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Absence and holidays

How to manage absence and holidays in Realtime, from setting absence constraints to organising your absence groups.

Setting up absence constraints

Absence constraints limit how many people from a department can be off at the same time. Set a department, choose whether the limit is permanent or for a date range, then enter the maximum.

Step 1: Open absence constraints

  1. Open Realtime and log in.
  2. From the left-hand menu, go to Settings, then Holiday Groups, then Absence Constraints.

Step 2: Add a new constraint

  1. Click New in the bottom-left corner to enter edit mode.
  2. Under the Department drop-down, select the department to apply the constraint to.
  3. Choose the date settings: select Default for a permanent constraint with no end date, or set a date range to apply it temporarily, for example over the festive period.
  4. Enter the maximum number of employees allowed off from that department at any one time.
  5. Click Apply to save. The new constraint appears in the list at the top.

If the department you need is not listed, or you want to add a new one, see the Managing filters guide for how to set up filters.

Step 3: Edit an existing constraint

  1. Click the constraint in the list at the top.
  2. Click Edit below to reactivate the fields.
  3. Make your changes, then click Apply to save.

Adding a subcategory absence group in Realtime

Add a new subcategory under an existing absence group in Settings, give it a name, description, colour and default rate, then apply so it is ready to book in the planner.

Step 1: Open Realtime

  1. Launch Realtime and log in with your credentials.

Step 2: Go to Setup, then Settings

  1. From the navigation panel, select Setup.
  2. Inside the Setup screen, click Settings.

Step 3: Open Absence Groups

  1. In Settings, find the Absence Groups section. The predefined groups are listed on the left: Sickness, Absence, Miscellaneous, Bank Holiday, Training, TOIL and Non-Working Day.

Step 4: Select an absence group

  1. Click the group you want to add to. In this example, click Miscellaneous.

Step 5: Add a new code

  1. At the bottom of the screen, find the Miscellaneous Codes section and click New.

Step 6: Enter the details

  1. Name: a short name, for example Com.
  2. Description: the full name or explanation, for example Compassionate.
  3. Colour code: select a colour for easy identification.
  4. Display: tick the checkbox to make it visible in the planner.
  5. Rate: choose a default rate, for example Basic Rate. You can change this later when booking the absence.

Step 7: Apply the changes

  1. Click Apply to save. The new subcategory, for example Compassionate, is now ready to book in the planner using the default rate you selected.

Booking leave and absences in the Planner

Book holiday and other absences from the Planner: select the employee and dates, then set the absence type, period and rates in the Book Absence window.

Step 1: Open the Planner

  1. Log in to Realtime and go to Absence Management, then Planner.
  2. View by week, month or year, and use the filters to choose what you see.

Step 2: Select the employee and dates

  1. Select the member of staff and the day or days to book, for example 26/05/2026. Use the mouse and keyboard to select more than one day.
  2. Click the View button to open the Book Absence window.

Step 3: Set the absence details

  • Absence Group: Holiday, Sickness, Absence, Bank Holidays, Miscellaneous or Bank Hours.
  • Subcategory: depending on the group and what you have set up.
  • Period: a full shift or a half day.
  • Use Absence Rates (ticked by default): takes the rate from the employee’s default schedule, shift or Paid Absences tab, for example Basic 8:30. Untick to amend the rate and hours.
  • Use Default Site/Department: as per the employee’s settings in personnel.
  • Some groups (absence, sickness) have an unpaid tick box: ticked is unpaid, unticked is paid.

Step 4: Book it

  1. Check the employee’s leave details at the bottom of the window, then click Book.

If the leave exceeds the employee’s entitlement, Realtime warns you, but you can override it. To edit or delete booked leave, select the employee and dates and use the relevant button. Delete asks you to confirm; Edit reopens the Book Absence window.

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