Absence Types - Best Practice

Who this guide is for: System administrators – Requires ‘Absence type setup’ permission

Overview
This guide explains why absence types are so important and what they control in the edays system.

What Is an Absence Type?

An Absence Type is exactly as it sounds—a category of leave. All absence types fall into one of two fundamental Record Types:

• Planned (e.g., Holiday)
• Unplanned (e.g., Sickness)

Within each, you can create multiple detailed types to suit your organisation’s reporting needs.

Flexibility of Absence Types

You can add as many Absence Types as you need via Admin panel → Global → Absence Types. These can be scoped:

• Globally (all users)
• On a template level
• On a user level

Demo Video:
 https://www.e-days.com/learning-centre-overview/11-absence-type-setup 

Functionality of Absence Types

Each Absence Type includes a set of configurable options:

1. General Settings

Core settings required to create an Absence Type in edays:

• Record Type: Planned or Unplanned (determines where it appears in the UI).
• Time Unit: Hours or Days.
• Additional Form: For Unplanned absences, enable the default Return to Work Form or Self-Certificate Form.
• Defined Reasons: Optional granular reasons (e.g., Sickness → Headache). Manage via Manage Defined Reasons.
• Colour: Appearance in the Absence Colour Key on the calendar.
• Affected Entitlement: Link to a specific entitlement (e.g., Volunteer leave).
• Sort Index: Order in which types appear in dropdowns.
• Third Party Code: Correlate with external systems’ absence codes.

2. Cancellation Settings

Control who can cancel and how:

• Allow Cancellation by Users: Users can cancel their own requests.
• Use Authorisation for Cancellation: Cancellations go through the approval workflow.
• Allow Cancellation by Authorisers: Managers can cancel on behalf of reportees.

3. Booking Settings

• Can Book Own Absences: Users can book their own absences.
• Can Book Reportees’ Absences: Users can book absences for their reportees.
• Can Book Others’ Absences: Users can book absences for anyone in their staff view.

4. Min/Max Settings

Set limits and notice periods:

• Minimum Length: e.g., Holiday must be at least 2 days.
• Maximum Length: e.g., Training capped at 5 days.
• Minimum Notice Period: e.g., 7 days’ notice required.
• Maximum Notice Period: Limit how far in advance requests can be made.

5. Attachment Settings

Enable attachments—commonly for doctor’s notes on Sickness:

• Allow File Attachments
• Enforce File Attachments
• Allow Multiple File Attachments
• Include Attachment Links in Emails
• Allowed Attachment Types

Remember to review the Permissions section for visibility and upload settings.

6. Additional Settings

Advanced options for special cases:

• No Authorisation Required: Skips approval (e.g., Training).
• Allow Booking in Non-Working Days: Useful for travel over weekends—it only books days marked as non-working.
• Enforce Details Capture: Require text in the description box.
• Enforce Reason Capture: Users must select from Defined Reasons.
• Affects Bradford Factor: For unplanned types that count toward BF score.
• Percentage Absent Impacts Duration: e.g., 50% of a 5-day request shows as 2.5 days.
• Can Be Linked: Link related absences (rare).
• Allow Absence Cover: Select a cover person—appears in manager email.
• Exclude from Minimum Staff Levels: e.g., Maternity cover already planned.
• Full-Day Bookings Only: Disables AM/PM split.
• Allow Recurrence: Set up recurring absences (e.g., weekly training).
• Paid Status: Mark absence as paid/unpaid (via Admin → Absence Records).
• Absence Contributes to Time Tracking:
  • Include: Counts as worked time (blocks extra hours).
  • Exclude: Treated as zero worked hours.
• Time Tracking Accrues Entitlement While Absent: Continue accruing during leave.

Permissions

Control visibility and functionality based on user roles:

Further Reading

• Global Level Absence Type Permissions
• User Level Absence Type Permissions
• Template Level Absence Type Permissions

Use these guides to fine-tune who can see and manage each Absence Type in edays.