Time Off manages leave types, annual balances, employee requests, manager decisions, and payroll leave rows. Leave Policy Profiles add optional effective-dated sick and vacation rules.
Required access: Administrators configure types, balances, and policies. Managers need time-off approval permission. Employees need Active status and the Employee Requests sub-feature.
Enable Time Off
- Go to Time Logger > Settings > Features.
- Enable the Time off master switch.
- Expand it and enable the needed options: Leave Types, Leave Balances, Employee Requests, Manager Approvals, Request Notifications, and Payroll Leave Rows.
- Enable Leave policy profiles only if effective-dated state or custom policies are needed.
- Expand Leave Policy Profiles and choose State Templates, Custom Policies, Employee Assignments, and Automatic Balances as needed.
- Select Save feature controls.
Leave Policy Profiles require the Time Off master feature. Turning Time Off off also makes the profile workflow unavailable.
Create a leave type
- Go to Time Logger > Workforce > Time Off.
- Under Leave Types, enter a clear Name such as Sick Leave, Vacation, PTO, Jury Duty, or Unpaid Leave.
- Enter the Payroll code expected in exports. Keep each code unique.
- Choose a Policy category: Other, Sick Leave, or Vacation / PTO.
- Choose a Color for visual identification.
- Select Paid leave only if approved hours should be treated as paid.
- Select Add leave type.
- Confirm it appears in the Leave Types list.
Set an annual balance
- In Set annual balance, select an Employee.
- Select a Paid Leave Type.
- Enter the Year.
- Enter the Annual allowance (hours).
- Enter approved Carryover (hours) from the prior year.
- Use Adjustment (hours) for a positive or negative correction.
- Enter an Adjustment Note that explains why the balance changed.
- Select Save balance.
- Verify Entitled, Approved, Pending, and Available in the balance table.
Example: 40 allowance + 8 carryover + 2 adjustment − 10 approved = 40 available hours. Pending requests are shown separately so managers can see potential future use.
Configure the basic time-off policy
- Enter Default hours per workday. Example: 8 for a standard full day.
- Enable Allow paid leave balances to go negative only if written policy permits it.
- Enable Email managers and employees about request decisions when mail delivery has been tested.
- Select Save policy.
Employee request procedure
- The employee opens the normal Employee Time Clock page.
- In the Time Off card, choose a Leave Type.
- Enter Hours per Workday.
- Enter the first and last day.
- Add an optional manager note.
- Select Request time off.
- Confirm the request displays Pending.
Requests currently count Monday through Friday, must contain at least one weekday, must remain within one calendar year, and cannot overlap another pending or approved request. A Pending request can be cancelled by the employee.
Approve or reject a request
- Go to Time Logger > Workforce > Time Off.
- Review Pending Approval.
- Confirm employee, leave type, dates, workdays, requested hours, available balance, and employee note.
- Enter an optional manager note.
- Select Approve or Reject.
- Confirm the request leaves Pending Approval and, if approved, appears in Upcoming Approved Leave when applicable.
The balance is checked again at approval time. If another approved request used the balance first, approval may be blocked.
Use Leave Policy Profiles
- Go to Time Logger > Workforce > Leave Profiles.
- Start with a state baseline where available, or create a custom policy.
- Review every field; do not assume a template matches the employer, locality, classification, or effective date.
- Configure accrual method, ratios, use caps, balance caps, carryover, waiting period, minimum request increment, and review flags.
- Save the profile as an effective-dated snapshot.
- Assign it to the correct employee using the correct work jurisdiction and effective date.
- Test accrual and request validation with a test employee.
Understand profile choices
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Frontloaded | Provides a defined amount without waiting for worked-hour accrual. |
| Worked-hour accrual | Earns leave according to the configured ratio as qualifying time is recorded. |
| Annual use cap | Limits how much leave may be used during the applicable period. |
| Balance cap | Stops further accrual when the stored balance reaches the cap. |
| Carryover limit | Controls how much eligible balance moves to a new year. |
| Waiting period | Prevents eligible use before the configured period has passed. |
| Minimum increment | Requires requests in allowed hour increments. |
| Review flags | Call attention to non-forfeiture or separation-payout decisions that require human review. |
Effective dates and history
Profiles are immutable snapshots. When policy changes, create a new effective-dated profile or assignment rather than overwriting the historical basis. A new assignment does not silently recalculate all prior balances. Record opening balances or adjustments with explanatory notes as needed.
Payroll handling
When Payroll Leave Rows is enabled, approved paid leave can appear as date-level rows in the payroll workflow. Verify leave codes and totals in the export before importing them into a payroll provider. Unpaid leave can remain useful for scheduling and absence records without being treated as paid wages.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Time Off tab is missing | Enable the Time Off master feature and confirm user permission. |
| Leave Profiles tab is missing | Enable both Time Off and Leave Policy Profiles. |
| Request exceeds balance | Review allowance, carryover, adjustment, approved and pending requests, and negative-balance policy. |
| Request is rejected as invalid | Use a valid date range in one calendar year with at least one weekday and no overlapping request. |
| Waiting-period or increment error | Review the employee's effective policy assignment and requested hours per workday. |
| Approved leave missing from payroll | Enable Payroll Leave Rows and verify paid type, approval status, date range, and period. |
Legal notice: State templates are administrative starting points, not legal advice. Rules can vary by employer size, income, locality, employee classification, collective bargaining agreement, and effective date. Review official sources and qualified professional guidance before relying on a policy.
