Integrating Absence Management with Oracle Time and Labor (OTL)

A common enterprise requirement in Oracle Cloud HCM is enabling workers to record or view their absence time (such as Vacation, Sick, or Holiday) directly on their daily or weekly time cards. Harmonizing Oracle Fusion Absence Management with Oracle Time and Labor (OTL) gives employees a single unified surface for tracking all presence and absence events while preventing conflicting schedule entries.

In this technical guide, we walk through the setup required to surface Absence types within Time Card layouts: enabling the absence type for time cards, configuring the multi-attribute layout component, binding the fields in the layout set, and verifying time entry configuration.

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Step 1: Enable the Absence Type for Time Card and Calendar Entry

Before an absence type can be exposed to OTL time cards, it must be explicitly configured to allow time entry within the Absence Management setup.

Navigation: My Client Groups > Absences > Absence Types > Edit Absence Type (e.g., Sick)

Under the Absence Record Maintenance region, locate the setting Enable entry in time card and calendar:

• Don't show: The absence type cannot be viewed or recorded via time cards.
• View only: Absences booked via Absence Management display on the time card for reference, but cannot be modified directly in OTL.
• Editable: Allows workers and managers to record, edit, and submit absence hours directly within the time card interface.

Figure 1: Setting 'Enable entry in time card and calendar' to Editable on the Absence Type.

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Step 2: Configure Layout Components with Absence Management Types

Time cards utilize layout components to display attributes like Payroll Time Type and Absence Management Type within a single picklist or across multiple dependent fields.

Navigation: My Client Groups > Time Management > Time Entry Layout Components

1. Search for the targeted layout component, such as Hours Type (Hourly).
2. Confirm the Layout Component Type is configured as a Multiple attribute time card field to support both payroll and absence mappings.

Figure 2: Locating the 'Hours Type (Hourly)' multiple attribute time card field component.

3. Open the component definition to configure the Display Value and Attribute Definition.
4. Map each user-facing Display Value to its corresponding backend attribute:
   • Map regular work hours to the relevant Payroll Time Type (e.g., Regular Hours US, Overtime TL US).
   • Map absence entries to the corresponding Absence Management Type (e.g., Vacation, Sick).
   • Set appropriate worker and manager action permissions (e.g., Worker Allowed Action = Edit, Line Manager Allowed Action = Read only for Sick leave).

Figure 3: Defining field mappings, linking Sick and Vacation to Absence Management Types.

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Step 3: Define and Assign Layout Sets

Layout sets determine how fields and pages appear to workers across multiple time collection interfaces, including Time Entry, Web Clock, and Shift layouts.

Navigation: My Client Groups > Time Management > Layout Sets

1. Locate the target layout set (e.g., Bi-Weekly Hourly Payroll).

Figure 4: Selecting the target Layout Set from search results.

2. Click Edit to review the layout set configuration. Ensure the appropriate Time Consumer Set is selected (e.g., Payroll) and click into the configuration chevron for Time Entry Layout.

Figure 5: Define Layout Set overview with Time Consumer Set and Layout navigation.

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Step 4: Configure Time Card Fields in Time Entry Layout

Inside the layout configuration wizard, verify that the absence-enabled layout component is actively placed on the time card grid.

1. Navigate to Step 2 of the train: Time Card Fields.
2. Ensure the field Hours Type (Hourly) is positioned in the field sequence and flagged as a Time Entry Identifier.
3. Review the targeted user population permissions (Worker, Line Manager) to ensure smooth entry and validation.
4. Click Save and Close.

Figure 6: Configuring Time Card Fields and enabling 'Hours Type (Hourly)' as a Time Entry Identifier.

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Key Implementation Architectural Takeaways

• Dual-Action Absence Setup: Always coordinate the Absence Type's "Enable entry in time card and calendar" setting with the component's Worker/Manager Allowed Actions. If either is set to view-only, the worker cannot enter absence hours on the time card.
• Consumer Set Validation: Ensure your Time Consumer Set rules properly validate absence units against absence entitlement rules and avoid duplicate processing into Global Payroll.
• Unified Experience: Using a multi-attribute field simplifies daily self-service by displaying regular hours, overtime, and absence types in a single dropdown.