8+ Top PTO Tracking Software [2024]

As a business owner or manager, you know your employees need to–and should–use their paid time off (according to your company’s attendance policy of course). However, manually organizing PTO requests and approvals can leave you digging through tons of paperwork while trying to organize everyone’s schedules.

This is where paid time off (PTO) tracking software comes in. PTO tracking software helps businesses organize and manage employees’ paid time off. These tools are designed to keep every request, approval, or denial in one place, so the entire process is smoother and simpler for both managers and employees.

In this article, we’ll be delving into how PTO tracking software works, its benefits and limitations, and some of the top software out there that can replace mountains of paperwork and complex spreadsheets. It doesn't matter if you’re a small or big business: we’ll be covering options for everyone!

What is PTO Tracking Software?

PTO tracking software helps organizations manage and keep track of their employees’ paid time off requests and time off schedules. They simplify the process of managing vacation days, sick leaves, personal days, and other types of paid time off.

Think of PTO software tools as hyper-organized digital assistants that help both employees and employers navigate the complexities of time-off management. Employees can submit their requests through their mobile phones or computers via apps or web pages. Managers access all PTO information from one central location where they can easily approve or deny requests and organize their team’s schedules.

Features To Look For in PTO Tracking Software

When considering a PTO tracking software to use, you’ll want to go for one that offers powerful functionality and reliability–while still fitting your budget. You’ll also want to look for:

• User-friendly interface: The software should offer an intuitive interface to simplify implementation and usage for both employees and supervisors.

• Scalability: As your business grows, you need the flexibility to add more users and accommodate increased data storage requirements.

• Advanced reporting and analytics: You’ll want the ability to analyze employee leave patterns, identify absenteeism trends, and make data-driven decisions to help improve employee attendance.

• Integration with internal or external systems: The ability of the PTO tracking software to integrate with your existing CRM, HRIS, or payroll platforms can eliminate data duplication, silos, and repeated work.

• Customization and configuration: The software should allow for customization and configuration to meet various attendance schedules.

Benefits of PTO Tracking Software

We’ve discussed how PTO tracking software helps you to efficiently manage your employees' schedules, and what PTO software features to look out for.

Now, we’re going to discuss how PTO tracking software can help organizations streamline their time off workflow, eliminate errors, and save time. Here are some key benefits:

Centralized Data

PTO tracking software stores all employee time-off data in a central location, eliminating the need for paper-based records or scattered spreadsheets. This centralization simplifies access to information, promotes accuracy, and helps ensure data integrity.

Better Transparency & Accountability

PTO software provides visibility into employee availability, making it easier for managers to plan and allocate resources effectively. Employees can also view their own accrued vacation time and available PTO, enhancing transparency throughout the organization and promoting employee accountability.

The easier it is for employees to access and understand your attendance policies and know exactly how to request PTO, the less likely it is you’ll have to deal with no-call no-shows or excessive absenteeism.

Reduced Manual Work

PTO tracking software automates many time-consuming tasks, such as calculating accruals and managing leave balances. This automation reduces the reliance on manual processes, minimizes errors, and saves HR teams valuable time – allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Top PTO Tracking Software

Now that you know the benefits PTO tracking software can provide, and what features to look out for, it’s now time to take a look at some great PTO software options on the market today. This list will help you find the best PTO tracking software for your organization–so you can take back your time and keep your team’s productivity high!

Bamboo HR

BambooHR is an HR software platform that centralizes employee data, manages onboarding and offboarding, and provides PTO and attendance tracking tools. When an employee makes a PTO request, managers get alerts via email, mobile, and their BambooHR inbox.

They can then check the scheduling calendar for conflicts and either approve or deny the request. The system notifies the employee and updates their leave balance automatically.

Key Features:

• HR data tracking and reporting

• Benefits management

• Payroll management

• Vacation tracking software

• Mobile hiring app

• Applicant tracking system and onboarding support

Pros:

• Various HR features and tools

• Responsive customer service

• Quick to implement and integrate with other tools

• Intuitive interface and functionalities

• Personalized onboarding

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for advanced features like customizing workflow and reports

• Users may find it difficult to edit and upload documents

• Can be challenging to manage benefits for employees in different countries

• Limited customization options for performance management and reporting

Pricing:

BambooHR offers two pricing plans, Essential and Advantage, that both offer add-ons including payroll, benefits administration, performance management, and time tracking support. BambooHR requires customers to reach out to them for a custom quote.

