How to skip Timecard resubmission for a custom Timecard field changes without quantity/hours change?

Business use case:

Customer is importing timecards into OTL from a 3rd party system (VMS) and capturing ‘Client approval status’ custom field in Timecard layout. This status is captured in project expenditure item DFF after importing cost into project costing to ensure only client approved timecards are billed to customer.

Initially timecards were imported into OTL with Client approval status as ‘Unapproved’. These timecards were mass approved in OTL and imported into project costing. Example: 40 hours for a week (8 hours on a day).

Later client approved the same timecards in 3rd party system and imported into OTL with client approval status as ‘Approved’. This is making the timecards getting resubmitted and approved in OTL due to change in client approval status although timecard hours are not changed. These resubmitted & approved timecards in OTL are being imported into project costing as adjustments making original 8 hours as -8 hours making these as Net zero expenditures and creating another expenditure item with +8 hours. Also, if revenue and billing completed against original expenditure item already, this adjustment is reversing revenue and creating credit invoice