# Hierarchical validation of leave requests

> Assign a manager to each employee to create a clear approval flow and avoid leave requests without a responsible person.

Source: https://help.shyfter.com/en/team/hierarchical-validation-of-leave-requests  
Category: Team  
Updated: 2026-06-30

## Why set up a validation hierarchy?

Without a defined approval flow, leave requests can go unprocessed or be seen by people who should not be validating them. Hierarchical validation lets you assign a manager to each employee: requests go directly to them, and administrators keep a complete overview.

## Assigning a manager to an employee

1. Open the employee's profile via **Team → Users**.
2. Go to the **Settings** tab.
3. In the dedicated field, select the person's manager.
4. Save.

> The assigned manager must be an administrator or a manager, and belong to the same section as the employee.

## How does the approval flow work?

Once the hierarchy is configured:

- **Schedule and HR managers** only see the leave requests of the employees for whom they are the manager, as well as the employees of their section without an assigned manager.
- **Administrators** see all requests, across all employees. They can also identify which manager is assigned to each person.
- If an **employee has no manager**, the managers of their section can still process their requests, so that no request goes unanswered.

## Validating the requests

Leave requests are viewed and validated from **Schedules → Leave requests**.

## Traceability for the administrator

When a manager approves a request, the administrator can see **the name of the manager who approved** in the list of accepted requests. This tracking guarantees complete traceability of the validation flow.

## The benefits in practice

- Each manager approves only the leave of their own team.
- Employees without a manager are always still taken care of.
- Administrators keep a global view without being overwhelmed.
- Missed approvals are avoided thanks to a structured flow.