Clockify

Clockify is a time tracking software that enables individuals and teams to monitor and manage their working hours, including PTO and leave balances. It provides features including timers, manual time entry, and the ability to categorize time entries by projects or labels. Users can track time spent on different tasks, projects, or clients.

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Key Features:

• Calendar tool to visualize time and add or edit work hours

• Time tracker with a built-in stopwatch

• Integrations with project management and finance software

• Dashboards to monitor team projects

• Scheduling tool for project planning

Pros:

• Enables users to track time via app or web

• Allows small teams to manage projects and track projects

• Simple user interface

• Various customization options

Cons:

• Users have reported frequent downtime using the app

• The reporting tool can be inaccurate and confusing

• Relies on manual entries for time tracking

• Limited language options

Pricing:

Billed annually

• Basic: $3.99/user/month

• Standard: $5.49/user/month

• Pro: $7.99/user/month

• Enterprise: $11.99/user/month

Billed monthly

• Basic: $4.99/user/month

• Standard: $6.99/user/month

• Pro: $9.99/user/month

• Enterprise:$14.99/user/month

Connecteam

Connecteam is an employee management solution that offers employee communication, task management, scheduling, time tracking, and more. Managers can view leave requests from one unified dashboard, create attendance policies for any kind of absence, and track employee balances.

Connecteam also provides a centralized platform for sharing announcements, updates, and company-wide messages.

Key Features:

• Time tracking with GPS capabilities

• Scheduling tool for managing shifts

• Task management tool to monitor employee progress

• Attendance policy templates

Pros:

• Intuitive user interface

• Facilitates communication and scheduling between teams

• Enables admins to keep track of staff hours

• Provides chat feature for tech support

Cons:

• Reporting functions can be complex

• Only works with an internet connection, so users cannot work offline

• The scheduling process can be time-consuming

Pricing:

Billed annually*

• Basic: $29/month

• Advanced: $49/month

• Expert: $99/month

Billed monthly*

• Basic: $35/month

• Advanced: $59/month

• Expert: $119/month

*Each plan covers 30 users only. Additional fees apply to more users. 

Day Off

Day Off is designed to track team vacations, leaves, and absences. It provides a platform where businesses can set up leave policies, configure approval workflows, and manage different types of leave balances. The software also provides notifications for request submissions, approvals, and announcements.

Key Features:

• Company settings customization

• Leave request management

• Announcement tool for messaging

• Days off balance notifications

Pros:

• Allows users to customize leave types

• Budget-friendly

• Enables leave and sick days tracking for employees with flexible hours

Cons:

• Doesn’t integrate with many other platforms

• Limited analytics dashboard

• Can’t customize holidays for teams in different countries

Pricing:

The Day Off basic plan is free while the Pro plan costs $1/employee/month.

Factorial

Factorial is a software that handles various HR processes, including time tracking, shift management, time-off management, performance evaluation, recruitment, payroll, expense management, and more. The platform’s “time off manager” tracks vacation and sick time off, shows vacation time accrued, used, and remaining, and offers customizable time off policies.

Key Features:

• Shift management for employee scheduling

• Employee onboarding and offboarding

• Reporting and analytics tool

• Electronic vacation request submissions

• Custom absence categories

Pros:

• Enables users to notify employees of schedule changes

• Calendar view of employee leave schedules

• Offers HRIS integration for PTO

• Users can find employee info without requesting it from HR

Cons:

• Frequent increases in pricing

• Users have reported poor and unhelpful customer service

• Limited customization and integration options

• Less comprehensive support for employees based in different countries

Pricing:

Factorial offers a range of customizable bundles and modules that depend on each organization's needs. Interested users must contact them for a quote.

GoCo

GoCo is an HR platform that provides solutions for employee management, benefits administration, and HR data management. It enables businesses to create custom employee onboarding workflows, automates employee timesheet management, and of course, tracks PTO. Team members can request time off (whether it’s vacation, personal, or sick time) and have it appear directly on their timesheets.

