How to request time off in ADP?

How to Request Time Off in ADP (Web & Mobile Guide) 2026 | ADP Salary Calculator
Payroll & HR Guide · Updated July 2026

How to Request Time Off in ADPA Step-by-Step Guide for Desktop and the Mobile App

Whether you’re booking a vacation, a sick day, or a single afternoon off, here’s exactly how to submit — and track — a time off request in ADP.

📅 July 2026 ⏱ 7 min read 🌐 adpsalarycalculator.com

⚡ Quick Answers

Where to request time off
Time Off / My Time Off menu
Fastest method
ADP Mobile Solutions app
Who approves it
Your manager or reviewer
Can you cancel it?
Yes, before or after approval*

Requesting time off in ADP is meant to be simple — but the exact menu names and steps can look different depending on which ADP product your employer uses (ADP Workforce Now, ADP Time & Attendance, ADP RUN, or the ADP Mobile Solutions app). This guide walks through the most common path for each, so you can find your PTO request screen and submit it correctly the first time.

Once your request is approved, the time off is automatically applied to your schedule and reflected on your timecard and pay stub. To understand how that time then shows up on your paycheck, see our guide to reading your ADP pay stub.

1 Before You Begin

Before You Start a Time Off Request

ADP is used by many different employers, each configured slightly differently. Before submitting a request, it helps to confirm a few things:

  • Which ADP product your company uses (Workforce Now, Time & Attendance, RUN, or another self-service portal)
  • Your login URL — commonly workforcenow.adp.com, time.adp.com, or myaccess.adp.com
  • Whether you’re in Employee role, not Manager or Practitioner role, in the Role Selector
  • Your available balance for the type of time off you plan to request (vacation, sick, personal, etc.)
  • Your company’s notice policy — many require approval at least 24 hours before the requested date
💡 Not sure which login to use? Check the URL saved in your bookmarks, your onboarding email from HR, or ask your payroll administrator. Using the wrong ADP product URL is one of the most common reasons employees can’t find the time off screen.
2 Desktop / Web

Requesting Time Off on the Web Portal

Most employees using ADP Workforce Now or ADP Time & Attendance follow a similar path from a desktop browser:

  1. Log in to your ADP portal (e.g., workforcenow.adp.com or time.adp.com) and confirm you’re in Employee role
  2. Go to Myself → Time & Attendance → My Timecard, or select Time & Attendance from the top menu
  3. Click Request Time Off — this opens a blank Time Off Request page
  4. Use the calendar tool to select the date(s) you want off; click a date to add it, click again to remove it
  5. For each date, choose the correct Earnings Code or Pay Code (for example, Vacation, Sick, or Personal)
  6. Enter a Days value where applicable — hours are usually calculated automatically based on your schedule
  7. Add an optional Description (e.g., “Family trip”) and any Comments for your manager
  8. Review your accrual balance shown on the page to confirm you have enough time available
  9. Click Submit to send the request for approval
💡 Alternate entry points: You can often also start a request from the New Time Off Request link on your Employee Calendar, or from the Time Off Request section on the My Attendance page.
3 Mobile App

Requesting Time Off on the ADP Mobile Solutions App

The ADP Mobile Solutions app offers a faster path for a quick request, especially for single-day absences:

  1. Open the ADP Mobile Solutions app and log in
  2. Tap the Time Off tile from the home screen
  3. Tap Request Time Off or the “+” icon to start a new request
  4. Select the Policy Type (e.g., Vacation, Sick, Personal) you want to use
  5. Choose your Start Date and End Date
  6. Set the Daily Time or number of hours if your company tracks time off by the hour
  7. Review the summary on the Confirm screen — check the policy type and dates carefully
  8. Submit the request; you’ll be able to view its status from the same Time Off screen afterward
⚠️ One day per request is often safer: Some companies’ mobile workflows work more reliably when you submit a separate request for each individual day off, rather than one long multi-day request, particularly when different days may fall under different policies.
4 Pay Codes

Understanding Pay Codes and Policy Types

When you submit a request, you’ll be asked to choose the type of time off — labeled either a Pay Code, Earnings Code, or Policy Type depending on your company’s ADP setup. This tells payroll which accrual bucket to draw the hours from.

Common CodeTypical Use
Vacation / PTOPlanned personal time away from work
SickIllness or medical appointments
PersonalPersonal days separate from vacation or sick banks
BereavementTime off following a death in the family
Jury DutyCourt-mandated jury service
Unpaid LeaveTime off not drawn from a paid accrual balance

Your available codes and their names are set by your employer, so not every company will offer every code listed above. If your accrual balances are tracked in ADP, they’re usually displayed directly on the Time Off Request page so you can confirm you have enough hours before submitting.

