HRIS Implementation Milestone: Company Holidays and Time Off

This article explains the best practices and the steps implemented during a Company Holidays and Time Off HRIS configuration call for an Implementation Consultant.

OVERVIEW

The Company Holidays and Time Off HRIS configuration call and milestone should review how to configure, use, and further customize time off plans and company holidays with the client. The Company Holidays and Time Off call depends on whether the client uses a time and attendance system, such as Namely Time, and their expectations for how time off should accrue and be tracked for their employees.

In preparation for the call, the Implementation Consultant (IC), client, Namely Time Consultant and Payroll Consultant (PC) (if applicable), should be fully aligned on the client’s time off solution; for example, Hourly Employees use Namely Time to request time off, Salaried Employees use HRIS to request time off, and Hourly Employees use Timesheets.
 

BEST PRACTICES 

Implementation Consultant (IC):

• Lead the call and refer back to client’s HRIS Design Guidebook.

• Confirm that the client has completed the associated Namely Learning courses.

• Set the agenda for the call and review key takeaways.

• Instruct the client to share their screen and guide them per the agenda of the call.

• Answer any outstanding questions that either the client or consultant may have.

• Reference recorded resources for a better understanding of how the call should go.

• Leave the call knowing that the client feels confident in navigating the platform.

 

Project Lead (PM) optional to attend:

• Support the IC and the client as needed on the call .

• Answer any outstanding questions that either the client or consultant may have.

Namely Project Team (DSC / BAC / PC / TC):

• Does not need to attend the Company Holidays and Time off call, but should be aware that it is occurring.

Note: PC will need to be notified if PTO to Payroll needs to be setup.
 

PROCESS STEPS

Implementation Consultant (IC):

• Confirm if the client has Namely Now or Namely Plus in their agreement.

  • Namely Now: the IC can support the configuration of up to five time off plans; this should entail referring back to the client’s design guidebook to consult on the time off configuration accordingly. 

  • Namely Plus: the IC can support the configuration of up to ten time off plans; this should entail a more hands on approach of pre-configuring plans per the design guidebook ahead of the call.

• Refer back to the HRIS Design Guidebook and review the agenda for the call:

  • Company Holiday Schedule Setup

  • Time Off Categories Setup - Display on Calendar, Pay stubs, etc.

  • Time Off Plans Per Category Setup

  • Time Off Plans Assigned to Employees

  • How to Assign to New Hires and Reset Accrual

  • How to Update Individual Employee Balances 

  • Time Off Data Analytics and Usage Custom Reports

• Highlight the Namely Help Community articles within the HRIS Design Guidebook that support Time Off and Company Holidays, have the client pull up these articles as you go along.

• Direct the client to share their screen and proceed with the following:

  • Start the navigation of the configuration with Company > Settings > Company Holidays.

    • Review Namely Now pre-built holidays.

    • Click Edit > make adjustments for current year > how to add/delete/retitle.

    • How to apply filters, if necessary (i.e. by Country, Employee Type, Company-wide etc.).

      • Note: Company Holidays do block out days for employees to request time off, if they are using HRIS to request time off.

    • Review where the Company holidays are display for employees - in HRIS Calendar and Time Off tab of profile, and in the mobile app and when making a request.

  • Navigate to Company > Settings > Time Off.

    • Highlights the differences between Type and Plan.

      • Type: Rename, three settings, create new, delete (Namely Admins only)

        • Type settings - sync to calendar, striped pattern, display on stubs.

      • Plan: Employees can be assigned only one Plan per Type.

        • Start with one of the plans you created ahead of time.

        • Walk the client admin through Plan Settings > Save.

        • Client's turn to set up a plan from scratch.

        • Set expectations: client’s homework is to finish setting up any further Types and Plans they may need.

    • Review how to assign Time Off plans to employees.

      • Assignments en masse from Time Off setup page.

      • Assign to an employee individually > editing Time Off tab in profile.

      • Set expectations: Unless a plan is defaulted to all employees, client admin needs to manually assign any new hires to necessary time off plans and reset time off plan to calculate accrual.

  • Walk the client through Time Off Notifications via Company > Settings > Notifications.

    • Notifications are live! Recommend the client to be cautious when testing, or turn off now / turn on prior to employee launch.

      • Ask the client about their notifications preference - if is defaulted to turn off notifications, make sure to turn it back on for final walkthrough.

    • Confirm Time Off Approver should include the “Reports to” relationship.

    • Recommend keeping ALL notifications ON (site and email for all).

  • Direct the client on how to submit and manage Time Off requests - a test can be completed with an admin profile.

    • Desktop > in employee profile’s Time Off tab > Request Time Off. 

    • Mobile App > Request Time Off.

    • From the dashboard: Manage Request > Time Off Manage.

    • Email > link in email will take you into Namely to make a decision.

    • Mobile App > Approve Time Off.

  • Walk the client through the spreadsheet format that is needed in order to collect time off balances or time off requests 

    • Provide the client the necessary template and set a deadline for returning the sheet with data, ~ one week prior to employee Go-Live. This gives us enough time to import and the client enough time to audit and confirm accuracy 

      • Review Importing Namely Time Accrual Balances to Namely HCM.

    • “Blackout” period - from the time the admin sends balances/requests, employees should stop submitting any new requests from their current system. 

      • Option A: employees or admins submit requests once they have access to Namely.

      • Option B: admins submit any requests in Namely on the employee’s behalf during the blackout period* would require turning notifications off if using this option.

    • Make sure client admins are aware that current balances reflect any previously approved requests. For any future approved requests - employees must resubmit in Namely, which will deduct from the imported balance in Namely.

    • Note: If importing time off balances, these will need to be converted into days format prior to importing.

    • Make sure Type is indicated somewhere in the provided data.

• Refer back to the HRIS Design Guidebook and review the next steps for the client:

  • Complete any additional Time Off setup:

    • i.e. for Leaves of Absence, Company Holidays, etc.

  • Complete assignment of employees to Time Off Plans.

  • Compile and send to Namely so we can import employee time off balances OR time off requests ~one week prior to employee launch.

  • Assign New Hires to Time Off Plans.

  • Review requesting time off on desktop vs. via mobile app.