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You can add users to absentify in three ways: manual entry, Excel import, or Microsoft Teams/Entra ID group synchronization. New users are inactive by default; in the Excel import you can set Account Enabled to Active or Inactive per row. Compare plan-dependent import and welcome-email options in the plan feature matrix.

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Checklist before adding users

Before you start inviting users to absentify, it’s important to complete a few key setup steps to ensure everything works correctly and reflects your company’s structure and policies. Complete this checklist before you start inviting users. These settings define how users sign in, how leave is calculated, and how your company is structured in absentify.
1

Update your company privacy settings

Go to Privacy settings and adjust them to match your internal company policies.
2

Set your preferred sign-in method

Navigate to Authentication and choose whether users will sign in with Microsoft 365 or by email (Magic Link).
3

Add all holiday calendars used in your company

Go to Public holiday calendars and add all calendars relevant to your teams.
This is necessary to assign the correct holidays when creating users.
4

Add all leave types

Go to Leave types and create all leave types allowed by your company.
5

Add allowances, their rules, and link them to leave types

If your company offers deductible leave types (e.g. paid vacation), go to Allowances, create the allowance types, and link them to the corresponding leave types.
Then create the allowance rules that describe your policies, for example a standard contract and a part-time contract. Create the rules you will assign before you invite anyone, or plan to choose Manage manually for users whose amounts you set yourself.
6

Add all departments used in your company

Go to Departments and set up the departments used in your company.
This ensures accurate assignment and is especially important for importing users or using Entra ID sync.
If different departments follow different leave policies, set Allowance rules for new employees in the department configuration. New users then get the right rule or Manage manually preselected automatically.
7

Set Default User Settings

Go to Default User Settings to define settings that will be applied automatically to each new user.
This saves time and prevents the need for manual edits later.
8

Set your company’s business hours

Set your company-wide work schedule in General settings.
These hours are applied by default to all users.If needed, you can update individual schedules later using the user schedule settings.

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How to add users

If you signed up with email (rather than Microsoft 365), you must confirm your email address before you can invite users.

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1. Add users individually

Use manual entry when you need to add a single user quickly — perfect for one-off additions or small teams.
Getting started:
1

Navigate to "Users"

  • Go to Settings > Users, then select Invite a new user at the bottom of the user list.
2

Fill in the user details

  • Email: Provide the user’s email address (required).
    • For Microsoft 365 sign-in: The email must be linked to a Microsoft account.
    • For email sign-in (Magic Link): Any valid email address can be used. If you signed in with Microsoft 365, type in the email field to search your directory. Selecting a user fills First Name, Last Name, and Display Name.
  • First Name: Enter the user’s first name (required).
  • Last Name: Enter the user’s last name (required).
  • Display Name: The name shown throughout absentify (required). absentify fills it using your workspace Default name format. As you type First Name and Last Name, or when you pick someone from the directory, the field follows that format. With Microsoft Displayname, it uses the directory name. You can edit Display Name to keep a different value.
  • Department(s): Assign the user to a department. Additional departments can be added later from the user’s profile or using the bulk edit feature.
  • Holiday calendar: Assign the calendar that applies to the user’s location.
  • Employment start date: Specify the user’s start date (required). They start earning allowance on this date, so a mid-year start is prorated automatically.
  • Default allowances: For each allowance type, select the allowance rule the user should be assigned to. The preselection comes from the department defaults and can be changed here. Select Manage manually if the person needs an individual amount. You then set it in their profile under Settings > Users > Edit > Allowance by editing the year row and entering Allowance and Overtime.
If one of the selected rules starts each allowance year on the employment start date, that date is mandatory. Without it the form asks you to set a start date, choose a different rule, or select Manage manually.
Users added manually are initially set to inactive, allowing administrators to complete their profile setup before activation.
3

