SOURCE:    Vacation Tracker
TITLE:     Approver Training 0: What You Do as an Approver (Slack)
URL:       https://vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/approver-training-slack-what-you-do-as-an-approver/
LANG:      en
PUBLISHED: 2026-10-23
UPDATED:   2026-10-23
READING:   3 min
SUMMARY:   Start here: what an Approver does in Vacation Tracker on Slack, where leave requests reach you, and what you can see.
Approver Training 0: What You Do as an Approver (Slack)
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Last updated on October 23, 2026

Approver Training 0: What You Do as an Approver (Slack)

As an Approver, you decide on leave requests from the people in your Department. This training covers the essentials in nine short articles. Start here to see what you do, where requests reach you, and what you can see.

What You Do

  • Answer leave requests: approve or deny requests from the people in the Departments you approve for.
  • Keep leave accurate: edit a request before you answer it, or cancel leave that's already approved.
  • Add leave for your team: when someone can't request it themselves.
  • See who's off: check who else is away before you decide.
  • Keep your team informed: send notifications about your team's leave.
  • Set limits: automations such as blackout dates or a maximum number of people away.

How You Became an Approver

Approver isn't a Role. Your Administrator added you as an Approver on one or more Departments, and you approve leave for the people in those Departments. You still request your own leave like everyone else.

If a Department has more than one level of approval, a request reaches you when it gets to your level.

Where Requests Reach You

Every new request arrives as a direct message from the Vacation Tracker app in Slack, with buttons to approve or deny it. The same request also waits for you in the Vacation Tracker dashboard, under Waiting on you on your Home page. Answer it in either place, and the other one updates.

Vacation Tracker app message in Slack next to the Waiting on you list in the dashboard

What You Can See in the Dashboard

  • Home: your requests under Waiting on you.
  • Calendar and Wallchart: who's off and when.
  • Users: the people in your Departments. You can open their profiles and leave, but not change their settings.
  • Team Notifications and Add-ons: notifications and automations for your team.
  • Holidays: holidays for each Location. You can view them, but not change them.

Your Administrator decides whether Approvers can also see features such as Reports.

Left-hand menu in the Vacation Tracker dashboard for an Approver

Use Vacation Tracker From an AI Assistant

Under Workspace Settings, click Integrations, then MCP. It shows how to connect Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot and other AI assistants to Vacation Tracker, so you can check leave or approve and deny requests from the assistant. Your assistant acts as you, so it can never see or change more than you can.

MCP page under Integrations with the server address and the list of what your assistant can do

The Training Path

Each article covers one job. Follow them in order the first time.

  1. Approve or Deny Leave Requests in Slack: answer requests from Slack.
  2. Approve or Deny Leave Requests in the Dashboard: check the details and decide in the dashboard.
  3. Change a Leave Request or Cancel Approved Leave: change a request or cancel approved leave.
  4. Add Leave for a Team Member Who Can't Request It: when someone can't request it themselves.
  5. Check Who's Off Before You Approve: check coverage in the dashboard or with /vacation.
  6. Send Your Team Leave Summaries and Birthday Messages: summaries and birthdays in a Slack channel.
  7. Choose Who Approves Requests While You're Away: who answers requests while you're away.
  8. Set Leave Rules for Your Team With Automations: rules like blackout dates and maximum users away.

Common Questions

As an Approver, you see the people in the Departments you approve for. Your Administrator manages everyone else.

Yes. Your Administrator can add you as an Approver on as many Departments as needed.

What's Next?

Approver Training 1: Approve or Deny Leave Requests in Slack Approver Training 2: Approve or Deny Leave Requests in the Dashboard (Slack) Guide: Administrator vs Location Admin vs Approver vs User
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