Purpose Statement

Request Routing allows agencies to control how Time Off requests are directed to the appropriate users for review and management. Routing Rules can use Time Off Types and organizational attributes to determine who receives a request and can also define escalation behavior when a request is not addressed within a specified period.

Background Information

Routing Rules are configured within Scheduling → Setup → Time Off Settings → Routing Rules.

A Routing Rule can identify requests based on the selected Time Off Type and an organizational attribute such as a Station, Division, or District. The rule then determines which user or group of users should manage matching requests.

For example, an agency could configure a rule so that Vacation requests submitted by personnel associated with Station 11 are routed to a specific user.

Routing Rules can also include escalation settings. If a request is not addressed within the configured amount of time, the request can be escalated to another designated group or user.

Required Permissions

The following permissions are applicable to configuring and managing Time Off Request Routing:

• Access Scheduling — Allows the user to access the Scheduling module.
• Access Setup — Allows the user to update and modify settings for the Scheduling module.
• Approve/deny time off — Allows the user to approve or deny Time Off for all users.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Navigate to Routing Rules

• Select the First Due logo.
• Navigate to Scheduling → Setup.
• Select Time Off Settings.
• Select Routing Rules.

Add a New Routing Rule

• Select the option to add a new rule.

• Select the Time Off Type that the rule should apply to.

• Select the applicable Organizational Attribute.
• Routing can be configured using organizational attributes such as:
  • Station
  • Division
  • District
• Select the appropriate Value for the organizational attribute.
• For example, selecting Station and Station 11 causes the rule to apply to matching requests submitted by personnel associated with Station 11.

Configure Who Receives the Request

• Determine how matching Time Off requests should be routed.
• Available routing options include:
  • Allowing the requesting user to select who should approve the request.
  • Allowing an administrator with approval or denial permission at the applicable organizational location to manage the request.
  • Notifying an on-duty employee based on a Qualifier or the assignment they are Working On.
  • Notifying a specific user or users.
  • Allowing users with the appropriate permission to approve any Time Off.

Configure Escalation

• Configure an escalation when a request should be routed to additional users if it is not addressed within a specified period.
• Define how long the system should wait before escalating the request.
• The escalation period can be configured using:
  • Hours
  • Minutes
  • Days
• Determine who should receive the escalated request.
• Escalation options include:
  • On-duty employees based on a Qualifier or the assignment they are Working On.
  • Personnel associated with a particular Work Type.
  • Specific users.

Create the Rule

• Review the Time Off Type, organizational criteria, routing configuration, and escalation settings.
• Select Add Rule.

• The Routing Rule is created and can be used for matching Time Off requests.

Manage Existing Routing Rules

• Existing Routing Rules can be edited when routing requirements change.
• Rules can also be deleted when they are no longer needed.

• Use the available filters to narrow the displayed rules by:
  • Time Off Type
  • Organizational Attribute
  • Routing recipient
  • Escalation

Best Practices

• Create Routing Rules that align with your agency's established Time Off approval process.
• Use organizational attributes to direct requests to personnel responsible for the requesting employee's Station, Division, or District.
• Verify that users designated to manage requests have the necessary Time Off permissions.
• Configure escalation when requests must be reviewed within a defined period.
• Use specific routing criteria when different locations or organizational groups have different approval responsibilities.
• Review existing Routing Rules periodically and update them when organizational responsibilities change.
• Before deleting a rule, verify that it is no longer required for active Time Off approval workflows.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Where are Time Off Routing Rules configured?

A: Navigate to Scheduling → Setup → Time Off Settings → Routing Rules.

Q: Can Routing Rules be configured for a specific Station, Division, or District?

A: Yes. The Organizational Attribute and its corresponding value can be used to target requests associated with a particular Station, Division, or District.

Q: Can a Routing Rule apply only to a specific Time Off Type?

A: Yes. The Time Off Type is selected when configuring the rule, allowing routing to be applied to requests for that selected type.

Q: Can a Time Off request be routed to a specific user?

A: Yes. Routing Rules can be configured to notify a specific user or multiple users.

Q: Can the employee requesting Time Off select their approver?

A: Yes. A Routing Rule can be configured to allow the requesting user to select who should approve the request.

Q: What does escalation do?

A: Escalation provides an additional routing path when a Time Off request has not been addressed within the configured number of minutes, hours, or days.

Q: Who can receive an escalated request?

A: Escalation can notify on-duty employees based on a Qualifier or where they are working, users associated with a particular Work Type, or specific users.

Q: Can an existing Routing Rule be changed?

A: Yes. Existing Routing Rules can be edited when routing requirements change.

Q: Can Routing Rules be deleted?

A: Yes. Existing rules can be deleted when they are no longer required.

Q: Can I filter the Routing Rules list?

A: Yes. Rules can be filtered by Time Off Type, Organizational Attribute, routing recipient, and escalation configuration.