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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-05-15
Example: Configure Balance Calendar Start and End Dates for a Leave Type

Example: Configure Balance Calendar Start and End Dates for a Leave Type

This example shows how to configure a balance calendar for a leave type so that the balance period aligns with each worker’s hire‑date anniversary in the leave‑event year. It uses the
Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
 report field, which derives its value from the effective date of the leave event.
When a worker requests a leave of absence, the leave business process has an effective date. Workday uses this effective date to populate the
Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
 report field. You can then create calculated fields that define the start and end of each balance period and reference this report field so that Workday calculates the worker’s leave balance for the correct timeframe.
For leave plans that use an anniversary year, the balance period resets on the worker’s anniversary date. Workday attributes each leave request to a specific service year based on the balance calendar start and end dates.
You want to configure the balance calendar start date and end dates for an anniversary-based calendar on a leave type. The goal is to determine the:
  • The
    Balance Calendar Start Date
     as the anniversary of the worker’s hire date that occurs on or after the leave balance calendar start date.
  • The
    Balance Calendar End Date
     as 1 day before the start of the next anniversary period.
Assume an employee has a hire-date anniversary of June 15. Consider these scenarios:
  • Scenario 1:
     Leave before anniversary
    First Day of Leave:
    May 1, 2024
    Evaluation:
    Is May 1, 2024 > June 15, 2024? No (False).
    Result:
    The employee is still in the anniversary year that started on June 15, 2023.
    • Balance Calendar Start Date:
       June 15, 2023
    • Balance Calendar End Date:
       June 14, 2024
  • Scenario 2:
     Leave after anniversary
    First Day of Leave:
    July 1, 2024
    Evaluation:
    Is July 1, 2024 > June 15, 2024? Yes (True).
    Result:
    The leave falls in the new anniversary year that starts on June 15, 2024.
    • Internally, the calculation first returns July 1, 2023 (July 1, 2024 − 1 year) as an intermediate date value.
    • The top‑level build‑date field then uses this intermediate date and the hire date to resolve the correct anniversary period that starts on June 15, 2024.
You create a set of calculated fields that together return the
Balance Calendar Start Date
 and
Balance Calendar End Date
:
  • Leave Balance Calendar – First Day of Leave – 1 Year
    :
    Intermediate date field that subtracts 1 year from the
    Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
     value.
  • Leave Balance Calendar – Hire Date (Month and Day) of Leave Event Year
    Builds a date using the worker’s hire‑date month and day in the leave‑event year.
  • Is First Day of Leave Greater Than Anniversary Date of Same Year
    True/false condition comparing the first day of leave and the hire‑date anniversary in the same year.
  • First Day of Leave or First Day of Leave − 1 year if First Day of Leave is Greater than Anniversary Date
    Evaluate expression that chooses either the first day of leave or the helper date from step 1.
  • Leave Balance Calendar – Hire Date (Month and Day) of Leave Event Year minus 1 Year if Hire Date for Current Year > First Day of Leave, Else …
    Top‑level build‑date field that returns the
    Balance Calendar Start Date
    .
  • Leave Balance Calendar – Hire Date (Month and Day) of Leave Event plus 12 months
    Increment/decrement date field that returns the
    Balance Calendar End Date
     by adding 12 months to the start date.
Security:
Custom Field Management
 domain in the System functional area.
  1. Access the
    Create Calculated Field
     task.
    Create a calculated field as an intermediate step that you can use to support other calculations. This field subtracts 1 year from the
    Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
     value when needed.
    1. Enter or select these values and click
      OK
      :
      Field
      Value
      Name
      Leave Balance Calendar - First Day of Leave - 1 Year
      Business Object
      Leave Request Event
      Function
      Increment or Decrement Date
    2. On the
      Calculation
       tab, enter or select these values and click
      OK
      .
      Field
      Value
      Date Field
      Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
      Years to Add or Subtract
      -1
  2. Click
    Create Another Calculation
    .
    Build the hire‑date month and day in the leave‑event year.
    1. Enter or select these values and click
      OK
      :
      Field
      Value
      Name
      Leave Balance Calendar - Hire Date Month and Day) Of Leave Event Year
      Business Object
      Leave Request Event
      Function
      Build Date
    2. On the
      Calculation
       tab, enter or select these Workday-delivered report field values and click
      OK
      .
      Field
      Option
      Value
      Year
      Extract Year from Date Field
      First Day of Leave
      Month
      Extract Month from Date Field
      Hire Date
      Day
      Extract Day from Date Field
      Hire Date
  3. Click
    Create Another Calculation
    .
