Entering Absences

This chapter discusses how to:

Enter, update, and void absence events.
Forecast absence entitlement balance during absence entry.
View current absence entitlement balances and run the absence entitlement balance inquiry process
Adjust and override absence entitlement balances.
Review daily absence records.

See Also

Understanding Absence Management

Defining Absence Elements

Entering, Updating, and Voiding Absence Events

This section provides an overview of absence entry and discusses how to:

Enter, update, and void absence events.
Enter detailed information about an absence.

Understanding Absence Entry

When a payee is absent from work at a normally scheduled work time, you record the absence take, the begin and end dates, and other details that you want to track.

Absences can be entered:

Through the Absence Event Entry page.

Payroll administrators use this page to record absence events.
Through self service absence pages.

Payees and managers can use self service pages to enter requests for absences; managers can also approve requests through the self service pages.

See Entering and Approving Self Service Absence Requests.

This chapter discusses the absence entry tasks for payroll administrators.

Absence Event Entry Steps

Following are the steps for entering an absence event:

Access the Absence Event Entry page for the payee.
Select the absence take element and enter the begin and end dates of the absence.
If applicable, enter the partial hours that the payee was absent and the original begin date of the absence.
Click the Details link to access the Absence Event Input Detail page, where you can enter other details that are related to the absence, if applicable.
If the Forecasting process is required for the take that you entered, return to the Absence Event Entry page and follow the procedures for forecasting entitlement during absence entry. You receive a warning message if you try to save absence entries for the take without first running the Forecasting process.

See Forecasting Absence Entitlement Balance During Absence Entry.

Pages Used to Enter, Update, and Void Absence Events

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Absence Event Entry	GP_ABS_EVENT	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Absence Event, Absence Event Entry	Enter, update, and void absences. Start the Absence Forecasting process.
Absence Event Input Detail	GP_ABS_EVENT_SEC	Click the Details link on the Absence Event Entry page.	Enter detailed information for an absence, including the reason, processing action, manager approval, user-defined data, entitlement adjustment, and partial hours.

Entering, Updating, and Voiding Absences

Access the Absence Event Entry page.

To enter a new absence, insert a row and complete the fields described below. To make changes to a row, delete the row and add a new one.

Note. If you enter absences with overlapping dates, and your absence rules do not allow you to enter more than one absence for the same day, an error message appears when you try to save the events. If you’ve elected to use the automatic priority processing feature and have assigned a priority number to your absence take elements, the system determines which take element has priority for the date in question and offers the option of executing priority processing. You define absence priority rules on the Absence Take - Priority page.

Absence Take

Absence Take Element	Select the Absence Take element that corresponds to the payee’s absence. (You can select from all absence take elements that are defined by your organization, not just those for which the payee is eligible.)
Begin Date and End Date	Enter the begin and end dates of the absence. If there's a break in the absence, enter each event separately. For example, if a payee is out sick for two days, returns to work for three days, and then is out sick again, enter two absence events. If the absence includes a weekend (say, Thursday to Monday), enter one absence event. The system uses the Take definition that is in effect on the begin date that you specify.
Partial Hours	For absences of less than a full day, enter the number of hours that the payee was absent. If the payee was absent for more than one day (the begin and end dates are different), the system assumes that the partial hours apply only to the first day of the absence. To specify otherwise, click the Details link to access the Absence Event Input Detail page.
Process Action	For a new absence event, the default is Normal. Select Void to void an absence that has already gone through the Take process. The event is not processed in subsequent runs. Instead, the Process Action is reset to Normal and the Voided check box is automatically selected during the next Take process. During retroactive processing, a new version of the results is calculated without the voided event. Positive input is not generated from the voided event, and the results for earnings/deduction have deltas.
Voided	Selected if you voided the event and ran the Take process. This field can also be selected if you’re using the automatic priority processing feature and have assigned a priority number to your absence take elements. If you save absence entries with overlapping dates, the system voids the event with the lower priority and creates a new event for the days that do not overlap.
Original Begin Date	Enter a date in this field if your absence take rules allow you to link this absence to a previous absence that was taken for the same reason. (The Link Absence and By Original Begin Date options are selected on the take element’s Period page.) If this absence is related to another absence, enter the begin date of the original absence. Example: A payee is out sick for the following periods of time:

Absence Type	Reason (not entered online)	Absence Begin Date	Absence End Date	Original Begin Date
Sick	Sprained wrist	May 15	May 16	May 15
Sick	Flu	June 1	June 5	June 1
Sick	Wrist didn’t heal properly	June 10	June 10	May 15

Entering the same original begin date for the first and third absence events tells the system that the absences are related. If you defined the take element to link absences, the system checks to see if the current absence occurred within the time frame allowed for linking. If it did, the two events are linked.

