---
title: "Understanding Time Entry Errors in Aspire"
slug: "understanding-time-entry-errors-in-aspire"
tags: ["Language - English", "Area - Scheduling", "Industry - Landscaping", "Type - Concept", "Role - Scheduler", "Skill Level - 1 (Beginner)"]
updated: 2025-10-14T16:20:04Z
published: 2025-10-14T16:20:04Z
canonical: "guide.youraspire.com/understanding-time-entry-errors-in-aspire"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guide.youraspire.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding Time Entry Errors in Aspire

## **Purpose**

There sometimes can be errors that Aspire will display if you are working in the *Time Entry Screen*, and you might think: *“How do I fix the error displayed so I can keep approving the time entered in my system?”*.

Aspire has a sequential way of checking for errors on this screen! This means that it will **check** for any errors in an organized way, and not all at once. This is why it is important to **establish** a workflow by your organization early on! This means that your crew members are remembering to clock in and out, or **stop** ticket time in *Aspire Mobile*. This also means that if need be, your in-office staff are **manually recording** *Job Time* in a way that makes it easier for *Time Entry* approval!

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## **Requirements**

✅In order to use the *Time Entry* screen successfully, you’d want to make sure you have a workflow **established** for your *Organization*.

📑 Please **review** the recommended *Time Entry Workflow and Checklist* *[here](https://care.youraspire.com/en/articles/6887485-time-entry-acceptance-workflow-and-checklist).* Understanding and using a workflow means that you’ll be able to avoid errors if possible!

---

## **Color Code of Notifications**

Aspire will display a notification at the top of the screen. You might wonder if there is logic surrounding these notifications. Well guess what? There are color meanings behind these notifications as well!

**Here is what they mean! 👇**

## **Blue Notification**

This notification type is for your information, only. This notification color means that action will still be taken and your change will be applied!

## **Red Notification**

This notification type is an error, and means that the save action cannot continue until you correct the error described.

![AD_4nXccaahGLU_EWeD9KN-zAxZzZUx60P90VHysD40mWmEyj-z06zPBZ95BbPl3TRxGcxrwQXU0tmuBCUnLwmVoSb9BVE2W1qLXqWDuMv6PyH949j018jo4LVQJaEHNd69aM4FkjYN3Qg](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/AD_4nXccaahGLU_EWeD9KN-zAxZzZUx60P90VHysD40mWmEyj-z06zPBZ95BbPl3TRxGcxrwQXU0tmuBCUnLwmVoSb9BVE2W1qLXqWDuMv6PyH949j018jo4LVQJaEHNd69aM4FkjYN3Qg.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T09%3A52%3A18Z&se=2026-11-13T10%3A52%3A18Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BEj8M%2BYOSWjGFBwY9dqOdGChOjBXIjh40DYLyJAgocA%3D)

  

# 

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# **Time Entry Errors**

The table below shows possible notifications you might receive on Aspire’s *Time Entry* screen, what they are caused by, and any additional notes on how to resolve them!

