How Does an Approver Assign a Substitute Approver?

Are you an Approver going on leave and need someone to give you a hand with your Users’ leave requests? 

No worries, we’ve got you covered! With a Substitute Approver, you’ll be able to plan ahead and choose who gets to replace you while on leave. 

This article will show you how to assign a Substitute Approver.

||| If there are several Approvers in one department, then the Approver might not have the option to set a Substitute Approver. To learn more, please see: Guide: Substitute Approver

Are you an Admin trying to assign a Substitute Approver? Check out this article: How Does an Admin Assign a Substitute Approver?

As an Approver, you can assign a Substitute Approver using the following options:

• Using our - **Online Dashboard **
• Using Vacation Tracker Integration - Slack
• Using Vacation Tracker Integration - **Microsoft Teams **

Assigning a Substitute Approver Using the Online Dashboard

Step 1: Log in to your dashboard: https://app.vacationtracker.io/signin

Step 2: On the left-hand side, click on the Leave Requests drop-down menu and select **Request Leave **

Step 3: Enter the leave type, dates and reason if necessary

Step 4: Go to Select Substitute Approver and you can either type or select the Substitute Approver from the drop-down list

Step 5: Click on Request Leave to complete the request

**A notification will be sent to the Substitute Approver via Teams / Slack / Email when they are set as a substitute. **

Assigning a Substitute Approver Using Slack

In any channel or direct message, type /vacation and then push Enter

Step 1: Once Vacation Tracker responds, select **Request leave **

Step 2: Enter the leave type, dates and reason if necessary

Step 3: Go to Select Substitute Approver and type a minimum of 3 characters to see your options

Step 4: Once you’ve selected your Substitute Approver, click on **Send Request **

**A notification will be sent to the Substitute Approver via Slack when they are set as a substitute. **

Assigning a Substitute Approver Using Microsoft Teams

Step 1: On the left-hand side of your MS Teams click on Chats and open the Vacation Tracker chat by clicking on it.

Step 2: Type Request Leave in the chatbot and press enter or click the send icon. You will get a response, and from the drop-down menu select the type of leave you are requesting. 

Once you select, click Next.

Step 3: When a new message pops up, enter the dates you wish to request your leave on and add a reason (if mandatory).

Step 4: Click on Submit

After you click Submit, a new box Select Substitute Approver will pop up.

You can either type or select the person from the drop-down list

Step 5: Click on Proceed

OR

Step 1: At the top of your MS Teams window search Vacation Tracker in the search bar and select the app

Step 2: Once you’re in chat, click on the Request Leave tab

Step 3: Enter the leave type, dates and reason if necessary

Step 4: Go to Select Substitute Approver and you can either type or select the Substitute Approver from the drop-down list

Step 5: Click on **Request Leave **

**A notification will be sent to the Substitute Approver via Teams when they are set as a substitute. **

| Don’t see the person you’d like to assign as a Substitute Approver? If the person is already on leave during the same period, they will not appear on the list. |

|| Substitute Approver will have limited approver role rights. They will only be able to approve or deny leaves through bots/email/dashboard.

|| If the Substitute Approver chosen happens to go on leave while being assigned the role, the Substitute Approver will have the option to choose someone else to replace them.

Would you like to learn more about your own role as an Approver, see: Guide: What Can an Approver Do in Vacation Tracker?

Would you like to edit the Substitute Approver? Check this article out: How Do I Edit a Substitute Approver?