Save the user as inactive

  • By default, newly added users are set to inactive. Inactive users:
    • Do not receive emails.
    • Cannot sign in: If they attempt to sign in, they will see a message indicating their account is inactive and advising them to contact an HR administrator.
    • Allow retroactive absence entry: Absences can be recorded for inactive users without triggering notifications.
4

Activate user when ready

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2. Add users via Excel import

The Excel import is ideal for adding larger groups of users. If you have access to Microsoft Teams/Entra ID (Azure AD) groups, these can prefill the Excel template with existing user data.
Before importing users via Excel, make sure that holiday calendars, departments, and allowances are already created in absentify.
These settings are required to complete the user profiles and ensure proper absence tracking.
Steps for Excel import:
1

Step 1: Prepare the Excel template

  • Go to Settings > Users > Import users. If Teams/Entra ID group sync is enabled, start on Populate Excel, optionally select groups, then download the Excel template.
  • If enabled: Use Entra ID (Azure AD) or Teams groups to prefill the template with user data. Only users not already in absentify will be included.
    Learn how to enable this setting in the admin guide for user integration.
  • If you already have a prepared Excel file, click Next on the download step to open Upload Excel, then upload your file.
2

Step 2: Fill out the template

  • Review and update the prefilled data, or manually enter the following:
    • Display Name (or First Name and/or Last Name), Email, and Department (required). First Name and Last Name are optional.
    • Public holidays, Employment Start Date, and the rule per allowance type
The template now includes separate First Name and Last Name columns in addition to Display Name. Older import files that use only a single Name column are still supported.
Pick the rule per allowance type instead of typing amounts. The rule keeps granting allowance for every future fiscal year, so you no longer have to maintain a value for next year separately.
  • Set Account Enabled to Active or Inactive. If you want to review or complete the profile before users sign in, set Inactive. Inactive users do not receive invitations or access until you activate them.

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Base column layout

The first nine columns of the template follow a fixed order:All remaining columns (approver, representative, personal settings, allowance rules, and allowance visibility) follow after column I in the order described below.

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Extended columns

The template also includes optional columns for additional user configuration. New columns have dropdowns pre-configured. Leaving a cell blank causes that setting to fall back to workspace defaults.Approver settingsRepresentative settings (requires Plus plan)
Representative columns are only available on the Plus plan. A workspace without Plus does not get these columns in the template. If you add them anyway, validation shows Representative settings require Plus plan subscription.
Personal settingsAllowance rulesFor each allowance type, the template adds a Rule column with a dropdown of the rules available in your workspace. Selecting a rule assigns it directly and the allowance number columns for that type are ignored. Leave the cell empty to use the numbers instead. A separate Rules worksheet lists every rule with its amount, cycle, and validity so you can look up the exact name.
Rule names must match the dropdown exactly. If a name does not exist, validation reports that the rule for that allowance does not exist and lists the available rules. Download a fresh template if your rules changed recently.
Allowance visibilityFor each allowance type configured in your workspace, a visible column is added (e.g. Vacation visible). Set Yes or No to control whether that allowance is visible to the user. No also hides the linked leave types from the request form for that user. At least one allowance type must remain visible.
The template includes a Timezones worksheet listing all valid timezone codes. Use the values from column A when filling in the Timezone column on the main sheet.
3

Step 3: Upload the file

  • Return to the wizard and select Upload. Choose the completed .xlsx file. absentify then opens Validate Data.
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Step 4: Validate the data

  • The table lists each row with Display name and E-Mail. Long names and emails are truncated. Hover a cell to see the full value.
  • If rows have errors, a collapsed alert at the top tells you how many rows need to be fixed before importing. Expand the alert to see each failed row, its name or email, and a count of error(s). Expand a row to read the messages. Some messages include an Available values: list. Those hint lines are not included in the error count.
  • You cannot edit cells in the wizard. Fix the spreadsheet, select Previous, then Upload the file again. Add Users stays disabled while any row is invalid.
5

Step 5: Add users

After successful validation, select Add Users to add all users at once. When the import finishes, review the result table, then close the wizard.
Only users marked as Active in the Excel file receive an invitation email. Users set to Inactive are created without sending an email, so you can complete their profiles before activation.
If you’d like to review each profile and compare it against our Checklist before activating users before making any final changes, you can skip this step for now. Later, use the bulk edit feature to activate multiple users at once.

