How to log time and costs with an assistant

# How to log time and costs with an assistant

Once an assistant is connected with the **My work** toolset, you can do most timesheet and cost entry by asking for it. The same rules apply as in Drum: locked weeks stay locked, and you can change only the entries your role lets you change.

## Before you begin

- Connect an assistant with **My work** selected. See [Connect a hosted AI client](/mcp/how-to/connect-a-hosted-ai-client/) or [Connect a client with an API token](/mcp/how-to/connect-a-client-with-an-api-token/).
- Your role needs `api_create` to log time and record costs, and `api_update` to change them.

## Log time

Say what you worked on, when, and for how long. Name the task the way you would to a colleague: the project number, address or client, and the task.

> Log 2 hours today on the drainage design task for 21 Drum St. Note: revised the stormwater layout.

The assistant finds the task, logs the entry, and tells you how your day and week are tracking and how much time is left on the task.

If it finds more than one likely task, it should ask which one you mean. Answer, and it carries on.

You can log several entries at once:

> Yesterday: 3 hours site inspection at Riverside, 1.5 hours on the Harbour Council report, 30 minutes at the team meeting.

The team meeting goes against a business overhead, if your account has one for meetings.

## Check your timesheet

> How does my timesheet look this week?

The assistant lists your entries for the week, with the total against your scheduled hours.

## Correct time

> Change Tuesday's site inspection entry to 2.5 hours.
>
> Move this morning's design review time to the Riverside fit-out project.

The assistant finds the entry and changes it. It cannot change an entry in a locked week, or billed time that your role cannot change. It tells you why when it cannot.

To delete an entry, ask for it. The assistant should confirm before it deletes, because a deleted time entry cannot be restored.

## Record a cost

> Record a $180 courier cost on project 2310, against the soil testing task, from Fast Couriers.

The assistant finds the project, task and supplier, and creates the cost. Amounts are tax exclusive. If the supplier is not in Drum, it should check with you before it adds a new one.

## Add a receipt to an expense claim

1. Attach the receipt to your message, or tell the assistant where it is.
2. Ask:

> Add this parking receipt to an expense claim: $24 at Wilson Parking for the Riverside site visit.

3. When the claim has everything on it, ask the assistant to submit it.

Submitting a claim starts your account's approval workflow and notifies the approvers.

Some hosted clients cannot send a file of more than 1 MB to Drum. If the receipt is too large, add it in Drum instead.

## Tips

- Say the date when it is not today. "Yesterday", "last Friday" and a date all work.
- Durations can be in hours or minutes. Drum stores whole minutes.
- Ask "which task did you use?" if you want to check before it saves.

## Related

- [Connect Claude and log your first time entry](/mcp/tutorials/connect-claude-and-log-your-first-time-entry/)
- [My work tools](/mcp/reference/my-work-tools/)
- [Example prompts](/mcp/reference/example-prompts/)

Once an assistant is connected with the My work toolset, you can do most timesheet and cost entry by asking for it. The same rules apply as in Drum: locked weeks stay locked, and you can change only the entries your role lets you change.

Before you begin

Connect an assistant with My work selected. See Connect a hosted AI client or Connect a client with an API token.
Your role needs api_create to log time and record costs, and api_update to change them.

Log time

Say what you worked on, when, and for how long. Name the task the way you would to a colleague: the project number, address or client, and the task.

Log 2 hours today on the drainage design task for 21 Drum St. Note: revised the stormwater layout.

The assistant finds the task, logs the entry, and tells you how your day and week are tracking and how much time is left on the task.

If it finds more than one likely task, it should ask which one you mean. Answer, and it carries on.

You can log several entries at once:

Yesterday: 3 hours site inspection at Riverside, 1.5 hours on the Harbour Council report, 30 minutes at the team meeting.

The team meeting goes against a business overhead, if your account has one for meetings.

Check your timesheet

How does my timesheet look this week?

The assistant lists your entries for the week, with the total against your scheduled hours.

Correct time

Change Tuesday’s site inspection entry to 2.5 hours.

Move this morning’s design review time to the Riverside fit-out project.

The assistant finds the entry and changes it. It cannot change an entry in a locked week, or billed time that your role cannot change. It tells you why when it cannot.

To delete an entry, ask for it. The assistant should confirm before it deletes, because a deleted time entry cannot be restored.

Record a cost

Record a $180 courier cost on project 2310, against the soil testing task, from Fast Couriers.

The assistant finds the project, task and supplier, and creates the cost. Amounts are tax exclusive. If the supplier is not in Drum, it should check with you before it adds a new one.

Add a receipt to an expense claim

Attach the receipt to your message, or tell the assistant where it is.
Ask:

Add this parking receipt to an expense claim: $24 at Wilson Parking for the Riverside site visit.
When the claim has everything on it, ask the assistant to submit it.

Submitting a claim starts your account’s approval workflow and notifies the approvers.

Some hosted clients cannot send a file of more than 1 MB to Drum. If the receipt is too large, add it in Drum instead.

Tips

Say the date when it is not today. “Yesterday”, “last Friday” and a date all work.
Durations can be in hours or minutes. Drum stores whole minutes.
Ask “which task did you use?” if you want to check before it saves.