Absence Management Features

Scheduling features include:

• Sharing schedules across applications.

  If your organization uses both Global Payroll and Time and Labor, those applications can share the same work schedules.

• Configurable fields.

  When you set up shifts, you can enter information in as many as four configurable fields on the Shifts page. This information updates the daily data when you run the Take process and can be used in absence formulas.

Entitlement features include:

• Accrual method and frequency.

  For each absence entitlement element that you create, you indicate whether entitlement should accrue for each absence (for example, 40 days for each illness) or at the frequency that you specify (for example, 2 sick days per month). Absence-based entitlement is resolved when you run the Take process after an absence occurs; frequency-based entitlement is resolved when you run the Entitlement process. With frequency-based entitlement, you can use generation control to limit the conditions under which entitlement is resolved; for example, you can limit resolution to active payees only.

• Entitlement amount.

  You can enter a numeric entitlement amount or define a supporting element that retrieves the appropriate amount during processing. For example, you might create a bracket element that returns the entitlement amount based on months of service.

• Proration and rounding.

  You can instruct the system to round or prorate entitlement units and define the rounding and proration rules to use. (Proration applies to frequency-based entitlement only.)

• Automatic adjustments.

  You can specify what happens to a payee's frequency-based entitlement balance when certain conditions are met; for example, when a payee is terminated or when a certain date is reached. Payees can be compensated for all or part of the unused entitlement, or they can lose all or part of the unused entitlement. You use a generation control element to define the conditions under which the adjustment is made.

• Accumulator preferences.

  The system generates a balance accumulator for entitlement. You can configure the way the balance is calculated and select additional accumulators. You also tell the system when to begin accumulating and over what period of time.

• Absence forecasting.

  You can require the use of online absence forecasting during absence entry or make its use optional. With forecasting, a user enters actual or planned absence events and launches an online process that processes future periods of time, starting with the last finalized calendar. It can return values for balances and other items that you define. You might use this feature, for example, to determine whether a payee has or will have enough entitlement to cover an absence.

• Balance inquiry.

  Use this feature to project a payee's entitlement balance without entering actual or planned absence events. The online process displays the current entitlement balance and can be used to project entitlement for a take element as of the date that you specify.

Take features include:

• Entitlement links.

  You can link each take element to one or more entitlement elements. If you link to more than one entitlement element, specify the order in which the elements are to be used. When an absence occurs, the system takes from the first entitlement (until it is depleted) before taking from the next entitlement.

• Absence types and reason codes.

  You create absence types to describe the categories of absences that are relevant to your organization such as illness, vacation, personal, or work injury. Within each reason type, you can define codes that further describe the reason for the absence; for example, flu or back problems. The type and reason that are associated with an absence event populate system elements that you can use in absence formulas.

• Approvals.

  You can require that absence events be approved before they are processed. If you select this option, a user needs to select the Manager Approved check box when entering an absence on the Absence Event Entry page. Otherwise, the event is not processed. (Absence Take - Calculation page)

• Combining absences.

  You can instruct the system to create one row of positive input for multiple instances of the same type of absence within the same pay period or create a separate row of positive input for each absence event (Absence Take - Calculation page.) Or you can instruct the system to create one row of positive input for all absence takes (Installation Settings page.)

• User-defined fields.

  You can enter any information in as many as four user-defined fields on the Take element's Calculation page. This information updates the daily data when you run the Take process and can be available for your absence formulas.

• Earning and deduction links.

  You can link each take element to the earning or deduction elements for which you want to generate positive input. You can also indicate the units, percent, rate, or amount to be returned when the calculation rule for the earning or deduction element is Rate × Units or Rate × Units × Percent.

• Generate matching absence data.

  If you use the mapping feature, the system generates matching absence data for a mapped take element when an absence event is reported. You can also use a formula to specify the conditions under which the Take process generates matching data.

• Day formula.

  Define the formula that the system uses to evaluate each day of the absence. The formula returns the number of absence units that the system compares to the absence entitlement balance to calculate paid and unpaid units.

• Automatic offset.

  When you link a take element to an entitlement that accrues per absence, you specify conditions for reducing the entitlement balance.

• Time period requirements.

  You can select up to three time period requirements that must be met before an absence can be paid: an eligibility date that must be reached, a minimum absence period, or a wait per absence.

• Linked absences.

  You can instruct the system to link related absences of the same type that fall within a specified period of time. During absence entry, users enter the begin date of the original related absence. When absences are linked, they can share the same entitlement or the same wait period. You define the period of time over which absences can be linked.

• Negative entitlement.

  You can specify what to do if there's not enough entitlement to cover an absence: allow a negative entitlement balance (up to the limit that you specify), treat the absence as unpaid time, or redirect the days to be processed by the set of take and entitlement rules that is associated with another take element.

• Priority processing for same-day absences.

  You can enable users to enter more than one absence event for the same day or you can use the automatic priority processing feature. When more than one event is entered for a payee for the same day, the system refers to the priority that you assigned to each take element to determine which absence event to process for the specified day.

Absence entry features include:

• Partial hours

  Users can enter full or partial day absences. When a payee is out for the same number of hours during each day of an absence event, the user enters the hours only once or select the Half Day check box, if appropriate.

• Configurable fields

  Users can enter information in as many as 16 configurable fields when they enter absence events. This information updates the daily data when you run the Take process and can be available to your absence formulas. If you use this feature, we recommend that you provide users with guidelines for the types of data that they can enter.

• Forecasting

  Users can run a process to process absences in future periods of time, which is useful when trying to project future entitlement balances or to apply other absence-related business rules to future periods.

  See Online Forecasting and Balance Inquiry Processes.

Self-service features include:

• Absence entry and forecasting.

  Payees and managers can enter requests for absences through a web browser, view requests, and forecast absence balances as of a particular date.

• Absence approval.

  Managers can approve, deny, or push back absence requests online.

• Country specific display configurations.

  You can define country specific rules for how the self-service pages appear. For example, you can control the way that entitlement balances, absence history, and forecasting options appear to users.

• Take-specific display configurations.

  You can define a variety of rules and settings that control how data appears on the self-service pages. For example, you can control who can enter and approve absence requests, date rules, and how messages are returned and appear to users. Also, if you have Time and Labor installed, you can enable specific absences to be requested in Time and Labor's Timesheets.

  See Timesheet Page.

• Forecasting rules.

  You can define how entitlement balances appear for both forecasting results and balance inquiry results.

• Configurable self-service text.

  You can modify the text that appears on self-service absence pages. Using the Text Catalog feature, you can modify field labels, button text, and text that appears elsewhere on self-service pages.