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3. Add users via Microsoft Teams/Entra ID group sync

Synchronizing Microsoft Teams or Entra ID (Azure AD) groups provides an automated way to add users and link them to departments in absentify. Steps to set up synchronization:
1

Enable Teams/Entra ID synchronization

  • Go to Settings > Microsoft and activate Teams and Entra ID (Azure AD) group synchronization. Learn how to enable this setting in the admin guide for user integration.
2

Link a group to a department

  • Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Microsoft Teams/Entra ID (Azure AD) group synchronization.
  • Select a Microsoft group and link it to a department in absentify.
3

Enable auto-creation

  • Activate the Auto-create user accounts option to automatically add group members to absentify. Refer to this article for a more detailed outline on how to set up Entra ID group sync for automated user creation.
4

Sync and manage users

  • Newly synced users are automatically created in absentify as inactive. Administrators must activate them before they can access the system.
  • They are assigned the allowance default of their department, or the organisation default if the department does not specify one. That default can be a shared rule or Manage manually. Their start date, the date they were added to the group, determines how much of the first year they have earned.
  • After synchronization, administrators can manually adjust user profiles, for example by assigning a different rule, adding an adjustment, or changing holiday calendars.
If you’d like to review each profile and compare it against our Checklist before activating users before making any final changes, you can skip activation for now.
Later, use the bulk edit feature to activate multiple users at once.

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4. Add users via SCIM provisioning

SCIM provisioning enables fully automated user management between your Identity Provider (IdP) (such as Microsoft Entra ID or Okta) and absentify.
Instead of manually creating users or syncing groups, your identity system automatically creates, updates, and deactivates users in absentify based on your directory configuration. Requirements:
  • An Identity Provider that supports SCIM 2.0 provisioning (e.g., Microsoft Entra ID, Okta).
  • Administrative access to configure SCIM provisioning in your IdP.
  • The SCIM integration enabled in absentify.
Benefits:
  • Automated user lifecycle management: Users are automatically created, updated, or deactivated based on changes in your identity directory.
  • Reduced manual administration: No need for Excel imports or manual user creation.
  • Consistent user data: User information stays synchronized between your identity provider and absentify.
  • Improved security and compliance: User access is automatically removed when accounts are deactivated in your identity system.
SCIM provisioning is ideal for organizations that want to centrally manage user identities and automate onboarding and offboarding processes across multiple systems.
For detailed setup instructions and supported functionality, refer to the SCIM integration guide.

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Key points about inactive and non-login users

  • Inactive users do not receive emails: This allows administrators to complete profiles (e.g., adjust allowances, assign approvers) before activation.
  • Inactive users cannot sign in: If they attempt to sign in, they will see a message stating their account is not active and advising them to contact an HR administrator.
  • Retroactive absence entry is possible: Absences can be added for inactive users without triggering notifications.
  • Non-login users: Users without an email address cannot sign in, approve absences, or act as department managers. However, administrators can still manage their absences.

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Adding users without an email address

absentify allows you to add users without an email address for cases where sign-in access is not required. These users can have their absences managed, but they cannot sign in, act as department managers, or approve absences for others.
This feature is only available with the Essentials or Plus plan.
  1. Navigate to User Management
    Go to Settings > Users, then select Invite a new user.
  2. Enter user details
    Fill in the user’s first name, last name, and display name, assign them to departments, and configure other settings such as public holiday calendars and employment start dates. Leave the email field blank.
  3. Save the user
    The user will be added as a non-login user, and their profile can now be used to manage absences and schedules.

