What this feature does and when to use it?
The Contractor Portal provides contractors with a secure space to access jobs where timesheets are enabled, create and submit timesheets, track approvals, and manage their timesheet activity independently.
All actions performed in the portal are synchronized with Recruit CRM in real time, giving agencies complete visibility into contractor timesheet activity.
This feature is useful when you want to:
Give contractors secure access to manage their own timesheets.
Allow contractors to create, save, edit, and submit timesheets.
Enable contractors to track timesheet approvals and rejections.
Reduce manual follow-ups between agencies and contractors.
Keep timesheet activity synchronized with Recruit CRM in real time.
Who is considered a contractor?
A candidate is considered a contractor when timesheets are enabled for at least one job assigned to them. Once timesheets are enabled, the candidate is automatically identified as a contractor in Recruit CRM.
A contractor can have one of the following statuses:
Contractor Assigned: The contractor is currently working on a job with an active job duration.
Contractor Available: Timesheets are enabled for the contractor, but they are not currently working on an active job.
How to enable Contractor Portal access?
You can enable portal access directly from a contractor's candidate profile, allowing them to manage their timesheets independently.
Open the candidate's profile and ensure timesheets are enabled for at least one assigned job. You can confirm this by checking for the Contractor: Available or Contractor: Assigned status at the top of the profile.
Click the three-dot menu on the candidate's profile and select Enable Portal Access.
A Compose Email box will open with the Contractor Portal Invitation template pre-selected. Review or customize the subject and email body as needed. The template includes the {Invitee_Name} placeholder and a built-in help video, which can be removed if not required. Click Send to deliver the invitation.
Once the invitation is sent, the Portal Invitation Sent tag will appear on the candidate's profile, and the contractor will receive an email with a signup link.
While the Portal Invitation Sent tag is displayed, hover over it to see the following options:
Resend Invite: Sends a new invitation email and generates a new active invitation link.
Copy Invitation Link: Copies the current active invitation link to your clipboard, allowing you to share it directly without sending another email. Copying the link does not send a new invitation or change the portal status. You can copy and share the same active link as many times as needed while it remains valid.
If the invitation link has expired, the Copy Invitation Link option will no longer be available. Only Resend Invite will be shown, which generates a new active link that can then be copied and shared.
📌 Please note: The invitation link and reset link is valid for 24 hours from the time it is sent. If the link expires before the contractor signs up, resend the invitation to generate a new active link.
Once the contractor completes the signup process using the invitation link, the status automatically changes from Invitation Sent to Portal Enabled. The contractor can then log in and start managing their timesheets directly from the portal.
Please Note
Portal access cannot be enabled if the candidate does not have an email address on their profile.
Each email address can be associated with only one portal account, so if an email is already linked to an existing portal account, it cannot be used to enable portal access for another candidate.
The email template that opens when enabling portal access can be customized. Click here to learn how to edit and customize email templates.
How to manage timesheets in the Contractor Portal?
Once contractors have completed sign-up and logged in, they can manage their timesheet activities directly from the portal.
Set the time format
Contractors can choose whether timesheets are displayed in a 12-hour or 24-hour format.
To update the time format, navigate to Settings → Profile, select the preferred option under Time Format, and click Save Profile. All timesheets will then be displayed using the selected format.
View assigned timesheets
Contractors can view only the jobs they are assigned to where timesheets have been enabled. All timesheets related to eligible jobs are available in one place, and contractors can filter them by time periods, such as This Week or This Month, to quickly find the required entries.
Save open timesheets
While a timesheet is in the Open status, contractors can enter their timesheet details and click Save without submitting it. The timesheet remains open and can be accessed later for further updates or submission.
Create new timesheets
Contractors can create timesheets for jobs where timesheets are enabled. Click + Add Timesheet, select the relevant job and time period, and create the timesheet.
Add time entries and submit timesheets
To add time, click the Pencil icon in the Actions column of the relevant timesheet. Depending on the Rate Type configured for the contractor, enter either the hours worked (plus any breaks) or the day's attendance (Full Day, Half Day, No Show), then submit the completed timesheet for approval.
