This workflow recipe will provide the steps to create and configure a workflow for a simple Time off approval process, within this process the workflow will send the time off request to the employee's manager for approval and then inform the employee of the result.

If you're interested in creating your own time off approval workflow this recipe can provide a bit of a head start in regards to the workflow configuration, how to set up various workflow step types as well as how to set up your step triggers so that tasks are assigned at the correct time intervals.

To begin following this guide you'll first need to navigate into Administration -> HR -> Workflows and click Add.

The Workflow

Workflow Name: Time off Approval (or something along those lines).

Category: Approval.

Type: Timeoff.

Timeoff Type: Any time off type you want this workflow to trigger for, for my example I will use Annual leave.

Workflow applies to manager/approver actions? No - employee self service only.

Trigger against employees in probation? Yes - including those out of probation.

All comments visible: No.

Restrictions: Any that you desire.

Length of service (years): Blank.

Only manager roles? No.

Active: Active.

Once you've submitted this page you should be redirected to the Workflow steps page, this workflow is nice and simple so we won't have to do much work here, to start just click Add Step.

Workflow Steps

Step 1

The first step of our workflow will send an approval step to the manager of the employee who has requested the time off.

Name: Time off request from [employee_name] (this tag will automatically complete with the correct employee's name when the time off is requested).

Description: Manager to approve/decline time off request.

Notify only?: No.

Type: Require approval.

Recipient(s): Employee's manager

Message Subject: Time off request from [employee_name]

Message Content:

Hi [current_manager_first_name]

Please review this time off request from [employee_name] starting [timeoff_start_date] and action accordingly

Thanks

HR

(The message and subject above are just generic examples of what could be used, it's entirely up to you what is entered in these fields though).

Sensitive Message: Unticked.

Send message as plain text: Unticked.

Custom button link: Blank.

Custom button text: Blank.

Workflow step order: 1.

When should this happen?: 0 days after submission date.

Escalation Options: 

I've set two escalation options in this step, they are both just reminders for the manager and are as follows:

Once submitted the workflow step should now look like so:

Step 2

Our second step will inform the employee of whether their request was approved or declined.

Name: Inform employee of result.

Description: Blank (Add as needed).

Type: Send email to specified recipient. 

Recipient(s): Employee.

Message Subject: Time off request starting [timeoff_start_date]

Message Content:

Hi [employee_first_name]

Your time off request starting [timeoff_start_date] has been [request_status]

Kind regards

HR

(The message and subject above are just generic examples of what could be used, it's entirely up to you what is entered in these fields though).

Sensitive Message: Unticked.

Send message as plain text: Unticked.

Custom button link: Blank.

Custom button text: Blank.

Workflow step order: 2.

When should this happen?: 0 days after last workflow action.

Once submitted the workflow step should now look like so:

Once complete click the Submit button, both steps of the workflow should now look like so:

 

Once the workflow is set active it will begin working, it will automatically trigger against any new time off requests when they are added to the system. 

 

This is a simple recipe for a time off approval workflow which can be used in full or just used as the foundation of your own workflow, if you'd like to use this as a guide and then add in your own steps and tweaks it's a good way to give you a head start and get the basics complete before building up your full process.