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Attendance Grid Initiated Absence Requests - Process Form Configuration

James Guentner
  • Updated

Introduction

All Attendance Absence and Change Requests now require process forms regardless of whether they are initiated by the employee or Human Resources. In earlier versions of SchoolFront, Attendance changes made by Administrators could simply be overridden on the Time Card. They had very limited traceability and were not subject to approvals or notifying anyone involved. This is no longer the case, as Process forms are now required for any type of Absence or Absence Change.  

This article details the process of setting up a Process Form(s) so it runs when ,, or is selected from the Attendance grid (see figure 1 below).  


Figure 1 - Daily Attendance and Attendance Grid Initiated Absence buttons

Contents

Applicable Roles

Attendance Grid Initiated Absence Requests - [New Absence] Form Setup

Attendance Grid Initiated [View/Edit] Change Requests Form Configuration

Attendance Grid Initiated Absence Requests - [Daily Attendance] Form Setup

Applicable Roles 

Forms can be managed by users with the following roles

  • Administrator
  • Forms Administrator
  • Business Office
  • HR Admin
  • HR Team

Attendance Grid Initiated [New Absence] Request Form Configuration

For to work, a Solution Architect or Administrator must configure an existing Absence Request form to appear as an option when is selected from the Time & Attendance > Attendance grid.  

Figure 1 - Create an Absence Request from the Attendance Grid

  1. As an employee with one of the Applicable roles above, go to Process Forms > Forms Management >. We recommend you copy an existing "Absence Request" form.  It will save you some time and your existing template can be re-used.  NOTE:  It must be an "Absence Request" form type.  
  2. From the Form Management grid find the "Form Type" columns and use its filter to find your existing "Absence Request" process forms:

    Figure 2 - Copy an existing form
  3. Select a form from the list of Absence Request Forms, and from its Details tab select to make a copy of it.
  4. Edit the copy:
    1. Name the Form: "Attendance Grid Initiated Absence Request" (suggestion only)
    2. Enter a description
    3. Check "Enabled"
    4. Check "On Timecard and Attendance Grid"
    5. Now clear the rest of the other Display Options (see figure 3 below) as you will want it to only be accessible from the Attendance and Timecard.

       Figure 3 - Process Form display settings
  5. From the list of "Available Absence Codes" section, check all the applicable Absence Codes you would like to manage on the Attendance grid using the "HR Initiated" function. Below is an example, your list will vary.  

    Figure 4 - Absence codes that will appear on the form
  6. Save it by selecting
  7. The legacy "HR Initiated" Absence process did not require approvers.  If you would like to carry this forward as your process for Absence Requests initiated from the Attendance grid, then:
    1. Very that you do not have any approvers setup on the form.  Click on the Approvers > tab grid (see below). It should be blank.

      Figure 5 -Approver tab
    2. Otherwise, setup the approval workflow as you would any other form.
  8. Because this form is designed for users that administrate Absence Requests within your district, you should limit access to this form (it bypasses approvals) so that ONLY elevated users can run this form from the Attendance grid.
    1. Click on the "Submit on Behalf" > tab grid (see below).
    2. Click the New Group button to add a SchoolFront role.  By doing this you are restricting access to this form to the roles added to the list here.  Add the following elevated roles:
      • Administrators
      • HR Admin
      • Attendance Administrator
      • Business Office

        Figure 6 - Submit on Behalf Groups tab
  9. Now verify that the form works. Go to Time & Attendance > Attendance > and select .
    1. Select a Staff Position

      Figure 7.a- Run the form
    2. Verify the above form appears on the list

      Figure 7.b - Run the form
    3. If it does not, retrace the above steps again and if you still can't get it to work call or email support@frontedge.com
  10. Like any other form, you can further customize the form's approval process, notification / email rules, and content (text, images, additional custom fields, etc):

Attendance Grid Initiated [View/Edit] Change Requests Form Configuration

Attendance Grid Initiated Absence Changes must be configured to use a form before changes can be made to Absence Requests when is clicked from the Details page of a selected Absence Request.

