Approval Rules

Instead of manually handling all the time-off requests, approval rules automate responses for you. Using approval rules, you'll cut down the time you spend handling requests. Also, agents won't have to wait for their manager to review each submission.

Based on the conditions you define in the rules, the requests are automatically approved. You can decide either to auto-decline or forward the request for manual approval when the conditions aren't met.

When creating the rule, you can define net-staffing levels as a condition for handling requests. For example, you can choose to decline all requests when you're understaffed. This feature is only available for users with the WFM Advanced license.

You can review the automated responses and the pending requests in the Manage Requests page.

Keep in mind:

• The rule is activated by default once you create it. To deactivate a rule, click Options and select Deactivate.

• The Broken status means that one or more of the activities or scheduling units in the rule were deleted, and that the rule is inactive.

• You can duplicate, edit, and delete each rule from Options as well.

• To create approval rules, you must have View and Manage enabled in the Approval Rules permission. This permission is available in Admin > Security > Roles & Permissions, in the WFM > General Permissions section.

To create an approval rule:

1. Go to WFM > Requests > Approval Rules.

2. Click the app selector and select WFM.

3. Go to Requests > Approval Rules.

4. Click New Rule.

5. Enter a Name.

6. In the General tab, select the Scheduling units and the Activities that will receive an automated reply.

7. In the Net Staffing tab, you can choose to use the net-staffing levels as a condition for handling requests. For example, you can decline all requests when you're understaffed.

   How you can use net staffing

   Let's say you want your rule to handle requests based on these levels:

   • Overstaffed by 15% or higher—Approve the request automatically. In this case, the request must meet the conditions you selected as well.

   • Between 15% overstaffed and 10% understaffed—Forward the request to you for manual approval.

   • Understaffed by 10% or under—Decline the request automatically.

   Keep in mind:

   • Only available for users with the WFM Advanced license.

   • To create a rule without using net staffing, skip this step.

   • When the rule has more than one scheduling unit, the net-staffing levels apply to each unit separately.

   To add net-staffing levels to your rule:

   1. Click Define Net Staffing.

   2. Select the days the chart applies to.

      By default, the chart applies to every day of the week. When you select specific days, you can add another chart by clicking Customize Other Days.

   3. Click inside the chart, and drag the net-staffing bar left and right to define the hours.

      Let's say you want to set the net-staffing levels from 8:00 until 12:30. Click the column for 8:00, and drag the bar to 12:30.

      Using the net-staffing chart

      • The chart displays columns for every 15 minutes of the day (horizontal axis), and the net-staffing levels (vertical axis).

      • Inside the columns, you choose the time and staffing levels with net-staffing bars.

        The rule will handle requests based on the time and staffing levels in the chart.

      Removing charts:

      • To remove one net-staffing chart, click Options select Delete.

      • To remove all net-staffing charts, click Delete all. Net staffing won't be part of your rule.

   4. Inside the bar, drag the sliders up and down to define the actions for the net-staffing levels: Approve, Send to manager, or Decline.

      Adjusting the net-staffing bar

      • Instead of using the slider, you can enter the Approve or Decline values under the chart.

      • Hover over the bar to see the net-staffing levels for each action.

      • If you want to clear net staffing bars, select them and click Clear selected.

      • The rule won't apply net staffing for the Not defined hours. In cases like this, the rule will check only the other condition in the rule.

      • When there's a conflict between the actions you define for net staffing and in the Condition tab—Decline takes precedence over Approve or Send to manager. Send to manager takes precedence over Approve.

        Let's say an agent submits a request for a day off. The request meets the net staffing in the approval rule, so the request should be approved. But that agent doesn't have days remaining in their time-off balance, so the request should be declined.

        In this case, the request is denied.

      Adding more bars for different hours of the day

      Let's say you want to apply Approve when you're 20% overstaffed during the morning shift, and 5% in the evening. You can create two separate net-staffing bars for each time of the day.

      Combining multiple net-staffing bars

      You can combine two or more different bars you've created. Keep in mind, combing the bars will include the Not defined columns between them. Select the bars you want to combine, and drag a slider up or down.

