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Last updated on September 7, 2026

How Do I Request a Leave?

Three channels, one form: dashboard, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. Pick the one that matches your integration. Whichever you use, the request goes to your Approver(s) for sign-off (unless your Leave Policy auto-approves).

Dashboard

  1. Sign in at app.vacationtracker.io.
  2. Click Request Leave in the top-left corner.
  3. Pick the Leave Type from the dropdown.
  4. Pick the Start Date and End Date.
  5. If the policy requires a reason, add it (or just add context to help your Approver).
  6. Click Request Leave.
Dashboard Request Leave modal with Leave Type dropdown, Start Date and End Date pickers, and Reason field visible

Slack

✨ AI-powered

Our AI-powered bot lets you request time off using natural language instead of commands. Just message it something like “I'll be off next Thursday and Friday” and it drafts the request for you. Watch it in action:

Prefer the classic command flow?

  1. Type /vacation anywhere in Slack (channel, DM, or your own DM). The response is only visible to you.
  2. Pick Request Leave from the menu.
  3. Fill in Leave Type, Start Date, End Date, and Reason in the modal that opens.
  4. Click Send Request.

Microsoft Teams

✨ AI-powered

The same AI-powered bot works in Teams. Tell it something like “Book me off the first week of August” in plain language and it builds the request for you. Watch it in action:

Prefer the classic button flow?

  1. Open the Vacation Tracker bot in Teams (left sidebar) or use the Vacation Tracker tab in your team.
  2. Type Request Leave in the chatbot, or click the Request Leave button on the My Profile tab.
  3. Pick the Leave Type, then click Next.
  4. Fill in dates and reason, click Submit.

What Happens Next

  • If your policy requires approval, your Approver(s) get a notification with Approve / Deny / Snooze actions.
  • If approval isn't required, the leave is auto-approved on submission.
  • You'll be notified through your integration's channel as soon as the decision is made.
  • Once approved, you can add the leave to your personal calendar.
Special variants
For half-days, hourly leaves, TOIL, or past-dated requests, see the dedicated articles. Same flow, just different pickers.

Common Questions

The Leave Type dropdown only shows types that are enabled on your Location's Leave Policy. If a Leave Type exists in the workspace but isn't part of the policy that ties Leave Types to your Location, it won't appear for you. Ask your Admin to confirm the policy includes the type you need.

Yes. A denied request closes out, but you can submit a new one with the same dates (or different ones). It goes through the same approval flow. If your Approver provided a reason, check it before resubmitting to avoid the same denial.

Only Admins and Approvers can. They use the Add Leave flow (different from Request Leave). See How Do I Add a Leave for a User?

What's Next?

Half-Day Leave Hourly Leave Request TOIL
Need help?
Contact our Support team via email or chat, Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM EST.

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Your Next Best Moves suggests date ranges based on your balance, your team's calendar and the holidays around you. Pick one and it fills in this same request form.

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