How waitlisting absence requests works

This section provides you with more information on how the absence request waiting list works, and how and when it is processed.

To learn more about the initial validation of absence requests, after which a request might end up on the waiting list, see How absence request validation works.

Waiting list

An absence request can be waitlisted if it currently cannot be approved, either because of understaffing or because there is not enough budget allowance.

For the agent, this request is shown as Waitlisted with a waiting list position. The position indicates the order in which the requests on the waiting list are validated. This does not mean that the request with waiting list position 1 will always be approved before the request with position 2. Each request are validated according to all the defined validations and the defined type of staffing check for that request.

NOTE If the agent who sent the absence request does not have enough hours or days in their personal account, the absence request is immediately denied instead of waitlisted.

Configuration

You can enable the waiting list functionality in the absence request settings in the workflow control set. It is useful when validating absence requests with any automatic staffing check, that is when the rules are set to check budget allowance or to check intraday staffing based on the skill thresholds settings.

You can choose to process the waiting list based on first come first served principles or based on seniority.

NOTE Auto grant must be enabled for the waiting list to work. If auto grant is not enabled and the staffing check fails, the absence requests are denied.

Processing of the waiting list

The waiting list is processed regularly. This process approves requests based on the settings in the workflow control set and the intraday staffing or the allowance situation. The waiting list for absence requests within the next 14 days is processed regularly. The waiting list for absence requests for periods more than 14 days from now is only processed automatically when certain events trigger that process. This is detailed in the sections below.

In the Requests tool there is also a possibility to manually start the processing of the waiting list for a selected period.

Requests within 0-14 days from now

Absence requests for a period shorter than 24 h and within the near future (0—14 days from now) are validated immediately when they are sent. If a request cannot be approved, because of understaffing or insufficient budget allowance, it is waitlisted, if the waiting list is enabled. If there are already other waitlisted requests for the same period in the same budget group, the request is placed on the waiting list directly.

The waiting list for requests within the next 14 days is processed once every hour.

There is a threshold setting for how close an absence request can be approved, in relation to the time when the absence is supposed to start. Absence requests which are still waitlisted when this threshold is exceeded are automatically denied. See Create rules to handle absence requests for more information about the Minimal approval time threshold.

Requests more than 14 days from now

Absence requests that are for a period more than 14 days from now or that are longer than 24 h are shown as pending until the request queue is processed. If a request cannot be approved, because of understaffing or insufficient budget allowance, it is waitlisted, if the waiting list is enabled.

The waiting list for requests that are for a period more than 14 days from now is processed every time a new absence request for the same period arrives or when an approved absence request for that period is canceled.

If changes are made for example to the forecast or budget allowance, this does not trigger the waitlist process. Initiate the waitlist process manually in the Requests tool if needed. See Review absence and text requests for more information.