Who this guide is for: System Administrators. Requires 'Workflow Builder' role.
Overview
This guide explains the new month-of-absence option for Workflow Builder conditions (Total record durations and Total record occurrences) and shows how to use it—for example, to enforce a one-day-per-month limit on a specific absence type.
Please note – if you have record-based workflows, the Workflow Builder will not read records submitted via the Admin Panel, “Bulk User Update” tool, or Integrations. It will also not read recurring absences.
How Workflow Builder Month-of-Absence Conditions Work
You can now choose between:
- Timeframe – Existing options (e.g., within the last X months).
- Within the month of absence – New option that evaluates totals in the calendar month the booking falls in.
Logic notes:
- The system totals the selected absence type(s) in the same calendar month as the booking.
- If a single booking spans multiple months, the condition is true if the rule is met in any month it touches.
- Example: A rule “Total record durations ≥ 2 days in a month” is false for one 2-day booking that spans 1 day in each of two months, but true if both days fall in the same month.
How to Set Up Month-of-Absence Conditions
- Go to Admin tools → Admin Panel → Workflow Builder.
- Open an existing workflow or click + New workflow.
- In Conditions, choose Total record durations or Total record occurrences.
- Set Scope to Within the month of absence.
- Select the relevant Absence Type(s).
- Choose the operator and threshold (e.g., Equal to or more than, 2 days).
- Add your Action(s) (e.g., Auto-decline absence, Notify user/manager).
- Click Save (top of page) and Enable the workflow.
Example: Restrict an absence type to 1 day per calendar month
Create two workflows:
- Block multi-day bookings
- Condition: Booking duration ≥ 2 days (use a booking/record duration condition on create).
- Filter: The specific Absence Type you want to limit.
- Action: Auto-decline absence (include a helpful message about the 1-day monthly limit).
- Block additional bookings in the same month
- Condition: Total record durations → Within the month of absence → Equal to or more than 1 day.
- Filter: The same Absence Type.
- Trigger: On booking, create.
- Action: Auto-decline absence (message explaining they’ve reached the monthly limit).
Additional Information
- Key terminology:
- Total record durations – Sums approved/pending durations for the chosen absence type(s) based on your scope.
- Total record occurrences – Counts bookings (not duration) for the chosen absence type(s) based on your scope.
- Within the month of absence – Evaluates totals in the calendar month of the booking; cross-month bookings are assessed per month touched.
- Permissions required: System Admin role.
- Practical tips:
- Start with Notify actions to pilot workflows before switching to Auto-decline.
- Always add clear decline messages so users understand the policy.
- Important reminders:
- Warning: Workflow Builder will not process records submitted via Admin Panel, Bulk User Update, Integrations, or recurring absences.
- Warning: Multiple active workflows can interact – review conditions carefully to avoid conflicting actions.
- The Save button is at the top of the Workflow Builder page.
- Search tip: Use the search function within the platform to quickly find features or settings.