When Manager approval for shift swaps is turned on, a swap that a co-worker accepts does not take effect until an Admin or Shift Manager approves it. Until then, the request has the status Pending Manager Approval and neither shift changes.

Enable manager approval

Step 1 - Go to Roster > Configuration > General.

Step 2 - Make sure Swap Shifts is turned on. Manager approval can only be changed when swaps are allowed.

Step 3 - Turn on Manager approval for shift swaps.

Step 4 - Click Save.

Turn the toggle ON so that a swap a co-worker accepts waits for an Admin or Shift Manager to approve it before the shifts change. This option can only be changed when Swap Shifts is turned on. 

How to Approve or reject a shift swap request from a notification

Step 1 - Click the notification bell in the header. A notification reads [Requester] and [Co-worker] have agreed to swap their [Shift Group] shift on [Date] and [Shift Group] shift on [Date]. Approval is required before the swap takes effect.

Step 2 - Click View Details to see both shifts. This step is optional.

Step 3 - Click Approve to make the swap, or Reject to stop it.

How to approve or reject a shift swap request from the roster

Step 1 - Open the roster schedule.

Step 2 - Click either shift that shows the pending-approval icon. The shift details open.

Step 3 - Click Approve or Reject.

If the swap clashes with leave

When you approve, OrangeHRM checks whether either employee is on scheduled leave during the shift they would receive. If so, a Confirmation Required window names the employee and the leave date, and asks Are you sure you want to approve this swap?

Step 1 - Read which employee and leave date the window lists.

Step 2 - Click Confirm Approval to make the swap anyway, or Cancel to leave the request waiting.

Note: Confirming does not change the employee's leave. Leave that is pending approval, cancelled or rejected, or that does not overlap the shift times, does not trigger this window.

What happens next

Note: If the request was cancelled or changed before you acted, the message This swap request is no longer available because it has been updated appears and nothing changes.

Note: A request still waiting when the shift starts is cancelled automatically. Approvers are not notified of this.

Note: Editing, unassigning, deleting or moving a shift that is waiting for approval cancels the request, in the same way as for any other swap request.

Note: Approval notifications appear in OrangeHRM only. No email is sent.

Who can approve

Note: Users who cannot approve do not see Approve or Reject and do not receive the notification.