Time Off Requests

[Crystal]

How does everyone else keep up with time off requests?

We currently have 3 offices in 3 different states, with around 20 employees total. We have been having employees send an Outlook "calendar" event to the boss to request time off. (This is two-fold, my boss can easily "approve"/"decline" time off this way, and we all share her calendar so we can see who's off when.)

Of course, no one person does it the same way (despite my best efforts to create uniformity). Then at the end of the quarter (.... or year??!) I have to go through my boss's calendar, and read through each day, write down who was off when and whether it was personal/vacation. Of course, there is also the challenge of those in the office in a different time zone that screws up their calendar appointment.

I have a great spreadsheet I use for calculating how much time was used for each category, it's just all the stuff before that point that is a mess.

*deep breath*

There has to be an easier way. I just know there has to be.

[Robin Deatherage]

Everyone has a back-up person(s) with whom they have to coordinate their time off so the requests do not actually go to the boss or manager for approval.  As long as their back-up is here to cover the desk/phone for them that's all that really matters.  We also have a public calendar set up on our exchange server for each office location where everyone lists their time out so the receptionist and managers can see who is out for the day.  As far as tracking how much time has actually been taken, we are old fashioned.  Have to complete a paper time slip each week for the accounting dept who then tracks it on a spreadsheet.   

We looked into Time Clock Plus software a few years ago but management did not feel it was necessary at the time.  Maybe at some point we can revisit and get more automated with this.

[Bloody Jack Kidd]

http://www.replicon.com/attendance-software.aspx

[DebAmstutz]

We have something called HR Connection - I think it's part of Zywave.  You input your request for time off and you receive an email if/when it's approved.  We don't have a shared calendar for all showing time off - I wish we did.  The funny part about HR Connection is that I've put the notice in weeks ahead (we're supposed to enter a request two weeks before the time off, if possible) but it's been weeks AFTER I've been gone that it was approved!  Those who need to know I'm gone always know because I ask for assistance with closeday and night utilities, plus I email the owners and let them know in case there is any major accounting issue that needs to be dealt with before I leave.

[Charlie Charbonneau]

Lol sounds like your approver isn't keeping up with it!

[Crystal]

Lol sounds like your approver isn't keeping up with it!

My boss wears at least 1,000 hats per day. She approves the time off request in Outlook and moves on. And when duties are passed down to me (in this case, sorting through all the approved requests), I am bound and determined to make at least *my* life easier.