Time Entries in MinuteDock can be locked so they can't be edited or deleted. Locking is how MinuteDock protects time that's already been invoiced, signed off, or closed out for a period.
What a locked Time Entry is
A locked Time Entry is a Time Entry that's been made read-only. You'll see a small lock icon next to it on the Time screen. While an entry is locked, no one can edit its details or delete it through the usual Time screen actions.
Standard Users see locked entries as view-only. Admins can unlock a locked entry temporarily to edit it, then it returns to its locked state when they're done.
What causes a Time Entry to lock
A Time Entry can become locked for any of these reasons:
The Account lockout date. An Admin has set an Account-wide cutoff date and the entry falls on or before that date.
A locked day or week. An Admin has toggled the lock icon on that day or week heading for a specific User's Time screen.
An attached Invoice. The entry is attached to an Invoice. This applies even when the Invoice is still in draft.
A single Time Entry can be locked by more than one of these at once. Removing one reason doesn't unlock the entry if another reason still applies.
Set the Account lockout date
The Account lockout date is a single fixed date that locks every Time Entry dated on or before it, across the whole Account.
Only Admins can change this setting.
To set or change the lockout date:
Click Account in the top navigation.
Click Account Settings.
Tick the Set a time lockout date option.
Enter the date you want to lock up to, using the calendar.
Save your changes.
Any Time Entry on or before that date is locked immediately for everyone except Admins. To move the cutoff forward, change the date to a later one. To remove the lockout entirely, untick the option.
Note: changing the date doesn't affect entries that are locked for other reasons (for example, entries attached to Invoices stay locked regardless of the lockout date).
Lock or unlock a day or week from the Time screen
The Time screen shows lock icons on each day and week heading. Admins can click these icons to toggle locking on or off for that day or week.
This kind of lock is per-User. Locking a week from one Time screen only affects that User's entries for that week. It does not lock the same week for the rest of the team.
To lock or unlock a day or week for a specific User:
Open the Time screen.
If you need to view another User's time, click the My Time dropdown at the top of the Time screen and select the User you want to view.
Find the day or week heading you want to lock or unlock.
Click the lock icon on the heading to toggle the lock state.
Use this when you want to close out a specific team member's time for a period without affecting anyone else.
Permissions
Locking is an Admin-controlled feature. Here's who can do what:
Action | Admin | Standard User |
Set or change the Account lockout date | Yes | No |
Lock or unlock a day or week from the Time screen | Yes | No |
Unlock an individual Time Entry to edit it | Yes | No |
View a locked Time Entry | Yes | Yes (read-only) |
Edit or delete a locked Time Entry | Yes (after unlocking) | No |
If a Standard User needs to change a locked entry, they'll need to ask an Admin.
Edit a locked Time Entry
An Admin can edit a locked Time Entry without changing the lockout date or the day/week lock state. There are two ways into editing, depending on whether you want to edit one entry or open up a wider range:
Edit a single locked entry
Find the Time Entry on the Time screen.
Click the lock icon next to the entry. This unlocks the entry for editing.
Make your changes and save.
Unlock a whole day or week temporarily
Open the relevant User's Time screen using the My Time dropdown if needed.
Click the lock icon on the day or week heading to turn it off.
Edit the entries you need to fix.
Click the lock icon again to lock the day or week back up when you're done.
Editing a Time Entry that's attached to an Invoice
An Admin can still click the lock icon to edit a Time Entry that's attached to an Invoice, including a draft Invoice. A few things to keep in mind:
The entry stays attached to the same Invoice after you edit it.
You can change details like duration, description, Project, and Tasks.
You cannot change the Contact assignment while the entry is attached to an Invoice. To move the entry to a different Contact, remove it from the Invoice first.
Common questions
Why can't I edit this Time Entry?
The entry is locked for one of three reasons: it falls on or before the Account lockout date, an Admin has locked the day or week on the Time screen for that User, or it's attached to an Invoice (including a draft one). Check the lock icon and ask an Admin if you need the entry unlocked.
I'm not an Admin and I need to fix a locked entry. What do I do?
Ask an Admin in your Account to make the change. Standard Users can view locked entries but can't edit, delete, or unlock them.
If I remove the Account lockout date, are past entries unlocked?
Past entries that were locked only by the Account lockout date are no longer locked once you untick the lockout setting or move the date later. Entries that are also locked for another reason (a day/week lock or an attached Invoice) stay locked until that reason is resolved.
Does locking a week from the Time screen lock it for the whole team?
No. Day and week locks from the Time screen are per-User. They only affect the User whose Time screen you're viewing. Use the My Time dropdown to switch between Users.
What happens to an Invoice when I edit an invoiced Time Entry?
The entry stays attached to the same Invoice. Editing the duration, description, or Tasks may affect what the Invoice shows. If you've already pushed the Invoice to an accounting integration like Xero, you may need to make matching changes there too.
Can I edit just one entry inside a locked day or week?
Yes. Click the lock icon next to the individual entry to unlock it for editing. You don't need to unlock the whole day or week.