Leave & time off
Leave & time off manages staff requests, attachments, schedule conflicts, admin decisions, allowance balances, and the paid or unpaid impact on payroll.
Staff submit Leave, Permission, or Sick requests from their phones and can cancel only while the status is still Pending and already synced. Admins approve or reject, choose paid/unpaid, and check schedule conflicts. A decision can be blocked if the period's payroll is no longer in Draft.
Before you start
Have this ready
- The policies for leave types, allowances, attachments, and paid status have been created.
- Staff schedules are up to date enough to check for conflicts.
- Staff understand the evidence and reasons they need to attach.
- The admin knows the payroll status for the request date.
Done when
- The request has a clear status, decision-maker, note, and pay impact.
- Schedule conflicts are handled before approval.
- Draft payroll correctly reflects paid/unpaid leave.
Staff: request leave or time off
- 1
Open Leave & time off → Request
From the staff app, open Leave & time off and choose Request.
Result: The new request form opens. - 2
Choose the type
Choose Leave, Permission, or Sick according to the actual situation.
Result: The relevant policy and evidence can be applied. - 3
Choose the dates
Enter the start and end dates. Avoid ranges that overlap with other requests. Past dates are generally not used, except that Sick reporting can be allowed depending on the flow.
Result: The length of the request can be calculated correctly.If something goes wrong: If it's rejected because of an overlap, open the history and check Pending/Approved requests on those dates. - 4
Fill in the reason and attachment
Write a short, objective, sufficient reason. For sickness or certain policies, take a photo or choose an attachment from the gallery.
Result: The admin has the context to decide.To cancel / undo: Close the form, camera, or file picker before Send. No request is created. - 5
Press Send once
Wait for the success status. If you're offline, the request may show Waiting to sync.
Result: The request comes in as Pending once synced.If something goes wrong: Don't resend while it shows Waiting to sync. Connect to the internet and wait for the history to update.
Staff: cancel a request
- 1
Check the status
Open the history and make sure the request is still Pending and synced to the server.
Result: The cancel button is only used on requests that can still be canceled.If something goes wrong: A request that's Waiting to sync can't be canceled from the server yet. Let it sync first. - 2
Choose Cancel request
Read the confirmation that the cancellation can't be undone, then continue if it's right.
Result: The Pending request is canceled and no longer awaits an admin decision.To cancel / undo: Choose Cancel in the dialog to keep the request. After a successful cancellation, create a new request if your decision changes.
Approved or Rejected can't be canceled by staff
Contact the admin. If the decision affects payroll that is already non-Draft, the admin may need to return the period to Draft first; a Paid period can't be reopened through the normal flow.
Admin: review Pending requests
- Match the staff member, type, dates, length, reason, and attachment.
- Check the allowance balance and the policy in effect on those dates.
- Check clashing schedules/shifts and the need for a replacement.
- Decide whether that day/hour is paid or unpaid.
- Check the payroll status; a decision can be blocked once the period leaves Draft.
Approve a request
- 1
Choose Approve
Open the right request and choose the approval action.
Result: Vasco checks for schedule conflicts before the decision is saved. - 2
Handle schedule conflicts
If the warning shows shifts, choose Cancel to adjust the schedule, or Continue anyway only once the replacement/operational decision is clear.
Result: Leave doesn't quietly leave a shift unhandled.To cancel / undo: Choose Cancel on the warning; the request stays Pending. - 3
Choose paid or unpaid
Follow the policy and the approved decision. Add a decision note if needed.
Result: The payroll impact is recorded explicitly. - 4
Confirm and check the status
Save the decision, then make sure the status becomes Approved and the decision note/date shows.
Result: Staff can see the result; Draft payroll receives the matching impact.If something goes wrong: If the system rejects it, check the period's payroll. Reviewed/Approved/Locked needs to be returned to Draft if no payment has been made and the procedure allows it.
Reject a request
- 1
Choose Reject
Make sure the request and the staff member are correct.
