Manual spreadsheets
Flexible and familiar, but balances, permissions, approvals and version control depend on disciplined administration.
Compare spreadsheet workflowsStart with the process you have today
A useful comparison begins with the work your team is already doing and the risks you need to remove.
Shared calendars and inboxes
Useful for visibility, but requests, decisions, entitlement calculations and HR records still need a reliable process.
Review the workflow checklistDedicated leave software
Evaluate the complete workflow: setup, employee self-service, manager scope, audit history, exports and support.
Explore Leavely featuresBrightHR and Leavely
A source-checked comparison of public pricing, contract shape, software scope and optional advisory services.
Read the factual comparisonLeavely compared with a manual process
This table describes common administration patterns. Your current setup may be more advanced, so test it against your own policies and controls.
| Workflow | Leavely | Common manual approach |
|---|---|---|
| Employee self-service requests | Built in | Usually separate |
| Manager approval history | Recorded | Email or message trail |
| Live leave balances | Calculated in the workspace | Formula and update dependent |
| Team absence calendar | Built in | Maintained manually |
| Sickness and return-to-work records | Built in | Separate files or forms |
| TOIL requests and balances | Built in | Often a separate tracker |
| Role-based access | Owner, admin, manager and employee roles | File and calendar permissions |
| Audit history | Recorded for key actions | Depends on the tools used |
Before you buy
Six checks worth doing in every trial
A feature list cannot show whether a product fits your team. A short, structured trial can.
- 1Run a real request, approval, rejection and cancellation from start to finish.
- 2Check part-time working patterns, bank holidays and your actual leave-year rules.
- 3Confirm what each role can see and change, including managers with direct reports.
- 4Export the records you would need for payroll, finance or an internal review.
- 5Test the experience on a phone as well as a desktop before inviting the wider team.
- 6Read the contract, renewal, data-export and cancellation terms before subscribing.
Monthly rollingNo minimum seatsNo card for trialSelf-service cancellationExport your data anytime