Let unused leave carry into the next period, with optional caps and expiry.
3-minute read
A Brought Forward Policy (also called a Rollover Policy) decides what happens to leave days a User didn't use by the end of a period. Without it, unused days are gone. With it, the days carry into the next period, up to whatever cap you choose, and you can put an expiry on them so they're not stockpiled indefinitely.
What rollover is doing
Carries unused days forward: at the end of the leave period, anything not used moves into the next period as "brought forward" days
Sits on top of the new period's quota: brought-forward days are usable alongside the fresh quota, so a User can take more than one period's worth in a single year
Configured per leave policy: different leave types can roll over differently. Vacation typically rolls over; sick days often don't
Optional caps and expiry: limit how many days roll over, and set a deadline by which brought-forward days must be used or they're lost
Why use a Rollover Policy
Fairness to Users who plan ahead: a team member saving days for a long trip later in the year shouldn't lose them just because the calendar ticked over
Encourages actual usage: an expiry date nudges people to use their carry-over rather than accumulate it for years
Compliance: in some regions, employers are required to either pay out or carry over unused leave. A Rollover Policy makes the answer explicit
The knobs you get
Maximum days that can roll over: cap the carry-over at, for example, 5 days. Anything above that is forfeited
Expiry for brought-forward days: brought-forward days must be used by a specific date or a number of months into the new period
Consumption order: the system can be set to spend brought-forward days before the new period's quota, so days at risk of expiring go first
Common patterns
Use it or lose it, with a buffer: 5 brought-forward days maximum, expire at end of Q1. Healthy for the User and the business
Generous carry-over for vacation only: unlimited carry-over for vacation, none for sick days
Bank for a long trip: a higher cap (10-15 days) with a longer expiry, useful when teams plan sabbaticals or extended travel
What each role does
Administrator: configures the Rollover Policy on each leave policy. Decides the cap, expiry, and consumption order
Approver: doesn't configure rollover, but knowing it's set helps answer "do my brought-forward days expire?" from Users
User: sees their brought-forward balance on their profile alongside the regular quota, with the expiry date when there is one
Common Questions
Each leave policy can have its own Rollover settings. Vacation almost always uses rollover; sick leave often doesn't, since unused sick days aren't a reward to bank. The choice is per leave type.
They drop off the balance on the expiry date. The User's profile shows the change, and a small audit trail is kept so Admins can answer questions if they come up.
Not directly on the policy itself. Combining the Seniority Entitlement Automation (Complete plan) with the right leave-policy structure usually achieves what you want. For more nuanced rules, Labels (Complete plan) plus separate policies can also work.
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