This video provides an overview of how the Absence Management system works. 

VIDEO: How Absence Management Works

Here, you will be able to see: 

• The moment an employee enters an absence

• What "checks" the system runs behind the scenes to match the right substitute to the job 

• How a substitute finds and accepts the available job

Why Approvals Are Needed

The need for approval is based on the absence reason an employee chooses. 

An Org. User mandates whether certain absence reasons require approval during the district's initial system setup, and this decision, in conjunction with one's approval permission, determines whether a given absence requires your approval.

Note: You may be the first approver, final approver, or something in between in a multi-level approval setup. The Absence Management system will only show you absences that need your approval once they have reached your level of approval.

How to Approve/Deny a Request

The system provides a few different avenues to access your pending approvals. 

In this example, we will navigate to Absences > Approve in the side navigation. 

Note: Just keep in mind that you can also approve an absence directly through that absence's Details page.

Absence Approval Page

The approvals page displays all absences that need your approval.

Each absence includes the confirmation number, date, reason, and duration of the absence request, as well as an "Approve" or "Deny" option.

Tip: Click the Confirmation Number of any absence to be taken to the absence details page.

Approving an Absence

To approve an absence request, click the green Approve button at the end of the row.

This selection will open a window where you can leave an optional comment about the approval.

Note: Comments left here may be sent to the employee in a notification email.

When you are ready to finalize the approval, click Approve in the window.

Note: When an absence request is approved, it will be removed from your list of unapproved absences. You can view it again by changing the filters to show approved absences.

Denying an Absence

If you need to deny an absence request, click the red Deny button to the far right of the absence in question.

This will also open a window where you can leave an optional comment about the denial.

Note: The comments you leave here may be sent to the employee in a notification email.

Click Deny in the window to finalize the denial status.

Once an absence has been denied, it is considered deleted, and will no longer be visible. 

If this was done in error, contact your district's system administrator for assistance. 

The "Reconcile" feature allows you to verify that the absences recorded at your school are accurate. 

Note: It is especially useful as we share absence data with our payroll system.

Accessing the Reconciliation Summary

You will see the "Reconcile" option via the "Quick Actions" menu on your homepage. 

The number displayed on this button indicates the number of absences at your location that have yet to be reconciled.

Click Reconcile to be taken to the "Reconciliation Summary."

Reconciliation Summary

On this page, you can view a history of the absences you have reconciled, as well as any absences that still need to be reconciled.

The initial view will show the last month's total absences, but you can manage this timeframe via the filter options at the top of the page. 

Tip: If you do make a change, be sure to click the Search button to apply the filter(s).

In the summary section, the system will represent each week in a single row. 

This row displays a progress bar with the number of absences reconciled and not reconciled.

You can click the arrow to the far right of a week to show the individual days for that timeframe.

Reconciling an Absence

When a row of the summary is expanded, you will see buttons for each day that indicate how many absences are left to be reconciled.

Click the Reconcile button for a specific day to be taken to the "Reconciliation Details" page. Here, you will see a list of absences for that day that need to be reconciled. 

When reconciling absences, keep in mind that you are reconciling one day at a time. 

If an absence goes across multiple days, you will need to reconcile each day of that absence, individually. 

However, you can reconcile entire multiple-day absences all at once via the "Reconcile All" option. 

(We will get to that a little further down.)

At the top of the page, you can filter the absences shown by: 

• Location

• Reason

• Codes

• Fill Status

• Type

• State

The system lists each absence individually, and it is here where you will want to review all the absence details and make any necessary changes.

If an update is needed, you can directly change the absence reason, budget code, and/or accounting code via this page. 

Any additional updates, however, must be performed via the Absence Modify page, which can be accessed by selecting the Edit Details button for that particular absence. 

Tip: Remember to click Save to apply any added changes.

When you are sure the absence details are correct, click the green Reconcile button. 

This selection will hide the absence and allow you to move on to the next absence that needs to be reconciled. 

Note: Just remember you also have the option to un-reconcile an absence, when needed.

Reconcile All

If there is more than one absence to reconcile on the Reconciliation Details page, the "Reconcile All" button will appear near the top-right corner of the page, including the number of absences shown on that page. 

This option allows you to reconcile up to 50 absences, per page, at a time, and you can scroll through absence pages, as needed, via the directional arrows at the bottom of the reconcile page.

