You can record leave in bulk using Excel if you have many employees going on leave over a similar period. For example, many companies have an annual shutdown period in December where all employees go on leave simultaneously.

There’s two steps involved in this process:

Step 1: Download and complete the Excel template

• Go to Employees > Bulk Actions > Leave Dates Import
• Click the Export Leave Dates File button
• Use the filters to select specific employees or groups of employees
• Enter the date range that you’d like to record leave for. Please note that the date range must be less than or equal to 100 days.
• Click Export

An Excel file will now download to your computer:

• Open the Excel file.
• You’ll see the employee’s details in columns B, C and D and the days from the date range in each subsequent column. Do not change the structure of the file i.e. do not delete or add columns or rows.
• To record a leave day, navigate to the column with that date. Note that leave can only be recorded on days that are not greyed out – greyed out cells represent days that do not form part of the employee’s regular working days, or it is a public holiday.
• Click on the cell in that column that aligns with the employee who is taking leave.
• Use the dropdown arrow to select the leave type.
• You can use Excel’s drag functionality to copy the leave type down to all employees if needed (e.g. the day forms part of a period of annual shutdown).
• Save the file to your computer when you are satisfied that all leave days have been recorded.

Step 2: Upload the Excel template

• Return to Employees > Bulk Actions > Leave Dates Import
• Click on Choose File under Step 2 – Upload and locate the file on your computer
• Click the Override previously recorded leave? checkbox if you previously uploaded a spreadsheet that covers one or more days in the spreadsheet and you wish to override what you recorded then.
• Click Upload
• You’ll now be able to review the dates that you have recorded.
• Click Save.

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