Sometimes the approver is unavailable but you can't afford to wait for them to return to process the request. For that you need to delegate approvals to a substitute approver.
Easily assign approval responsibilities to a colleague when approvers are away.
Moss can sync with your HR software for automatic absence tracking, or approvers and admins can manually record absence in Moss.
Moss takes care of sending pending approval requests to designated delegates, ensuring a seamless workflow during approvers' absences.
When the primary approver returns, Moss effortlessly reverts to the default approval flow without any manual intervention.
Access this feature
Delegated Approval is only available on newer and higher price plans. If you don’t have access, then contact your customer success manager or request access to the feature from within the app.
Add absences
You can add absences manually or have them synced automatically though your HR tool.
Sync absences from your HR software
Connect your HR software to Moss: follow this guide for Personio or this guide for other HR software
Select which absence types you want to sync with Moss. You can manage your absence types from User management > HR software > Manage Absence Types
Once the connection is setup navigate to the Users management > Absences to view your user’s absences
Note: If you connected your HR software to Moss before November 2023 you will need to integrate it again from scratch for Moss to receive absence data.
Note: As of Dec 2023, the following software does supports absences syncing with Moss: Personio, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Sage HR, PayFit, BambooHR, Rippling, Charlie, HiBob, HeavenHR, Factorial, AFAS, HRworks, Officient, PeopleHR, Humaans, Deel.
The following software currently does NOT support synchronising of absences with Moss: Entra ID, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Abacus.
And the following software does not reliably support absences in Moss: Nmbrs, AFAS, Kenjo, Remote, Okta, Oracle HCM, Gusto, Breathe HR, CatalystOne, Lucca, Planday, Sympa, Iris.
Add absences manually
Record your own absence
Click on "Settings" > Hover over your name in the bottom left corner
Select absences
Enter the start date (this can be in the past)
Enter the end date (or leave it blank if you don’t know when you’ll be back)
Add another period if you need to.
Hit save
Add absences on someone else’s behalf
As an administrator navigate to User management > Absences
Select a user
Enter the start date
Enter the end date (or leave it blank if you don’t know when they’ll be back or if they've left the company.)
Add another period if you need to.
Hit save
Enable approval delegation
Approval requests are only delegated during absences if the absent approver has a substitute selected and delegation is turned on for them.
Turn on approval delegation for yourself
Click on "Settings" > hover over your name in the bottom left corner
Select absences
Turn on the delegation switch
Select your substitute
Hit save
Find users with planned absences but delegation disabled
As an administrator navigate to Users management > Absences
Select 'show’ on the 'Absent users without delegation' filter. This filters the list to show only users without a substitute or delegation turned off.
Turn on approval delegation for others
As an administrator, navigate to Users management > Absences
Turn on the delegation switch
Select a substitute
Note: any active Moss user can be a substitute approver
Note: We send admins an email if we find users with no effective delegation for the upcoming month. You can turn off this email notification in your app settings
What happens during an absence when approvals are being delegated
During the period of absence approval requests are sent to both the absent approver AND their substitute. This includes approval requests that were sent before the period started but are still pending approval. Either can approve the request during this period.
An email to the substitute explains that they are requesting this approval request because the primary approver is absent. The primary approve continues to receive email notifications for their approval requests but these explain to them that the request has also been sent to their substitute to approve whilst they’re away. Approvers can turn off these email notifications in their app settings.
What happens when an absence period ends
When the absence period ends the substitute will no longer be included in new approval requests for their colleague.
Approval requests that were already sent to the substitute and have not yet been actioned will no longer be accessible to the substitute, however the substitute can access requests they have already acted on.
What if the substitute is also absent?
If the substitute is absent at the same time then approval requests will be sent to the primary approver and the substitute whilst they are both absent.
Substitutes can also have substitutes. If the substitute also has delegation enabled then the substitute’s substitute will also receive the primary approver’s requests.
Note: The absences tab lists all users in Moss, not just approvers. This allows you to also enable delegation for substitutes even if they are not usually approvers.