Overview
Time Off Setup configures how paid and unpaid time off (PTO) is managed. These settings define time-off categories, assign employee balances, and control administrative permissions for modifying or reviewing PTO. Proper configuration ensures accurate tracking, clean payroll exports, and consistent handling of employee requests.
View the six part video series for the Administrator Setup, and this is the final video 6 found below.
When to Use This
Use Time Off Setup when:
Enabling PTO management within Shiftlab
Adding or editing PTO categories (e.g., Paid Time Off, Sick Time, Jury Duty)
Assigning initial PTO balances to employees
Allowing leadership to delete past PTO entries
Enabling or disabling PTO request email notifications
Step-by-Step Instructions
Video Instruction
Enable or Disable PTO
Decide whether your organization will track PTO in Shiftlab.
If not using PTO, keep the feature Off.
If using PTO, continue with the steps below.
Create and Manage Time Off Categories
Navigate to Time Off Categories.
Select Add Category.
Choose whether the category is Paid or Unpaid.
Enter the Category Name (e.g., Jury Duty, Bereavement).
Enter the Category Code for payroll exports (e.g., JD).
Select Save.
Repeat for all categories your organization will use.
Assign Employee Time Off Balances
Scroll to Time Off Balances.
Select Download Sample File.
Open the file. It will include:
Employee names
Time off categories
Paid/unpaid designation
Start and end dates of each PTO period
Allowance (total hours allocated)
Pending and used hours
Enter the correct Allowance for each employee and category.
Example:
Sick Day (Unpaid): 40 hours
Paid Time Off: 20 hours
Save the file.
Return to Shiftlab and select Import File.
Upload the updated file.
Wait a few minutes for the balances to populate in the system.
Configure PTO Deletion Permissions
Go to Delete Past PTO settings.
Select Edit.
Toggle the feature On if leadership should be able to remove historical PTO entries.
Choose which Security Role has permission (e.g., Company Admin).
Select Save Changes.
Configure PTO Notifications
Go to PTO Notifications.
Toggle On if managers should receive email alerts for new time-off requests.
Toggle Off to review requests only inside the platform.
Select Save Changes.
Key Details & Definitions
Time Off Category: A PTO type (e.g., Paid Time Off, Unpaid Sick, Jury Duty) that employees can request and that leaders can report on.
Category Code: A short identifier used in payroll exports.
Allowance: The number of hours assigned to an employee for a specific time-off category.
Pending / Used Hours: Hours already requested or approved from the assigned balance.
Delete Past PTO: A permission allowing authorized users to remove PTO entries that occurred in the past.
PTO Notifications: Email alerts sent to leadership when employees submit time-off requests.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
The PTO file will not upload.
Verify that no column names were modified and that all required fields contain valid values.
Employees show no PTO categories.
Confirm that categories were created and that the PTO file was uploaded with allowances.
Employees cannot request PTO.
Ensure PTO is enabled and at least one category has an active balance.
Leadership is not receiving PTO request emails.
Verify that PTO notifications are enabled and assigned to the correct users.
Related Articles
Attendance and Timecard Management
Payroll Export Settings
Role Management and Security Roles
Store Hours and Schedule Configuration