Tip: Before you select this option, be sure to review all the absences and make any necessary changes (as discussed in the section above). 

Once you are ready to reconcile, click the Reconcile All button. 

Depending on the number of absences reconciled, you may see a progress bar appear that indicates the current status of this process. Once complete, the system will hide the absences, and you will have the option to un-reconcile if needed.

You can then click the Reconciliation Summary button in the top right corner of the page to return to the main Reconciliation page. The reconciled absences will be indicated with a progress bar.  

Note: Remember you can also reconcile an individual absence via that absence's Details page. You will see a "Reconcile" button, located beside the options to edit or split an absence. 

The Absence Management system is designed for employees to create their absences in the system.

But, as an Administrator, you may have to create an absence for an employee from time to time when certain circumstances arise.

Select Employee

To start the creation process: click the Create Absence button found in the "Quick Actions" box on your home page, reference the "Absences" option in your side navigation, or directly search for an employee.

If you did not directly search for an employee, then the next step in absence creation involves the selection of the employee who requires the absence. You can search for the employee by their last name via the search box, or you can narrow down results and select the first letter of the employee's last name via the letter selector.

With the employee located, click the radio button beside the employee's name and click Fill out Details to proceed.

Fill Out Details

On the second step, you will fill out the absence and task-oriented details.

Day View

 Absence Details

Once a user is selected, the system will provide a pop-up box where you will enter the absence information. 

Note: This "Day" view proves especially helpful when creating a multi-day absence.

This pop-up includes the following: 

• Start/End Date: The calendar allows you to select the dates when your absence will occur. Click the "From" and "To" calendar icons to choose a date range.

• School: If the employee works at more than one location, you will need to designate where this absence will occur via the "School" dropdown.

• Absence Reason: This dropdown lets you choose the reason for this absence (e.g. Extra Sub, Open Position, etc.).

• Absence Type: This dropdown allows you to set the absence as a full day, half-day AM, half-day PM, or custom time.

• Start/End Time: These entries allow you to change the times by clicking on the text boxes and typing in your desired times. *If enabled, you may also have the option to enter/adjust a separate substitute report time. See Separate Substitute Report Times.

• Budget Code: This dropdown allows you to choose a budget code for this absence.

• Accounting Code: This dropdown allows you to choose an accounting code for the absence.

• Add Days: Once you are finished, click Add Days to include these days in the absence wizard.

Once the initial details of the absence are created, you can review your entries and add attachments, as needed, before completing the creation process.

The "Day" view will include your previously entered information at the top (e.g. the date(s), location, absence reason, etc.). 

Note: If any of this information needs to be updated, you can select the Add Day(s) button, or you can add the updates directly via this page.

Substitute Required

This "Substitute Required" option may already be predetermined for you, but in some cases, you may be permitted to choose whether a substitute is needed. 

If this scenario applies, click the dropdown beneath the Absence Summary to choose between the "Yes" or "No" option, based on your need.

Putting the Absence on Hold

When creating an absence, you will have the option to put the absence on hold. 

This means that substitutes will not be able to see the absence as an available job until a time determined by you. 

Use the dropdown menu to choose how long you would like to put the absence on hold once it is created.

Note: We suggest you refrain from using the hold feature unless it is deemed absolutely necessary. 

The sooner a job goes out for substitutes to see, the faster the job will be filled! 

Notes

Three different types of notes can be added to an absence:

1. Notes to Administrator: Viewable by Admin and Employee.

2. Notes to Substitute: Viewable by Admin, Employee, and Substitute.

3. Admin-Only Notes: Viewing by Admin only.

Attachments

When creating an absence, the employee will have the option to attach files (e.g. lesson plans, seating charts, etc.) to the absence for the substitute to download. 

As the admin, you can attach files to an absence as well.

One way to attach a file is to drag the file from your computer into the designated area on the absence creation screen.

As a Campus User, you can use Absence Management to quickly check for qualified and available substitutes and then assign one of those substitutes to an absence.

VIDEO: Check out our related video - Sub Availability (1:48) - as you review this topic.

Locating the Absence

To see which substitutes are qualified and available, you will first need to navigate to the "Absence Details" page for the absence in question.

Use the "Search" bar in the Quick Actions menu if you know the confirmation number or reference the "Unfilled" section from either your summary panel or the Daily Report.

You can locate an absence using the "Unfilled" indicator in the summary panel. 

Once located, you can select the confirmation number link to proceed.