   5. Select what happens If there's no forecast or published schedule the requested day: Approve, Send to manager, or Decline.

      With a forecast and published schedule, the rule won't be able to validate the request with the net-staffing levels.

8. In the Conditions tab, select the conditions for the rule. All selected conditions must be met for a request to get auto-approved.

   Minimum days since hire, Agent time-off balance, Scheduling unit time-off balance (daily or custom days)

   • Minimum days since hire—Set how many days the agent must be working at the company to be eligible for auto-approval.

   • Agent time-off balance—This condition is met if enough days remain in the agent's time-off balance.

     Keep in mind, the agent's balance will be affected even when you don't select this condition. For example, a request might get approved for an agent that doesn't have days remaining in their time-off balance.

     In cases like this, the agent's balance will be negative.

   • Scheduling unit time-off balance—Define how many hours each scheduling unit can take off per day for each activity. This condition is met when the number of hours requested doesn't exceed the remaining time-off balance.

     See example

     Let's say you define these parameters for your rule:

     • Scheduling units—NY Tech Support and LON Tech Support

     • Activity codes—Paid Time Off and Unpaid Time Off

     • Group time-off balance—10 hours

     If an agent from NY Tech Support requests 10 hours of Paid Time Off, this condition will be met. The balance is now zero for this scheduling unit and activity. This condition won't be met for other agents from NY Tech Support asking for Paid Time Off on that day. They can ask for Unpaid Time Off.

     Now the balance is zero for both activities for NY Tech Support. However, the balance remains 10 hours for each activity for LON Tech Support

     You can define one balance for all days, or different balances by day of the week.

     Daily balance or Balance for custom days

     • Daily balance—Define the balance that applies to each day of the week.

     • Balance for custom days—Define a different balance for the days you want. The condition won't be met for the unselected days.

       Let's say you defined hours for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The rule won't auto-approve requests for any other day.

       Define a different balance for the days you want. The days you don't select won't be included in the rule.

       Let's say you defined hours for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If an agent requests for any other day, the rule ignores this condition. If this is the only condition for the rule, the request will be auto-approved.

       You can also set that this condition won't be met for specific days. After you select those specific days, set the balance at 0 hours. The condition won't auto-approve requests for those days.

9. Define the Submission time. This condition is met depending on when the request was submitted.

   In advance, Same day, or Within time frame

   • In advance—Only requests that were made a certain number of days in advance will be approved. You define the minimum days in advance the agent can submit his request.

   • Same day—Only same-day requests will be approved.

   • Within time frame—Only requests made within a specific time frame will be approved.

     You define the maximum days before the time-off date, and the maximum days after the time-off date.

     Let's say you defined that the maximum days after the time-off date is 5. Today is August 1. Your agent requests time-off for August 10. In this case, the request doesn't fall within the time range and won't be approved.

   Use this condition for last-minute requests

   You can create a rule that will auto-approve urgent requests (such as for sickness, bereavement).

   Create a rule for those activate codes (for example, a code called PTO_Sick_Leave) and:

   • Select Same day in the Submission time condition.

   • Don't select any other conditions.

   This will approve same-day requests for those activities.

10. Define what happens when at least one of the conditions you defined isn't met.

    Decline or Send to manager

    • Decline—The agent won't be able to submit the request, or the request will be declined automatically shortly after requesting.

    • Send to manager—You can choose to review requests manually. In this case, you can see the pending requests in the Manage Requests page. Keep in mind, a request that will get declined in the net staffing condition won't be sent to the manager.

    What happens when there's a conflict between the actions you define for net staffing and in the Condition tab?

    Let's say an agent submits a request for a day off. The request meets the net staffing in the approval rule, so the request should be approved. But that agent doesn't have days remaining in their time-off balance, so the request should be declined.

    Decline takes precedence over Approve or Send to manager. Send to manager takes precedence over Approve.

    In this case, the request is denied.

11. Click Save.

    The new rule will appear in the list in the Approval Rules page.

Frequently Asked Questions