Knowledge Base.

Absence types categorise the different types of absences users can book, from holidays and training to charity days and sick leave. Absence types can have their details shown or hidden on the calendar, and are associated to Absence Policies.

When an account is registered, an Annual Leave and Sickness absence type are created by default. Additional absence types can be created by HR Admin users.

To create an absence type:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Types from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Click New Type, enter the absence type details and click Save.

Existing absence types can be edited by HR Admin users.

To edit an absence type:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Types from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select an absence type from the table, edit the details and click Save.

HR Admin users can delete absence types, but it should be noted that in doing so, all absence records booked against the absence type will also be deleted and this action cannot be undone.

To delete an absence type:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Types from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select an absence type from the table, click Delete and confirm.

Absence policies are allocated to users via their Leave Policy, which determines which absence types can be booked.

When an account is registered, a Default Policy is created which is associated with both the default Annual Leave and Sickness absence types. Additional absence policies can be created by HR Admins. When assigning absence types to the policy, HR Admins can define which absence types can be requested by different user roles and which will be displayed to the user on their profile.

To create an absence policy:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Policies from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Click New Policy, complete the absence policy name and click Save.
3. Select an absence type from the Available Absence Types, complete the absence type details, and click Add to Policy.

Existing absence policies can be edited by HR Admin users.

To edit an absence policy:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Policies from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select an absence policy from the table, edit the absence policy name and click Update Name.

HR Admin users can delete absence policies, but it should be noted that in doing so, all absence records booked against the absence types associated with the absence policy will also be deleted and this action cannot be undone.

To delete an absence policy:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Policies from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select an absence policy from the table, click Delete and confirm.

Absence policies are associated with one or multiple absence types indicating which absences can be booked by users.

1. As an HR Admin user, select Absence Policies from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select an absence policy from the table.
3. To associate an absence type, select it from the Available Absence Types list, complete the details and click Add to Policy.
4. To dissociate an absence type, select it from the Attached Absence Types list, and click Remove from Policy.

Public holiday policies can be defined to set out all the public holidays for each calendar year depending on region. The policy can then be associated with each user and the absences booked on their calendars, meaning each absence does not have to be booked and approved for each user individually.

Public holiday policies can be imported with dates and details as defined by gov.uk or can be created manually.

To create a public holiday policy:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Public Holidays from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Click New Policy, enter a name and click Save.
3. To import government published dates, click Import, complete the details, and click Import.
4. To manually add dates, click Add Holiday, complete the details, and click Save.

HR Admin users can edit public holiday policies.

To edit a public holiday policy:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Public Holidays from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select a public holiday policy from the table, edit the policy name and click Update Name.
3. To import government published dates, click Import, complete the details, and click Import.
4. To manually add dates, click Add Holiday, complete the details, and click Save.

HR Admin users can delete public holiday policies, but it should be noted that in doing so, all future absence records booked against the policy will be updated and reflected in the user's absence balances. The deletion of the public holiday policy cannot be undone.

To delete a public holiday policy:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Public Holidays from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select a public holiday policy from the table, click Delete and confirm.

Public holiday days can be edited by HR Admin users whether the date was imported or manually added to the policy.

To edit a public holiday:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Public Holidays from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select a public holiday policy from the table, then select a public holiday from the table.
3. Edit the public holiday details and click Save.

Public holiday days can be deleted by HR Admin users, but it should be noted that in doing so, absence records booked against the public holiday will be updated and reflected in the user's absence balances.

To delete a public holiday:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Public Holidays from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select a public holiday policy from the table, then select a public holiday from the table.
3. Click Delete and confirm.

A public holiday policy can be associated with a user so that the entitlement shows in the user's calendar.

To associate public holidays with a user:

1. As an HR Admin user, navigate to the directory and select the Manage User icon.
2. From the profile Employment tab, click the edit icon for the Absences card.
3. Select a public holiday policy and click Save.

If an absence request is made that includes dates defined in the public holiday policy associated with the user, the public holidays will not be deducted from the user's absence allowance.

Work patterns determine the user contractual hours across their working days. One or multiple work patterns can exist as necessary but only one can be associated with a user. Work patterns allow users to book a duration of absence as a whole, with the knowledge that only their working days will be deducted from their absence balances.

Work patterns can be created by HR Admins to determine working days and hours which can be associated with users.

To create a work pattern:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Work Patterns from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Click New Pattern.
3. Complete the work pattern details, selecting the number of working hours for each working day and click Submit.

For historic absence balance management, it is not possible to edit work patterns.

Work patterns can be deleted when they are no longer required. Future absences booked against the work pattern are updated to deduct the exact number of absences rather than just the working days. Deleting a work pattern does not affect historical absence balances.

To delete a work pattern:

1. As an HR Admin user, select Work Patterns from the Absences card on the Settings tab.
2. Select a work pattern from the table, click Delete and confirm.