"Available Subs" Tab

Once you reach the "Absence Details" page, you will see several tabs above the absence information.

Click the Available Subs tab to be taken to the list of qualified and available substitutes for this absence.

At the top of the page, you can search for a specific substitute by last name, and you can also select the checkbox to filter by only qualified and available substitutes. 

Note: "Qualified and available" means that the substitute has the correct skills to fill in for the absent employee and they do not have any conflicting jobs or "Non-Work Days".

The Absence Management system will perform several checks to see which substitutes are qualified and available. 

• If you see a green indicator across all columns, that means the substitute has passed all checks and can be assigned.

• If you see a red "x" in a column for the substitute, that means the substitute has failed that check.

Note: If you see a red "x" in the substitute's row, that means the sub cannot see the job on their website and they will not be called for this job.

System Checks

Each column in the list of substitutes represents a check the system makes to determine if a substitute is qualified and available. 

Reference the following identifiers to better understand what each option represents:

• Skill Match: Is the substitute qualified based on the skills assigned to them to fill in?

  • A blank column indicates the substitute is qualified.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the substitute is not qualified.

  • A time and date represents the time/date that the substitute will become qualified and available based on your district's settings.

• Other Job: Is the substitute working another job that conflicts with this one?

  • A blank column indicates there is no conflicting job.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the substitute has a conflicting job.

• Non-Work Day: Did the substitute indicate they cannot work on this date?

  • A blank column indicates there is no conflicting "Non-Work Day".

  • An "x" in the column indicates the sub has scheduled a "Non-Work Day" that conflicts with this job.

• Excluded: Has the sub been marked as excluded by the employee, school, or district?

  • A blank column indicates the substitute has not been excluded.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the sub has been marked as excluded.

• Preferred School: Does the substitute prefer to work at this school?

  • A blank column indicates the sub is ok with working at this location.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the sub has indicated they do not prefer to work at this location.

• Rejected by Sub: Has the substitute already been offered this job and rejected it?

  • A blank column indicates the sub has not previously rejected this job.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the sub has been offered this job and has rejected it.

• Visible to Sub: Based on the district's settings, is this job within the sub's lead time visibility?

  • A blank column indicates the job is within the sub's lead time visibility.

  • A date and time in the column indicates the job is not currently in their visibility but will be at that date and time.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the job will not be visible by the sub.

• In Sub Call Time: Is the substitute ok with being called at the current time?

  • A blank column indicates the current time is within the sub's call times.

  • An "x" in the column indicates the sub has indicated they do not want to be called at the current time.

Assign the Sub

You will be able to assign any substitute who is qualified and available. 

Depending on the permissions you have been assigned, you may be able to assign a sub who does not pass all system checks. 

For example, a sub who does not prefer to work at a school could still be assigned to a job at that school.

If there is a green Assign button next to the Substitute's name, you can assign that substitute to the job. Simply click the button and the substitute will be assigned.

Note: Always confirm with the substitute that they are willing to work the job before you assign them. Clicking "Assign" is not a request for them to work the job. It indicates that you have confirmed with them that they will be working the job.

Once an absence is created, you can assign a substitute: 

• Before completing the creation process

• Or, you can access the absence details (via the confirmation number) and assign the sub at a later time.

VIDEO: Check out our related video - Assign & Remove Subs (2:54) - as you review this topic.

Let's examine the final assignment steps you would take in the "Review & Confirm" step during the initial absence creation process. 

You will see a button that says Create Absence and Assign Sub once you complete the initial absence details. 

Click this button to save the absence and manually assign a substitute.

A new window will open where you can search for and select the substitute you want to assign. 

Tip: Type the last name of the substitute you are looking for or browse the list.)

Once the sub is located, click the green Assign button next to the substitute's name.

A pop-up window will appear that asks you to confirm the assignment.

Note: You must communicate with the substitute and confirm with them that they are willing to fill the job before you assign it to them.

To assign the sub to the absence, click the green Assign button.

Once an absence is created, you may occasionally need to review or edit its details. 

These adjustments can be made by accessing the absence's Details page.

Editing Absences

With the absence selected, click Edit Absence to enter the editor mode.

Note: The absence wizard includes two visibility modes (e.g. "Day" or "Variation"). Both offer similar functionality, but each provides a different view/method to enter absence details. 

