# What a locked row looks like on the timesheet

**For:** Manager
**You'll need:** Nothing.

You'll learn how to spot locked timesheet rows and how to unlock them when you really do need to make a change.

## How locked rows look

A row locks the moment its time entry is **approved**:

- A banner at the top of the row's edit page reads **'Timesheet locked'**, with who approved it and when, and the hint "Unapprove the timesheet to edit."
- The clock-in / clock-out fields are read-only.
- The single-row **'Confirm'**, **'Undo confirmation'**, and **'Edit'** actions are disabled.
- Bulk actions silently skip locked rows and report them in the summary.

If you try to act on a locked row anyway (e.g. by opening the row's URL directly), {{ app_name }} refuses the change with HTTP 423 and shows the **'Timesheet locked'** banner instead.

## Why approved rows lock

Approval signs a time entry off as payroll-ready, so {{ app_name }} freezes it to keep payroll running against a stable snapshot. There's no period to close — the row locks the moment it's approved and unlocks the moment it's unapproved.

## How to unlock a row

::::{tab-set}
:sync-group: platform

:::{tab-item} Web
:sync: web

1. Find the approved row on the timesheet.
2. Click **'Unapprove'** on the row.
3. Make your changes.
4. **Approve** the row again when you're done.
:::

:::{tab-item} Mobile app
:sync: mobile

1. Tap **More** in the bottom bar, then **'Manager'**, then **'Timesheets'**.
2. Tap the row carrying the **'Approved'** badge.
3. Tap **'Undo approval'**. The badge drops back to **'Confirmed'** and the row is actionable again.
4. Tap the row and **'Approve'** once you're done.

Step 3's *"make your changes"* is where the phone stops: a manager can't edit someone else's clock times in the app. Employees can correct their own unlocked rows from **More → 'Timesheets' → 'Correct times'**; for anything else, unlock here and edit on the web.

On an employee's own **'Timesheets'** list a locked row is simply not tappable — there's no banner, and no action sheet opens.
:::
::::

```{warning}
Unapproving is an audited action. Do it only when you have to — payroll exports that already included the row may need to be re-run after your changes.
```

## Verify it worked

After unapproving, the row's edit page shows no banner, the fields are editable again, and the action buttons are enabled.

## Related

- {doc}`unapprove-a-time-entry`
- {doc}`bulk-actions`
- {doc}`edit-clock-in-clock-out`