Creating and Managing Reasons in Settings

What is a Reason?

When scheduling employees for hours worked within FLOW you must specify a work code or reason. In FLOW, a reason defines and delineates the various time portion(s) of the day spent for work, training, breaks, meetings, etc.

Create a Reason

There are three ways to create a Reason:

1. From the Settings screen: Click your profile photo. In the drop-down menu, select “Settings”. Select the Reason option from the sidebar. For more details, please see below.

2. From the Create Shift Type Dialog in the Job Details Pane: For more details, please view the Reasons article in the Plan category of the Help Desk. Creating and managing Reasons

3. After selecting multiple shifts for the same job in the schedule: In the Multiple Shifts Right Pane, click in the Update Reason checkbox. Click on Add New Reason at the bottom of the list of reasons. Follow the steps described in the Reasons article in the Plan category of the Help Desk, starting with step 5. Creating and managing Reasons

To create or edit/manage a Reason in Settings

1. In the Navigation sidebar, select Reason
   The Main Pane will now show a list of reasons for the organization

2. If you wish to Add a Reason click on Add Reason button in the Main
   Pane Toolbar. A blank Reason: Add new reason pane is displayed in the right-hand pane. Go to Step 4

3. To edit a Reason, click the pencil (edit) icon in the bottom left corner of the Reason card.
   The Right Pane will now display the Reason: Editing Reason details pane
   
   

   

    

4. Complete the fields:

   1. Name: The full descriptive name of the work reason.

   2. Code: An abbreviated name for the work reason.  You should limit this to 2-3 characters.  This abbreviation is frequently displayed on schedules and/or is the code recognized by the payroll system.  If you are exporting schedules to a payroll or a time and attendance solution, then it’s important that this code be correct.

   3. Tags: Enter any applicable Tags

5. Choose a Category from the list presented (see Reason Category descriptions below):

   1. Worked

   2. Absence

   3. Break

   4. Overtime

   5. Premium

   6. Other

6. Click Save or press Enter 
   FLOW closes the dialog and a message will appear in the bottom right corner, confirming that the Reason Code was created successfully.

7. Click Undo or press Esc to close the dialog box without creating a new Reason.

Reason Categories

Reasons are grouped in categories for both payroll purposes and to help designate when, for example, a vacancy generated by a Break or Absence code needs coverage by another employee.

Some work reasons or absences have special pay rules associated with them (e.g. premiums) and so your payroll department will probably require that you designate hours designated for those reasons as well as reimbursements for supplies or other payments made by an employee with a special code.

The following Reason Categories are currently available in FLOW:

1. Worked
   Usually, when employees are scheduled to work the regular duties associated with a job, the work reason is simply “regular” or “worked”.  But you might also schedule employees for other activities such as on-the-job training, meetings, and special projects.

2. Absence
   When scheduling employees for absences or time off within FLOW you must specify an absence code or reason.  Absence reasons may be categorized into Paid Absences and Unpaid Absences, which are recognized in the Rules.

3. Break
   A break may be paid or unpaid, based on the company policy or union rules. Designating a period of time as a break also allows the scheduler to determine whether the position needs coverage for breaks taken by a scheduled employee.

4. Overtime
   Some work reasons have special pay rules associated with them and so your payroll department will probably require that you designate hours worked for those reasons with a special code.  For example, overtime often applies differently to safety meetings and mutual shift exchanges.

5. Premium (for Timecard purposes)
   If you are interfacing FLOW to payroll or time and attendance solution, Premium codes are generated by the rules to appear in the Timecard for exporting.

6. Other (for Timecard purposes)
   This category is designated for Other Payments in the Timecard which may be made to an employee - Mileage, accommodation, etc.

Reason Actions

If you click on the More Options (…) menu for an existing Reason, you can:

1. Add a User Defined Field (UDF)
   See Creating and Managing a User Defined Field (UDF)

2. Delete Reason

3. Archive

4. Unarchive

 Delete Reason

If you create a Reason in error or decide it’s unnecessary, you can delete it.
Note: Once a Reason has been used in the generation of a timecard, it cannot be deleted. It can, however, be archived.

To delete a Reason from the right pane:

1. Click the three-dot icon from the right pane

2. Select Delete Reason

Archive Reason 

1. Click the three-dot icon from the right pane

2. Select Archive
   A Toast message appears that the Reason has been successfully archived

Unarchive Reason 

1. Click the three-dot icon from the right pane

2. Select Unarchive
   A Toast message appears that the Reason has been successfully unarchived