Track planned and unplanned employee absence in one system. From annual leave and sick days to compassionate leave and TOIL — keep accurate records, manage approvals, and stay compliant with UK employment law.
One absence management system for all leave types. No more juggling separate trackers or spreadsheets for different categories.
Track statutory entitlement, pro-rata calculations, and carryover for every employee.
Record sick days with custom leave types and keep a complete absence history for each employee.
Manage extended parental leave periods with dedicated leave types and entitlement tracking.
Handle sensitive absence requests with discretion and maintain proper records for payroll.
Track time off in lieu earned through overtime and manage when employees take it back.
Record unpaid absence separately to ensure accurate payroll deductions and entitlement adjustments.
Unplanned absence costs UK businesses an average of £554 per employee per year. The key to reducing it is having a clear, centralised record of every absence — so you can have informed conversations and make better decisions.
TimeTally records every absence request and approval, giving you a complete history for each employee. Use this data alongside our free Bradford Factor calculator to assess absence patterns and prioritise where to focus support.
Every absence request, approval, and rejection recorded in one centralised system
Accurate records make it easy to calculate Bradford Factor scores with our free calculator
Have return-to-work discussions backed by accurate data, not guesswork
The Bradford Factor is a formula used by HR teams across the UK to measure the impact of employee absence. It highlights frequent short absences — which are typically more disruptive than longer planned absences.
B = S² × D
S = number of separate absence spells • D = total days absent
For example, 10 single-day absences scores 1,000 (10² × 10), while one 10-day absence scores just 10(1² × 10). This makes frequent short-term absence highly visible.
Try our free Bradford Factor CalculatorAbsence patterns help HR identify issues early. Whether it's a welfare concern, workplace issue, or simple scheduling problem — spotting trends means you can act before absence becomes a bigger problem.
Visual team calendar shows approved leave, pending requests, sick days, and bank holidays in one view. Prevent staffing gaps and ensure adequate coverage at all times. Works seamlessly with our employee scheduling tools.
See who's off, who's sick, and who's on leave across your entire organisation
Instantly distinguish between annual leave, sick days, and other absence categories
Get alerted when too many people are absent on the same dates
All UK bank holidays automatically shown for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
Employees submit absence requests online. Managers get notified instantly and approve or reject with one tap via our approval workflow. Every request is logged with a full audit trail — no more emails or paper forms going missing.
Managers and employees are notified immediately when requests are submitted or actioned
Every absence request, approval, and note is recorded for compliance and tribunal readiness
See remaining leave balance and absence history before approving any request
If any of these sound familiar, your business needs a proper absence management system.
Without a central absence tracker, managers have no real-time view of who's available. Meetings get scheduled with absent people and tasks go unassigned.
Sick leave recorded on scraps of paper or not at all. No centralised record for SSP calculations or return-to-work conversations.
If an employee challenges a dismissal, you need comprehensive absence records. Without a system, you have nothing to present.
Unplanned absences leave you scrambling. No advance warning means no time to arrange cover or adjust workloads.
Without a proper system, you have no easy way to review an employee's absence record or calculate Bradford Factor scores.
Annual leave in one spreadsheet, sick leave in another, TOIL on a whiteboard. Nothing connects and nothing is accurate.
Managing absence correctly isn't just good practice — it's a legal requirement. TimeTally helps you stay compliant with UK employment legislation.
Automatically calculates statutory holiday entitlement (5.6 weeks) including pro-rata for part-time and mid-year starters, as required by the Working Time Regulations 1998.
Track SSP qualifying days, waiting periods, and eligibility automatically. Know exactly when employees become entitled to statutory sick pay.
TimeTally supports ACAS-recommended absence management procedures including return-to-work documentation, absence trigger points, and fair dismissal record-keeping.
Need help with entitlements? Use our free holiday entitlement calculator or leave entitlement calculator to work out exactly what your employees are owed under UK law.
Dedicated absence management tools handle time off but can't track hours worked. That means two systems, two logins, and two bills. TimeTally gives you absence management AND timesheets for just £2 per employee per month. See how we compare in our comparison matrix.
Everything you need to manage employee absence in the UK
No hidden fees. No setup costs. Cancel anytime.
All absence types
Sick leave, annual leave, TOIL, and more
Complete absence records
Full history for every employee
Team calendar view
See who's off at a glance
Timesheet tracking included
No extra charge
Absence management software is a digital tool that helps businesses track and manage all types of employee absence — including planned leave (annual leave, TOIL) and unplanned absence (sick days, emergency leave). It replaces spreadsheets with automated workflows for requesting, approving, and recording time off, giving you a clear record of all absences in one place.
The Bradford Factor is a formula (S² × D) used by UK HR teams to measure the impact of employee absence, where S is the number of separate absence spells and D is total days absent. It highlights frequent short-term absences, which are typically more disruptive than occasional longer absences. Use our free Bradford Factor calculator to work out scores for your team, and use TimeTally to keep accurate absence records that make the calculation straightforward.
Yes. TimeTally is built specifically for UK businesses and supports Working Time Regulations 1998, statutory sick pay (SSP) tracking, ACAS-recommended absence management procedures, and correct holiday entitlement calculations including pro-rata for part-time workers. All absence records are stored securely for tribunal or audit purposes.
Absolutely. TimeTally lets you create unlimited custom leave types, each with its own colour, icon, and allowance rules. You can set up categories for sick leave, annual leave, compassionate leave, TOIL, maternity/paternity leave, unpaid leave, and any other type you need — all tracked independently in one system.
By recording every absence in a centralised system, you build a clear picture of time off across your team. Having accurate records makes it easy to calculate Bradford Factor scores using our free calculator, spot who has frequent short absences, and have informed return-to-work conversations. Businesses that actively manage and record absence data are better placed to offer early support and reduce unplanned absences.
Yes. Employees can request time off from the mobile app or web dashboard. Managers receive instant notifications and can approve or reject with optional notes. All absence records are stored centrally, giving you a complete history for each employee.
TimeTally costs just £2 per employee per month with no setup fees or hidden costs. This includes leave and absence tracking, timesheet management, team calendars, and unlimited custom leave types. Most standalone absence tools charge similar or higher prices without including timesheet functionality.
