SOURCE:    Vacation Tracker
TITLE:     How Do I Request TOIL (Time Off in Lieu) / Comp Time?
URL:       https://vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/how-do-i-request-toil-time-off-in-lieucomp-time/
LANG:      en
PUBLISHED: 2024-02-22
UPDATED:   2026-02-13
READING:   3 min
SUMMARY:   Are you looking for extra days off? If you’ve worked overtime and are looking to turn them into extra days off, then Vacation Tracker is here for you! With TOIL, you can compensate overtime you worked with equivalent time off.

How Do I Request TOIL (Time Off in Lieu) / Comp Time?

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Last updated on February 13, 2026

How Do I Request TOIL (Time Off in Lieu) / Comp Time?

Worked overtime and want it converted into time off later? That's TOIL. As long as your Admin has it enabled on the relevant Leave Policy, you can submit your own TOIL request from the dashboard, Slack, or Microsoft Teams — pick whichever channel matches your integration.

You stayed online until 10 PM on a Thursday to ship a release. The next morning, open Vacation Tracker, go to Request TOIL, pick the Leave Type your team uses for overtime, set Thursday's date with the time you worked, and your TOIL balance updates so you can take an equivalent stretch off.

Three Ways to Submit

DashboardWeb. Any date — past, today, or future.
SlackSlash command. Any date — past, today, or future.
Microsoft TeamsChatbot. Any date — past, today, or future.

Dashboard

  1. Sign in at app.vacationtracker.io.
  2. Click Request Leave in the top-left, then switch to the Request TOIL tab.
  3. Pick the Leave Type from the dropdown — only Leave Types with TOIL enabled on your Location appear here.
  4. Enter Start Date and End Date — the dates you actually worked the overtime.
  5. For half-day or hourly TOIL, pick Hourly TOIL; a date + start time + end time picker appears so you can enter exactly what you worked.
  6. Edit the Reason if you want — Vacation Tracker prefills it.
  7. Click Request Time Off in Lieu. You'll get a confirmation that the request has been submitted.
Dashboard Request Leave modal switched to the Request TOIL tab with Leave Type dropdown, Start/End Date pickers, Hourly TOIL toggle, and prefilled Reason field

Slack

  1. In any Slack channel or DM, type /Vacation and press Enter.
  2. When Vacation Tracker responds, pick the third option: Request TOIL.
  3. Pick the Leave Type.
  4. Mark the Start Date and End Date (the dates you worked overtime).
  5. For half-day or hourly TOIL, choose the PTO (Half Day) leave type variant; the form switches to date + start time + end time inputs.
  6. Edit the Reason if you want.
  7. Click Send Request.

Microsoft Teams

  1. Open the Vacation Tracker chat: in MS Teams' left sidebar click Chat, find the Vacation Tracker conversation. (Or search "Vacation Tracker" in the top search bar and pick the app from the Chat tab.)
  2. Type Request TOIL in the chatbot input and send.
  3. From the dropdown that appears, pick the Leave Type, then click Next.
  4. Mark the Start Date and End Date (the overtime dates).
  5. For half-day or hourly TOIL, choose the PTO (Hourly) variant; the form switches to date + time entry.
  6. Edit the Reason if you want.
  7. Click Submit.

What Happens After Submission

  • Approval always required. TOIL requests always go to your Approver(s) — there's no auto-approval path. You'll get a notification on your integration channel (Slack DM, Teams chat, or email) once they approve or deny, and your TOIL balance only updates after approval.
  • Overlap check: if you submit TOIL for dates you've already requested (or that overlap with another approved leave), Vacation Tracker prompts you to adjust the dates instead of creating a duplicate.
  • Notifications back to you: approval, denial, and any edits by your Approver get pushed to your integration channel the moment they happen.

Common Questions

Two possibilities: (1) the Leave Policy on your Location doesn't have TOIL enabled at all, or (2) it's enabled but the Who Can Request Time Off In Lieu setting is restricted to "Only Admins and Approvers" — so regular Users can't self-submit. Ask your Admin to either enable TOIL on the relevant Leave Type or change the requestor permission. See Configure TOIL.

Requesting TOIL is how you earn the credit — you tell Vacation Tracker about overtime you've worked. Using TOIL is filing a regular leave request that draws against the TOIL balance you've built up. Both go through the standard approval flow if the Leave Policy requires it.

TOIL is added in one shot when the request is approved (or instantly, if approval isn't required). It doesn't accrue gradually like regular leave does; the hours or days you submitted land in your balance the moment the credit is granted.

What's Next?

How Do I Add TOIL for a User? (Admin/Approver flow) How Do I Enable and Configure TOIL? Guide: TOIL / Comp Time
Need help?
Contact our Support team via email or chat, Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM EST.

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