Automations send emails or Slack messages when something happens with your team's time off, like a request waiting too long for approval or someone about to go on leave. Once an automation is set up, you don't need to chase approvers or remind the team yourself.
Time off triggers
Each automation starts with a trigger. These are the time off triggers you can choose from:
Trigger | When it runs | Example use |
Time off approved | When a time off request is approved | Let the team channel know who'll be away |
Upcoming time off | X days before or after the start date of an approved request | Remind a manager to plan cover 3 days before someone's leave starts |
Ending time off | X days before or after the end date of an approved request | Send a welcome back message on the day someone returns |
Pending time off approval | When a request has been pending for more than X days | Nudge approvers when a request has waited more than 2 days |
Negative time off balance | When a balance has been negative for more than X days | Alert HR so they can review the balance or adjust pay |
Create a time off automation
From a template
Go to Company Settings > Automations and select a template.
Review the automation and edit its filters and actions if needed.
Save or publish it.
From scratch
Go to Company Settings > Automations and click Add automation.
Choose one of the time off triggers above and set the number of days, where it applies.
Add filters to narrow down who the automation covers. For example, you might only send upcoming time off reminders for full-time employees.
Add at least one action, such as Send Email or Send Slack Message.
Add more actions or delay steps if you need them.
Save or publish it.
Set up actions
Open the automation and click Add Action.
Choose Send Email or Send Slack Message. You can schedule an action so it goes out at the right time.
To send Slack messages, connect a Slack workspace first, then choose whether to send a direct message or post in a channel.
Use placeholders in your message, like the worker's name or contract ID, so each message has the right details filled in. The placeholders you can use depend on the trigger.
Each automation needs at least one action before you can publish it. Connected Slack workspaces are shared, so anyone with editing rights to automations can use them.
Add delays
Open the automation and click Add Delay.
Enter the number of days to wait, up to a maximum of 30.
For example, with a Time off approved trigger you could notify the worker straight away, then remind their manager 7 days later.
Edit an automation
Go to the automation list and click the automation you want to change.
Unpublished automations can be edited and saved freely.
Published automations need to be republished after you make changes, or unpublished before you save them.
If you switch to a trigger outside the time off category, like Contract activated, any time off filters and placeholders will be removed.
FAQ
What happens to pending reminders when I change an automation?
If you edit, unpublish or delete a published automation, all of its pending runs are cancelled. That includes upcoming time off reminders that haven't been sent yet, delay steps still counting down, and scheduled actions.
Are there limits on automation steps?
Yes. Each automation can have up to 4 actions and up to 3 delays, and each delay can be up to 30 days long.
Who can set up automations?
Anyone with editing rights to Automations in Company Settings can create and edit them, including automations set up by other users.