These details include the following:

• Calendar: Select the dates when your absence will occur. Click the "From" and "To" calendar icons to choose an alternate date range or select specific day(s) directly on the calendar.

• School: If the employee works at more than one location, designate where this absence will occur via the dropdown.

• Reason: A dropdown to pick an absence reason (Personal, Illness, etc.).

• Time: A dropdown to set the absence as a full day, half day AM, half day PM, or custom time. You can change the times by clicking on the text boxes and typing in your desired times. *Some organizations may also allow you to enter/adjust a separate sub report time.

• Hours Sub Worked: Defines a substitute’s actual work time when the work times do not coincide with the absence times. 

• Budget Code: A dropdown to choose a budget code.

• Accounting Code: A dropdown to choose an accounting code.

• Pay Code: A dropdown to choose a pay code.

• Add Variation: Select to create a more complex absence. This will add a new list of details, (similar to the entries you just completed), where you can further customize your absence.

Next Steps & Absence Summary

• Approve or Deny: You may have the option to approve or deny this absence. Make a selection, as needed, beneath the "Next Steps" section (to the far right of absence details).

• Substitute Required: You may see a Yes/No dropdown to mark whether a sub is needed (to the right, beneath "Absence Summary"). 

• Mark as Long Term: You may see a Yes/No dropdown to help organizations track if a user has a long-term absence/vacancy or a long-term substitute assignment.

• Hold Until: You can put an absence on hold so subs will not see it as an available job until a time determined by you. Use this option with caution, but to apply it, use the dropdown and choose how long you would like to put the absence on hold. 

Notes & Attachments

You can add notes specific to Administrators, Employees, or Substitutes. 

Note: Each box provides visibility to different user types.

• Notes to Administrator: Viewable by Admin and Employee.

• Notes to Substitute: Viewable by Admin, Employee, and Substitute.

• Admin-Only Notes: Viewing by Admin only.

You have two ways to attach files (e.g. lesson plans, seating charts, etc.) to the absence for the substitute to download.

1. Drag and Drop: Drag the file from your computer into the designated area.

2. Choose a File: Click the "Choose File" button to browse/select the file to attach.

Once a file is uploaded, you can select the pencil icon to add/edit the description, or you can click the delete icon to delete the file, as needed.

Save

Once you are finished, click the Save Absence button to record your updates and consider whether any additional updates may be needed, such as substitute assignments.

Note: The system will notify an assigned substitute of any changes that affect his/her job (e.g. new start times, a date change, etc.).

Deleting Absences

Absences can be deleted, as needed, via the "Absence Details" page. 

Select Delete to proceed.

A confirmation prompt will appear once the "Delete" option is selected. 

If a substitute is assigned:

• Click the checkbox to confirm that you want to unassign them.

• Choose whether to notify the substitute of the cancellation/removal (selected by default). 

• Select whether to allow the sub to see the job after removal. 

• You can also indicate who requested this action and provide a cancellation reason. 

• Once finished, click Delete and Unassign to complete the process.

If a substitute is NOT assigned:

• Click Delete. 

Note: If an absence has been deleted in error, you must contact your district System Administrator for assistance.

There may be times when you need to create an absence that is a little more complicated. 

For these unique scenarios, you can create what we call "variations."

VIDEO: Check out our related video - Absence Variations (3:42) - as you review this topic.

Variation Examples

• The employee is absent from one school in the morning and a different school in the afternoon.

• The employee is using one absence reason for one day of a multi-day absence and a different absence reason for the other days.

For this walkthrough, let's say you want to add a different absence reason for each of the two days in the absence. 

You will start the creation process like you would with any other absence and fill out the absence as if you were only choosing one reason. 

This includes the date, absence reason, time, and any other information that is needed.

The absence wizard allows you to alternate between one of two visibility modes (e.g. "Day" or "Variation"). 

Both offer similar functionality, but each provides a different view/method to enter your absence details. 

You can add as many variations, as needed, to create the absence.

Adding Variations ("Day" View)

Tip: The "Day" view proves especially helpful when reviewing multiple days in an absence. 

Once you have entered your initial absence details, click the + Add Days button.

The "Day" view will include your previously entered information (e.g. the date(s), location, absence reason, etc.) on the next page. From here, you can add additional variations to the absence day(s).

For this example, the absence reason for the second day requires an adjustment and will need to be set to "Personal Day." 

You can collectively review your individual days and select the "Absence Reason' dropdown that is specific to the day in question.

