How to Manage Short Time Off Requests | Workwisely Guide

Short Time Off

EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE · TIME OFF

Short Time Off

Request a few hours away from work — personal errands, appointments, or short breaks — without consuming a full day of leave.

Time-off type
👥 WHO USES THIS
▸Employees needing a few hours off mid-day.
▸Managers approving short-duration requests.
▸HR tracking sub-day absences against policy.
✨ WHAT YOU'LL ACHIEVE
▸Submit a short time off request with start/end times.
▸Track approval status from the dashboard.
▸View remaining short-time-off quota for the period.
Short Time Off(Permission)

Employee Self Service → Time Off → Short Time Off

Short Time Off (Permission) feature under Employee Self Service (ESS) allows employees to request brief time away from work without applying for full or half-day leave. This module is intended for personal tasks such as attending medical appointments, family emergencies, or other short-duration commitments during working hours.

To apply for a short time off request, click the +Apply button on the right-hand side. A pop-up window will open, where employees must fill in all the mandatory fields and submit the request.
  1. Select the date and enter the duration (up to the permitted limit).
  2. After completing all required fields, click Submit to trigger the approval process, which will be sent to the designated approver based on the configured workflow.To view the approval workflow, click the three-dot menu in the Action column and select "Approval Workflow." A pop-up will display the current status of the request.
  3. To view short time off data: Select the record, and a pop-up window will open displaying the applied permission request.
  4. To edit a short time off request: Click the Three Dots in the Actions column and select Edit.
  5. To cancel a short time off request: Click the Three Dots in the Actions column and select Cancel. 
  6. To download the short time off register report click the Three Dots in the right hand side above the Actions button and click the Export.
  7. You can cancel only the approved permission records only if the payslip has not been generated for that month.
  8. If you cancel an approved permission request, the status will change to "Cancel Applied", and an approval request will be sent to the approver. Once approved, the status will change to "Cancelled" and the deducted balance will get credited.
On this screen
This is the Add Short Time Off request form. Open it from Employee Self Service → Time Off → Short Time Off → + New Request. You'll pick the date, set start and end times (or the number of hours), choose a reason category, and add any note before submitting. The balance impact and required fields are driven by your organisation's Short Time Off policy.

Fig: Add Short Time Off Request

On this screen
The View Short Time Off screen shows the detail of a single request — the date, start/end times, reason, current status, and the full approver trail. Use this to check where an open request sits or review the history of a past one.
Fig: View Short Time Off
On this screen
The Cancel Short Time Off dialog sends a cancellation to your approver. After approval, the status flips to Cancelled and any balance deduction is reversed. Cancellation of past-dated requests requires HR intervention.

Fig: Cancel Short time off

On this screen
Use the Export option to download your Short Time Off register to Excel. Pick the date range you need and click Export — the download includes every request with its status, approver, and balance impact. Useful for monthly reconciliation or sharing with your manager.

Fig: Export Short Time off Register


On this screen
This reference shows every field shown during the approval flow — what the approver sees and how they act on the request. Managers review the same detail here before approving, rejecting, or sending back for more information.
Fig: Approval Flow
Fields Description


Title
Description
Start Date

Indicates the exact date the employee intends to begin the short time off (permission) during working hours.
Start Time

Indicates the exact time the employee intends to begin the short time off (permission) during working hours.
End Date

Specifies the date the short time off (permission) is expected to end, marking the employee's return to work.
End Time
Specifies the time the short time off (permission) is expected to end, marking the employee's return to work.
Reason
A brief explanation provided by the employee stating the purpose of the short time off, such as a personal errand, medical appointment, or emergency.
Alternate Person
The colleague is designated to handle the employee’s responsibilities during their short time off, ensuring continuity of work in their absence.

View Previous & Future short time off Data

By default, the grid displays leave data for the current month only.To view past or upcoming leave records, use the Period dropdown. You can choose from the following options:
  1. Last 7 Days
  2. This Month
  3. Last Month
  4. Next 90 Days
  5. Custom – Allows you to select a specific date range based on your preference.
This feature helps you easily track short time off  or plan future time off within your selected timeframe.

On this screen
The Period Filter narrows the list to a preset window — This Week, Last Month, This Quarter, etc. It's the fastest way to find recent requests without typing exact dates.
Fig: Period Filter

On this screen
Use the Custom Date Filter when preset periods don't fit what you need — e.g. a specific project window, an audit range, or a past year. Set the From / To dates and the list refreshes immediately.

Fig: Custom Date Filter
Short Time Off(On Duty)

Employee Self Service → Time Off → Short time off

The On Duty request allows employees to apply for time away from the workplace for official purposes such as client meetings, site visits, training, or external assignments.
To apply for a short time off request, click the +Apply button on the right-hand side. A pop-up window will open, where employees must fill in all the mandatory fields and submit the request.
  1. Select the Request For as On Duty.
  2. Select the date and enter the duration (up to the permitted limit).
  3. After completing all required fields, click Submit to trigger the approval process, which will be sent to the designated approver based on the configured workflow.To view the approval workflow, click the three-dot menu in the Action column and select "Approval Workflow." A pop-up will display the current status of the request.

On this screen
The status column on every request shows exactly where it sits in the workflow — Pending Approval, Approved, Rejected, Cancel Applied, or Cancelled. Click any row to drill into the full detail and approver trail.


Frequently Asked Questions — Short Time Off

Q. What counts as "short time off"?
Absences under one full working day — typically used for personal errands, medical appointments, or picking up family — measured in hours (commonly 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours) rather than days.
Q. Does short time off deduct from my leave balance?
It depends on your policy. Some organisations deduct pro-rata from Annual / Casual Leave (e.g. 4 hours = 0.5 day), others maintain a separate hourly quota. Check your policy details in the article body above.
Q. How much notice do I need to give?
Planned short time off typically needs 24 hours' notice; emergencies (medical, family) can be applied retrospectively with manager approval.
Q. Can it cross lunch or break hours?
The request window is clock-time based. If your STO spans a scheduled break, the break duration is not counted against your STO allotment.
Q. What happens if I return earlier than planned?
You can edit your STO entry to reflect actual hours taken. The balance is re-calculated at the next nightly reconciliation.
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