How to request time off in Workday

How do I request time off in Workday?

Updated 4 November 2026

From the Workday home page open Absence, choose Request Absence or Request Time Off, pick your days on the calendar, choose the type and submit.

Requesting time off in Workday takes a few clicks once you know where Absence is. You pick your days on a calendar, choose the type and submit it to your manager. These steps are for Workday in a browser on a computer. Your company sets the time-off types and approvals, so your screens may differ.

Clickable on an example HR home page: a blue ring around the Absence app with Clicky at its lower right, and the panel saying Click Absence. — Clickable on an example HR app (not Workday): ask for two days off and Clicky starts with Absence.

Steps

Open Absence

On your Workday home page, click the Absence app (in some companies it's in the menu at the top left, or called Time Off).

Start a request

Click Request Absence (some companies call it Request Time Off).

Pick your days

Select the days on the calendar, or choose Select Date Range and enter the first and last day.

Choose the type and check the hours

Click Request Time Off, choose the type, such as holiday, and check the quantity per day. The button shows how many days you're requesting.

Submit

Add a comment if you like and click Submit. The request goes to your manager; it shows as approved in Absence once they accept it.

Questions

Why don't I see the same buttons?

Each company sets up its own time-off types, approval rules and menus, and some show Absence in the menu rather than on the home page. The order of the steps stays the same.

Is a leave of absence the same as time off?

Usually not. Longer leave, such as parental or medical leave, often has its own request and needs your HR team. Check your company's policy.

How do I cancel a request?

In Absence, find the request in your time off, and choose to cancel or correct it. If it's already approved, your manager may need to approve the change.

Can I use Clickable with our Workday?

Clickable reads the page you're on in Chrome, so nothing needs to be set up in Workday. If your company manages Chrome, IT may need to allow the extension. It never submits anything for you.