Evox Support Centre

Configuring the system

Before absence management can be utilised, a number of configuration steps need carried out: 

1. The absence types need to be agreed and configured 
2. The absence contracts need to be agreed and set up 

Absence types define the various types of absence available for selection, whether or not they need approval and whether they come off your holiday entitlement. 

Absence contracts define the holiday entitlement for each person for each holiday year across the business. 

Configuring Absence Types

Generally a list of absence types will be set by default and all that needs done is for that list to be reviewed and amended, if appropriate. However it is possible for new absence types to be added too and we’ll cover that first to give details on what each of the fields are for. 

Creating a new absence type

1. Click on the Maintenance tab 
2. Click on the Work Absence Types link in the Labour group 
3. Make sure the option you’re looking for isn’t already on the list 
4. Click on the Create button 
   1. Set the Name to something descriptive and unique so that users clearly know what it is 
   2. Leave the Active flag ticked 
   3. If you want people to have their request approved by their line manager, tick the Requires Approval box 
   4. If you want people to have their request approved by another tier of management in addition to their line manager, tock the Requires Manager Approval box (this is rarely used, but available) 
   5. If you want this absence to reduce the person’s holiday entitlement, leave Uses Contract Entitlement ticked, otherwise untick it. 
   6. Generally you’d leave the Is Description Required ticked to encourage people to supply details around their request, but this can be deselected for things like maternity which need little further description 
   7. If you’d like the absence type to automatically populate the person’s timesheet for them, tick the Is On Timesheet box – note that this will only populate the timesheet on creation, so if someone adds an absence request when a timesheet is already in progress, it will not be added for them. 
   8. Order By can be set to a number that defines the order in which the absence types are listed 
5. Click the Save button to create the absence type 

Reviewing absence types

1. Click on the Maintenance tab 
2. Click on the Work Absence Types link in the Labour group 
3. Review the list of absences available 
4. To amend an existing absence, click on the Edit icon 
5. Amend fields in line with the descriptions above as required 
6. Click Save to update the absence type 

Creating contracts

Creating individual contracts

Check that the person exists on the system and is assigned to the correct facility: 

1. Click on the Personnel tab 
2. Check that the person you’re about to create a contract for exists 
3. Check that the person you’re about to create is allocated to the correct department 
4. Check that the person you’re about to create has an active placement 
5. If they don’t exist, or need edited, then whoever normally manages your personnel records will do this 

Create their contract: 

1. Click on the Timesheets tab 
2. Click on the Worker Contracts link 
3. Check that the person you’re about to create doesn’t already have a contract in the system 
4. Click the Create button 
5. Select the Worker from the list provided 
6. Set the Start Date to the start of their current contract  
7. Set the End Date to the last day of their current contract 
8. Set the Basic Entitlement to the number of days in their basic annual contract, including public holidays * 
9. Set Brought Forward to the number of days brought forward from the previous contract (if any) 
10. Set Expected Hours to the number of hours they’re contracted to work each day 
11. Click on the Create button to create the worker contract 

* If their contract period does not cover a full year, ensure their basic annual entitlement is pro-rata 

Creating contracts in bulk

Please be aware that if you follow this process, the contracts you create will have no contractual working hours in place, as there is no existing contract to copy, so whilst you can create the contracts in bulk very quickly, you’d have to edit each contract individually to set their working hours before anyone could book absence against them. 

1. Click on the Timesheets tab 
2. Click on the Bulk Edit Worker Contracts link 
3. Set the parameters for the new contracts you want to create: 
   1. Set the Start Date to the first date in the new contract year 
   2. Set the End Date to the last date in the new contract year 
   3. Set the Has Contract to No (to avoid updating any pre-existing contracts) 
   4. You can also set the facility and department filters if those help you narrow down the contracts for creation 
   5. Click the Search button to bring up all the potential contracts for creation 
4. For each contract you want to create: 
   1. Review the brought forward / basic entitlement (these are populated based on existing contracts) 
   2. Overtype any that need to be adjusted 
   3. Tick the box to the left of the record (will already be ticked if adjusted) to flag for creation 
5. Click the Review button to bring up a list of the contracts that will be created 
   1. You can use the red cross to delete any that you’ve selected in error 
   2. Click the Save button to create the new contracts 

Using the system

This section covers the ongoing use of the system, namely: 

1. Viewing your absence contract 
2. Requesting an absence 
3. Approving an absence request 
4. Renewing an absence contract 

Viewing your absence contract

1. Click on the Timesheets tab 
2. Click the Worker Contracts link under the Absence Management heading  
3. Click the Search button to bring up your current contract 
   1. If you have rights to view multiple contracts (eg P&C) you may want to use the Worker filter 
4. Click the icon to the left of your contract to view all the details 

Viewing your absences to date

1. Click on the Timesheets tab 
2. Click the Worker Absences link under the Absence Management heading 
3. Enter your own name in the Worker filter, selecting from the dropdown that appears 
4. Add any other filters that may be relevant to your search 
5. Click the Search button to bring up a list of your absences that meet the selected criteria 

Requesting an absence

1. Click on the Timesheets tab 
2. Click the Worker Absences link under the Absence Management heading 
3. Click the Create button 
4. Complete the request form as follows: 
   1. Select the Type of absence you’re requesting 
   2. Set the Start Date and End Date 
   3. Change days from full to half if appropriate 
   4. Enter a Description of the reason for your request 
   5. If approvers are required, select the appropriate approvers for your team 
   6. If you’re not ready to submit the request, click Save Draft 
   7. Once you’re ready to submit the request, click Submit 

This will send an email to your nominated approver(s). 

Approving an absence request

If you’re an approver, and someone for whom you are responsible requests an absence, you’ll receive an email with a link to the absence request to be approved. 

If you have enabled the Absence Approval widget, you’ll also see an alert on your dashboard. If you’re not sure how to do this, see the sub-section below. 

1. Click on the link to take you to the absence request 
2. Review the request 
3. To approve the request, click the Approve button and enter your PIN when prompted 
4. To reject the request, click the Reject button and enter your explanation in the pop-up box that appears 

Enabling the Absence Approval widget

1. Click on the Maintenance tab 
2. Click on the Personal Preferences link in the Personal Settings group 
3. Click on the Dashboard Settings tab 
4. Tick the Absence Approval tickbox 
5. Click Save Changes 

Resetting your PIN

1. Click on the Maintenance type 
2. Under the Personal Settings heading, click on Personal Preferences 
3. Click on the General tab that appears on the following screen 
4. Scroll to the foot of the screen and you’ll see the PIN box second from the bottom 
5. Enter your new four-digit PIN in that bix 
6. Click Save Changes to update your PIN 

Renewing an absence contract

1. Click on the Timesheets tab 
2. Click on the Bulk Edit Worker Contracts link 
3. Set the parameters for the new contracts you want to create: 
   1. Set the Start Date to the first date in the new contract year 
   2. Set the End Date to the last date in the new contract year 
   3. Set the Has Contract to No (to avoid updating any pre-existing contracts) 
   4. You can also set the facility and department filters if those help you narrow down the contracts for creation 
   5. Click the Search button to bring up all the potential contracts for creation 
4. For each contract you want to create: 
   1. Review the brought forward / basic entitlement (these are populated based on existing contracts) 
   2. Overtype any that need to be adjusted 
   3. Tick the box to the left of the record (will already be ticked if adjusted) to flag for creation 
5. Click the Review button to bring up a list of the contracts that will be created 
   1. You can use the red cross to delete any that you’ve selected in error 
   2. Click the Save button to create the new contracts