Some users prefer to create “shifts” for time off instead of using the Time Off section. This may be useful for a number of reasons:
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It allows helpers to see Time Off for other helpers right on their Everyone’s Schedule view (but only on published weeks)
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It allows you to create designated types of time off that can be tracked later (ex. Paid Time Off, Vacation, Sick Day, etc.) using the REPORTS section. Designations can be made using Positions or Categories (using categories could allow you to prevent helpers from seeing the reason for other’s Time Off on the schedule)
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It allows you to create shifts for Pending Time Off if you want those to appear on the schedules also (you can set the paid hours on those shifts to be zero)
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It allows you to enter “paid hours” for time off so that the total paid hours for the week will include the paid Time Off hours
- It allows you to quickly see on all schedule views how many Time Offs (and pending Time Offs) you have each day
Note: Handling Time Off as shifts, you can still allow helpers to submit requests using the time off system, or you can turn that off on the SETTINGS>Global Helper Permissions page and have the helpers send a message with a request instead.
Note: One drawback of this approach might be that helpers could only see future Time Off shifts on weeks that are published.