Custom requests
Custom requests enable employees to create specific requests depending on each company's needs. For example, a company can create a category of custom request so that employees can request days to work remotely, to travel for work or even to make a purchase request. Each company can use as many custom request categories as needed to manage its internal processes.
When a custom request is created, it is categorized as "To ask". The employee must then request for the custom request's approval in order to transfer it to the manager or any person in charge of approving these requests. The custom request is now categorized as "To approve". Approved custom requests are categorized as "Approved".
A custom request is made up of:
- a base of fields that are shared with all custom requests;
- custom data that are specific to each category of custom request.
Note
Depending on the custom data, some custom requests cannot be used from the portal.
In the Desktop Application, a custom request is made up of multiple tabs: a main tab that includes all the fields shared with all custom requests and an undefined number of tabs that include custom data (that can be entirely set up depending on the company's needs). Some of these custom data can be displayed on the main tab.
In the portal, the number of custom data that can be displayed is limited. If some important custom data cannot be accessed from the custom request's form on the portal, the custom request will not be usable.
The categories of custom requests are created and set up from the Desktop Application, but these requests can be used from the portal, in dedicated menus of the Employee module.
Creating custom requests
Custom requests can be created:
- From an empty custom request ;
- From a time block, to automatically retrieve all the fields specified in a time block and only modify the desired values;
- By duplicating an existing custom request.
From an empty custom request
| 1 | From the menu corresponding to the desired category of custom request, click New. |
The custom request screen opens. This screen displays the fields shared with all custom requests as well as the custom data that are specific to the custom request's category.
| 2 | In the input screen, fill in the fields that are shared with all custom requests: |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Call name | Give a title to the custom request. |
| Customer | Fill in the first letters of the desired customer. The help list is displayed automatically with the relevant customers. Select the desired customer from the help list. |
| Date |
Click on Example I have a training session on March 3. When I create a custom request for this training, I set the date to March 3. |
| Description | Enter a comment to give more details about the request. |
| Currency | Select the currency from the help list. This currency will be used if the custom request implies expenses. |
| Expenses |
Check the With expense box if the custom request implies expenses or No expense if it does not. Example I have to travel for work, so I check the With expense box when I create my custom request for work travels. I want to work remotely for a day, so I check the No expense box when I create my custom request for remote working. |
| Project, Phase and Sub-phase | Select the project, phase and sub-phase from the relevant help lists. If there is only one value available for a field, it is filled in automatically. |
| Multiple projects | Check this box if the custom request is associated with multiple projects. If the box is checked, the Customer, Project, Phase and Sub-phase fields are grayed-out. |
to select the date and time of the custom request.| 3 | In the input screen, add one or several receipts or documents linked to the custom requests, for example a training contract for a training custom request. To add receipts, you can: |
- drag and drop the desired receipts in the Link receipt frame;
- click on the Link receipt frame to open the file explorer and select the desired receipts.
| 4 | Fill in the custom data that are specific to the custom request's category. |
| 5 | Click Save. |
The custom request is created but has not been transferred for approval yet. The custom request is categorized under the To ask section in the corresponding menu.
From a time block
| 1 | To create a custom request that is directly linked to timesheets: |
- From the Timesheets & schedules menu, click on the relevant time block to open the Timesheet toolbar, then click on
. - From the Activity overview menu, click on
in the Actions column for the relevant line, then click on .
The custom request window opens. The customer and the project filled in for the time block are retrieved automatically.
| 2 | In the window, fill in the required fields. For more information about the fields, refer to From an empty custom request. |
| 3 | Click on Validate. |
The custom request is created but has not been transferred for approval yet. The custom request is categorized under the To ask section in the corresponding menu.
By duplicating an existing custom request
An existing custom request can be duplicated to quickly create a new request for the same category.
There are two ways to duplicate a custom request from the corresponding menu:
- In the custom requests overview, click on
for the line to be duplicated. Confirm the duplication to open the screen of the duplicated request. Modify the required information then click Save. - From the screen of the custom request to be duplicated, click on
in the request's header. Confirm the duplication to open the screen of the duplicated request. Modify the required information then click Save.
Managing custom requests
From the menu corresponding to the desired category of custom request, click on 
for the desired line to open the request's screen. This screen is used to manage the custom request.
- Click on
in the header to cancel the custom request. This feature is only available for the approved requests or the ones to be approved. - Click on
in the header to send the custom request to the manager by email. - Click on
in the header to publish the custom request. The formats that are available depend on the report templates set up for custom requests. - Click on
in the header to delete the custom request.
From the custom request's screen, modify the desired information then click Save at the bottom of the screen.
Managing planned expenses
An employee can add one or multiple planned expenses in a custom request. For example, if it is a travel request, the employee can add the expenses planned for the travel (accommodation, transportation, meals, and so on).
The planned expenses are managed in the Planned expenses section of the custom request's screen.
Adding expense lines
| 1 | From the Planned expenses section, click Add. |
A window opens. The information about the customer and the project are already filled in with the custom request's values.
| 2 | In the input window, fill in the following fields: |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Select the planned expense's type from the help list. |
|
Fill in the quantity and the unit price for the selected type. The currency is filled in automatically with the currency selected for the custom request. |
|
Describe the expense to give more details. |
| Expense reports | Check this box to automatically create an expense report for the planned expense, on the custom request's date. |
| 3 | Click on Validate. |
The expense line is added to the custom request, in the Planned expenses section.
Adding expenses from a template
It is possible to set up templates for planned expenses so that employees can enter expenses more easily. A template contains one or multiple expense lines that are already filled in. These lines will be added automatically to the custom request, so the employee can only modify the necessary information instead of having to add each expense manually.
| 1 | From the Planned expenses section, click Add from template. |
A window opens to display the list of templates set up.
| 2 | Select the desired template then click Add lines. |
The lines set up in the template are added automatically to the custom request, in the Planned expenses section.
Modifying or deleting expenses
From the Planned expenses section:
- Click on
for the desired line to modify the planned expense. - Click on for the desired line to delete the planned expense.
Requesting approvals
When a custom request is created, this request is not transferred automatically for approval to the manager. This way, the employee can still modify and fill in the request. However, the employee must request the manager's approval to transfer the custom request.
| 1 | From the menu corresponding to the desired category of custom request, open the To ask category. |
| 2 | Click on for the relevant line to open the custom request's screen. |
| 3 | Click Request approval. |
The custom request is transferred to the manager or to the person in charge of approving. The custom request is categorized under the To approve section in the corresponding menu.
Showing the list of custom requests
From the menus corresponding to the custom request, the list of custom requests is displayed in different categories. This list enables employees to quickly view their custom requests and know their status. Open each category to display the list of corresponding custom requests.
- The To ask category displays the list of custom requests created by the employee that have not yet been transferred for approval.
- The To approve category displays the list of custom requests transferred for approval that have not yet been approved.
- The Denied category displays the list of custom requests that have been denied.
- The Approved category displays the list of custom requests that have been approved.