Result: The rejection reason form opens. - 2
Write an actionable reason
Explain briefly, for example clashing dates, missing evidence, or no allowance available—avoid demeaning notes.
Result: The staff member understands whether they need to create a new request.To cancel / undo: Close the dialog or choose Cancel; the status stays Pending. - 3
Confirm the rejection
Save and make sure the status becomes Rejected along with the decision note.
Result: The request is completed without reducing the allowance or paying for the rejected time.
Admin: request on behalf of staff
- 1
Choose Request for staff
Choose the staff member, type, dates, and reason based on a valid request or evidence.
Result: The request is linked to the right staff member. - 2
Choose the length
Use a full day, half day, or per hour if policy allows. An hourly request falls on a single date and is a maximum of 8 hours.
Result: Length is calculated proportionally: half day is 0.5; hourly uses hours/8. - 3
Set the initial status and pay
Choose Approved directly only if the decision is already valid; if it still needs checking, leave it Pending. Set paid/unpaid correctly.
Result: The approval flow isn't skipped without a basis.To cancel / undo: Close the form before Save; no request is created.
Impact on allowance and payroll
| Decision | Allowance | Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Not final yet | Not treated as a final decision yet |
| Approved, paid | Reduces the balance according to length/policy | Time is paid according to the rules |
| Approved, unpaid | Follows the allowance configuration | Time is unpaid or becomes a deduction according to the calculation |
| Rejected | Doesn't count as approved leave | Gives no right to leave pay |
| Half day | Usually 0.5 day | Proportional impact according to policy |
| Hourly | Hours/8 days | Maximum 8 hours and the same date for partial lengths |
A decision after payroll is processed
Don't approve leave informally outside Vasco and expect payroll to adjust itself. Return the period to Draft if still allowed, save the decision, and review the whole calculation again.
If a decision needs to change
Staff can't cancel a request that's already Approved or Rejected. The admin needs to check the period status, schedule, allowance, and payroll before handling it administratively.
- 1
Stop any follow-up actions
Don't create a replacement request or a manual deduction before you understand the original transaction.
Result: There are no two conflicting decisions. - 2
Check payroll and schedule
If payroll is still Draft, the correction can be processed more safely. If it's non-Draft, follow the return-to-Draft flow if no payment has been made.
Result: The limits of the change are known. - 3
Contact the main admin or Vasco if the action isn't available
Include the staff member, dates, request ID/status, the old decision, the decision it should be, and the payroll status—without sending any credentials.
Result: The change is handled with full context.If something goes wrong: A Paid period is final and needs reconciliation, not just editing the old source.
Troubleshooting Leave & time off
| Symptom | Common cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Can't cancel | Still syncing, already Approved, or already Rejected | Wait for Pending to sync; otherwise contact the admin |
| Can't approve | Schedule conflict or non-Draft payroll | Handle the shift; return payroll to Draft if allowed |
| Dates rejected | Overlap or past dates not allowed | Check the history; use Sick only according to the reporting flow in effect |
| Attachment not sent | Camera/gallery, file size, or connection | Try again with a stable connection; don't create duplicate requests |
| Payroll is different | The paid/unpaid choice or length is wrong | Check the decision and policy while the period is still Draft |
Questions and answers
When can staff cancel a request?
Only when the request is still Pending and already synced. A confirmed cancellation can't be undone; create a new request if needed.
Is leave automatically paid?
Not always. The policy gives a default, but the admin must check it and set paid or unpaid when deciding.
What happens if there's a shift?
Approval checks for conflicts and shows a warning. The admin can cancel to change the schedule, or continue anyway once the exception is clarified.
Can I request time off by the hour?
If your policy allows it. A partial-day request falls on a single date, up to 8 hours, and counts as hours/8 of a day.
Why are approvals locked after payroll is reviewed?
Leave affects the payroll calculation. Vasco freezes the sources once payroll leaves Draft so the numbers being approved can't change silently.