Setting up time off types

Time off types represent the categories of time off users are allowed to take. For example, you can set up a time off type for sick time, vacation time, personal leave, or jury duty. Time off types are assigned to users. When users want to take time off, they book it against a time off type.

For each time off type, you can specify its basic settings, such as whether or not time off balances display when a user books time off. You’ll also need to define each time off type's default balance accrual and reset policy – also known as an accrual policy. When you assign a time off type to a user, they'll be assigned those default time off policy settings.

Some time off types are available in Replicon by default. You can use these defaults as is, or customize them to suit your company policies. Or, you can add new time off types from scratch.

Adding a time off type

When setting up your system, you should create time off types before you add users, since you'll need time off types available when adding users. If you’re using Replicon for payroll, you should set up pay codes before adding time off types.

To add a new time off type:

  1. Go to Administration > Time Off > Time Off Types.
  2. Click Add Time Off Type.
  3. Complete the basic settings.
  4. If available, add request validations for the time off type.

Request validations define the requirements a booking must meet before it can be submitted. Configurable validations are only available to customers using the new time off system. If you're using TimeAttend or TimeOff, time off validations are automatically applied.

  1. Create a default accrual policy or set of policies for this time off type.

A time off policy is a set of rules that determine the balance of time off available for a time off type.

For information on policy options and how default policies work, click one of the links below depending on which product you are using:

  1. Click Save.

You can also edit any existing time off type by clicking its name in the time off type list. Any changes you make to the basic settings will apply to all existing users, though changes to the default policy settings will not.

About key basic settings

The available fields depend on which product you have purchased. The basic settings for customers using the new time off system are outlined here. If you're using TimeAttend or TimeOff, the key settings are detailed here.

To find out more about the differences between new and old time off, refer to About the time off versions.

In the new time off system

When adding a time off type, the basic settings are available at the top of the page, and under Booking Policy, Additional Fields, and Request Validations.

Field Name

This field…

Units

Specifies whether time off is tracked and displayed in hours or days. Days are based on the days assigned in the user’s office schedule. Typically, we recommend accruing time in hours.

This field will not be editable once you’ve created and saved a new time off type.

If users in your system are scheduled for a variable number of hours per day, depending on the day of the week, click here for information on recommended settings for this field.

Enabled

When selected, makes the type available for use in the system. When deselected, the type becomes unavailable to book time against for all users.

Pay Code

Defines the rate at which this type of time off will be paid. In most cases, assign a generic Time Off pay code that pays users their regular rate.

Balance Summary Display

Specifies how the time off balance for this type displays in the user's booking dialog. The options are:

  • Do Not Display
  • Simple Balance Summary - shows the balance just prior to the next scheduled balance reset for a policy. Most suitable for use with 'yearly entitlements' – policies with an annual reset and no accruals.
  • Full Balance Breakdown - shows the balance as of the booking date, along with a breakdown of all accruals and bookings that will occur between the day the booking is made and the day it's scheduled to start. Also displays a year-end balance estimate.
  • Time Taken - shows the amount of time off taken since the policy took effect

Refer to How are the balances that display in my time off booking dialog calculated? if you need more information on these options.

Allow Editing of Submitted Bookings

Allow Deletion of Submitted Bookings

Lets you choose whether bookings can be edited or deleted after they've been submitted.

Whether or not an employee, supervisor, or manager can edit or delete bookings depends on their assigned permissions.

Minimum Increment for Bookings

Defines the minimum increment of time users can book off:

  • Full Day - Users can book full days only
  • Half Day - Users can book 1/2 or full days only
  • Quarter Day - Users can book 1/4, 1/2, or full days only
  • Full Hour - Users can make bookings using full hour incre­ments (for example, 1, 2, or 4 hours), or full days
  • None - Users can make bookings using parts of hours (for example, 0.75 or 2.25) or full hours. They can also book off 1/2 or full days.

The Full Hour and None options are not available if Units is set to Days.

Require Start/End Times for Partial Day Bookings

When selected, requires users to enter start and end times when booking off partial days

Add Field

Allows you to add 'new' custom fields that will appear to employees in bookings of this time off type.

For example, you could include an attachment custom field that employees could use to attach sick notes to their bookings.

Add Request Validation

You can use this field to add time off validation rules that will apply to anyone assigned this time off type.

Note that time off validations can also be assigned per policy.

Notice

Allows you to include a message on bookings of this type.

For example, you could include special submission instructions required when booking this type of time off, such as any special forms that must be completed.

The title is optional.

In TimeAttend and TimeOff

The basic settings are available in the Basic Information section.

Field Name

This field…

Pay Code

Defines the rate at which this type of time off will be paid. In most cases, assign a generic Time Off pay code that pays users their regular rate.

Type

Shows whether the time off type is used to accumulate regular Time Off or Banked Time. All new time off types you add are assigned Time Off by default. Time can only be banked against the default Banked Time time off type.

Balance Summary Display

See above

Accrue Time as

Specifies whether time is added to time off types in units of Hours or Workdays. Workdays are based on the days assigned in the user’s office schedule. Typically, we recommend accruing time in hours.

This field will not be editable once you’ve created and saved a new time off type.

If users in your system are scheduled for a variable number of hours per day, depending on the day of the week, click here for information on recommended settings for this field.

Time Off Display Format

Specifies whether time off is displayed as hours or as workdays

Enabled

When selected, makes the type available for use in the system. When deselected, the type becomes unavailable to book time against for all users.

Minimum Increment for Time Off Bookings

See above

FAQs

What time off types do we need?

You should create a time off type for each category of time off that uses different accrual policies or is paid out at a different rate, or any category of time off you need to independently track.

If we change a time off type’s basic settings, will the new settings apply to existing users already assigned that type?

Yes, a time off type’s current basic settings apply to all past and future bookings. However, if you make changes to the default accrual settings, those are not undated for any users already assigned the time off type.

If I add a new time off type, is it automatically enabled for existing users?

No, you’ll need to assign new time off types to existing users. If you're using TimeAttend or TimeOff, you can do this using the mass edit functionality.

What is the Banked Time time off type? Should we enable it?

The Banked Time time off type is used to accumulate banked overtime and is only supported in TimeAttend. It is available by default, and is the only time off type you can use for banking. You only need to leave it enabled if you allow overtime banking in your system.

The Banked Time type is different from other types in that you can’t schedule accruals or resets of its balance to occur. You can, however, manually set or reset its balance. In most jurisdictions, banked time that is not used must be paid out. Therefore, if you reset a banked time balance and hours are lost, you may be required to pay the user for those hours.

If you're the time off in lieu feature that works with new time off, no special time off type is required to convert overtime hours to time off.

Related links

Adding default time off accrual policies (for new time off system)
About the accrual rules in time off policies
Assigning time off types and accrual policies to users
Setting up time off booking validations
Time off policy scenarios