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Key limitations for users without an email address

  • No sign-in access: These users cannot sign in to absentify.
  • No manager roles: They cannot act as department managers or approve absences for others.
  • Admin management required: An administrator must manage their absences and calendar entries.
This feature is ideal for including users in absence management who do not require direct access to the platform.

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Checklist before activating users

Use this checklist after adding your users and before activating them to ensure their profiles are correctly configured.
1

Review and customize individual user profiles

Go to each user profile and review details such as:
  • Allowance settings: Adjust if the default does not apply — for example, if someone has a custom contract with more days or if the allowance should be hidden from the user.
  • Approver: Confirm or change the assigned approver if needed.
  • Representative: Optional, available with upgraded plan.
  • Working schedule: Update if the user has different working hours (e.g. part-time).
2

Set up leave request notifications

3

Set up Microsoft Teams and Outlook integrations

If your users will sign in with Microsoft accounts, you can automatically make absentify available in Teams and Outlook — no need for users to install anything manually. (Not available for magic link users.)
4

Review Microsoft sync and calendar integration settings

Before activating users, make sure all required Microsoft synchronizations are configured. This ensures that once users are invited, their absences sync automatically with Outlook calendars, and optional features like automatic out-of-office messages are enabled.Proper setup avoids confusion and reduces manual effort later.
Refer to the full list of available Microsoft integrations and setup options in the Microsoft integration guide.
5

Customize welcome emails (Plus plan)

If you’re on the Plus plan, customize the welcome emails your users will receive when they’re invited. This allows you to:
  • Add a personal introduction
  • Share important onboarding info
  • Align communication with your company’s tone and branding
Follow this guide to customize welcome emails.
6

Activate all users

Once everything is set up correctly, use the bulk activation feature to activate your users.
This checklist helps prevent issues such as:
  • Incorrect leave request calculations due to wrong working hours
  • Requests being routed to the wrong approver
  • Notifications not reaching the correct department or person

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After inviting users

Once your users have received their email invitations, we recommend sending them the relevant guides below to support a smooth onboarding experience:
  • All users: Share the employee welcome guide
    Includes how to sign in, request absences, and manage personal preferences.
  • Users with approval rights: In addition to the above, send the approver guide
  • Users assigned as managers: Send both of the above, plus the manager guide
  • Users with admin rights: Send all of the above, and additionally the admin welcome guide

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Troubleshooting: adding/inviting users

If one of your users is running into issues accessing the app after being added to your company’s workspace, here are some potential causes and how to resolve them:
An email address exists only once in all of absentify. It belongs to exactly one user account in exactly one workspace, and it stays taken while that account is deactivated or archived. This is why the same address cannot be added to a second workspace, not even temporarily.If you see the message “A user with this email address already exists in another workspace”, there are two likely causes:

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1. The user has accidentally created their own workspace

Ask the user to sign in at app.absentify.com. If they find themselves in a workspace where they are the only user and also the tenant admin, it means they have accidentally created a new workspace.To confirm this, send them this guide and ask if the steps shown match what they did during sign-in.If this is indeed what happened, they will need to delete that workspace before you can add them to your company’s workspace. Please refer them to this guide: Delete company account.
To prevent this from happening in the future, enable the “Prevent workspace creation for same tenant” option in your Authentication settings.

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2. The user is still part of a previous company’s workspace

