Time Off Request Management

In Beta!

Background

Managing time off requests from employees is easy and efficient and a feature of our low cost time and attendance software. Employees can submit formal time off requests directly from the mobile app–no time card is needed).

Employees request time off using our mobile app, available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. Learn more by reading the employee help article, “How to Submit a Time Off Request.”

Time Off Request Setup Requirements

For your employees to submit time off requests, make sure you have:

1. The time and attendance software add-on with your payroll. Employees DO NOT need to use timecards for the time off requests feature. There is no per employee fee for time off requests.
   • Need to add the time and attendance software? Go to Settings > Company settings > Add or Cancel Software.
2. For Paid Time off Requests:
   • Make sure you have at least one “Time Off” Hour Type. See our help article, “Setting Up Time Off Hours,” on how to set up time off hours.
   • Be sure employees have a time off beginning balance for your paid hour type or have time off accrual rules set up. Beta release functionality will not allow an employee to request hours they do not currently have.
     • Read our help article, “Managing Time Off,” to learn how to add or edit time off hours per hour type for employees.
     • Also read how to “Set Up Accrual Rules ,” to automatically grant time off per time worked.
3. Employees must have their employee portal set up and download the My Patriot mobile app available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
   • Beta release functionality: time off requests functionality is available in the mobile app, not the web employee portal.
4. Managers will need “View and Manage Time Off Request” permissions to manage time off requests in their portal and receive notifications. Read our help article “How to Add or Remove Manager Permissions,” for more info.

Unpaid time off requests are formal requests for internal tracking only and do NOT use a specific hour type, like Vacation or PTO. These requests generally will not be added to employee timecards.

How to Enable the Time Off Request Feature

Depending on which add-on software you subscribe to:

1. Time and Attendance (only): Go to Settings > Time > Time off Request Settings.
   –OR —
   HR and Time and Attendance: Go to Settings > Human Resources and Time > Time off Request Settings.
2. Check the box that reads “Enable Time Off Requests”
3. Set your notification preference for time off requests:
   • Admins Only – (Default) Send notifications to all users with admin company access when time off is requested
   • All Users – Send notifications to all users with company access when time off is requested
   • No Notifications – Notifications will not be sent when time off is requested
4. Click “Save.”
   • To disable the time off request feature, uncheck the box that reads “Enable Time off Requests” and click “Save.”

How to Manage Requests for a Single Employee

When an employee submits or cancels a time off request, the account admin gets an email notification. Anyone with payroll access can approve requests. Managers with “View and Manage Time Off Request” permissions will receive a notification via email also.

1. Go to Payroll > Payroll Tasks > Manage Time Off
2. Click the “Time off Requests” tab.
   • You can easily view how many new or pending requests there are as indicated on the tab. 
   • If there are no pending requests, you will see “There are no pending requests” on the page. 
3. Choose the employee request you want to review.
   • Also learn how to manage multiple requests at once.
4. Click the “View Details” link below their name.
5. A modal will pop up with the request details:
   • Date/time requested
   • Type of Request: paid time off request or a unpaid request.
   • Total time requested
   • Hour Type, PTO, Sick, Jury Duty, etc, (if a paid time off request)
   • Any comments from the employee
6. Additional options in the modal:
   • Click “Show Status History” to see when the request was submitted and any actions taken (e.g., approvals, denials).
   • Click “Show Balances” to view the employee’s current balance for the requested hour type.
     • The beta release functionality will not allow an employee to request hours they do not currently have. 
7. You can add an optional note (up to 250 characters) in the “Reviewer Notes” box.
   • This note will not be editable after you have completed the request.
8. Click the “Approve Request” or the “Deny Requests” button to complete this pending request.
   • The “Cancel” link will take you back to the previous screen.
9. The employee will be notified in the mobile app dashboard of the approval/denial.
   •  If enabled, a push notification will be sent on the employee’s mobile phone. 
10. Beta release functionality: Approved Paid Time Off (PTO) hours are not automatically added to employee time cards at this time. These hours must be manually entered by either the admin or the employee directly on the time card.

How to Manage Requests for Multiple Employees at Once

1. Go to Payroll > Payroll Tasks > Manage Time Off
2. Click the “Time Off Requests” tab. 
3. To Approve/Deny multiple requests check the boxes beside the employee names or check the top of the employee grid to select all.
4. Type an optional note that will post to all selected employees.
   • The note is not editable after you have completed the request. 
5. Click the “Approve Request(s”) or link or the “Deny Request(s)” link to complete the pending request.
   • Click “Cancel” to go back to the previous screen. 
6. The employee will be notified in the mobile app dashboard.
   •  If enabled, a push notification will be sent on the employee’s mobile phone. 
7. Beta release functionality: Approved Paid Time Off (PTO) hours are not automatically added to employee time cards at this time. These hours must be manually entered by either the admin or the employee directly on the time card.

Time Off Request FAQs for Employers

Also check out, “Communicating Time-off Requests to Employees.”

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