The default value for Original Begin Date is the begin date. Changing the begin date here does not update the original begin date.

Details

Click to display the Absence Event Input Detail page, where you can enter additional information about the absence.

Forecast

After entering absence events, click this button to start the Forecasting process. To use this button, absence forecasting must be enabled for one or more take elements.

Forecast Value

Select the Forecast Value tab.

Begin Dateand End Date

These fields display the dates that you entered for the absence event on the main page. Any changes that you make here update the main page.

Forecast Value

The alphanumeric value resolved by the forecasting element. You associate a forecasting formula with a take element on the Take − Forecasting page. (For example, your forecast element might return a value of Eligible or Not Eligible.

Forecast DateTime

The last date and time that the Forecasting process was run for the take element.

Forecast Details

Select the link to display the Absence Forecast Results page.

Entering Detailed Information About an Absence

Access the Absence Event Input Detail page.

Absence Take

Displays the take element that you selected on the Absence Event Entry page.

Event Priority

Displays the priority number of the take element if one was assigned on the Absence Take - Priority page.

If you enter more than one absence for the same date, you can use the automatic priority processing feature when you save your entries. The system compares the priority numbers of the overlapping absences to determine which take rule to apply for the date in conflict. The lower the number, the higher the priority.

Absence Reason

You can select an absence reason from those that were in effect as of the absence begin date. You define absence reasons on the Absence Types page and link an absence type to a take element on the Take - Calculation page.

Absence Type

The absence type for the Take element is displayed.

Source

Identifies the source of the absence data. Values are:

Online: The absence event entry was created using the Absence Event Entry page. This is the default for new entries.

ThirdParty: The absence event entry was created by a non-PeopleSoft application.

Manager Approved

Select to have the absence processed when you run the Take process. This check box is selected, by default, if you defined the absence take element (on the Absence Take - Calculation page) as not requiring manager approval.

Last Updated

This date appears after you save your entry.

User Defined Fields

You can enter data in up to 16 user-defined fields. When you run the Take process, the system writes the data to the daily records, so that it’s available to the count formulas.

A system element in the GP_ABS_EVENT record corresponds to each user-defined field. The naming conventions are:

EVT CONFIG1(2, 3, 4) DT for date values.
EVT CONFIG1(2, 3, 4) DC for decimal values.
EVT CONFIG1(2, 3, 4) CH for character values.
EVT CONFIG1(2, 3, 4) MN for monetary values.

Definition of abbreviations: Event configurable 1(2,3,4) date/decimal/character/monetary

For example, employees take 100 percent or 80 percent pay for sick time. If they take 100 percent, they lose a day of vacation for each set of five sick days that they take. You enter 100 or 80 in one of the decimal fields to specify the employee's choice and use a formula that counts the number of vacation days that the employee loses in each case.

Note. Values entered in the user defined fields can be overwritten during the Take process, depending on your take rules.

Note. The user-defined fields on this page are not related to the user-defined fields that appear on the Absence Take - Calculation page.

Override

If the absence take element is associated with a per-absence entitlement element, use this group box to override the standard entitlement amount or adjust the payee's entitlement balance. To override the entitlement amount or adjust the entitlement balance for a frequency-based entitlement, use the Absence Adjustment page.

Important! Use the same type of units as those that are used to define the entitlement element.

Entitlement	To override the entitlement for this event, enter the number of units in this field. If the take is linked to more than one entitlement element, the number overrides the entitlement for the first linked element only.
Adjustment	To adjust the entitlement balance, enter the number of units in this field. (That number populates the automatically assigned adjustment element.) Enter a negative number to reduce the entitlement balance.

Absence Begin/End Data

Begin Date, End Date, and Original Begin Date

These fields display the dates that you entered for the absence event on the main page. Any changes that you make here update the main page.

Data that you enter in the following fields is used in absence calculations only if the data is referenced by your absence formulas.