Figure 1 - View and or Edit (change) the form

  1. As an employee with one of the Applicable roles above, go to Process Forms > Forms Management >. We recommend you copy an existing "Absence Request" form.  It will save you some time and your existing template can be re-used.  NOTE:  It must be an "Attendance Change Requests" form type.  
  2. From the Form Management grid find the "Form Type" column and use its filter to find your existing "Attendance Change Requests" process forms:

    Figure 2 - Make a copy of an existing form
  3. Select a form from the list of Attendance Change Requests, and from its Details tab select to make a copy of it.
  4. Edit the copy:
    1. Name the Form: "Attendance Grid Initiated Change Request" (suggestion only)
    2. Enter a description
    3. Check "Enabled"
    4. Check "On Timecard and Attendance Grid"
    5. Now clear the rest of the other Display Options (see figure 3 below) as you will want it to only be accessible from the Attendance and Timecard.

       Figure 3 - Process Form display settings
  5. Check boxes for Absence Codes under "Available Absence Codes to Change" and any boxes for Absence Codes under "Available Absence Codes to Select" that will be available on the form. In most instances, most if not all Absence Codes are checked in both categories so Elevated Users have as much flexibility as possible when changing Absence Requests.

    Figure 4 - Check each Absence Code that you want managed using the form
  6. Save it by selecting
  7. The legacy HR Initiated Change process did not require approvers. If you would like to carry this forward in your process, remove any approvers from your copied form by going to  Approvers > tab grid (see below).  Otherwise, configure the approval workflow as you would any other form.

    Figure 5 - Approvers Tab
  8. To define who is able to access this form to manage employee Absence Request Changes, add the same elevated roles indicated above by going to  "Submit on Behalf" > tab grid.
    1. Click on the "Submit on Behalf" > tab grid (see below).
    2. Click the New Group button to add a SchoolFront role.  By doing this you are restricting access to this form to the roles added to the list here.  Add the following elevated roles:
      • Administrators
      • HR Admin
      • Attendance Administrator

      • Business Office


        Figure 6 - Submit on Behalf Tab

  9. You can customize the form's approval process, notification / email rules, and content (text, images, additional custom fields, etc) like any other form:
  10. Now verify that the form works. Go to Time & Attendance > Attendance > and select an Approved absence in the past. NOTE: Past Absence Requests are the only forms your can use the Change Request Form to edit.
    1. Use the the Attendance Date field to find an exiting / approved Absence Request.  
    2. Select the  Absence Request.
       
      Figure 7 - use the column filter to find an Absence Request that is Approved and in the Past
    3. Select from its Details page
    4. Select from the pop-up
    5. Figure 8
    6. Verify the above form appears on the Form* pulldown list

      Figure 9 - Run the form
    7. If it does not, retrace the above steps again and if you still can't get it to work call or email support@frontedge.com

Attendance Grid Initiated [Daily Attendance] Absence Request Form Configuration

Daily Attendance must also be configured to use a form also. The function on the Attendance grid is primarily used to create absences for a large block of employees (like for a Snow Day). 

  1. First Determine which Absence Codes have been setup by your Administrator for Mass Attendance.
    1. Go to Time & Attendance > Setup > Absence Codes >
    2. Filter the grid for "Use For Mass Attendance" = Checked

      Figure 1 - Determine which Absence Codes are used for Daily Attendance
    3. Make a note of the code(s) listed
  2. As an employee with one of the Applicable roles above, go to Process Forms > Forms Management >
  3. Create a new form that is specific to Daily Attendance.  We recommend you copy the form you created for "Attendance Grid Initiated [New Absence] Request Form Configuration" above by:
    1. First go to Process Forms > Form Management and
    2. Click the magnifying glass for the form you created above.
    3. Select

      Figure 2 - Find and edit the Absence Request form you created above
    4. Click the Edit button on the lower half of the screen and:
      • Name the Form: "Daily Attendance"
      • Fill in the Description
      • Check Enabled
      • Check "On Daily Attendance Grid"

        Figure 3 - Process Form display settings
    5. Now check each the Absence Codes that you noted in step 1 of this procedure*
      • * as well as any other code that you would like to manage using Daily Attendance mass updates

        Figure 4 - Check Absence Codes that will appear on the Daily Attendance Form
    6. [Save] it
  4. You can customize the form's approval process, notification / email rules, and content (text, images, additional custom fields, etc) like any other form:
  5. Now verify that the form works. Go to Time & Attendance > Attendance > and select

    Figure 5 - Daily Attendance button on the Attendance Grid
  6. If it does not, retrace the above steps again and if you still can't get it to work call or email support@frontedge.com

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