SOURCE:    Vacation Tracker
TITLE:     Approver Training 1: Approve or Deny Leave Requests by Email (Email Only)
URL:       https://vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/approver-training-email-only-approve-or-deny-leave-requests-by-email/
LANG:      en
PUBLISHED: 2026-10-23
UPDATED:   2026-10-23
READING:   2 min
SUMMARY:   Leave requests reach you by email. See what the email shows and how to approve or deny straight from it.

# Approver Training 1: Approve or Deny Leave Requests by Email (Email Only)

# Approver Training 1: Approve or Deny Leave Requests by Email (Email Only)

When someone in your Department requests leave, Vacation Tracker emails you. You can answer straight from the email.

Sign in to the dashboard as yourself

The buttons in the email open Vacation Tracker in your browser. Make sure you're signed in to the dashboard with your own account in that browser, so the answer is recorded under your name.

## What the Email Shows

The email comes from no-reply@vacationtrackerbot.com with the subject [Name] Submitted A Leave Request For [dates]. It shows:

- User, Leave Type, Dates Requested and Leave Duration.

- Requester's Reason and their Remaining Leave Balance.

- Department Leave Information: who else in the Department is away on those dates.

- The approval level, if your Department has more than one.

![Leave request email with Approve, Deny, Deny with reason and Open Dashboard buttons](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/approver_training_email_only_approve_or_deny_leave_requests_by_email_1_536e63751e_1ee23f50bd.png)

## Answer the Request

- Open the email and check the dates, the balance and who else is away.

- Click Approve, Deny or Deny with reason.

- Vacation Tracker opens the request in your browser, shows a Request summary and applies your answer straight away.

Want a closer look first? Click Open Dashboard to see the request in Vacation Tracker.

![Request summary page that opens after you click a button in the email](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/approver_training_email_only_approve_or_deny_leave_requests_by_email_2_941b1ade64_f67e84b922.png)

## Reminders and Other Emails

- Reminder: if you haven't answered, you get up to three reminders that show when the request will expire, for example "reminder 2 of 3". Snooze holds back that one reminder for a short time. The next reminder still arrives on schedule.

- Expired: the request wasn't answered in time.

- Canceled: the person canceled their request.

- Leave added: someone added leave for a person on your team.

![Reminder email showing when the request expires and the Snooze button](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/approver_training_email_only_approve_or_deny_leave_requests_by_email_3_9ff5a9703f_9e64333f8e.png)

## Check It Worked

In the dashboard, the request is no longer under Waiting on you on your Home page.

## Common Questions

Why does the answer show someone else's name?The email buttons act as whoever is signed in to Vacation Tracker in that browser. Sign out, sign in with your own account, and use the buttons again.

What happens if I don't answer?It depends on how your Administrator set up your Department. The request either stays open, or it expires after 7 working days or when the leave end date passes. You get reminders before it expires.

### What's Next?

Approver Training 2: Approve or Deny Leave Requests in the Dashboard (Email Only) (https://vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/approver-training-email-only-approve-or-deny-leave-requests-in-the-dashboard/)
Approver Training 0: What You Do as an Approver (Email Only) (https://vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/approver-training-email-only-what-you-do-as-an-approver/)
Guide: Notifications within Vacation Tracker (https://vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/guide-notifications-within-vacation-tracker/)

Need help?

Contact our Support team via email (mailto:hello@vacationtracker.io) or chat (#), Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM EST.