How to Configure Leave Types and Quotas in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. In the Payroll and HR edition, Leave Settings is a step in the edition's Getting Started checklist.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. In the Payroll and HR edition, Leave Settings is a step in the edition's Getting Started checklist.
Overview
Leave settings define the leave your organisation offers and who may approve it. You create the leave types, set per-employee quotas that become each person's balance, decide which roles can approve and pre-approve leave, and choose whether employees may apply for leave by the hour. Configure this before employees start applying, because quotas and approval routing determine what is possible.
How It Works
You create the leave types, assign quotas per employee, then set the approval permissions and the hourly-leave toggle.
Create leave types → Set per-employee quotas → Configure approval permissions → Enable hourly leave → Test with one application
- A leave type is what employees apply against. Each type carries per-employee quotas, and the balance is what remains of the quota.
- Approved leave decrements the balance on the type it was taken against.
- Approval permissions are configurable per role, including a separate manager pre-approval permission.
- Hourly leave is a per-company toggle in leave settings. When it is on, employees can also apply for a specific window of hours.
- Leave data appears in the personal leave view, the leave calendar and leave exports, and feeds Payroll where that add-on module is enabled.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Create and edit leave types.
- Set per-employee quotas on each leave type.
- Configure leave approval and pre-approval permissions per role.
- Enable or disable hourly leave for the company.
This functionality is available only to Administrators.
Prerequisites
- Employee records exist for the people who will receive quotas.
- Roles are defined, so you can assign approval permissions to them.
- Company holidays and weekly offs are configured.
- Shifts are assigned, if you intend to enable hourly leave, because the deduction depends on shift length.
- You know the leave your organisation offers and the entitlement per employee group.
For Administrators
Step 1: Open leave settings
What to do: Review the current configuration, including the leave types that already exist and the approval permissions in force.
What to verify: The leave settings screen opens.
Step 2: Create the leave types
What to do: Select Add and create a leave type for each kind of leave your organisation offers. Name each type in the wording your employees will recognise. Select Save.
What to verify: Each leave type appears in the list and is selectable on a leave application.
Step 3: Set the per-employee quotas
What to do: Set the quota each employee has on each leave type. The quota is what the employee's balance is measured against. Select Save.
What to verify: Open one employee's leave view and confirm the balance shown matches the quota you set.
Step 4: Configure approval permissions
What to do: Set which roles may approve leave and which may pre-approve it. Keep the approval permission with the roles that genuinely manage people.
What to verify: A test application from an employee reaches the intended approver, and a role without the permission cannot act on it.
Step 5: Decide on hourly leave
What to do: Enable the hourly leave toggle if your organisation will allow leave by the hour, then select Save. Confirm shifts are assigned first, because an hourly leave deducts a fraction of a day proportional to the employee's shift length.
What to verify: An employee sees the hourly option on the leave application form, and the deduction is a fraction of a day.
Step 6: Test the whole configuration
What to do: Have one employee apply for leave, approve it, and confirm the balance moves as intended. Repeat for an hourly application if you enabled hourly leave.
What to verify: The application, the approval and the balance change all behave as expected before you announce the configuration.
Field and Option Reference
| Field / Option | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Leave type | A kind of leave employees can apply against. | Yes |
| Quota per employee | The entitlement on a leave type for an employee; the basis of the balance. | Yes |
| Approval permission | Which roles can approve leave applications. | Yes |
| Pre-approval permission | The separate manager permission allowing leave to be pre-approved. | No |
| Hourly leave | Per-company toggle allowing employees to apply for leave by the hour. | No |
Expected Result
The leave types exist with per-employee quotas, employees see their balances, applications route to the roles you gave the approval permission, and the hourly option appears on the application form where you enabled hourly leave.
Service Organisation Context
Leave configuration is where a firm decides how much of its own capacity it gives away and who may commit it. Two choices carry weight in a service organisation: which roles hold the approval and pre-approval permissions, since in delivery work the person accountable for an engagement is usually the right approver, and whether hourly leave is enabled, which suits consultants taking short absences from otherwise billable days. Quotas are held per employee on each leave type, so different grades can share one type. Because approved leave feeds the Resource Utilization Availability and Capacity lenses where that add-on is enabled, configuring this properly is what makes those views trustworthy.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- CrmLeaf does not impose a fixed set of leave types. Create the types your own policy and local regulations require.
- Quotas are per employee, so people on different entitlements can share the same leave type.
- Enable hourly leave only once shifts are assigned, because the deduction is proportional to shift length.
- Changing a quota affects the balance an employee can still use. Review pending applications after a change.
- Leave affects payroll where the Payroll add-on module is enabled. Complete leave configuration before the first payroll run.
Common Scenarios
Example: setting up leave for a new account. Create your leave types, set the quotas for the current year, give the manager role the approval permission, then test with one application and one approval before telling employees to use the system.
Example: different entitlements in one type. Keep a single leave type and set a different quota per employee, rather than creating one leave type per entitlement level.
Example: turning on hourly leave. Confirm every employee has a shift, enable the hourly toggle, and explain to employees that a two-hour leave on an eight-hour shift deducts a quarter of a day.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Employees cannot select a leave type. | The type does not exist, or the employee has no quota on it. | Create the leave type and set the employee's quota. |
| Balances show as zero. | No quota has been set for those employees. | Set the per-employee quota on each leave type. |
| Nobody can approve leave. | No role holds the approval permission. | Assign the approval permission to the appropriate roles. |
| The hourly option does not appear for employees. | The hourly leave toggle is off, or the setting was not saved. | Enable hourly leave in leave settings and save. |
| An hourly leave deducts an unexpected fraction. | The employee's shift length differs from the one you assumed. | Check the shift assigned to that employee. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CrmLeaf ship default leave types?
Create the leave types your organisation needs. Do not assume a particular default set; check what exists in your account.
Are quotas set per leave type or per employee?
Both. Quotas are held per employee on each leave type, so entitlements can differ between people on the same type.
Can I limit approval to certain roles?
Yes. Leave approval permissions are configurable per role, and pre-approval is a separate permission.
Is hourly leave on by default?
Hourly leave is a per-company toggle in leave settings. Check the setting for your own account.
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