SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Q3 2024 Product Updates URL: https://vacationtracker.io/blog/q3-2024-product-updates/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2024-10-10 UPDATED: 2025-11-14 AUTHOR: Claudia READING: 4 min TAGS: vacation-tracker-news SUMMARY: Discover our latest product updates for Q3 2024, including the new Visibility Manager and Probation Period automations, enhanced reporting, and an AI assistant. # Q3 2024 Product Updates At Vacation Tracker, we’re on a mission to simplify leave management for teams everywhere. We know that PTO tracking is a lot more complex than just tallying days; it’s about finding the right balance between employee satisfaction, organizational productivity, and compliance. That’s why we’re continuously evolving our software to better meet your needs. In Q3, we’ve rolled out two powerful automations, Visibility Manager and Probation Period. We’ve also upgraded our reporting tools and introduced an AI assistant to guide you through the setup and make the most of our robust functionalities. Ready to learn more about these exciting improvements? Keep reading! ## Visibility Manager Add-On We’re now offering you more control than ever over your team’s visibility with our latest feature. The Visibility Manager (https://vacationtracker.io/blog/how-to-manage-visibility-in-vacation-tracker/) automation provides admins with the flexibility to decide how many details users can see. While transparency is important, sometimes too much information is counterproductive. That’s why we’ve added this function that lets admins only see the PTO of employees in their department. ### Key Features - Tailor settings to align with team structures and allow users to view only the PTO details of their department. ### Benefits Increased Confidentiality: Admins have more control over what employees can see, ensuring their organization is not at risk of sharing unauthorized leave data at large. Refined User Experience: Users don’t need to sift through loads of unnecessary information. Instead, they’re only shown relevant data concerning their department. The Visibility Manager automation (https://app.vacationtracker.io/app/automations) is available for only $0.50/user. ## Probation Period This new feature (https://vacationtracker.io/blog/introducing-probation-periods/) makes onboarding employees one step easier. Limit the amount of ineligible PTO requests that get submitted by activating the Probation Period automation. This feature automatically prevents new hires from submitting leave requests during their first few months of employment. Admins can decide how long the period is based on their company policies and also decide which leave types they’d like to restrict. ### Key Features - Easily enforce your company’s probation period policies by automatically restricting leave requests for new hires during their initial months. - Restrictions are customizable, allowing admins to specify which leave types are prohibited during the probation period and for how long. ### Benefits Enhanced Compliance: Automated refusals help to enforce company policy, fairly and consistently. Improved Onboarding Experience: Set clear expectations for new hires about their PTO eligibility and your organization’s rules. This feature is included in the Complete plan for no added cost. Core users can access it as an automation right here (https://app.vacationtracker.io/app/automations). ## Improved Reporting The more detail, the better. We get it. That’s why we’ve made leave reports (https://vacationtracker.io/features/reporting/) even more comprehensive. Our reports now include TOIL data, allowing admins to distinguish between PTO and TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) (https://vacationtracker.io/blog/manage-toil/). This ensures that managers have a clear overview of how time is being utilized within the team. ### Key Features - Reports now distinguish between different leave types, providing a more granular view of your staff’s PTO usage. ### Benefits Informed Decision-Making: With better insights into leave patterns, managers can easily categorize requests and make data-driven decisions. ## AI Assistant The thought of onboarding a new tool can be overwhelming, so our team has been hard at work developing an AI assistant to guide you through the process of setting up your company in Vacation Tracker. Our intuitive AI assistant offers step-by-step guidance for a stress-free setup experience. ### Key Features - Provides real-time, interactive support for new users, helping users set up locations, leave types, and more. ### Benefits Faster Setup: By automating and simplifying the setup process, the AI Assistant helps new users get up and running quickly. 24/7 Availability: The AI Assistant is always ready to answer questions––no matter the time or day. ![Vacation Tracker AI Assistant answering a user question](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/image_20240912_101629_7c359675f7.png) Start with Vacation Tracker for free and see how simple leave management can be. And if you want to explore more advanced features, our paid plans come with a 14-day free trial. Take the guesswork out of time off tracking. Know exactly who's off and when—no spreadsheets, no surprises. Get started (https://app.vacationtracker.io/signup) ![check](/static/img/icons/check.svg) No credit card required. ## Key Takeaways from Our Q3 Updates This quarter, we’ve focused on adding features that provide greater control, streamline processes, and offer enhanced support for our users to make your PTO management just that much easier. We’re especially excited for what’s to come in Q4! Our team went to Mallorca this past September for a fun-filled team-building adventure. We got to work together, brainstorm, and share ideas on how to make Vacation Tracker the best it can be. Stay updated by reading our changelog, (https://vacationtracker.io/changelog/) and remember you can always reach out to us via support@vacationtracker.io (mailto:support@vacationtracker.io) or our live chat if you’d like to request a feature. Curious to see how Vacation Tracker can work for your team? Request a demo today! See How Simple PTO Tracking Can Be Learn how to manage time off without confusion, delays, or admin headaches. Schedule a demo (/request-a-demo/) ![See How Simple PTO Tracking Can Be](/static/img/impact-image.png)