Vacation Tracker Docs
REST API v2API referenceLeaves

Approve a leave

This API method approves an `OPEN` leave. Requires `leaves:approve`. The acting user (the key owner, or the `X-On-Behalf-Of` user) must be an approver (or substitute approver) of the user's department, a location admin, or an admin. The request body is optional; `reason` is stored as the leave's `statusReason`. It waits for the approval and returns the leave with `200`, or `202 Accepted` with an operation to poll. In a department with multi-level approval, the first-level approval returns the leave still `OPEN` with `approvedLevel` set to `FIRST`; that is the final result of this call, and a second-level approver must approve it again. Errors: `400 VALIDATION_ERROR` (`details.fields`), `403 ON_BEHALF_OF_NOT_ALLOWED`, `403 FORBIDDEN` (the acting user cannot approve this user's leaves), `404 RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND` (the leave does not exist or is outside the key's data reach), `422 LEAVE_REQUEST_NOT_OPEN` (the leave is no longer `OPEN`), and the `Idempotency-Key` codes.

POST
/v2/leaves/{id}/approve

Authorization

bearerAuth leaves:approve
AuthorizationBearer <token>

API key sent as Authorization: Bearer vt_live_<secret>. See the Authentication and Scopes sections at the top of this document for how keys are created, which scopes exist and how the key owner's role limits them.

In: header

Scope: leaves:approve

Path Parameters

id*string

resource ID.

Header Parameters

Idempotency-Key?string

optional key (1 to 255 printable ASCII characters) that makes a write request safe to retry. Keys are retained for 24 hours per API key. Retrying with the same key and the same request within those 24 hours replays the original response (with the Idempotent-Replayed header). Reusing the key with a different request returns 422 IDEMPOTENCY_KEY_REUSED; retrying while the first request is still running returns 409 IDEMPOTENCY_REQUEST_IN_PROGRESS; an invalid key returns 400 INVALID_IDEMPOTENCY_KEY.

Length1 <= length <= 255
X-On-Behalf-Of?string

ID of the user the write is performed for. Requires the users:act-on-behalf scope, and the key owner must manage the target user; otherwise the request fails with 403 ON_BEHALF_OF_NOT_ALLOWED. Ignored on GET requests.

Request Body

application/json

TypeScript Definitions

Use the request body type in TypeScript.

Response Body

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

curl -X POST "https://example.com/v2/leaves/string/approve" \  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \  -d '{    "reason": "Enjoy your trip"  }'
{
  "data": {
    "id": "leaveRequest-cfe5d39b-f1f0-45aa-85cd-ce93e637a262",
    "userId": "user-63b17e97-d38b-4586-8498-bb4f5d2e2c14",
    "approverId": "user-0f3a9c1e-6c2b-4a5d-9e7f-1b2c3d4e5f60",
    "autoApproved": false,
    "durationCalendarDays": 5,
    "durationWorkingDays": 5,
    "startDate": "2026-11-09",
    "endDate": "2026-11-13",
    "isFullDayLeave": true,
    "leaveTypeId": "leaveType-fcc1e5c5-ba93-479d-bd58-8f860ba10615",
    "locationId": "location-79c77ac8-e5bf-479f-9488-648a58379ff1",
    "departmentId": "team-0a21c25e-6925-4a5b-90ee-ecf82096c4f6",
    "status": "APPROVED",
    "reason": "Family trip",
    "statusReason": null,
    "approvedLevel": null,
    "createdAt": "2026-10-01T09:12:40.062Z"
  }
}
{
  "operation": {
    "id": "pa_3f1c2b9e-8a47-4d5e-9c61-2b7f0e4a1d93",
    "status": "PENDING",
    "url": "/v2/operations/pa_3f1c2b9e-8a47-4d5e-9c61-2b7f0e4a1d93"
  }
}
{
  "error": {
    "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
    "name": "ValidationError",
    "description": "A query parameter, body field or header failed validation.",
    "resolution": "Fix the fields listed in details.fields and send the request again.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef",
    "details": {
      "fields": [
        {
          "path": "startDate",
          "message": "\"startDate\" is required"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
{
  "error": {
    "code": "UNAUTHORIZED",
    "name": "Unauthorized",
    "description": "The API key is missing, malformed or not recognized.",
    "resolution": "Send a valid API key in the Authorization header as Bearer followed by the full vt_live_ key.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef"
  }
}

{
  "error": {
    "code": "INSUFFICIENT_SCOPE",
    "name": "InsufficientScope",
    "description": "The API key does not have the scopes this request needs.",
    "resolution": "Add the scopes listed in details.requiredScopes to the key in the Vacation Tracker dashboard.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef",
    "details": {
      "requiredScopes": [
        "leaves:write"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "error": {
    "code": "RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND",
    "name": "ResourceNotFound",
    "description": "The requested resource does not exist or is outside the data this key can access.",
    "resolution": "Check the ID of the resource named in details.resource and that the key owner can see it.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef"
  }
}

{
  "error": {
    "code": "CONFLICT",
    "name": "Conflict",
    "description": "The request conflicts with the current state of the resource.",
    "resolution": "Read the resource again and retry with up-to-date values.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef"
  }
}

{
  "error": {
    "code": "LEAVE_NEGATIVE_BALANCE",
    "name": "LeaveNegativeBalance",
    "description": "The user does not have enough balance for this leave.",
    "resolution": "Shorten the leave, use a different leave type, or ask an admin to adjust the quota.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef"
  }
}

{
  "error": {
    "code": "RATE_LIMITED",
    "name": "RateLimited",
    "description": "Too many requests were sent in a short time.",
    "resolution": "Wait a few seconds and retry, using the same Idempotency-Key for writes.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef"
  }
}
{
  "error": {
    "code": "INTERNAL_ERROR",
    "name": "InternalError",
    "description": "Something went wrong on our side.",
    "resolution": "Retry later, and if it keeps happening, contact Vacation Tracker support and quote the requestId.",
    "requestId": "c6af9ac6-7b61-11e6-9a41-93e8deadbeef"
  }
}

Need help?

developers@vacationtracker.io

Delete a leave

This API method deletes a leave of a user the acting user manages (approvers, location admins and admins only). Requires `leaves:write`. No request body. The acting user is the key owner, or the `X-On-Behalf-Of` user. It waits for the deletion and returns the deleted leave with `200`, or `202 Accepted` with an operation to poll. Errors: `403 ON_BEHALF_OF_NOT_ALLOWED`, `403 FORBIDDEN` (the acting user does not manage the user), `404 RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND` (the leave does not exist or is outside the key's data reach), and the `Idempotency-Key` codes.

Deny a leave

This API method denies an `OPEN` leave. Requires `leaves:approve`. The acting user (the key owner, or the `X-On-Behalf-Of` user) must be an approver (or substitute approver) of the user's department, a location admin, or an admin. The request body is optional; `reason` is stored as the leave's `statusReason` and shown to the user. It waits for the denial and returns the leave with `200`, or `202 Accepted` with an operation to poll. Errors: `400 VALIDATION_ERROR` (`details.fields`), `403 ON_BEHALF_OF_NOT_ALLOWED`, `403 FORBIDDEN` (the acting user cannot approve this user's leaves), `404 RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND` (the leave does not exist or is outside the key's data reach), `422 LEAVE_REQUEST_NOT_OPEN` (the leave is no longer `OPEN`), and the `Idempotency-Key` codes.