Time Off Request

Introducing the Time Off Request Smart App. This Web-based app simplifies the entire request-and-approval process. A built-in workflow enables employees to enter time off where supervisors can easily approve or deny requested dates. It also allows you to see who else has scheduled time off, so you can make an informed approval decision.

Here is a closer look at all the time saving features built specifically to help you simplify time off management:

Permissions:

• Administrators: have full access to manage time off requests for all employees.
• Managers/Supervisors: access to manage time off requests for their direct reports.
• Employees: access to submit, cancel and review their own time off request submissions. 

Submit a Time Off Request:

An employee can submit a time off request from any page in the Time Off Request application. After starting a request, the form is pre-populated with the employee’s information. Then, once the employee enters the dates/time, the reason for the request and whether the request is paid or unpaid, the form can be submitted. There are calendar and list views on the form that allow the employee to view summary and details of their request. The calendar view displays a summary of all requests; current, pending and approved. This list view displays the dates selected off, time taken for each day and total hours requested.

Approve or Deny a Time Off Request:

After a request is submitted, a Manager/Supervisor, Administrator or Owner can approve or deny the request.  If denying the request, the user only needs to click the Deny button at the bottom of the page. If approving a request, the user must first select the absence code for the request.  Both options require the user to confirm, which helps reduce mistakes in the approval/denial stage. After a request is approved or denied, the Time Off Request form is stamped with status (Approved or Denied), along with the date and name of the user who approved or denied the request. After a request has been approved or denied, the request can no longer be edited or modified. It can only be cancelled.

Submit/Approve/Deny Request on Behalf of an Employee:

Not all employees have access to a computer or will have access to Smart Apps. For these situations, we allow Managers/Supervisors, Administrators and Owners to enter time off requests on behalf of an employee.  To do this, the user selects the employee for which they want to approve or deny a request. Once the employee is selected, the form is populated with the employee information. The user can then enter the dates/time, reason, select paid or unpaid, and select an absence code (only if approving the request). Once the required information has been completed, the user only has to select to approve or deny the request.

Email Notifications:

Email notifications are sent after every status change.

• Submitted Request:  When a request has been submitted by an employee, the employee’s manager receives an email.  The email contains all the details of the employee’s request and a link directly to the submitted request so that the manager can approve or deny the request quickly and easily.
• Approved Request: If a request is approved, the employee requesting time off will receive an email informing them that their request has been approved.  The details of the request will be listed in the email along with a link to the time off request.
• Denied Request: If a request is denied, the employee requesting time off will receive an email informing them that their request has been denied.  The details of the request will be listed in the email along with a link to the time off request.
• Cancelled Request: If an employee cancels a request, their manager will receive an email informing them that the employee’s request has been cancelled.  The details of the request will be listed in the email along with a link to the time off request.

Cancel a Time Off Request:

A request in pending or approved status can be cancelled. Users with Employees permissions can only cancel a request up until the date of the request. Managers/Supervisors, Administrators or Owners can cancel an employee’s request at any time.

See Who Else is Out:

When viewing a request, users with Owner, Admin or Manager/Supervisor permissions can see who else is out during that same request. This includes pending or approved requests for both self and another employee.

Printing a Time Off Request:

Any user can print a time off request in pending, approved, cancelled, or denied status. The printed form will display all fields and the status. There are two convenient printing formats:

• The Calendar View is a summary of the time off request that shows only the calendar days requested off, whether they be full or partial days.
• The List View shows more detail of the time off request, including the dates, the hours per day, and the total time requested off.

Approved Requests Display in Attendance Calendar:

If a request is approved, then the days requested off will display on the employee’s Attendance Calendar in the Attendance Calendar Smart App with the absence code and time taken for each day. The time entered will also be calculated into the employee’s weekly totals. For flexibility, a user with access to Attendance Calendar can overwrite the absence created by the time off request by updating the absence code, time, or by adding a note.

Time Off Requests Grid:

All time off requests are visible in Time Off Requests grid. The grid displays the employee name, date range of request, current status and the date the request was submitted. Those with Employees permissions can only see their requests in the grid.  Managers/Supervisors can view their own requests plus any of their direct reports requests.  Administrators and Owners can view time off requests for their entire company.  Based on the user’s permissions, they will be able to filter their grid by the following:

• Name Search:  Only available for Owners or employees with Managers/Supervisors or Administrator permissions, the name search allows a user to search for an employee by first or last name
• List View: This filter allows a user to view their own requests, their team’s requests or their company’s requests.  Administrators or Owners see all options.  Managers/Supervisors can only filter by their own requests or their team’s requests.  Users with Employees permissions do not see this filter option because they can only see their own requests.
• Time Off Request Status: Users can filter requests by the following statuses: Pending, Approved, Denied, Cancelled or View All.  All users can filter their grid using the Time Off Request Status filter.
• Employee Status: This allows a user to filter requests to show active or inactive employees. This filter option will be available to owners or employees with Administrators or Managers/Supervisors permissions.  This filter is always defaulted to show only active employees.

Absence Code Management:

Owners or Administrators can manage the absence code list in the Time Off Request app.  All default absence codes used for Attendance Calendar will also be available by default in the Time Off Request app. Additionally, custom codes can be added and any code can be activated or deactivated. Just like Attendance Calendar, only active codes will be available in the dropdown on the Time Off Request form.  Also, if the company has a subscription for Attendance Calendar, the absence code list between the two apps will always match.  For example, if a code is added in Time Off Request and is active, it will be available in the absence code list in Attendance Calendar.

Time Off Request Resources:

The application comes with additional resources for users to understand the purpose of the app, how to use the application, relevant laws that protect employee absences, and recordkeeping requirements.  Blank time off request forms for 2018 and 2019 can also be printed from this page.