Partial Hours

For absences of less than a full day, use these two fields to enter the number of hours that the payee was absent. (The Begin Day Hours field displays the partial hours that you entered on the main page.)

Complete the Begin Day Hours field if the payee was absent for less than a full day on the first day of the absence or absent the same number of hours each day. Complete the End Day Hours field if the payee was absent less than a full day on the last day of the absence.

During the Absence Take process, these hours are available through the PARTIAL HOURS system element.

Note. For single-day absences, enter partial hours in either field.

Or Half Day

Select if the payee was absent exactly half a day.

Select the Begin Half Day check box if the payee worked half a day on the first day or every day of the absence. Select the End Half Day check box if the payee worked half a day on the last day of the absence.

Or All Days

Select if you completed the Begin Day Hours field or selected Begin Half Day for the begin date, and your selections apply to all days of the absence. This field tells the system which condition existed.

See Also

Defining Absence Take Elements

Defining User Defined Result Fields

Forecasting Absence Entitlement Balance During Absence Entry

This section provides an overview of forecasting and discusses how to:

Review absence entitlement balance forecasting results.
Review forecasting messages.

Understanding Absence Entitlement Balance Forecasting

Use the Absence Forecasting process to evaluate the impact of an absence event. To use this feature, you must have defined the forecasting rules that are applicable to your organization and enabled the absence forecasting feature.

Absence Forecasting Steps

Following are the steps for using absence forecasting:

Enter a payee’s actual or anticipated absence events on the Absence Event Entry page.
Click the Forecast button to start the process.
If applicable, check the Forecast Messages page to see if errors or warnings were generated during the process.
Correct errors and rerun the process.

Each time you run the Forecasting process, the system overwrites the previous forecast data.
View the results by clicking the Forecast Details link on the Absence Event Entry page.

Forecasting and Retroactivity

If you make a retroactive data change to an employee and run the Forecasting process before processing the retroactive data change in the absence batch process (including Take processing), the forecast results may not be accurate. For example, let's say you have already processed absences in batch through the end of January. In February, you add retroactive vacation (an absence event) for January. You also add a future-dated vacation in March. If you forecast the vacation in March prior to retroactively processing the new January vacation take element, your March results may not be correct.

Pages Used to Forecast Absence Entitlement Balances

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Absence Forecast Results	GP_ABS_EVT_FCS_SEC	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Absence Event, Absence Event Entry. Click the Forecast Details link on the Forecast Value tab.	Review the results of the Forecasting process for a specific absence event and any take elements that are mapped to it.
Forecast Messages	GP_ABS_FCST_MSG	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Absence Event, Forecast Messages	Review the messages that are generated during the Forecasting process.
Forecast Message Detail	GP_ABS_FCS_MSG_SEC	Click the Details link on the Forecast Messages page.	Review the text of a selected error or warning message.

Reviewing Absence Entitlement Balance Forecast Results

Access the Absence Forecast Results page.

Forecast Results

This tab displays the forecasted value for each element that appears on the Absence Take - Forecasting page, along with related take elements.

Secondary Element

Displays the name of the take element that the results pertain to. This can be the take element listed on the Absence Take - Forecasting page, a redirected take element, or a “mapped to” take element that’s associated with that take.

Note. You identify redirected take elements on the Take - Negative Balance page and “mapped to” elements on the Absence Take - Day Formula page. Redirected take element can be redirected to other take elements. For example, if A redirects to B, which redirects to C, then C can appear in this field.

Forecast Element Name, Type

Displays the name of the element for which a value has been forecast, followed by its type.

A value displays for each element listed on the Take - Balance Inquiry page.

Accumulator Results

Select the Accumulator Results tab.

The begin and end dates of the accumulation period are displayed for any accumulators that are included in the Forecasting Results Element List on the Absence Take - Forecasting page.

User Keys

Select the User Keys tab.

The values of the accumulator's user keys are displayed for any accumulators that are included in the Forecasting Results Element List on the Absence Take - Forecasting page.

Reviewing Forecast Messages

Access the Forecast Messages page.

Calculation Status

Identifies the phase of processing during which the error or warning occurred.

Message Text

Displays the abbreviated text of the message and other information about the message.

