Setting up attendance tracking in Leave Balance takes 15 minutes. This step-by-step guide walks through configuration, employee onboarding, and policy setup so your team can start tracking attendance on day one.
Leave Balance includes attendance tracking at $10/month flat rate — no per-user fees, no separate module. This guide shows you how to go from sign-up to fully operational in one sitting.
Key Takeaways
- Full attendance tracking setup takes approximately 15 minutes
- No separate module purchase required — attendance is included in the $10/month flat rate
- Employees can start checking in immediately via web or Slack/Teams
- Optional geolocation, overtime tracking, and late detection are configurable per team
- CSV import enables bulk employee onboarding for larger teams
Step 1: Create Your Account
- Go to leavebalance.app and click “Start Free Trial”
- Enter your email address and create a password
- Enter your company name and primary country
- Verify your email address
The 14-day free trial includes full attendance tracking features. No credit card required.
Step 2: Connect Your Communication Tool
Leave Balance works best when integrated with the tools your team already uses.
Slack integration
- Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Slack
- Click “Add to Slack”
- Authorise Leave Balance in the Slack OAuth flow
- Employees can now check in and out using slash commands in Slack
Microsoft Teams integration
- Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Microsoft Teams
- Click “Add to Teams”
- Authorise Leave Balance in the Teams app permission flow
- Employees can check in and out through the Teams app
Web-only
If your team does not use Slack or Teams, employees can check in through the Leave Balance web dashboard. The web interface works on any device with a browser.
Step 3: Configure Attendance Settings
Navigate to Settings > Attendance and configure:
Working hours
| Setting | Default | Configure to |
|---|---|---|
| Standard work day | 8 hours | Your team’s standard hours |
| Standard work week | 40 hours | Your team’s standard week |
| Start of work day | 9:00 AM | Your office opening time |
| End of work day | 5:00 PM | Your office closing time |
Grace period
Set how many minutes late an employee can clock in before being flagged:
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Grace period | 5–15 minutes |
| Purpose | Absorbs minor delays without creating a culture of lateness |
Late detection
Configure when an employee is considered late:
- Based on the configured start time plus grace period
- Late arrivals are visible in the attendance dashboard
- Managers receive alerts for patterns of lateness
Overtime settings
| Setting | Configure to |
|---|---|
| Daily overtime threshold | When overtime begins (e.g., after 8 hours) |
| Weekly overtime threshold | When weekly overtime begins (e.g., after 40 hours) |
| Overtime rate | Your standard overtime multiplier (e.g., 1.5x) |
| Weekly overtime cap | Legal or policy limit (e.g., 24 hours in Nepal) |
Optional geolocation
| Setting | Default | Configure to |
|---|---|---|
| Geolocation enabled | Off | Toggle on if needed |
| Geofence radius | 100 metres | Adjust for your office locations |
| Per-employee toggle | All employees | Enable for specific teams only |
Step 4: Add Employees
Individual entry
- Navigate to People > Add Employee
- Enter name, email, and role
- Assign to a department
- Set their working hours (if different from default)
- Save
CSV import (bulk)
For teams with more than 10 employees:
- Download the CSV template from People > Import
- Fill in employee details (name, email, department, role, start date)
- Upload the CSV
- Review the import preview
- Confirm import
The CSV import supports all employee fields needed for attendance tracking.
Step 5: Communicate to Your Team
Before employees start using the system, send a brief communication:
Subject: New attendance tracking — starts [date]
Hi team,
We are implementing attendance tracking to improve our records and simplify payroll. Here is what you need to know:
How to check in: [Open Leave Balance web / type /attendance in Slack / open Teams app] and tap “Check In” when you start work.
How to check out: Tap “Check Out” when you finish work.
What is recorded: Your start time, end time, and any breaks. Nothing else.
What is not recorded: Your screen activity, application usage, or keystrokes.
Start date: [Date]
If you have questions, please contact [HR contact].
Step 6: Test Before Going Live
Before rolling out to the full team:
- Add yourself as a test employee
- Check in and check out
- Verify the timestamps are accurate
- Check the attendance dashboard shows the record
- Test the Slack/Teams integration (if connected)
- Test CSV export for payroll
- Delete the test records
Step 7: Go Live
On the go-live date:
- Send the team communication (Step 5)
- Monitor the dashboard for the first week
- Help employees who forget to check in (retroactive check-in is available)
- Review the first week’s data for accuracy
- Adjust grace period or settings if needed
Ongoing Management
Daily
- Review the attendance dashboard for missing check-ins
- Resolve absences (approve retroactive leave or flag as unauthorised)
Weekly
- Review overtime patterns
- Check for attendance anomalies
- Export data for payroll processing
Monthly
- Review attendance analytics by department
- Identify patterns (lateness, absence, overtime)
- Update policies if needed
Quarterly
- Review and update attendance policy
- Audit records for completeness
- Review system configuration against legal requirements
How Leave Balance Handles Attendance Tracking
Leave Balance attendance tracking includes one-tap check-in/out, late detection with configurable grace periods, overtime tracking with configurable thresholds, optional geolocation, absence resolution, manager-scoped views, analytics dashboard, CSV export, and Slack and Microsoft Teams integration. All at $10/month flat rate for unlimited employees.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to set up attendance tracking?
Approximately 15 minutes. This includes creating an account, connecting Slack or Teams, configuring attendance settings, and adding your first employees. CSV import enables bulk onboarding for larger teams.
Do I need to buy a separate attendance module?
No. Leave Balance includes attendance tracking in the $10/month flat rate. There is no separate module to purchase and no per-user fees.
Can employees check in from their phone?
Yes. The Leave Balance web interface works on any device with a browser — phone, tablet, or laptop. If integrated with Slack or Teams, employees can also check in through the mobile app.
What happens if an employee forgets to check in?
Managers can add a retroactive check-in through the attendance dashboard. The employee can also request a retroactive check-in through the system.
Can I change attendance settings after setup?
Yes. All attendance settings — working hours, grace period, overtime rules, geolocation — can be updated at any time through Settings > Attendance.
This guide is for general setup. Adjust settings to match your specific attendance policy and legal obligations.