ARTICLE: Leave Type Cutoffs - Blackout vs Every Week

ARTICLE: Leave Type Cutoffs - Blackout vs Every Week


A Leave Cut Off defines the boundaries for managing when leave can be submitted before, and when you want to prevent the users from submitting more leave.

The function is to force users to organise their leave in advance, so that they're not waiting until the last minute and creating an undue admin workload.

A Leave Cut Off
works by examining the data entered by the user and comparing it with a set of rules configured per Leave Type.

Blackout  vs  Every Week

Sometimes you may want to prevent leave requests of a certain type from being submitted after a set day of the week.
For example; All 'Weekend Leave' must be submitted by Thursday @ 12 noon, regardless of when the student is taking their weekend leave.
This may greatly assist the admin team in the Friday afternoon rush, also push students to plan and be more responsible for themselves.

Alternately, time frames for specific locations, events or special occasions may require a Leave Type to be unavailable prior to a set date, or after a set date, controlling the flow of Leave Requests. 

Every Week
- You can set a regular weekly cycle cut-off for your leave types to help you manage the submission and approvals process for any Leave Type. This Cut Off type prevents the coming week only and is designed to assist the rush of Weekend Leave requests.
Example; Set a weekly cut off for 'weekend leave' from a boarding facility, forcing students and parents to plan their weekend movements early and submit Leave Requests by Thursday, reducing the admin workload at the end of the work week.

Blackout
- Select the period required to list this Leave Type as 'unavailable' when creating a Leave Request, setting a 'Blackout' time frame. This setting is the counter to the 'Every Week' cut off, as it shuts down for any submissions during the scheduled times.

Example; Senior students attending a sports academy at the stadium across town, slots are limited at the Thursday night sessions and must be booked with the academy no later than Tuesday afternoon, manage the Blackout period to force Leave Request submissions. Set the Blackout from Tuesday Lunch time till Wednesday morning.


How to Set Cut Off Times for Leave


You can set Cut Off times for your Leave Type that help you to manage when students can apply for the leave.


Once you select the required Cut-Off type, the screen will expand to reveal the available controls, functionality differs slightly from each Cut Off type.

Two more Cut Off Types are;

Specific Date
- Leave Requests must be submitted by a particular closure date. These Cut-Offs are ideal for special events or holidays that require to be submitted by a specific date.
Example; Set a cut off date to force all Leave Requests to be completed by, to ensure all submissions are received well in advance of the planned excursion to the Bird Sanctuary. This may assist in collecting permission slips, or meal and medication planning.

Buffer
- The minimum time frame of hours between the request being submitted and the departure time for the request, Eg:  Leave must be submitted >48 hours from departure time
Example; Set a 'booking' cutoff for a particular area. The Library Study Hall has limited space, therefore requests must be made before 5:00pm, or 3 hours prior to the booking/Leave Type start time.


Here are the common functions of each Type;

Enforcement
A SOFT Cut-Off will allow the leave to still be submitted if the cut-off time is passed.
A HARD Cut-Off will not allow the leave to be submitted if the cut-off time is passed.

Restrict by Submission Date or Leave Date
You can set the Cut-Off to apply to the Date of Submission or Leave Date.
This feature is to force Leave Requests to be organised in advance, to reduce people waiting until the last minute, therefore creating an undue admin workload.

Start Preventing & Allow Leave
Set the Data and Time to Close/Open the Leave Type availability

Message
Set your Custom Message that Students or Parents will see when submitting this leave request. The Message only shows when the Cut-Off is breached and it will display for Hard and Soft cut-offs





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