| **Notification Displayed** | **Caused By** | **Solution** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| *There are time and material work ticket(s) being updated and that have been completed. New time and materials will not be billed.* | This means that you are trying unsuccessfully to **save** time or materials to a *Time* and *Materials* work ticket that was already **marked** as *Completed.* | This notification is displayed in blue, which means Crew Clock Time will still **save**, but the additional time and materials **will not** be billed to the selected ticket(s) for invoicing, and will become *Warranty Work.* |
| *The following work tickets have outstanding job inventory. No save performed.* | This means that you are trying to **save** a work ticket that has been marked as *Completed,* but still has outstanding job inventory. This action opens another window that you can move the remaining *Job Inventory* into *Regular Inventory.* | Once you **move** the outstanding inventory, you should be able to continue with saving the job’s *Time Entry.* |
| *The assigned job hours for a crew member cannot be greater than the assigned clock time* | This means that there is more *Direct or Indirect Job Time* than *Clock Time* for at least one *Crew Member.* An **example** of this is if a *Crew Member* is going to be paid for fewer hours than what is being charged for the job. | **Adjust** the *Clock Time* to make sure the Crew Member gets the correct hours applied, and that it matches the *Job Time*. |
| *Job hours cannot be accepted when Quick Ticket hours are present!* | At least one *Quick Ticket* exists for this job! | **Apply** the *Time and Materials* from *Quick Tickets* onto a regular *Work Ticket* and this should fix the error and let you save the time in *Time Entry!* |
| *Negative entries are not allowed!* | This means that you are trying to save hours with a negative difference, or a negative value is entered in the *Hours* column on the *Time Entry* screen. In simple terms, this means that your employee doesn't get paid for all of your job costed time! In this case, a negative difference is considered Clock Time minus Job Time **or** Clock Time - Job Time= negative number. | **Correct** the negative difference or the negative value in the *Hours* column. |
| *Invalid Clock Time!* | Check the time entries! You are trying to save time with a Clock time that does not exist like 100:00, 27:00. | **Correct** the clock time to a real Clock Time amount. |
| *Inventory quantities cannot be negative* | This means you are trying to save a negative *Item Quantity.* | **Fix** your *Item Quantity*, and this should fix the error! |
| *Employees are not allowed multiple lunches!* | This means that you are trying to save with multiple *Lunch* checkboxes selected for more than one time record for your *Crew Members*. | **Fix** this error by unchecking the multiple Lunch checkboxes so only one remains. |
| *The assigned job time for a crew member cannot have overlapping times!* | This means that you’re trying to save time for a job that overlaps with at least one other job’s *Start* **or** *End Time* for at least one crew member. | **Update** the *Job* time entries so there are no overlapping *Job* *Start* or *End Times.* |
| *The assigned clock time for a crew member cannot have overlapping times!* | This means you’re trying to save the screen with a *Clock Start* **or** *End Time* that overlaps for at least one crew member. | **Update** the *Clock* time entries so there are no overlapping *Clock Start* or *End Times.* |
| *The starting clock in time must be equal to or before all time entries* | This means that you’re trying to save recorded *Job Start Time* before any of the *Clock Start Times*. | **Fix** the *Start Times* of *Job or Clock Time* to make sure they match. |
| *The ending clock out time must be equal or after all time entries* | This means that you’re trying to save recorded Job End Time after any of the Clock End Times. | **Fix** the *End Times* of *Job or Clock Time* to make sure they match. |
| *Cannot save drive time without work ticket time* | This means you’re trying to save clock time without any job time recorded. If your employee didn’t work any jobs with direct time, then use an indirect ticket (for PTO, Sick Time, Holiday, Training, etc!) Even if you use indirect tickets, you’ll need to make sure that this matches the clock time! | **Add** *Clock Time* for your Crew Members. |
| *An employee has drive time that would only be distributed to internal tickets only* | This means that you’re trying to save time with a positive difference and only your internal tickets have job time recorded. | **Update** the Time Entry screen so that time gets applied to Work Tickets for your jobs. |
| *There is unsubmitted sub portal time* | This means that you’re trying to save the Time Entry screen with sub time that has not been submitted. | **Make** sure your *Sub Time* has been submitted before saving this screen. |
| *Cannot save drive time without work ticket time* | This means that you’re trying to save time on a work ticket to distribute the Drive Time, but your crew member has no time logged for that work ticket. | **Apply** Crew Member time onto the work ticket before trying to save the Drive Time. |

### Understanding Time Entry Geo-Perimeter Push Pins

The *Time Entry* screen displays pushpins that inform where an employee clocked in or started time on a work ticket relative to the geo perimeters set up in Aspire. The following diagram shows an example of yellow push pins on the *Time Entry* screen.

| Production managers will be able to identify where the crew was relative to the geo perimeter when they clocked in based on these push-pin icons as follows: - Green - The employee was within the GEO Perimeter. - Yellow - The system could not read the location of the employee’s mobile or the time was changed or entered manually into the *Time Entry* screen. - Red - The employee was outside of the GEO Perimeter. | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/Time%20Entry%20Geo%20Perimeter%20Push%20Pins.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T09%3A52%3A18Z&se=2026-11-13T10%3A52%3A18Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BEj8M%2BYOSWjGFBwY9dqOdGChOjBXIjh40DYLyJAgocA%3D) |
| --- | --- |

**Clock-Time GEO Perimeter** – The push-pins for clock time at the top of the screen are color-coded relative to the address associated with the company. For single-branch companies, this is the address specified on the *Company* tab of the *Application* screen in Administration. For multi-branch companies, it is the address specified on the *Branch* screen for the branch of the employee who clocked in. The employee’s branch is the branch specified on the *Contact* screen. In either case, the push-pin is green if the employee clocked in within the number of feet of the center of the location as specified on the *Default Geo Perimeter* field on the *Time Reporting* tab of the *Application Configuration* screen.

**Work Ticket Time GEO Perimeter** – The push-pins for work ticket time at the lower sections of the screen are color-coded relative to the address associated with the property with which the work ticket is associated. The push-pin is green if the device on which it was started is within the number of feet defining the GEO Perimeter of the center of the location. If a GEO Perimeter greater than zero is defined on the *Info* tab of the *Property* screen, that value is used. If not, the value on the *Default Geo Perimeter* field on the *Time Reporting* tab of the *Application* screen is used.

Aspire can further tell where the employee was when they clocked in or started time. The red and green pushpins are hyperlinks to Google Maps and will spot the exact location when the action was taken.