If a submitted timesheet is rejected, the contractor can view the rejection status, edit the timesheet to make the required changes, and resubmit it for review.
Track timesheet status
Contractors can track the status of each timesheet directly from the portal. Timesheets clearly indicate whether they are Submitted, Approved, or Rejected, along with updates made during the approval process.
Real-time data sync and activity history
All timesheets created, saved, updated, submitted, or resubmitted through the Contractor Portal are synchronized with Recruit CRM in real time.
Each timesheet also displays who submitted and approved it and when each action occurred, providing contractors and agency users with a clear activity history.
How to disable Contractor Portal access?
Agency users can disable portal access at any time if a contractor no longer requires access or if access needs to be temporarily paused.
Open the contractor's profile in Recruit CRM.
Click the three-dot menu and select Disable Portal Access.
A confirmation window will appear. Click Disable to confirm.
Once portal access is disabled, the candidate's status tag changes to Portal Disabled.
The contractor is immediately logged out of the portal, sees a message indicating that access has been disabled, and receives an email notification about the change.
Portal access can be enabled again later if required. Once re-enabled, the contractor receives a new notification and can log in using their existing credentials.
Candidate deletion and portal lifecycle
If a candidate record is deleted from Recruit CRM, the associated Contractor Portal account is automatically deleted.
If candidate records are merged and the secondary candidate has an associated Contractor Portal account, that portal account is also deleted as part of the merge process.
This ensures Contractor Portal access remains aligned with active candidate records in Recruit CRM.
Troubleshooting
Problem: I can't enable Contractor Portal access for a candidate.
Problem: I can't enable Contractor Portal access for a candidate.
Likely Cause: The candidate doesn't have an email address, timesheets haven't been enabled for an assigned job, or the email address is already linked to another portal account.
What to Check: Confirm that timesheets are enabled for at least one assigned job, the candidate has a valid email address, and the email isn't already associated with another portal account.
Resolution: Enable timesheets for an assigned job and add a unique email address to the candidate's profile before enabling portal access.
FAQs
1. Can I resend a Contractor Portal invitation?
1. Can I resend a Contractor Portal invitation?
Yes. If the invitation link is still active, hover over the Portal Invitation Sent tag and click Copy Invitation Link to share it directly without resending the invitation.
If the link has expired, Copy Invitation Link will no longer be available. In that case, click Resend Invite to generate a new active link, which will remain valid for another 24 hours. You can then copy and share the new link in the same way.
2. Are the bill rate and bill amount fields visible to contractors?
2. Are the bill rate and bill amount fields visible to contractors?
No. Bill rate and bill amount fields are client-specific and are not visible to contractors in the portal.
3. How can an agency user change the email address of a contractor who already has portal access?
3. How can an agency user change the email address of a contractor who already has portal access?
An agency user can update the email address directly from the candidate record. Once the new email is saved, the change takes effect immediately. A notification is sent to both the old and the new email addresses, and the contractor can log in using the updated email.
Note: If the email being updated already exists in the portal (whether added manually, through a profile update, etc.), the system will display an error, and the email change will not be allowed.
4. What happens if a contractor is unassigned from all jobs where timesheets are enabled?
4. What happens if a contractor is unassigned from all jobs where timesheets are enabled?
The candidate will no longer be considered a contractor. If portal access already exists, related options will still be available, and the contractor will no longer be able to view timesheets for jobs they have been unassigned from.
5. Is it possible to save a timesheet having status other than “Open”?
5. Is it possible to save a timesheet having status other than “Open”?
No, it is currently not possible to save a timesheet having any other status except “Open”
6. What happens if a Contractor wants to edit a Timesheet with status- Submitted or Rejected?
6. What happens if a Contractor wants to edit a Timesheet with status- Submitted or Rejected?
In such a case, the Save option is not available. They must resubmit timesheets after editing them.
Conclusion
The Contractor Portal gives contractors a secure and convenient way to manage their timesheets while keeping agencies informed through real-time synchronization with Recruit CRM. Contractors can create, save, submit, and track timesheets independently, while agency users retain control over portal access and contractor records.