Absence management software dashboard showing employee absence records

What is absence management software?

Absence management software is a digital tool that helps UK businesses track, manage, and report on employee absence. It replaces manual spreadsheets and paper records with an automated system that monitors planned and unplanned absences, calculates holiday entitlements, flags patterns of sickness, and integrates directly with payroll.

For HR professionals, line managers, and business owners, it removes the administrative burden of tracking who is off, why they are off, and what it is costing the business.

Why teams love it

Less admin, fewer surprises, better decisions

Absence management software should make your working day easier, not add another system to wrestle with. Here is what changes when you manage absence with Computime.

✓

Approve holiday in seconds

Staff request time off from the app, the system checks their entitlement automatically, and you approve with a tap. No more email chains or paper forms.

✓

Know who is off, instantly

See who is in, off, or late across every site and department from one live dashboard, so you can plan cover before a shift falls short.

✓

Catch patterns early

Automatic Bradford Factor scoring flags persistent short term absence before it becomes a problem, so you can have the right conversation at the right time.

✓

Let staff serve themselves

Employees check their own entitlement, view the team planner, and see their absence history through the employee self service portal, cutting the queries that land on HR.

✓

Be ready for any audit

Every absence, return to work form, and approval is logged automatically and stored securely, so accurate records are always there when you need them.

✓

Pay people right, first time

Approved absence flows straight into payroll, integrating directly with Sage and exporting ready for Pegasus and QuickBooks, so pay is accurate without manual re-keying.

What our absence management software includes

Everything you need to track, manage, and reduce employee absence across your organisation.

Feature What it does
Bradford Factor scoring Automatically calculates absence scores for every employee and flags persistent short term absenteeism
Holiday entitlement calculations Set up based on length of service with pro-rata options for starters, leavers, and part time employees
Holiday request and approval Employees submit requests online or via the mobile app, managers approve instantly with automatic entitlement checks
Sickness monitoring Track individual absence histories and automate return to work forms and notifications
Absence trend reporting Identify patterns, spot repeat offenders, and compare against national averages using Bradford Factor data
Time lost reporting See exactly how much time and money absence is costing your business in real time
Unauthorised absence tracking Flag and manage unauthorised absence with automated alerts to managers and HR teams
Payroll integration Absence data integrates directly with Sage, and exports ready for Pegasus and QuickBooks, eliminating manual data entry
Multi-site management Manage absence across multiple locations and departments from one central dashboard
GDPR compliant storage All absence records stored securely in the cloud with full data protection compliance

What is absence really costing UK business?

£103bn

Annual hidden cost of workplace sickness to UK business in 2023, up £30bn since 2018

IPPR, 2024 →

£120

Average lost profit for every sickness absence day

Keep Britain Working, gov.uk →

6.7 days

Average sick days taken per UK employee each year, up from 3.7 in 2018

IPPR, 2024 →

These figures do not take into account the indirect costs of reduced productivity, management time, and the impact on team morale. Yet many UK businesses are still managing absence manually through spreadsheets and paper forms.

Computime’s absence management software gives you the visibility and control to tackle absence proactively rather than reactively, identifying patterns early, enforcing policies consistently, and demonstrating compliance with UK employment law.

How it works

The Bradford Factor formula

S2 × D

Score = spells of absence squared, times total days

SNumber of separate absence spells in a set period
DTotal number of days absent across those spells

Example: 4 separate one day absences (4² × 4) scores 64, while one 4 day absence (1² × 4) scores just 4, showing why frequent short absences flag higher.

Bradford Factor and holiday management

Computime’s absence management software uses the Bradford Factor equation to build a detailed attendance profile for every employee, automatically identifying patterns of persistent short term absenteeism. This gives managers complete visibility of trends across the organisation, supporting better policy enforcement, workforce planning, and performance management.

Holiday allowance calculations can be configured based on length of service, including pro-rata options for starters and leavers and a reduced allocation for part time employees. The system adapts to your specific HR policies rather than forcing you to change how you work.