Key Features:

• Embedded or integrated payroll system

• Time tracking feature that supports varied time-off policies

• Clock-in clock-out system

• Automatic calculation of overtime

• Batch timesheet approvals

Pros:

• Bi-weekly payroll sync

• Emergency paid sick leave tracking

• Holiday hours are automatically added to timesheets

• Helpful customer service

Cons:

• No support community for users

• Steep learning curve to set up workflows

• Users have experienced several problems with API integration and benefits carriers

• Works best on web apps, so it may not be a fit for employees who aren’t tech savvy

Pricing:

GoCo starts at $5/employee/month

Leaveboard

LeaveBoard is an online leave and absence management software that automates employee time off processes. It allows businesses to track and manage employee vacations, sick leaves, personal days, and more. The software provides a platform for tracking leave balances, generating reports, and facilitating communication between employees and managers.

Key Features:

• Employee attendance tracking

• Time-off tracking

• Absence calendar tool

• Advanced leave policies

Pros:

• Single sign-on

• Integration with Slack

• Simple to use

• Budget-friendly for small companies

• Displays all employees' calendars

Cons:

• No mobile accessibility

• Integration sometimes fails

• Does not scale for multinational organizations

• Reports aren’t available in PDF format

Pricing:

• Free: package for up to 9 employees

• Pro: $1.35/user/month for an unlimited number of employees

• Enterprise: Contact LeaveBoard for a quote

Zoho People

Zoho People is a human resources management system (HRMS) offered by Zoho Corporation. It provides tools for managing employee information, time tracking, leave management, performance appraisal, and employee engagement. Zoho People also offers employee self-service portals and integrations with other Zoho applications and third-party systems.

Key Features:

• Time off management

• Data collection and storage

• Corporate learning management system

• Employee self service

• User access management

Pros:

• Enables users to customize fields, workflows, and forms

• Wide range of functionality

• Streamlines workforce management processes

• Self-service capabilities can decrease administrative load

• Organizes and centralizes documents

Cons:

• Some users have complained of poor support

• Limited report customization and additional features and customization can add costs

• Setup can be tricky for users without help

• There are fewer features on the mobile app than on the website

Pricing:

Billed annually:

• Essential HR: $0.83/user/month

• Professional: $1.66/user/month

• Premium: $2.50/user/month

• Enterprise: $4.16/user/month

• People plus: $8/user/month

More About PTO Software

We understand that you may still have additional questions before you choose the best PTO software for your business. Here’s a quick FAQ section all about PTO!

How Can Employees Keep Track of Their PTO?

There are different ways employees can track PTO depending on your company’s policy and system. Ideally, the PTO software you choose will allow employees to access their PTO balance on their own. Alternatively, employees can manually track their PTO via spreadsheets or written documentation.

PTO Software vs Time Off Request System

While a PTO software covers the entire leave management lifecycle, a time off request system focuses primarily on streamlining the request and approval process.

But, not all time off request systems are created equal. For example, TeamSense is an absence management software that allows employees to report absences via text–eliminating the need for manual paperwork, long phone calls, and complicated phone apps. Employees text a keyword to their company’s number and fill out the short, intuitive survey they receive back. Managers are alerted and can use our other text messaging communication tools to fill open shifts quickly.

Worried about how this suits your diverse workplace? No problem! TeamSense supports communication in 19 different languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi to foster inclusivity.

Are There PTO Trackers for Excel?

Yes, there are PTO trackers available in Excel format, but they often require manual data entry and lack the automation and integrated features provided by PTO software. Relying on slower, manual systems can be impractical (and stressful) for scaling businesses.

The Bottom Line on the Best PTO Software

PTO software plays a crucial role in automating leave approvals and centralizing data for efficient employee paid time off tracking. Of course, the best choice of PTO software depends on your organization's size, industry, and operational needs.

However, if you’re in the manufacturing and warehousing industry and need a comprehensive solution for attendance management and time off requests, we have the right solution for you. It’s TeamSense!

TeamSense helps you set your employees up for success by making call-offs simple. No more confusing technology or paper forms: they just text a predetermined phrase like “ABSENT” to the company number and they’re all set!

With 100% adoption and 0 complaints, we make it easier to proactively manage absenteeism and enforce adherence to your attendance policies.