The user must be deleted in the other workspace before they can be added to yours. Archiving or deactivating them there is not enough: an archived account keeps the email address. An administrator of that workspace has to delete the user under Settings > Users. The message tells you which case you are in:
  • “The user needs to delete their current company account to be invited” appears when they are the only user in that workspace, or when they are an administrator there. If they are alone, the workspace itself has to be deleted. If the workspace has other members, another administrator there can delete the user account instead.
  • “Please contact the administrator of the current workspace to remove the user” appears when other users work in that workspace. Only the user account has to be deleted there, not the workspace.
Deleting a user is permanent and removes their absence history. Ask the other workspace to export the data first if it is still needed.
If a user was previously archived, they cannot be invited until they are reactivated.To fix this:
  1. Go to Settings → Users.
  2. Select the Edit (pencil) icon next to the user’s name.
  3. In the user profile, scroll down to Archive user and disable the toggle.
Once the user is no longer archived, you’ll be able to send them an invite simply by activating them.
If a user doesn’t have a Microsoft 365 license or the IT administrator doesn’t allow logins at third-party websites with a Microsoft account:Solution: The user can use the email login (Magic Link) as an alternative.Important: With email login, the following features are not available:
  • Automatic calendar synchronization (instead: iCal invitations via email)
  • Synchronization of public holidays to the Outlook calendar
  • Automatic out-of-office replies in Outlook
  • Group calendar synchronization
  • Microsoft Teams/Outlook App integration
  • Teams and Entra ID group synchronization
  • Manager synchronization from Entra ID
  • Azure AI integration
Switching to Microsoft SSO sign-in:You can switch from Magic Link to Microsoft in three ways:
  1. By signing in with Microsoft: The user selects Login with your Microsoft account. absentify links the account automatically. This works when the workspace allows Both (Microsoft & Magic Link) or Microsoft only. If Microsoft cannot match the account, the user sees Sign in with an email code instead. That happens when they sign in with a guest Microsoft account that does not use the invited email.
  2. By the user: In Your Preferences, the user opens Microsoft account and selects Link Microsoft account. This page is only available when the workspace allows Both (Microsoft & Magic Link).
  3. By an administrator: Under Settings > Users, open the user. Under Microsoft account (Admin), search for the Microsoft user and select Link Microsoft account.
Important:
For the advanced automations (calendar sync, out-of-office replies, etc.), Microsoft permissions must be separately approved under the Microsoft settings by the tenant admin.
If a sign-in cannot be completed, absentify returns the user to the sign-in page with a notice. Some notices hide options that cannot work. Direct them to our login troubleshooting guide for step-by-step solutions. The notices are:
  • “Sign in with an email code” or “This workspace signs in with email codes”
  • “Connected to a different Microsoft account”
  • “Signed in with a personal Microsoft account”
  • “Connected to a personal Microsoft account”
  • “This Microsoft account is from another organisation”
  • “We found more than one account”
  • “Your email domain is not verified in Microsoft 365”
  • “Microsoft needs your permission”
  • “Microsoft did not complete the sign-in”
  • “Your account signs in with Microsoft 365” or “Your workspace signs in with Microsoft 365”
  • “This login link has expired”
  • “This login link was already used”
  • “This login link is not valid”
  • “This confirmation link has expired”
  • “We could not find this account”
  • “We could not complete the sign-in.”
If a user requests an email code on a Microsoft-only account or workspace, absentify does not send a code. They see “Microsoft 365 required for your account” or “Microsoft 365 required for your workspace” instead.If they see “Your email domain is not verified in Microsoft 365”, Microsoft sign-in and email codes are both hidden. Ask your Microsoft 365 admin to verify the domain in Microsoft Entra, then have the user sign in again.If they see Signed in with a personal Microsoft account, they should sign in again and choose their work or school account. Microsoft sign-in stays available and email codes are hidden.If they see Connected to a personal Microsoft account, Microsoft sign-in stays available, email codes are hidden, and Contact support is shown. They can sign in with that personal account, or you can disconnect the link under Settings > Users so their work account can be used.
If a user reports that they did not receive an invite after being activated in the app, follow these steps:
  1. Check email history
    Go to the user’s email history to confirm whether the invite was sent from absentify.
  2. Verify delivery
    If absentify shows the invite was sent but the user did not receive it, ask them to check whether any email rules, spam filters, or security settings are blocking the message.
  3. Resend the invite
    Once delivery issues are ruled out, disable Active in the user profile and then reactivate the user to send the invite again.
  4. Escalate if needed
    If the user still does not receive the invite, refer to the email troubleshooting guide for further steps.
For further help and troubleshooting tips, contact our Support Team.