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Requesting leave in CharleOS is straightforward. Select your dates, choose the type, and submit for approval.

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Before you request

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Check your balance

Before requesting:
1

Navigate to Annual Leave

Click “Annual Leave” in main navigation
2

View balance card

Top of page shows your current balance
3

Check remaining days

See how many days you have available

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Check team calendar

Coordinate with your team:
  • View team calendar tab
  • See who else is off
  • Avoid scheduling conflicts
  • Plan around busy periods
Request leave well in advance, especially for longer periods or during peak times.

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Creating a request

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Opening the dialog

1

Click Request Leave

Button in top right of Annual Leave page
2

Dialog opens

Full-screen leave request form
3

Calendar visible

Select dates on the calendar

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Selecting leave type

Choose the appropriate type: Annual Leave
  • Standard holiday entitlement
  • Requires balance
  • Most common type
Birthday Leave
  • Extra day for birthday
  • Only available after birthday
  • Once per year
Unpaid Leave
  • Time off without pay
  • Doesn’t require balance
  • May need special approval
Sick leave and compassionate leave are typically created by managers, not self-service.

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Choosing day type

Select full or half day: Full Day
  • Entire working day off
  • Can select multiple days
  • Deducts 1 day per day
Half Day (AM)
  • Morning off, work afternoon
  • Must be single day
  • Deducts 0.5 days
Half Day (PM)
  • Work morning, afternoon off
  • Must be single day
  • Deducts 0.5 days
Half days must be a single day. If you select multiple days, you must use “Full Day” type.

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Selecting dates

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Using the calendar

1

Click start date

Select the first day of leave
2

Click end date

Select the last day (or same day for single day)
3

Range highlighted

Selected dates shown in calendar
4

Days calculated

System calculates working days (excludes weekends and bank holidays)

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Date selection rules

Valid selections:
  • Single day (start = end)
  • Date range (start to end)
  • Future dates only
  • Working days (weekends excluded automatically)
Invalid selections:
  • End date before start date
  • Past dates
  • Multiple separate periods (must create separate requests)

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Bank holidays

System automatically:
  • Excludes bank holidays from day count
  • Highlights holidays in calendar
  • Doesn’t deduct for bank holidays
  • Only counts working days
Example:
  • Select Mon-Fri (5 days)
  • Monday is bank holiday
  • System calculates 4 days leave
  • Bank holiday doesn’t count
You don’t need to work around bank holidays. The system handles this automatically.

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Balance preview

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Real-time calculation

As you select dates:
  • Current balance shown
  • This request calculated
  • After booking balance displayed
  • Warns if insufficient balance
Balance display: 
Current balance:     20 days
This request:        -5 days
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After booking:       15 days

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Insufficient balance

If balance would go negative:
  • Warning shown in red
  • “Request” button disabled
  • Must adjust dates or type
  • Or wait for more allowance
You can’t submit annual leave if it would exceed your balance. Consider using unpaid leave if needed.

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Adding notes

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Optional notes field

Use notes to:
  • Explain the reason
  • Provide context
  • Note special circumstances
  • Share relevant information
Good note examples:
  • “Family wedding in Scotland”
  • “House move - need extra day”
  • “Already coordinated with team”
  • “Flexible on exact dates”
Notes help managers make informed decisions, especially for longer leave or unusual timing.

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Submitting the request

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Final checks

Before submitting:
  • ✓ Dates are correct
  • ✓ Leave type is right
  • ✓ Day type is appropriate
  • ✓ Balance is sufficient
  • ✓ Team availability checked
  • ✓ Notes added if helpful

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Submit

1

Review all details

Double-check dates, type, balance
2

Click Request

Submit button in dialog
3

Confirmation

Success message appears
4

Status pending

Request now awaiting manager review

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After submission

What happens next:
  • Request appears in your table
  • Status shows “Pending”
  • Manager receives notification
  • You receive email confirmation
  • Balance not yet deducted (waits for approval)
Manager typically reviews within 1-3 working days. You’ll receive email when approved or rejected.

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Editing requests

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Editing pending requests

Can edit before approval:
1

Find request

Look in your requests table
2

Click to view

Open request details
3

Click Edit

Opens edit dialog
4

Make changes

Adjust dates, type, or notes
5

Update

Save changes
Changes allowed:
  • Start and end dates
  • Leave type
  • Day type
  • Notes

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Cannot edit approved

Once approved:
  • Can’t edit directly
  • Must cancel and re-request
  • Or contact manager to adjust

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Cancelling requests

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Cancelling pending

Before approval:
1

Open request

View request details
2

Click Cancel

Cancel button available
3

Confirm

Confirm cancellation
4

Removed

Request cancelled, removed from list

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Cancelling approved

After approval:
1

Open request

View approved request
2

Click Cancel

Cancel option still available
3

Confirm

Explain why cancelling
4

Balance restored

Days returned to your balance (if future leave)
5

Manager notified

Manager receives cancellation notification
Cancelling approved leave close to the dates may impact team planning. Cancel as early as possible.

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Special cases

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Long leave periods

For extended leave (2+ weeks):
  1. Request early - 4-6 weeks advance notice
  2. Check projects - Coordinate with PM on client work
  3. Brief team - Ensure coverage plan
  4. Add handover notes - In the notes field

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Holiday season

During busy periods (Christmas, summer):
  1. Book very early - Popular dates fill fast
  2. Be flexible - Consider alternative dates
  3. Team coordination - Check who else is off
  4. Expect delays - Approval may take longer during high volume

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Overlapping requests

If multiple people request same dates:
  • First come, first served often applies
  • Manager balances team coverage needs
  • May approve some, reject others
  • Communication is key
Talk to your team before requesting popular dates. Coordination prevents conflicts.

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Common mistakes

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Mistake 1: Wrong day type for multi-day

Problem: Selecting half day for a week Impact: System prevents submission Solution: Use “Full Day” for any multi-day period

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Mistake 2: Not checking balance

Problem: Requesting more than available Impact: Request rejected or needs adjustment Solution: Check balance before submitting

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Mistake 3: Including weekends

Problem: Thinking Mon-Sun is 7 days Reality: System counts Mon-Fri = 5 days Note: Weekends excluded automatically

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Mistake 4: Forgetting bank holidays

Problem: Manually avoiding bank holidays Reality: System handles this automatically Note: Just select the full week including bank holidays

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Troubleshooting

Ensure you’ve selected leave type and day type first. If selecting half day, ensure you’re only clicking one day.
Check balance preview. If balance would be negative, adjust dates. Ensure start and end dates are both selected.
Birthday leave only appears after your birthday occurs. Check your profile has correct birthday set.
System excludes weekends and bank holidays automatically. Manual count including weekends will differ. Trust the system calculation.
Approved requests must be cancelled and re-requested. Or contact your manager to adjust on your behalf.

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Best practices

Request early

Submit 2-4 weeks in advance minimum

Check balance first

Ensure sufficient days before selecting dates

Coordinate with team

Verify team coverage before requesting

Add helpful notes

Explain context or special circumstances

Be flexible

Have alternative dates in mind

Monitor status

Check for approval, follow up if needed

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Next steps

Leave Calendar

View your leave calendar

Annual Leave Overview

Back to Annual Leave overview

Schedule

See how leave affects schedule

Getting Started

General CharleOS usage