When employees cannot edit or delete their own approved time off, they can send a change request or a cancellation request instead of messaging their manager or HR. Nothing changes until the request is approved, and every step is recorded in the activity log.

Overview

• Request change: ask for new dates, a half day, different hours or a different absence type on approved time off you cannot edit.
• Request cancellation: ask to cancel approved time off you cannot delete.
• You can add a reason and withdraw the request while it is pending.
• While the request is pending, the time off stays approved. Balances and calendars do not change.
• The request follows the usual approval steps and applies when the last approver accepts it. If it is rejected, the approved time off stays as it is.
• Every request, decision and withdrawal is recorded in the activity log, and the employee is notified of the decision.

When to use it

• Your company keeps approved time off fixed (for example, because the annual holiday plan has to be published) and you need to change your dates.
• You no longer need approved time off and want to cancel it, but you cannot delete it yourself.

How to request a change or a cancellation

1. In your sidebar, go to Time Off
2. Click the approved time off you want to change or cancel
3. Select Request change or Request cancellation
4. For a change, enter the new details (dates, half day, hours or type)
5. (Optional) Add a reason
6. Send the request

To withdraw a pending request, open the time off again and withdraw it.

Ask One

You can also ask One in your own words, for example "I want to move my holidays to next week". One prepares the request and sends it once you confirm.

How approvers review the request

1. Open the request from your Inbox, from Home or from the notification
2. Compare the approved and the requested dates side by side. On the web, you also see the balance before and after the change
3. Click Approve or Reject

The request follows the same approval steps as other time off requests and applies when the last approver accepts it.

What HR sees

If you try to edit or delete time off that has a pending change or cancellation request, Factorial shows a warning first. If you save your change, the request is withdrawn and the employee is notified.

How to turn it on

No setup is needed if your employees already cannot edit or delete their own approved time off. To set it up:

1. In your sidebar, go to Settings
2. Click on Permissions
3. Select the permission group of your employees and go to the Time off section
4. Keep Request leaves enabled
5. In Edit leaves and create for others, remove For themselves. Employees will see Request change
6. For cancellation requests, also remove For themselves in Delete leaves. Employees will see Request cancellation
7. Click on Save changes

Learn more in Time off permissions.

Limitations

• Not available on time off that has already started.
• Not available on sick or medical leave.
• The new first day must be after today.
• Only one pending request per time off.
• If nobody decides before the time off or the new dates start, the request is withdrawn automatically and the employee is notified.

In the mobile app

• Approvers receive the request in the Inbox and as a notification, and can approve or reject it. The task does not show the approved or the requested dates yet, so open it on the web if you need the details.
• Employees cannot send change or cancellation requests from the mobile app yet. Send them from the web or by asking One.

FAQ

1. Does my time off change while the request is pending?
   No. It stays approved, and your balance and calendars do not change until the request is approved.
2. What happens if my request is rejected?
   Your approved time off stays as it was, and you are notified of the decision.
3. Why don't I see "Request change" or "Request cancellation"?
   You can probably edit or delete that time off directly, or it has already started, is sick or medical leave, or already has a pending request. In the mobile app, employees cannot send these requests yet.
4. Can I send more than one request for the same time off?
   No. Only one request can be pending per time off. Withdraw it first if you need to send a different one.
5. What happens if nobody decides in time?
   If the time off or the new dates start before a decision, the request is withdrawn and you are notified.
6. Do I need to change any settings?
   No. Nobody's permissions change. The options appear automatically for employees who cannot edit or delete their own approved time off.