The Role of System Elements in Daily Data

Much of the daily absence data is stored by system elements—a collection of predefined elements.

Using System Elements in Formulas

When you define a take element, you identify the day count formula that the system will use to calculate the number of units that the payee was absent for the day being processed. The formula makes use of any information that is stored in the daily data, including—in some cases—data from the day before or after the day that is being evaluated. For example, three system elements store a payee's scheduled hours:

• SCHED_HRS captures the number of hours that the payee was scheduled to work for the day that is being evaluated.

• SCHED_HRS_DB captures the number of hours that the payee was scheduled to work the day before.

• SCHED_HRS_DA captures the number of hours that the payee was scheduled to work the day after.

You might create a day count formula that uses the prior or next day's values in its calculations. Or you might create a day count formula that uses the value of the SCHED_HRS element to calculate the day count.

Depending on what absence features you want to use, you might need to create other formulas. Any of these formulas can make use of the daily data that is captured by the system elements.

Using User-Defined Fields

User-defined system elements enable you to capture and use absence data that is specific to your organization. Data that is entered into these fields is stored by system elements and added to the Daily Data records during the Take process. As is true of all system elements, the data captured by these elements can be used by any absence formula.

Each of the following pages includes a set of user-defined fields:

• Absence Event Entry.

• Take Calculation.

• Shift.

• Absence Request (manager or employee).