timesheets: • Allow LSE to comply with grantor terms and conditions, • Allow LSE to reconcile the distribution of staff’s salary costs across project accounts,• Allow LSE to calculate person-month effort per work package and per project on European Commission (EC) funded projects, and • Serve as verification to auditors that work carried out by staff is consistent with the distribution of their pay costs and the tasks agreed under the terms of the applicable grant agreements. In some cases, the completed timesheets determine the eligibility and amount of the individual’s salary costs claimed. In these cases, if timesheets are not completed, then LSE will not receive reimbursement of the individual’s salary costs. Timesheets may be reviewed by auditors. If they are found to be incomplete, LSE may be sanctioned, including 1) the inability to submit future proposals to the applicable grantor and/or 2) financial penalties. These sanctions may be applied school-wide, not just to individual projects. Which staff members are required to complete monthly timesheets? • All staff working on an EC Framework Programme 7 (FP7) funded research grants. There may be some exceptions including but possibly not limited to: o Marie Curie fellows who are full-time and paid according to fixed-rate monthly living and mobility allowances. o Hourly-paid contractors who are paid on the basis of timesheets submitted to HR. If using the hard-copy yellow HR timesheet, hourly-paid contractors may need to keep track of how their time is distributed across work packages and either write this information on the timesheet where there is blank space available or provide this information directly to R&I at the end of each reporting period. It is a best practice to indicate the work package distribution on the HR timesheet. If using the new Excel-based HR timesheet, hourly paid contractors will need to print the timesheet and add physical signatures both for themselves and for their supervisors. Currently, R&I does not accept email confirmations as signatures. As well, they will need to use the free-text fields of the HR timesheet to indicate how their time is distributed across work packages and to provide a short description of the work performed. For more information about FP7 timesheet requirements, please see: o FP7 Grant Agreement – Annex II – General Conditions (in particular, Article II.15. 1): [http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/fp7/93289/fp7-ga](http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/fp7/93289/fp7-ga)annex2 en. pdf o Guide to Financial Issues Relating to FP7 Indirect Actions (in particular, Section 1: General Financial Provisions; Article II.15 of ECGA): [http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/fp7/89556/financial_guideli](http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/fp7/89556/financial_guideli)[nes_en.pdf](nes_en.pdf) • All staff members working less than 100% of their contracted time on an EC Horizon 2020 (H2020) funded research grant. Horizon 2020 differs from FP7 in that staff members working 100% on a single EC Horizon 2020 project are not required to complete timesheets. However, these staff will need to keep track of how their time is distributed across work packages and provide this information to R

FAQs

Why do some staff members have to complete monthly timesheets for grant-funded research?

Staff must complete timesheets when required by the grant terms or when needed to allocate staff costs correctly. Timesheets help LSE comply with grant conditions, reconcile salary costs across project accounts, calculate person-month effort, and provide verification for auditors.

What happens if timesheets are incomplete or not submitted?

In some cases, completed timesheets determine eligibility and the amount of claimed salary costs, so missing timesheets can prevent reimbursement. If auditors find timesheets incomplete, LSE may face sanctions, such as inability to submit future proposals to the grantor and/or financial penalties, potentially applied school-wide.

Who is required to complete monthly timesheets under EC FP7 and Horizon 2020?

Under EC FP7, all staff working on FP7-funded research grants must complete monthly timesheets, with limited exceptions such as certain full-time Marie Curie fellows and hourly-paid contractors handled via HR timesheets. Under Horizon 2020, staff working less than 100% of contracted time must complete timesheets, while staff working 100% on a single project are generally not required but must provide tracking information and complete a declaration per reporting period.

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Mabel