WorkSmarter’s simple platform makes it easy to track absences across your company. Recording an absence accurately and promptly is crucial for maintaining precise and compliant employee records, ensuring smooth workflow within your organisation. 

Record a new Absence

1. Go to the Services tab on your sidebar. Scroll to Absence Management, then click on Report An Absence.

2. Select the employee from the dropdown menu; select a reason for the absence and if it’s unplanned or planned; record whether the absence is paid, unpaid or SSP.

3. Record the absence start date and time, and if you know when the employee is returning you can set that date as well.

4. You can also add a comment if relevant, to ensure accurate record keeping. The employee and their managers will be able to see your comments.

5. To upload any documents or additional notes/details related to this absence simply drag and drop them into the Attachments box. Don’t worry if you don’t have the document/s to hand right now as you can add them any time.

6. Once you click Save to record this absence, it will be added and saved against the employee’s record. We’ll notify all relevant managers for you.

7. The absence will appear on the shared Absence Calendar. Details can be seen by clicking on the absence, with the option to Edit or Cancel.

8. An Absence Summary will also be visible on the Dashboard to those who manage the employee. Click on Review to close the absence, amend or delete.

Who Can Report an Absence?

Managers can log absences for their team members by going to the Services tab in the sidebar, selecting Absence Management and clicking Report an Absence. This ensures records remain accurate if an employee is unable to log it themselves.

Staff users can also self-report an absence, if permission for this function has been turned on. They can self-report either directly from the platform or via the app. Once recorded, managers will be notified that the employee is away and the normal process can be followed. Only the manager can edit, update or delete an absence once it has been added to WorkSmarter.

Can I Record an Absence Part Way Through the Day?

Use the ‘Date of Absence’ box options to record an absence if the employee leaves mid-way through their working day. You can use the ‘Comments’ section to specify the exact hours of absence. Your Account Owner or HR department can provide further guidance on how to handle partial-day absences within the system.

Can I Record an Absence for a Future Date?

Yes, you can record absences for both past and future dates. Ensure that the start and end dates are accurate when recording future absences.

Can Employees Record Their own Absence?

Yes. Staff users, with the permission turned on, can self-report absences via both our platform and mobile app. Once recorded, managers will be updated and the usual process can be followed. 

How do Managers Switch on User Self-Report Permission?

1. Go to the sidebar and click on Organisation. Under ‘Your Teams’ select ‘People.’

2. Select the user; go to Edit Profile and scroll to Permissions.

3. At the top, select Absences then switch on Self-Report an Absence. Save to enable this function.

How Can I See who has Permission to Report an Absence?

1. Managers can check permission status by going to Organisation on the sidebar.

2. Select ‘People’ and then the relevant user. Go to Edit Profile and then scroll to User Permissions. At the top, select Absences where you can see what permissions are switched on. 

How do I see all User Permissions and Roles?

You can run a report across your organisation. 

1. Go to Reports in the sidebar and click on Data Exports, then Permission Report →Run Report. 

2. You can either select everyone in the company or individual users. Download the report for all your granular information.

For more information, see our related article: WorkSmarter Permissions.