How Park Church Replaced Clunky HR Software with a Simple Leave Tracking Solution
Park Church has a team of around 30 employees, including full-time, part-time, and hourly staff, they strive to maintain smooth operations while serving their community. As the organization grew, so did the complexity of managing time off for their team. They needed a structured system to handle leave requests and approvals efficiently.
Company Snapshot
| Industry | Religious Institution |
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Team Size | 30 employees |
The Challenge
Before implementing Vacation Tracker, Park Church used various HR software solutions to track employee leave. However, these systems were overly complex, featuring multiple applications that employees had to sift through just to request time off. John Petterson, Director of Operations, explained, “We tried different HR systems, but they were just too clunky. Our team was getting lost in unnecessary features, and we found ourselves using less and less of the software over time.”
Instead of simplifying the process, these tools made leave management more frustrating. Employees struggled to locate the leave request section within the extensive software, which led to inefficiencies and a lack of visibility into who was off and when. Additionally, the high cost of the HR software meant Park Church was paying for features they didn’t need.
The Search for a Better Solution
John wanted a dedicated leave tracking system—something simple, intuitive, and budget-friendly. His priority was a tool that focused solely on leave management, integrated seamlessly with Google Calendar, and was easy for employees to use without additional training.
He turned to Reddit, a platform he frequently uses for authentic recommendations, and that’s where he first heard about Vacation Tracker.
After testing multiple alternatives, he encountered the same issue: too many unnecessary features. Park Church already had solid processes in place for other HR needs, so they didn’t want another all-in-one HR system. They just needed an efficient way to track and approve leave.
Why Vacation Tracker?
Vacation Tracker stood out for several key reasons:
- Simplicity & Usability – The team adopted Vacation Tracker quickly, and employees didn’t even require training. “I planned on training our team on how to use it, but they didn’t even need it—it just made sense for them,” said John.
- Full Customization – Vacation Tracker allowed them to set up approvals exactly how they wanted.
- Seamless Slack Integration – With so many tools to keep track of, the last thing employees needed was another login. Vacation Tracker’s Slack integration made requesting leave as easy as sending a message, fitting seamlessly into their daily workflow.
- Cost-Effective – Unlike their previous HR software, Vacation Tracker was budget-friendly, allowing them to pay only for what they truly needed.
- Remote and In-Office Compatibility – With a mix of in-office and remote workers, Park Church found Vacation Tracker to be the perfect fit for both setups.
The Results
Since implementing Vacation Tracker, Park Church has experienced several benefits:
- Time & Cost Savings – No more wasted hours navigating clunky HR systems.
- Improved Visibility – Managers can easily track and approve leave requests, keeping operations running smoothly.
- Uninterrupted Processes – With a clear, centralized leave tracking system, there’s no more confusion about who is available and when.
John put it simply—they needed a tool that made things easier, not more complicated. Vacation Tracker delivered exactly that. It has streamlined Park Church’s leave management, saving time, reducing costs, and improving team organization. With a system that fits seamlessly into their workflow, managing time off is now effortless.