    Determine whether the leave occurs after the hire‑date anniversary in the same year.
    1. Enter or select these values and click
      OK
      :
      Field
      Value
      Name
      Is First Day of Leave Greater Than Anniversary Date of Same Year
      Business Object
      Leave Request Event
      Function
      True/False Condition
    2. On the
      Calculation
       tab, enter or select these values and click
      OK
      .
      Field
      Value
      Field
      Leave Balance Calendar - Hire Date (Month and Day) Of Leave Event Year
      Operator
      greater than
      Comparison Type
      Value from another field
      Comparison Value
      First Day of Leave
  4. Click
    Create Another Calculation
    .
    Use either the first day of leave or the intermediate date field from step 1, based on the condition in step 3.
    1. Enter or select these values and click
      OK
      :
      Field
      Value
      Name
      First Day of Leave or First Day of Leave -1 year if First Day of Leave is Greater than Anniversary Date
      Business Object
      Leave Request Event
      Function
      Evaluate Expression
    2. On the
      Calculation
      tab, enter or select these values and click
      OK
      .
    3. Field
      Value
      Field Type
      Date
      Default Value
      Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
      Condition
      Is First Day of Leave Greater Than Anniversary Date of Same Year
      Return Value if Condition is True
      Leave Balance Calendar - First Day of Leave - 1 Year
  5. Click
    Create Another Calculation
    .
    Build the final
    Balance Calendar Start Date
     based on the intermediate date field and hire date.
    1. Enter or select these values and click
      OK
      :
      Field
      Value
      Name
      Leave Balance Calendar - Hire Date (Month and Day) of Leave Event Year minus 1 Year if Hire Date for Current Year > First Day of Leave, Else Leave Balance
      Business Object
      Leave Request Event
      Function
      Build Date
    2. On the
      Calculation
       tab, enter or select these values and click
      OK
      .
      Field
      Option
      Value
      Year
      Extract Year from Date Field
      First Day of Leave or First Day of Leave -1 year if First Day of Leave is Greater than Anniversary Date
      Month
      Extract Month from Date Field
      Hire Date
      Day
      Extract Day from Date Field
      Hire Date
  6. Click
    Create Another Calculation
    .
    Derive the
    Balance Calendar End Date
     by adding 12 months to the
    Balance Calendar Start Date
    .
    1. Enter or select these values and click
      OK
      :
      Field
      Value
      Name
      Leave Balance Calendar - Hire Date (Month and Day) of Leave Event plus 12 months
      Business Object
      Leave Request Event
      Function
      Increment or Decrement Date
    2. On the
      Calculation
       tab, enter or select these values and click
      OK
      .
      Field
      Value
      Date Field
      Leave Balance Calendar - Hire Date (Month and Day) of Leave Event Year minus 1 Year if Hire Date for Current Year > First Day of Leave, Else Leave Balance Calendar - Hire Date (Month and Day of Leave Event Year)
      Years to Add or Subtract
      1
      Days to Add or Subtract
      -1
    3. Click
      Done
      .
  7. Verify the balance calendar start and end dates.
    Use reports and configuration review to validate that Workday is calculating the correct date range for the leave type:
    1. As a test user, access the
      Manage Absence
       report and submit a leave request using the leave type that uses your new balance calendar fields.
    2. After the leave is approved, access the
      Leave Results for Organization
       report and select the worker’s organization.
    3. Enter a date that falls within the leave request period.
    4. In the
      Calendar Period
      column, confirm that the
      Leave Balance Calendar Start Date
       and
      Leave Balance Calendar End Date
       match your expected logic for that leave event.
    5. Access the
      Edit Leave Type
       task for the same leave type and select the
      Validations/Supporting Data
       tab.
    6. In the
      Supporting Data
       grid, add two rows and select the calculated fields from step 5 and 6.
    7. Initiate a new leave request. On the business process page, verify that the displayed dates for the balance calendar start and end match your expectations
Expected results for the example scenarios
Scenario 1:
 Leave before anniversary
  • Hire‑date anniversary: June 15
  • First Day of Leave
    : May 1, 2024
  • Expected
    Calendar Period
     /
    Balance Calendar
     dates:
    • Start Date: June 15, 2023
    • End Date: June 14, 2024
Scenario 2:
 Leave after anniversary
  • Hire‑date anniversary: June 15
  • First Day of Leave
    : July 1, 2024
  • Expected
    Calendar Period / Balance Calendar
     dates:
    • Start Date: June 15, 2024
    • End Date: June 14, 2025