Parallax Actual Hours Import Process

For customers who do not use a Time Tool to integrate with Parallax, we have a way for you to import your actuals into Parallax.  This is a self-service tool that allows you to import whenever needed and does so by matching the data exported from your time tracking system to a standard template with the required information needed. 

The feature is activated by a request made to your Customer Success Manager or Customer Implementation Manager and is available only to those clients without a time keeping integration already installed. 

To access the Upload Time feature, this is located in Settings.  

Process: 

Download import template

1. Navigate to the “Import Time” page
2. Click the “Download Template” button
   1. Confirmation message
3. Open the template
4. Import Time Template

Format data

Format the data exported from the timesheet provider to the provided template. Additional columns can be added to the file, but the header names of the required fields CANNOT be changed or the file will fail to import. The file must be saved as .CSV.

The following values are required for importing hours into Parallax. If one or more values for a record do not meet the requirements, that record will fail to upload. 

Format Values:

Project Name, Offering Name, Email Address (Employee), Date, Amount(Time), Notes

Example: WebMart, Web Design Project 2, James@yourcompany.com, 1/2/2025, 4.5, Designer Time

1. Project Name
   1. The Project must exist in Parallax in order to match the time to the Project.
      1. Importing a Project that does not exist in Parallax will NOT create a new one.
   2. This must be an exact match on Project name
2. Offering Name
   1. The Offering must exist in Parallax in order to match the time to the Project.
      1. Importing an Offering that does not exist in Parallax will NOT create a new one.
   2. This must be an exact match on Offering name
3. Email Address
   1. Email is the unique identifier used to link time entries to a time tracking individual
   2. The Email address must exist on a Person record in Parallax 
      1. Importing an Email that does not exist in Parallax will NOT create a new one.
   3. There must be an exact match on the Email address (including special characters, etc.)
4. Date
   1. The date must be formatted as: mm/dd/yyyy
   2. Entries cannot span multiple days 
   3. If multiple entries are made for the same day, they will be added up and totaled 
5. Amount
   1. Must be in number format (ex: 2 hours, 30 minutes = 2.5)

Notes are an optional value. If notes are added to time entries, they will be visible on the Insights > Billing Export report.

Import your actual hours

1. Navigate to “Import Time” page
2. Click the “Upload Time” button
3. Select the formatted file to import and submit. 

You can add, remove and change hours in Parallax in the following ways:

1. Adding hours:
   1. Importing hours for the first time for a record (combination of Person+Project+Offering+Date) will be added to Parallax as actual hours.
2. Removing hours:
   1. Any subsequent imports made for a record (Person+Project+Offering+Date) after the initial import will overwrite and replace existing time for that record. Importing a new file with 0 hours for a record will zero out the previously imported time, and will effectively delete the existing hours for the record.
3. Changing hours:
   1. Any subsequent imports made for a record (Person+Project+Offering+Date) after the initial import will overwrite and replace existing time for that record. Importing a new file with modified hours for a record will replace the previously imported time.

Review status and errors

Once you have submitted your file to import, you will see a confirmation message on the screen:

“Your upload has been received and is being processed. You’ll receive an email once it’s complete. In the meantime, you can check the status here: Import Status & Results.”

Parallax will import any records that match the Project+Offering+Email based on the criteria stated in the “Format Data” section. Records that do NOT match based on this criteria will fail. Once the process has completed, you will receive an email with a link to view the results of your import.

You will receive an email confirmation once the upload is completed: 

The Import Status & Results page will show how many records were successfully imported, how many failed, and why they failed. The failed records can then be corrected, and the import can be attempted again. 

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Who can import time to Parallax?

• Users with the ‘Global Time Tracking’ permission have the ability to import actual hours. 

How often should I import time?

• We recommend importing time weekly in order to keep actuals up to date and avoid larger submissions. Please discuss your needs with your CS representatives.

How do multiple entries on the same day work?

• If multiple records (combination of Person+Project+Offering+Date) exist on the same day, Parallax will TOTAL UP all of the hours for that day.

File format and limitations

• All import files must be saved as .CSV, include all of the headers within the template, and follow the criteria list under Format data.
• The import must be under 15 MB

Best practices

• Parallax does not restrict hours per day - you can submit more than 24 hours for one person on the same day and it will be recorded as such. This is because we do not have a way to know what the actual correct hours for the day should be - it likely is not 24 hours either. If this time is spread across projects, we will not know which projects are correct and which are incorrect.  If this happens, you can correct it by submitting an updated file for that period of time. 
• Multiple notes for the same time entry on the same day - Parallax will reflect the first note listed in the file.