Are Electronic timesheets bad for IR35?

[HairyArsedBloke]

Not that I care anymore, but .....

An agency timesheet system is just a means of invoicing, so has no indication of control.

However, (the point of my post) should a contractor use the time recording system at a clientco? Not just clock in/out, but X hours on Project A, Y on Support B, etc. Would doing so indicate control? I believe that is hook, line and sinker.

[BrilloPad]

I use a clientco electronic timesheet - once approved they send money to my agency.

All contractors here HAVE to use it.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

I use a clientco electronic timesheet - once approved they send money to my agency.

All contractors here HAVE to use it.

A couple of our large household name clients using electronic systems, although we don't receive the money from the company (that still falls to credit control to chase up) but we do get approval from the hiring manager, so it speeds things up a bit for payment to contractor. All the contractor has to do is send us an invoice as normal as timesheets are electronic.

[ratewhore]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. In all the years I've dealt with IR35 enquiries, timesheets (in any form) have never been a major element of a case. Not worth burning any bridges over.

Wise words. If you have to you have to. As for the password thread, I favour the light touch approach. Currently I email my days to an authoriser at the end of the month and he replies with an authorisation email. Then I forward that to the pimp with my invoice.

Suits me...

[blacjac]

Not that I care anymore, but .....

An agency timesheet system is just a means of invoicing, so has no indication of control.

However, (the point of my post) should a contractor use the time recording system at a clientco? Not just clock in/out, but X hours on Project A, Y on Support B, etc. Would doing so indicate control? I believe that is hook, line and sinker.

I use client co's timesheet, because clientco then uses it to bill their clients.

has no bearing at all on what I do or when I do it, it's just a means of telling my client what I have done and when I did it.

[HairyArsedBloke]

I use client co's timesheet, because clientco then uses it to bill their clients.

has no bearing at all on what I do or when I do it, it's just a means of telling my client what I have done and when I did it.

Ah, I see. It's after the fact so it is not direction. Thank's for clearing that up in my mind.

I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad that I don't have to worry about these things anymore.

[bogeyman]

Ah, I see. It's after the fact so it is not direction. Thank's for clearing that up in my mind.

I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad that I don't have to worry about these things anymore.

Spot on HAB!

Timesheets! Ha ha ha!

[trsisko]

what about self-billing invoices is that bad?

[Not So Wise]

No difference between paper and electronic version

Secondly, timesheets are no an indicator of "control" but rather a case of just letting the client know after the fact what he will be billed for

Only thing I would say to watch out for is the text on timesheets, remember a few years a ago client wanted us contractors to use their new permie timesheet system, we had no real issue with that until we noticed all the fields were labelled "Employee" - "Employer" and such. But quick chat soon sorted that and we got a new "contractor timesheet" form done

[Fred Bloggs]

what about self-billing invoices is that bad?

Irrelevant. Raise the invoice anyway and file it for your accounts.