> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://beebole.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Time-off accruals: frequency and carry-forward

> Configure time-off accrual policies in Beebole: choose accrual frequency, set carry-forward limits, and control when allowances are awarded.

Beebole's accrual policies let you define how time off accumulates for your team on a recurring schedule. Instead of granting the full annual allowance on day one, you can configure policies where leave builds up gradually — monthly, weekly, or at whatever frequency matches your company's rules. Accrued time is reflected on each person's allowance through its editable **Accrued** field.

<Info>
  Accrual policies are linked to absence types. Each absence type can have its own accrual policy with independent settings for frequency, quantity, and award timing.
</Info>

***

## How accruals work

An accrual policy defines three things:

1. **How much** time off is awarded per period (the **Quantity**).
2. **How often** the accrual is awarded (the **Frequency**).
3. **When** within each period the accrual is credited to the person's balance (the **Awarded on** setting).

The policy defines how much time a person earns as each accrual period completes. Earned time is reflected on the person's allowance through its **Accrued** field — an editable adjustment to the accrued balance that appears on their profile and in time-off reports.

***

## Creating an accrual policy

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the absence type">
    Go to **Settings** > **Time Off** and click the absence type you want to configure accruals for.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable accruals">
    In the **Accruals** panel, turn on the toggle to reveal the accrual settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the accrual amount">
    Enter the number of hours or days to award per accrual period. This amount is added to each person's balance at the configured frequency.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the frequency">
    Select how often the accrual is awarded. Common options include monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the award timing">
    Choose when the accrual is credited within each period:

    * **First day of the period** — The balance is credited at the start.
    * **Last day of the period** — The balance is credited at the end.
    * **Day after the period** — The balance is credited on the first day of the next period.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the quantity">
    Enter the number of hours or days to award per accrual period in **Quantity**. Every change is saved automatically — the accrual policy is now defined for this absence type.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Choose **first day of the period** if you want people to use their accrued time immediately. Choose **last day of the period** or **day after the period** if you want them to earn the time before they can use it.
</Tip>

***

## Carry-forward rules

Carry-forward controls what happens to unused time off when an allowance period ends. It is configured on the allowance, not on the accrual policy: each allowance has a **Carry forward limit** field — the maximum number of hours or days that can roll over to the next period. The default is 0, so unused time off expires at the end of the period ("use it or lose it"). Any unused balance above the limit is forfeited.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the absence type">
    Go to **Settings** > **Time Off** and click the relevant absence type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the allowance">
    Open the **Absence allowances** panel — on **Settings** > **Account Settings** for the organization default, or on a person or tag — and click the relevant allowance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure carry-forward">
    In the accrual settings, enable carry-forward and set the maximum amount that can roll over (or leave it unlimited for full carry-forward).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the limit">
    Enter the maximum amount that can roll over in **Carry forward limit**. The change is saved automatically and applies at the end of the allowance period.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Changing the **Carry forward limit** mid-period may affect balances that have already rolled over. Review individual balances after making changes to ensure they reflect your intent.
</Warning>

***

## Frequency settings

The accrual frequency determines the cadence at which time off accrues. Choose a frequency that aligns with your organization's leave policy:

| Frequency        | Accrual occurs  | Best for                                                   |
| ---------------- | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Daily**        | Once per day    | Leave that builds up with every calendar day               |
| **Weekly**       | Once per week   | Hourly or shift-based teams that accrue with each pay week |
| **Bi-weekly**    | Every two weeks | Organizations on a bi-weekly payroll cycle                 |
| **Semi-monthly** | Twice per month | Organizations that pay on the 15th and end of month        |
| **Monthly**      | Once per month  | Most common; gradual accumulation throughout the year      |

<Info>
  The total annual accrual should match the person's overall allowance for the year. For example, if someone gets 20 days per year with monthly accruals, set the accrual amount to approximately 1.67 days per month.
</Info>

***

## Award timing explained

The **Awarded on** setting controls the exact moment within each accrual period when the time is credited:

* **first day of the period** — Time is available immediately when the period starts. For monthly accruals, this means the 1st of each month.
* **last day of the period** — Time is credited on the final day of the period. The person earns the time at the end of the accrual window.
* **day after the period** — Time is credited on the first day of the following period. This ensures the person has fully completed the period before receiving their accrual.

<Info>
  Award timing affects when a person can use accrued time off. If you choose **day after the period**, January's accrual becomes available on February 1st — not during January.
</Info>

***

## Viewing accrued balances

You can check any person's accrued balance from their profile:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the person's profile">
    Go to **People** and click the person's name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the balance">
    The **Absence allowances** panel shows each allowance with its **Available** and **Accrued** amounts. Open an allowance to also see **Consumed** — the time off recorded over the period.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Balances update as time-off entries are recorded on timesheets and when the allowance's **Accrued** field is adjusted.

***

## Related content

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Time Off" icon="calendar" href="/help/documentation/timeoff">
    Configure absence types and allowances that accrual policies are linked to.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Public Holidays" icon="clock" href="/help/documentation/public-holidays">
    Define non-working days that affect capacity and time-off calculations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Work Schedule" icon="users" href="/help/documentation/work-schedule">
    Set working hours used to calculate day-based accrual amounts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I set different accrual rates for different people?">
    Accrual policies are configured at the absence type level and apply to everyone with an allowance for that type. To give someone a different accrual rate, create a separate absence type with its own accrual policy.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I change the accrual frequency mid-year?">
    The updated policy applies from the next accrual period onward. Amounts already reflected in the **Accrued** field are not recalculated. Review individual balances to ensure they are correct after the change.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use accruals with carry-forward at the same time?">
    Yes. Accruals and carry-forward work together. The accrual policy defines how time accumulates throughout the period, and the allowance's **Carry forward limit** determines how much unused time rolls over when the period ends.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do accruals apply to all absence types?">
    No. Accrual policies are optional and configured per absence type. You can have some types with accruals (e.g., vacation) and others without (e.g., sick leave with an unlimited or fixed annual grant).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I stop accruals for someone who has left the company?">
    End the person's allowance: open the **Absence allowances** panel on their profile and set the allowance's **Start - end** period to finish on their last day. You can also archive their profile to free the seat — see [People](/help/documentation/people).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>