See Also

Status Codes and Process Indicators

Reviewing System Generated Forecasting Error Status Messages

Viewing Current Absence Entitlement Balances and Running the Absence Entitlement Balance Inquiry Process

Use the Balance Inquiry feature to view a payee’s current entitlement balance for a take. You can also run the Balance Inquiry process to return the values of the elements that are specified on the Absence Take - Balance Inquiry page. Typically, one of these elements returns the absence balance for the take. Values are displayed as of the date that you specify.

In this section, we discuss how to:

View current balances for payees.
Start the Balance Inquiry process.

See Also

Status Codes and Process Indicators

Pages Used to Start the Balance Inquiry Process and View Balances

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Current Balance	GP_ABS_CUR_BAL	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Review Absence Balances, Current Balance	View a payee’s current entitlement balances.
Forecast Balance	GP_ABS_FCST_BAL	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Review Absence Balances, Forecast Balance	Starts the Balance Inquiry process and view the results.

Viewing a Payee’s Entitlement Balances

Access the Current Balance page.

Accumulator Balance Tab

For the period of time defined by the From and Through dates this tab displays the payee’s entitlement balances as of the most recent run of the Entitlement process for the payee.

User Keys Tab

This tab displays the value that was entered for each user key defined on the Entitlement Accumulators page.

Running the Balance Inquiry Process

Access the Forecast Balance page.

Following are the steps for running the Balance Inquiry process:

Select the take element and the as of date for which you want to display forecasted results.
Click the Forecast button.
View the results in the Forecast Balance Results Detail group box.

The tabs in this group box are identical to the tabs on the Absence Forecast Results page.

See Reviewing Absence Entitlement Balance Forecast Results.

Adjusting and Overriding Entitlement Balances

You can adjust or override a payee's entitlement balance in several ways.

In this section, we discuss how to:

Adjust entitlement.
Redefine a frequency-based entitlement rule.

Pages Used to Adjust Entitlements

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Adjust Absence Balances	GP_PI_MNL_AE	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Adjust Balances, Absences, Adjust Absence Balances Click the Absence Entitlement Adjustment link on the Associated Data (Links) tab of the Advances page.	Adjust a payee's frequency-based entitlement for a single calendar period. Before you can enter an adjustment, you must set up the corresponding absence calendar.
Entitlement/Take Assignment	GP_ABS_OVRD	Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Assign Entitlements and Takes	Redefine a frequency-based entitlement rule for a payee for a specified period of time. Specify whether a take or frequency-based entitlement element is processed for a payee.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

Adjust Absence Balances

GP_PI_MNL_AE

Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Adjust Balances, Absences, Adjust Absence Balances
Click the Absence Entitlement Adjustment link on the Associated Data (Links) tab of the Advances page.

Adjust a payee's frequency-based entitlement for a single calendar period.

Before you can enter an adjustment, you must set up the corresponding absence calendar.

Entitlement/Take Assignment

GP_ABS_OVRD

Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Maintain Absences, Assign Entitlements and Takes

Redefine a frequency-based entitlement rule for a payee for a specified period of time. Specify whether a take or frequency-based entitlement element is processed for a payee.

Adjusting a Payee’s Entitlement for a Single Calendar Period

Access the Adjust Absence Balances page.

The Absence Entitlement process follows the instructions you enter on this page.

Note. You can also enter one-time adjustments to a per-absence entitlement when entering an absence event.

Frequency-Based Entitlements

Enter each adjustment that applies to this payee for the selected absence calendar. You cannot enter more than one adjustment for the same element.

Element Name	Select the entitlement element for which you want to enter an adjustment. The prompt table displays only frequency-based entitlement elements that are defined for positive input overrides on the Element Name page.
Instance	Displays the system-assigned instance number for your entry.
Action Type	The system assigns Override. The balance adjustment that you enter overrides the adjustment units that are defined on the Adjustments page.
Balance Adjustment	Enter the adjustment units. You can enter a positive or negative number. The amount is added to or subtracted from the beginning entitlement balance when you run the Entitlement process. Generation control for the adjustment is ignored.
Begin Date and End Date	These dates determine in which segment the adjustment is made, if the calendar period is segmented. If you leave the Begin Date field blank, the system assumes that the date is the same as the Begin Date on the Calendar - Definition page. The system does not use the begin date for processing. If the End Date differs from the Calendar End Date, and the calendar period is segmented, the end date determines the segment or slice to which the adjustment is assigned.

See Entering, Updating, and Voiding Absences.