Why choose Computime for absence management?

Computime has been providing absence management solutions to UK businesses for over 30 years. Based in Leeds, we support more than 800 businesses across construction, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, facilities management, and retail.

Our absence management software is fully integrated with our time and attendance system and Syncro Connect mobile app, giving you a complete workforce management solution from a single platform.

✓Over 30 years experience in workforce and absence management
✓More than 800 UK businesses supported
✓Leeds based with a dedicated UK support team
✓Rated 4.4 Excellent on Trustpilot
✓Integrates directly with Sage, and exports ready for Pegasus and QuickBooks
✓From £2 per employee per month, £3 with the GPS mobile app, no setup fees
✓GDPR compliant data storage and management

800+

UK businesses trust Computime

30+

years of UK workforce experience since 1989

4.5

average rating on Google from UK customers

UK

based support, never an overseas call centre

“

“We are really pleased with our Computime solution. Introducing this system means that payroll is now processed accurately and efficiently, helping to boost morale both for our head office staff and our field teams. Real time data means we know where our employees are, allowing us to operate more efficiently.”

James Dunlop

Financial Manager, Landworth Electrics

“

“We are very pleased with the smooth implementation. Computime worked very hard to make sure installation was completed within the time frame and with minimum disruption. The in-depth training allowed us to focus on production and keeping our employees safe at work while ensuring efficiency.”

Clare Barker

HR Manager, Wholebake Limited

“

“I was tasked with sourcing a computerised time and attendance solution to replace our manual clocking system. The Computime website contained all the information I needed, making the decision straightforward. The software proved easy to use and the helpdesk was very helpful and friendly. Computime have exceeded all of our expectations and objectives and I would definitely recommend them.”

Purchasing Manager

BSK Laminating

Absence Management Software FAQS

What is absence management software?

Absence management software is a digital tool that helps UK businesses track, manage, and report on employee absence. It automates holiday requests and approvals, monitors sickness patterns, calculates Bradford Factor scores, and integrates with payroll systems to ensure accurate pay. It replaces manual spreadsheets with a centralised system that gives managers and HR teams real time visibility of absence across the whole organisation.

Why is absence management software important for UK businesses?

Workplace sickness cost UK business an estimated £103 billion in 2023, up £30 billion since 2018, according to the IPPR, and the government’s Keep Britain Working review puts the average lost profit at £120 for every sickness absence day. Without a dedicated system, businesses struggle to identify patterns of absenteeism, enforce absence policies consistently, and demonstrate compliance with employment law. Absence management software gives businesses the data and tools to tackle these issues proactively.

What features does Computime's absence management software include?

Computime’s absence management software includes Bradford Factor scoring, holiday entitlement calculations with pro-rata options, holiday request and approval workflows, sickness monitoring, return to work forms, absence trend reporting, time lost analysis, unauthorised absence tracking,payroll integration with Sage and export ready for Pegasus and QuickBooks, and multi-site management. All data is stored securely in the cloud and is fully GDPR compliant.

Does absence management software integrate with payroll systems?

Yes. Computime’s absence management software integrates directly with Sage, and exports approved holiday and sickness data ready for Pegasus and QuickBooks. Data flows into payroll without manual re-keying, reducing errors and ensuring employees are paid accurately for the time they have worked.

Can employees manage their own absence through the software?

Yes. Employees can submit holiday requests, check their remaining entitlement, view their team planner, and access their absence history directly through the employee self service portal or the Syncro Connect mobile app. This reduces the administrative burden on HR and management teams while giving employees full transparency over their own records.

How much does absence management software cost?

Computime’s absence management software starts from £2 per employee per month, or £3 with the GPS mobile app, as part of the Syncro Connect platform. There are no setup fees and no long term contracts. Contact us for a custom quote based on your business size and requirements, or start a free trial at syncroconnect.com.

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