PTO Tracking: How to Track Employee Time Off Without Spreadsheets
Short answer: PTO tracking means recording every request, approval and day taken, so each employee’s balance is correct and payroll pays the right hours. Spreadsheets and email threads break down as the team grows. In EZTime, employees request vacation, sick days and other absences from the app, managers approve them while seeing the schedule, and timesheets and balances update automatically.
Requests, approvals, balances and timesheets in one system.
What a PTO tracking system should do
Let employees request time off from their phone, with dates, type and an attachment such as a doctor’s note.
Show managers who else is off and who is scheduled before they approve.
Support different absence types: vacation, sick days, half days, work from home and other leave.
Update balances and timesheets automatically when a request is approved.
Keep a record of every request and decision.
Spreadsheet vs PTO tracking software
Spreadsheet and email
EZTime
Requests
Emails and messages
Requested in the app
Approval
Manager checks the schedule separately
Reviewed against the schedule
Balances
Updated by hand
Update automatically
Payroll
Time off copied into timesheets
Timesheets update automatically
Records
Scattered across inboxes
One history per employee
How to set up PTO tracking
Write or update your PTO policy: who is eligible, how PTO is earned and how far ahead to request.
Set up the absence types in EZTime and assign approving managers.
Ask employees to submit every request in the app.
Review balances at the end of each pay period.
PTO and state law
Several states and cities have paid sick leave laws, and some states have rules about paying out unused vacation at termination. Check the rules in each state where you have employees. This is general information, not legal advice.
Pricing
EZTime plans cost $2, $4 or $6 per employee per month, with a minimum of $20 per month and a 14-day trial. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is PTO tracking?
Recording every paid time off request, approval and day taken so each employee’s balance and pay are correct.
Can employees request time off from their phones?
Yes. Employees request vacation, sick days and other absences from the EZTime app.
Do balances update automatically?
Yes. When a manager approves a request, timesheets and balances update automatically.
Can managers see the schedule before approving?
Yes. Managers review requests against the schedule.
