Default workflow
By default, every leave request goes to the employee's direct manager for approval. The manager is set on the employee's profile (People → [Employee] → Reports to).
Workflow types
Direct manager
Request goes to the employee's manager. If no manager is set, it falls back to HR.
Multi-level
Request goes to the direct manager first, then escalates to their manager if leave exceeds a threshold (e.g., more than 5 days).
Designated approver
Assign a specific person (e.g., HR manager) to approve all requests of a certain leave type, regardless of reporting line.
Auto-approve
Requests are approved instantly with no human review. Useful for sick leave or personal days where you trust employees to self-manage.
Configuring workflows
Go to Settings → Approval Workflows. You can create different workflows per leave type:
- Vacation → Direct manager, escalate to skip-level if >10 days
- Sick leave → Auto-approve
- Parental leave → HR department approver
Delegating approval
Managers can delegate their approval authority while they're on leave. Go to My Profile → Delegation, set a date range, and choose a colleague to act as approver. Requests will be routed to the delegate during that period.
Approval reminders
TimeLeaf sends automatic reminders to approvers for pending requests:
- After
48 hourswith no action, first reminder - After
5 days, escalation to HR (if configured)
Reminder intervals are configurable under Settings → Notifications.