What is the primary purpose of an absence table in Workday Absence?

An absence table supports a single absence request that must draw from more than one time off plan. The table contains prioritized tiers, and each tier identifies a time off plan and the corresponding time off. Workday evaluates those tiers in priority order and automatically assigns the appropriate time off to each portion of the request.

This structure is useful when workers must exhaust one balance before using another. For example, an organization may require workers to use a non-carryover floating-holiday balance before using their standard vacation balance. The worker enters one request, while the absence table allocates the units across the applicable tier balances. It can also support separate plans representing different rates of pay or different components of a common absence allowance.

The Create/Edit Absence Table task controls tiers, details, validations, and reasons. The table does not merge leave entitlements, replace the business process governing approval, or calculate payroll taxes. Its defining function is the controlled cascade of a time off request through multiple prioritized time offs and plan balances.