Create rules to handle absence requests

Define if you want to enable waitlisting and absence probability and set limits for how late absence requests can be cancelled and how late they can be approved.

1. Click the arrow to open the Miscellaneous section.

2. Select the Enable waiting list check box to enable waitlisting. Choose if the waiting list processing order should be First come first served or based on Seniority.

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

3. Select the Absence probability check box to enable absence probability based on staffing to be shown to the agents.

4. Enter the number of days in the Number of days before absence date that absences may be canceled field to define how far in advance an absence request must be canceled.

   NOTE   This setting only applies to when agents cancel their own requests, not if it's done by a supervisor.

5. Enter the number of minutes in the Minimum approval time threshold field to define how close to the absence time an absence request can be approved. The recommended lowest value that you should set is 15 minutes. The highest value you can set is 1440 minutes (24 h).

   EXAMPLE   If the threshold is set to 30 minutes and the agent wants to start their absence at 11:00, they need to send their request before 10:30. If it is sent later than that, it will be automatically denied.

   NOTE   Waitlisted requests which are still not approved when this threshold value is exceeded will be automatically denied.

6. Enter a time in the Open start and end time in UTC field.

7. Click Apply to save the changes.

Use this to ensure that agents are not absent from important activities which are not skill-related, like training. The absence requests will be automatically denied if the agent is scheduled with any of the blocked activities during the requested absence time.

1. Click the arrow to open the Activities section.
2. Select the activities to block for absences in the list of Activities.
3. Move them to the list of Blocked activities by using the arrows.
4. Click Apply to save the changes.

A period needs to be open for agents to get absence requests approved. Define for each open request period how to handle those requests, for example automatically or manually, and by checking intraday staffing or budget allowance.

Create rules for each absence type used for requests. The visualization at the top of the tab shows the open period for each type.

NOTE   Requests are automatically denied if the period is not open for requests or if any of the set conditions are not met. This is regardless of if the auto grant function is disabled or enabled.

1. Ensure the Open for absence requests section is open.
2. Click on New in the Open for absence requests section to create a new rule.

3. Select a period Type; From-to period or Rolling period.

   From-to periods are useful to for example open for requests until a certain date or to set special rules for a specific period.

   Rolling periods are useful to for example have specific rules for the next 7 days.

4. Select the Absence type this rule is for.
5. Select if you want to automatically check the agent's Personal account.

6. Select if you want to automatically validate on Staffing.

   See How absence request validation works for more information.

7. Select to Auto grant the absence requests that pass all validations.

   • Set No to send the requests through to be manually approved or denied.
   • Set Yes to automatically approve requests that pass all validations.
   • Set Deny to automatically deny all requests for this absence type for this period.

8. Decide for which Period agents can request to have time off:

   • For from-to periods, select a start date and an end date.
   • For rolling periods, define days relative to the current date.

   EXAMPLE   If you set 0 to 14, agents can request to be absent today and 14 days forward.

9. Define the Open period, that is the period when the agents can send requests, by setting a start date and an end date.
10. (Optional) Enter a Minimum duration and Increments. The minimum duration is the minimum length of time for absence requests. The increments are in intervals of 5, but with this feature you can set it to other interval numbers.

    NOTE   Increments must be smaller or equal to the minimum duration. The minimum duration must be evenly divisible by the increments.

11. Repeat the steps above to create as many rules as needed.

12. Click Apply to save the changes.

    NOTE   For Grant, the chatbot, to prompt agents with absence availability, there must be one absence type where the staffing check is set to intraday and is open for today and tomorrow.

Change the order of the rules to decide in which order the absence request validation rules are applied. They are always applied from the bottom up, that is the lower rules override the ones at the top of the table. See How absence request validation works for more information on priority of rules.

1. Select a row in the rule table.

2. Right-click the selected row and select to:

   • Move up to lower priority.
   • Move down to increase priority.
3. Click Apply to save the changes.

A rule can be deleted if the period of a rule has passed or the rule for some other reason no longer is needed.

1. Select a row in the rule table.
2. Right-click and select Delete.
3. Click Yes to confirm.
4. Click Apply to save the changes.