How to Configure Overtime Policies and Approve Overtime in CrmLeaf
All editions. Requires the Payroll add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. Overtime policies and overtime requests are part of the payroll engine.
Availability: All editions. Requires the Payroll add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. Overtime policies and overtime requests are part of the payroll engine.
Overview
Overtime in CrmLeaf has two halves: policies that define how overtime is treated, and requests that record the overtime an employee actually worked. Approved overtime is picked up by payroll for the period, so approvals must be complete before payslips are generated. Overtime records also support compliance record-keeping.
How It Works
An Administrator configures the overtime policy, an employee submits an overtime request, an approver actions it, and payroll for the period includes the approved overtime.
Configure policy → Employee submits request → Approve or reject → Run payroll → Payslip and report
- Overtime policies define how overtime is treated for payroll purposes.
- Overtime requests are recorded per employee and actioned by an approver.
- Only actioned requests are reflected in payroll for the period; a pending request is not paid.
- Overtime appears on the payslip through the salary structure and in payroll reporting.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Configure overtime policies for the organisation.
- Approve or Reject overtime requests.
- Confirm all requests for a period are actioned before running payroll.
- Review overtime in payroll reporting.
User
- Submit an overtime request for hours worked.
- Track the status of their own requests.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- The Payroll add-on module enabled for your account.
- Shifts defined and assigned, so hours beyond the shift can be identified.
- Attendance configured and recorded for the period.
- An overtime component in the relevant salary structures if overtime is to be paid.
- An agreed overtime policy, confirmed against the working-hours rules that apply to you.
For Administrators
Step 1: Define the overtime policy
What to do: Open the overtime policy configuration in the Payroll module and create the policy that applies to your organisation, then select Save.
What to verify: The policy matches what your employment terms and local working-hours rules require.
Step 2: Add an overtime component to the salary structure
What to do: Ensure the salary groups of employees eligible for paid overtime include a component through which overtime is paid.
What to verify: The component is present in every eligible employee's salary structure.
Step 3: Review and action overtime requests
What to do: Review each submitted request against the employee's attendance and shift for the dates claimed, then Approve or Reject it.
What to verify: No request for the payroll period is left pending.
Step 4: Close the period before running payroll
What to do: Once all requests for the period are actioned, generate payroll for the cycle and department, then review the overtime amounts on the payslips.
What to verify: Overtime on each payslip corresponds to the approved requests for that employee.
For Users
Step 1: Open the overtime request screen
Open your overtime requests to see previous submissions and their status.
Step 2: Submit your overtime request
Select Add, enter the date and hours worked beyond your shift with a clear reason, complete every mandatory field, then Submit. Submit the request within your organisation's payroll cut-off for the period, because a request approved after payroll has been generated will not appear on that period's payslip.
Step 3: Track the outcome
Check the status of your request. If it is rejected, your approver records a reason. If it is approved before the payroll cut-off, the overtime is included in payroll for that period.
Expected Result
An overtime policy is configured, submitted overtime requests are approved or rejected, and approved overtime for the period appears on the generated payslips and in payroll reporting.
Service Organisation Context
Overtime approval matters most where delivery runs long: an implementation slipping into extra evenings, or a launch weekend spent on a client site. Because only actioned requests are paid in the period, the approval step leaves a reviewed record of where the extra effort went — useful when an engagement is discussed with the client or repriced at renewal. Overtime here is a payroll figure, not a project cost figure: CrmLeaf carries no employee cost rate per hour, so paid extra hours are not attributed to a project's cost. Billable effort is recorded separately as timelogs against the task.
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.
- Payroll is a paid add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan.
- Action every overtime request before generating payroll. Pending requests are not paid in that period.
- Overtime entitlement, maximum working hours and overtime rates are set by employment law in the country of employment, change over time, and must be confirmed with a qualified compliance advisor before a live payroll run.
- Keep overtime records complete, since overtime management and compliance records are part of the documented HR capability and may be inspected.
Common Scenarios
Example: month-end overtime in a production department. Employees submit requests for extra hours worked during a delivery push. The Administrator actions all requests before the payroll cut-off, so the overtime appears in the same month's payslips.
Example: a late request. An employee submits a request after payroll has been processed. The Administrator approves it and it is handled in the following period, according to the organisation's own policy.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Approved overtime is not on the payslip | The approval was recorded after payroll was generated | Generate payroll for the period again, or carry the overtime into the next period per your policy. |
| Overtime is approved but pays nothing | The employee's salary structure has no component through which overtime is paid | Add the component to the salary structure and generate payroll again. |
| An employee cannot submit an overtime request | The Payroll module or the required role access is missing | Ask your Administrator to check the module and role access. |
| A request cannot be validated against attendance | Attendance for the claimed dates has not been recorded | Complete attendance for the period, then review the request. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is overtime paid automatically from attendance?
Overtime is recorded through overtime requests that are approved or rejected. Approved overtime is what payroll uses.
Who approves overtime?
Approval is carried out by roles your Administrator has given the relevant payroll access.
Can an employee cancel a submitted request?
Ask your Administrator which actions your role has been given on overtime requests.
Does overtime appear in reports?
Yes. Overtime is reflected in payroll reporting for the period alongside the rest of the payroll data.
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