Adding Variations ("Variation" View)

Once the initial absence details are complete, click the + Add New Variation button.

This will expand the absence creation area with a new section called "Variation #2".

In this new section, you can enter the information for the second day of the absence. 

This allows you to use one absence reason for the first day and a completely different absence reason for the second day.

Once you have finished adding the variations, click Review and Confirm to move to the next step.

In this next step, you will be able to review both the absence details and the variations you created.

Once you are ready, click the Create Absence button to create the absence or Create Absence and Assign Sub to choose a specific substitute.

You can use the "Split Absence" feature to break a multi-day absence into separate absences.

VIDEO: Check out our related video - Splitting Absences (2:41) - as you review this topic.

Tip: The process of splitting an absence proves especially useful if you want different substitutes to fill the individual days of a larger absence.

To locate the absence in question, reference the dashboard on your Absence Management homepage and select the absence's confirmation number.

This link will open the Absence Details. 

From here, click Split Absence.

In the new page that opens, check the box beside the day(s) you want to break off as a separate absence. 

As an example, if you want to split off one day as a separate absence, simply click the box beside that day.

Or, if you would like to break off multiple days, check all the boxes that apply.

Note: If you have Variations in your absence, the system will display each variation as a separate instance that can be split off of the absence. 

Once you make your selection(s), click Create Split Absence.

A pop-up window will appear. Click Save Split Absence to complete the process.

Once the absence is split, you will be taken back to the "Absence Details" page, and you will see a small pop-up box in the top right corner with a confirmation number for the new split absence. 

Click this confirmation number to access the split absence or click the small "X" to dismiss the pop-up.

The new absence will carry over the attributes of the absence from which it was split. 

This means all the details (e.g. approval status, file attachments, and even the substitute, if one was already assigned) will be the same as they were in the original absence.

Note: Remember, you can still edit your absence details, as needed, in the new absence.

Once you access your application, you can begin to view your system features and set up your preferences! 

Review this site to learn how to access the daily report, create an absence, reconcile absences, reference the substitute sign-in report, and much more!

An approval indicates the employee is allowed to be absent and should generally occur before the absence starts. 

The denial of an absence dictates the employee cannot be absent that day, and this action completely deletes the absence.  

Note: We do not recommend you use the "deny" option if the employee already took the absence or if an employee who was granted an absence incorrectly enters the request. 

Rather, leave the absence "unapproved" or approve it with a note that indicates the issue. 

If you have any questions, contact your district administrator for help with approving and denying absences or reference the help resource below.

Reconciliation indicates the absence was recorded correctly and is generally done after the absence has ended. 

For most districts, the reconciling process indicates you have confirmed that the substitute worked the number of hours recorded and that the absence reason, accounting code, pay code, location, and other absence details are accurate. 

For some districts, only reconciled absences are pulled into the payroll software. 

Contact your district administrator to learn more about your district's policies.

The employee's permission settings determine if a sub is required during the absence creation process. 

If the desired option fails to appear, you will need to contact an administrator with access to the employee's settings.

Don't worry! If you accidentally delete an absence and need to get it back, simply contact your district administrator. They can assist with the retrieval process.

The Frontline Insights Platform provides enhanced upgrades to your organization's application(s). 

It allows you to use a single username (email) for all your Frontline applications, simplifies your login process with a single URL, and includes additional improvements to functionality.

If you have a new user, the easiest way for them to get familiar with the system is to watch the training videos. 

The training videos can be found in the Help Resources section of the user’s absence and substitute management website:

• Employee Web Basic Training

• Substitute Web Basic Training

• Employee Web Advanced Training

• Substitute Web Advanced Training

The absence management system allows the administrators and employees to specify certain subs as preferred, thus giving them preference over others. 

These preferred subs are contacted first and have the ability to view jobs online before their peers, depending on visibility settings.

To address job visibility, first check the "Sub Availability" tab in the absence’s "modify" page. 

Tip: Click View All if you don’t see the substitute's name. 

Next, check to make sure the substitute is on a Preference List (and do not forget to reference the District preference list as well).

The Frontline Education mobile app is a free app that is available to any users (Admins, employees, and subs) whose organization utilizes the Frontline Insights platform. 

The free mobile app can be downloaded from the app store, and it includes functions such as absence creation, job monitoring, and other applicable tools specific to the needs of your Admins, employees, and subs.