> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://support.churchdesk.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Abscence and Avalabilities The **Absence and Availability** overview in the ChurchDesk Calendar gives you a clear timeline of who is away and who is available — without the clutter of events. In this view, unlike in the calendar where absences and availabilities are mixed in with events, you see every user on their own row with absences and availabilities across the weeks. ###### Benefits of the Absence and Availability overview - See at a glance who is away, when and — depending on your permissions — why. - Spot who is available for booking pages in a given period. - Plan substitutes and cover ahead of time. - Filter by parish, group or absence type to focus on the people you plan for. ###### 3 ways to create an absence or availability 1. **Create button:** Use **"Create"** in the top right corner and fill in the full form. 2. **Drag and create:** Click and drag across dates in a user's row on the timeline to open a quick form. 3. **Calendar:** Absences and availabilities can still be created in the Calendar as before. --- ### Availability The absence feature with visibility mirroring existing absence permissions, so users who can only see availability get people's rows without the absence entries. --- ### Content - [Rights and roles](#3-rights-and-roles) - [Open the Absence and Availability overview](#3-open-the-absence-and-availability-overview) - [Navigate the timeline](#3-navigate-the-timeline) - [Filter and search](#3-filter-and-search) - [Create an absence](#3-create-an-absence) - [Create an availability](#3-create-an-availability) - [Edit, copy or delete entries](#3-edit-copy-or-delete-entries) --- ### Rights and roles The overview follows the same absence permissions as the Calendar. What you see depends on the permissions in your role: - **"View all absences in my groups":** You can see who is absent in the groups you are a member of, including substitutes. - **"View all absences across the organization":** You can see who is absent across the whole organisation and all groups. - **"View absence and absence types in my groups":** You can also see the absence type (for example Holiday or Sickness). Without this permission, you only see that someone is absent — not why. - **"View and manage absences in my groups":** You can create, edit and delete absences for members of your own groups. - **"View and manage absences across the organization":** You can create, edit and delete absences for any user in the organisation. - **Everyone:** You can always create and manage your own absences. || **INFORMATION:** Absence permissions are set per role in **ChurchDesk Settings** > **Users**. --- ### Open the Absence and Availability overview 1. Go to the **Calendar**. 2. In the left sidebar, click **"Absence & Availability"**. The overview opens with a timeline covering two months. Users are listed on the left, and each user's absences and availabilities appear in their row. - **Absences** are shown as coloured bars labelled with the absence type, for example **"Holiday"**, **"Sickness"** or **"Parental leave"**. If a substitute has been set, it is shown in the bar. - "**Public Holidays and Sundays** are marked in red" - "**School Holidays** are marked with a blue background" - **Availabilities** are shown as thin blue bars. - **Today** is marked with a vertical line. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/b/e/3/7/be3725c5cc2ea800/screenshot-2026-10-08-at-17593_1qnsjh5.png) --- ### Navigate the timeline ##### Move through time - Use the arrows next to **"Today"** to move backwards or forwards. - Click **"Today"** to jump back to the current date. The timeline then shows today and the following two months. - Use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the timeline to scroll sideways. It is always visible, so you can see that there is more content to the right. ##### Choose a date range Click the date field at the top to pick a start and end date in the calendar, or choose a preset: - **"Last quarter"** - **"Last month"** - **"This month"** - **"Next month"** - **"Next quarter"** ##### Sort users Use the dropdown above the user list to sort users by **"Last name"** or **"First name"**. ##### See details of an entry - **Hover** over an absence to see the user, absence type, dates, number of days and substitute. - **Hover** over an availability to see the group and the request options. If a user has several availabilities in the same period, the tooltip lists all of them. - **Click** an entry to open it and edit or delete it. --- ### Filter and search Use the filter bar above the timeline to narrow down the overview: - **Search users:** Type a name to find a specific user quickly. - **"All parishes":** Show only users from selected parishes (Multi-parish). - **"All groups":** Show only members of selected groups. - **"All types":** Show only selected absence types. - **"Only absent users":** Show only users who have an absence within the date range you are viewing. - **"Availabilities":** Show or hide availabilities. This is ticked by default, so you see both absences and availabilities. To reset everything, click **"Clear all filters"**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/b/e/3/7/be3725c5cc2ea800/screenshot-2026-10-08-at-18011_ccya0n.png) > **EXAMPLE:** To see who in your youth team is on holiday next month, select the group under **"All groups"**, choose **"Holiday"** under **"All types"**, pick **"Next month"** in the date field and tick **"Only absent users"**. --- ### Create an absence ##### Using the Create button 1. Click **"Create"** in the top right corner and choose **"Absence"**. 2. Fill in the form: - **User:** Who is absent. - **Date:** Start and end date and time. Tick **"All day"** if needed, and set a repeat if the absence recurs. - **Type:** The absence type, for example **"Holiday"**. - **Absent work days:** Confirm the number of work days the person is absent. - **Group:** The group the absence belongs to. - **Substitute:** Who covers during the absence (optional). - **Comments:** Any additional information (optional). 3. Click **"Save"**. This is the same form you know from creating absences in the Calendar. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/b/e/3/7/be3725c5cc2ea800/screenshot-2026-10-08-at-18032_2d4jgu.png) ##### Drag and create on the timeline 1. In the user's row, click and drag across the dates of the absence. 2. In the quick form, make sure the **"Absence"** tab is selected. 3. Check the **User**, and choose a **Category** and a **Group**. 4. Click **"Create absence"** — or click **"More options"** to open the full form. ##### Booking conflicts If the user is already booked during the absence, a **"Booking conflicts"** window shows which events overlap. - Click **"Allow conflicts"** to save the absence anyway. - Click **"Close"** to go back and change the absence. --- ### Create an availability Availabilities show when users are available to be booked through a booking page. ##### Using the Create button 1. Click **"Create"** in the top right corner and choose **"Availability"**. 2. Fill in the form and click **"Save"**. ##### Drag and create on the timeline 1. In the user's row, click and drag across the dates of the availability. 2. In the quick form, select the **"Availability"** tab. 3. Choose the **Booking page**, the **Options** and the **User**. 4. Click **"Create availability"** — or click **"More options"** to open the full form. | **TIP:** Only interested in absences? Untick **"Availabilities"** in the filter bar to hide the availability bars and keep the timeline clean. --- ### Edit, copy or delete entries 1. Click an absence or availability on the timeline. 2. Click **"Edit"** to open the full form, make your changes and click **"Save"**. In the form, click **"More"** at the bottom to: - **"Delete"** the entry, - **"Export iCal"** to add it to your personal calendar, - see the **"Version history"**, - **"Make a copy"** of the entry. You can also delete an entry directly after clicking it on the timeline. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/b/e/3/7/be3725c5cc2ea800/screenshot-2026-10-08-at-18042_1opxoqy.png) --- *Keywords: Absence, Absences, Availability, Availabilities, Absence overview, Absence planning, Holiday, Sickness, Parental leave, Day off, Substitute, Cover, Who is away, Staff away, Leave, Timeline, Booking page, Booking conflicts, Absence types, Absence permissions, Calendar, Multi-parish*