This tutorial will guide you through the seamless process of managing holiday requests within Flowtly, from an employee's initial submission to a manager's final approval or denial. By the end, you'll understand how to efficiently handle various types of leave, ensuring smooth operations and clear communication across your organisation.
1. Initiating a Holiday Request (Employee Perspective)
As an employee, Flowtly makes it straightforward to request time off. Whether it's for annual leave, sick leave, or any other predefined holiday type, the process is intuitive and ensures your request reaches the right person.
Step 1: Navigate to the Holidays Module
First, log in to your Flowtly account. On the main navigation sidebar, you'll find the Holidays module. Click on this to access your holiday overview.
Tip: The
Holidaysmodule serves as your central hub for all leave-related activities. Here, you can view your current leave balances, upcoming holidays, and the status of past requests. Familiarise yourself with this dashboard to stay on top of your entitlements. You can learn more about this in the Holidays knowledge base article.
Step 2: Start a New Holiday Request
Once in the Holidays module, look for an option to "Request New Holiday" or a similar button, often prominently displayed or accessible via an "+" icon. Click this to open the holiday request form.
Step 3: Fill in the Request Details
The holiday request form will prompt you for several key pieces of information:
- Holiday Type: This is a crucial field. Use the dropdown menu to select the appropriate type of leave you are requesting (e.g., Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Public Holiday, Unpaid Leave, etc.). Your organisation's Flowtly administrator defines these types, each potentially having different rules or impacting your leave balance differently.
Note: Understanding the various holiday types available in your organisation is important for accurate reporting and leave management. If you're unsure which type to select, consult your manager or refer to your company's HR policies. More details on how these types are configured can be found in the Holiday Types knowledge base article.
- Start Date & End Date: Specify the exact period for which you are requesting leave. Flowtly typically allows you to pick these dates from a calendar interface, making it easy to select single days or multiple consecutive days.
Tip: If you're requesting a single day off, simply set the Start Date and End Date to be the same. Flowtly will automatically calculate the total duration of your request based on the selected dates and your assigned work schedule.
- Full Day / Half Day: For some holiday types, you might have the option to request a half-day. If this is available and applicable, select whether you need the first half or the second half of the day off.
- Notes/Comments: Use this section to provide any additional information relevant to your request. For instance, you might explain the reason for your leave (if appropriate), provide contact details for emergencies, or any other details your manager might need. This helps your manager make an informed decision.
Step 4: Submit Your Request
Once all the required fields are accurately filled, review your request to ensure everything is correct. Then, click the "Submit Request" or "Send" button.
Upon submission, Flowtly will typically route your request directly to your designated manager or an HR administrator for review. You will usually receive an email confirmation that your request has been submitted, and its status in your Holidays module will change to "Pending" or "Submitted".
Note: Flowtly's
Emails & Notificationssystem ensures that both the employee and the manager are kept informed throughout the process. An email notification will be sent to the approver, alerting them to the new pending request.
2. Reviewing and Approving Holiday Requests (Manager Perspective)
As a manager, efficiently reviewing and responding to holiday requests is crucial for team planning and maintaining productivity. Flowtly provides clear pathways for you to manage these requests.
Step 1: Access Pending Requests
You have a couple of primary ways to find pending holiday requests:
- Action Center: This is often the most direct route for managers. The
Action Centeris designed to be your central hub for all tasks requiring your attention, including various approvals. On your Flowtly dashboard, click on the Action Center icon (often a bell or notification symbol). Here, you'll see a list of outstanding actions, including any pending holiday requests from your direct reports.
Tip: Regularly checking your
Action Centerensures you don't miss any critical approvals or tasks. It's a powerful tool for staying organised and responsive. For a deeper dive into its functionalities, refer to the Action Center knowledge base article.
- Holidays Module: Alternatively, you can navigate to the Holidays module from the main sidebar. Within this module, managers typically have an "Approvals" or "Team Holidays" section where they can view all requests submitted by their team members, along with their current status.
Step 2: Locate and Open the Specific Request
In either the Action Center or the Holidays module, locate the pending holiday request you wish to review. Click on the request to open its full details.
Step 3: Review Request Details
Upon opening the request, you will see all the information provided by the employee:
- Employee Name: Who submitted the request.
- Holiday Type: The type of leave requested (e.g., Annual Leave).
- Dates: The start and end dates of the requested leave.
- Duration: The calculated total number of days/hours off.
- Employee's Notes: Any additional comments or context provided by the employee.
- Current Leave Balance: Crucially, Flowtly often displays the employee's remaining leave balance for the requested holiday type, helping you assess if the request is permissible based on their entitlement.
- Team Calendar/Overlaps: Flowtly can also show a calendar view of your team's upcoming holidays, allowing you to quickly identify any potential staffing conflicts or overlaps before making a decision. This is vital for maintaining adequate coverage.
Consideration: Before approving, always consider the impact on team workload, existing project deadlines, and the availability of other team members. Flowtly's integrated view helps you make informed decisions quickly.
Step 4: Approve or Deny the Request
After reviewing all the details, you will typically have two main options:
- Approve: If the request is acceptable and aligns with company policy and team availability, click the "Approve" button.
- Deny: If the request cannot be granted (e.g., due to staffing conflicts, insufficient leave balance, or policy violations), click the "Deny" button. When denying a request, Flowtly will usually prompt you to provide a reason or comments. This is crucial for clear communication with the employee, explaining why their request was rejected and offering potential alternatives (e.g., suggesting different dates).
Important: Providing clear, constructive feedback when denying a request is vital for employee morale and understanding. Always explain the reasoning politely and professionally.
Once you take action, Flowtly automatically updates the request's status, adjusts the employee's leave balance (if approved), and sends an automatic notification (usually an email) to the employee informing them of your decision. The approved leave will also be reflected on relevant team calendars within Flowtly.
Summary and Next Steps
You've successfully navigated the complete lifecycle of a holiday request in Flowtly, from an employee's initial submission to a manager's final decision. This streamlined process ensures transparency, reduces administrative burden, and keeps everyone informed about leave plans.
Continue to utilise Flowtly's various modules to manage your team effectively. Encourage your employees to submit requests well in advance, and as a manager, aim to review and respond to requests promptly to facilitate smooth planning.