5 Multi-Day Requests

Requesting Multiple Days or Partial Days

ADP’s Time & Attendance module typically allows a single request to cover up to 30 dates, extending up to a year into the future. A few things to know when requesting more than one day:

  • Click the small triangle next to a calendar week to select every day in that row at once
  • Click an individual day again to deselect just that date
  • For a half-day or partial-day absence, use the multiplier or hours field (for example, 0.5 for half a day)
  • If you need two different codes on the same date (such as half sick, half vacation), add a second row for that date
  • Requested dates generally cannot overlap an existing non-worked schedule or fall on the same day the request is submitted
💡 Splitting a day between two policies: If your company uses time-based (not day-based) policies, you may need to adjust the start time of the second entry (for example, to 12 PM) so the two partial-day segments don’t overlap.
6 After Submitting

What Happens After You Submit a Request

The Approval Flow

Submit → Manager Notified → Approved / Partially Approved / Denied → Applied to Schedule

Once you submit a request, your designated reviewer — usually your direct manager — receives a notification in their ADP Inbox or Message Center. They can then:

  • Approve the full request, which automatically applies the time off to your schedule
  • Partially approve some of the requested dates, which requires you to accept the partial approval before it’s applied
  • Deny the request, often with a comment explaining why

Approved non-worked time replaces any existing worked schedule for that day and is marked on your schedule so both you and your manager can see it at a glance. You’ll typically get a notification in your own ADP Inbox or Message Center whenever the status of your request changes.

7 Tracking & Canceling

Tracking, Editing, and Canceling a Request

To check on a request you’ve already submitted:

  1. Go back to the Time Off or My Time Off section of your portal or app
  2. Select List of Requests or View All Time Off Requests
  3. Review the status column — typically Pending, Approved, Partially Approved, or Denied

If you need to cancel a request — whether it’s still pending or already approved — open it from your list of requests, select the action menu or arrow next to it, and choose Cancel Request. You’ll usually see a confirmation prompt before the cancellation is finalized.

⚠️ Canceling approved time off: If the request was already approved and applied to your schedule, canceling it may require your manager’s acknowledgment before your worked schedule is restored — check with your manager to confirm the cancellation went through.
8 Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Common Issues

ISSUEI don’t see a “Request Time Off” button anywhere
LIKELY CAUSE

You may be in Manager or Practitioner role instead of Employee role in the Role Selector, or your company may manage time off through the HR & Benefits module rather than Time & Attendance. Check the Role Selector first, then confirm with HR which module your company uses.

ISSUEMy request won’t submit or shows an error
LIKELY CAUSE

This often happens when the selected dates overlap an existing schedule, when a required field like Pay Code is left blank, or when your available balance is insufficient for a policy that doesn’t allow negative balances.

ISSUEMy balance looks wrong or lower than expected
LIKELY CAUSE

Accrual balances update on a schedule set by your employer (often per pay period), so recently earned or used hours may not be reflected immediately. Pending, unapproved requests may also be shown as already deducted from your available balance.

ISSUEMy manager hasn’t responded to my request
LIKELY CAUSE

Notifications can occasionally be missed or filtered. If a request has been pending for more than a few business days, it’s reasonable to follow up with your manager directly rather than assuming it was seen.

9 Best Practices

Tips for a Smooth Approval

  • Submit requests as early as possible — most companies require at least 24 hours’ notice, and busy periods may need more
  • Add a short description so your manager and future-you can quickly identify the reason for the request
  • Double-check your accrual balance before submitting to avoid a request that dips into a negative balance, if your policy doesn’t allow it
  • Confirm the correct Pay Code or Policy Type is selected — using the wrong code can delay approval or affect your paycheck
  • Check your Message Center or notifications after submitting to confirm the request went through and was received

Requesting Time Off in ADP — FAQs

How do I request time off in ADP?
Log in to your ADP portal (such as workforcenow.adp.com, time.adp.com, or the ADP Mobile Solutions app), go to the Time Off or My Time Off section, click Request Time Off, select your dates and the type of time off (Pay Code or Policy Type), add an optional description, and submit. Your manager or designated reviewer then approves, partially approves, or denies the request.
Can I request time off from the ADP mobile app?
Yes. The ADP Mobile Solutions app lets you submit time off requests from your phone. Tap the Time Off tile, select the Policy Type, choose your start and end dates, review the Confirm screen, and submit — you can also track pending, approved, and denied requests from the same screen.
How will I know if my time off request was approved?
You’ll typically receive a notification in your ADP Message Center or Inbox, and often a push notification or email, once your manager approves, partially approves, or denies the request. Approved time automatically appears on your schedule and timecard.
Can I cancel a time off request after submitting it?
Yes, in most ADP configurations you can cancel a pending or already-approved request by opening it from your list of time off requests and selecting Cancel Request. Your company’s policy may require manager acknowledgment before an already-approved cancellation is finalized.
Why can’t I see the Request Time Off option in ADP?
This usually means you’re not in Employee role in the Role Selector, your company hasn’t enabled the Time Off Requests feature in Time & Attendance, or your company manages time off through the HR & Benefits module instead. Check with your HR or payroll administrator to confirm which system your company uses.
How far in advance can I request time off?
Most ADP Time & Attendance configurations allow requests up to a year in advance, though your company’s specific notice requirements (often at least 24 hours before the requested date) may be stricter. Check your employee handbook or ask HR for your company’s exact policy.
Does requesting time off affect my paycheck?
If your time off is paid (drawing from a Vacation, Sick, or PTO balance), it’s included in your gross wages for that pay period just like regular hours. Unpaid leave reduces your gross pay for the hours taken. Either way, taxes are still calculated normally on whatever gross pay you do receive.

Check Your Paycheck After Time Off

See exactly how paid time off, taxes, and deductions affect your take-home pay using our free ADP Salary Calculator.

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© 2026 adpsalarycalculator.com — For informational purposes only. Exact menus and steps vary by employer and ADP product configuration. Consult your HR or payroll administrator for your company’s specific process.

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