Redefining a Frequency-Based Entitlement Rule

Access the Entitlement/Take Assignment page.

To override a per-absence entitlement rule, use the Absence Event Entry page.

Note. To override an entitlement or take element, the Payee override option must be selected on the Element Name (GP_PIN) page.

Element Type

Element Type	Specify the type of element to override: Absence Entitlement or Absence Take.
Element Name	Select the name of the element to override. Only elements that allow payee overrides are listed; the system does not check payee eligibility. If you selected Absence Entitlement as the entry type, you can select a frequency-based entitlement element only.
Begin Date and End Date	Enter the date that the override instructions become effective and the last date to which the override instructions apply.
Apply	Selected by default. Clear if you don’t want the system to resolve this absence element for the payee.

Unit Element

Unit Element Type

To change the supporting element that is used to calculate the entitlement units, select Accumulator, Bracket, Formula, Numeric, Payee Level, System Element, or Variable.

If you select Numeric, enter the value in the Entitlement Unit field.

For all other element types, select the element name in the Element Name - Unit field.

Frequency and Frequency ID

Specify the frequency for the system to apply when granting the entitlement. Values are Pay Period and Other.

If you select Other, select the frequency in the Frequency ID field; for example, Monthly.

Generation Control

Generation Control Option

You can override the generation control condition that is defined for the take or entitlement element on the Element Name page. You can enter instructions here even if you didn’t specify generation control details at the element level. Values are:

None: System ignores the generation controls that you originally defined at the calculation rule level.

Specify: Enter a generation control value in the field to the right.

Element (the default): System uses the generation control that was defined when the element was set up.

Reviewing Daily Absence Records

The following table lists the pages that display the results of a batch absence process:

Process	Tables Populated	Inquiry Pages and Display
Take	GP_RSLT_ABS (Daily absence rows)	Absence Data pages. Daily data that is generated by the Take process.
	GP_RSLT_ACUM	Accumulators page. Updated entitlement balances.
	GP_RSLT_PI_DATA	Results by Calendar: Positive Input - Absence page. Balances adjustments made to frequency based entitlement elements that are processed for the absence calendar.
	GP_RSLT_ABS	Results by Calendar - Calendar Results: Absence Data. Also Results by Calendar Group - Calendar Results: Absence Data. The absence type, reason, and forecast value.
	GP_GEN_PI_DATA	Generated positive input from the take process is stored in this table. (Note: This is the principal table that Absence Management uses to provide information to the payroll system.
Entitlement	GP_RSLT_ACUM	Accumulators page. Updated entitlement balances.
	GP_RSLT_PIN	Supporting Elements page. Entitlement units with supporting elements.

See Also

Viewing Positive Input Results

Viewing Daily Results of the Absence Take Process

Begin Dateand End Date	These fields display the dates that you entered for the absence event on the main page. Any changes that you make here update the main page.
Forecast Value	The alphanumeric value resolved by the forecasting element. You associate a forecasting formula with a take element on the Take − Forecasting page. (For example, your forecast element might return a value of Eligible or Not Eligible.
Forecast DateTime	The last date and time that the Forecasting process was run for the take element.
Forecast Details	Select the link to display the Absence Forecast Results page.

Absence Take	Displays the take element that you selected on the Absence Event Entry page.
Event Priority	Displays the priority number of the take element if one was assigned on the Absence Take - Priority page. If you enter more than one absence for the same date, you can use the automatic priority processing feature when you save your entries. The system compares the priority numbers of the overlapping absences to determine which take rule to apply for the date in conflict. The lower the number, the higher the priority.
Absence Reason	You can select an absence reason from those that were in effect as of the absence begin date. You define absence reasons on the Absence Types page and link an absence type to a take element on the Take - Calculation page.
Absence Type	The absence type for the Take element is displayed.
Source	Identifies the source of the absence data. Values are: Online: The absence event entry was created using the Absence Event Entry page. This is the default for new entries. ThirdParty: The absence event entry was created by a non-PeopleSoft application.
Manager Approved	Select to have the absence processed when you run the Take process. This check box is selected, by default, if you defined the absence take element (on the Absence Take - Calculation page) as not requiring manager approval.
Last Updated	This date appears after you save your entry.

Calculation Status	Identifies the phase of processing during which the error or warning occurred.
Message Text	Displays the abbreviated text of the message and other information about the message.