> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://absentify.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Managing users
> Manage users in absentify — invite new employees, edit profiles, archive accounts, delete users, and perform bulk actions on departments and settings.
The **Users** section in the absentify **Settings** module lets you manage user accounts efficiently.
You can invite new users, archive or reactivate accounts, edit existing profiles, and assign or update department memberships — all in one central place.
***
## Navigating the user list
The user list provides a comprehensive overview of all users within your organization. It offers powerful tools to **filter**, **search**, and **sort** users, making it easy to locate individuals or manage groups at scale.
### Key features of the user list
* **Department filter**\
Quickly narrow down the list by selecting a specific department. This helps you focus on users within a particular team, unit, or function.
* **Role filter**\
Use the **Role** dropdown to filter the list by admin status. Select **All** to show every user, **Admins only** to see who has administrator permissions, or **Non-admins only** to review regular users. This filter works together with the department filter and search, so you can combine them to narrow down results further.
* **Search functionality**\
Use the search bar to find users by entering their **name** or **email address**. Results update in real time as you type.
* **Sorting and pagination**\
Adjust how many users are shown per page and use the pagination controls to navigate through the list. Each row in the table includes:
* **Name** – Displays the user's name and profile picture.
* **Departments** – Indicates the number of departments the user is assigned to. Invisible managers are not shown to regular department members in this list.
* **Approver(s)** – Lists the approver(s) responsible for this user's absence requests.
* **Allowance** – Shows the user's current and upcoming year's allowance.
* **Active vs. archived users**\
Easily switch between **active** and **archived** users using the toggle in the top panel. This helps manage offboarded employees while keeping your active list clean.
* **Add new users**\
Located at the bottom of the user list, you’ll find two options for adding users:
* **[Invite a new user](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/users/invite_users#1-add-users-individually)** – Sends a direct invitation to join absentify via email.
* **[Import users](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/users/invite_users#2-add-users-via-excel-import)** – Allows you to upload multiple users at once using an import file.
* **[Sync with Microsoft Entra ID](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/users/invite_users#3-add-users-via-microsoft-teams%2Fentra-id-group-sync)** – Automatically add and manage users based on their group membership in Microsoft Entra ID.
***
## Join requests
When a user signs in to absentify and is not yet part of your workspace, they can submit a **join request** by selecting **Send request** next to a matching workspace on the welcome page. These requests appear in the **Join requests** section at the top of the **Users** page in **Settings**.
Each join request shows:
* The **email address** of the requester
* An optional **message** from the requester (up to 1,000 characters; must be at least 5 characters if provided)
**Available actions for each request:**
* **Invite**: Opens the user invitation form with the requester's email address pre-filled. Once the user is successfully invited to your workspace, any matching pending join request for that email address is automatically resolved.
* **Dismiss**: Removes the join request from the list. The requester may receive an email notification that their request was dismissed.
Each user can only have one pending join request per workspace. Requesters can resubmit every 5 minutes after a cooldown period, which refreshes the existing pending request rather than creating a duplicate. If a requester submits a new request after being dismissed, it will appear in the list again.
You can also resolve join requests indirectly. If you invite a user through any standard method (manual entry, Excel import, or group sync) and their email matches a pending join request, absentify clears that request automatically.
***
## Default user settings
These settings establish default preferences for new employees when they are added to absentify—either manually, through directory synchronization, or via automatic imports.
Changes to these settings do not retroactively affect existing employees but can be adjusted in their individual profiles under [My Preferences](/docs/en/roles/employee/your_preferences).
### Key default preferences
* **Default time zone**: Sets the time zone for all new employees. Example: `(GMT+1:00) Berlin`. Employees can update this in **My Preferences**.
* **Default language**: Specifies the default language for the workspace. Employees can later change this in their individual settings. For wording feedback, they can contact [support@absentify.com](mailto:support@absentify.com) with a screenshot.
* **Default date format**: Specifies the date display format, such as `DD.MM.YYYY` or `MM/DD/YYYY`.
* **Default time format**: Configures the clock format as either 12-hour or 24-hour.
* **Default week start**: Defines the first day of the calendar week, such as Monday or Sunday.
* **Display calendar weeks**: Determines whether calendar week numbers are displayed in the calendar overview and employee views. This setting is applied as the default for new employees but can later be personalized in **My Preferences**.
These default settings apply only to **newly added employees**. To adjust settings for existing employees, update their profiles individually.
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## Archive or activate users in bulk
You can easily archive or activate multiple users at once using bulk actions. This helps streamline user management, especially during large-scale organizational changes.
* **Archiving a user** deactivates their account and hides them from all team overviews and user-visible sections. This allows you to keep inactive employees organized while preserving their absence history.
* **Activating a user** allows them to sign in and receive all notifications.
Interested in archiving users individually? You can also do so from the [Access & Permissions](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/users/edit/access-permissions) tab.
**To get started:**
1. Go to **Settings → Users**.
2. Use the checkboxes to select the users you want to manage.
3. Select the **bell icon** to activate users or the **folder icon** to archive them.
**This is especially useful for:**
* **Activating users in bulk** during initial setup or onboarding phases.
* **Archiving users all at once** when offboarding employees or scaling down your organization.
* **Cleaning up your workspace** to maintain an accurate and up-to-date user list.
Bulk actions are applied immediately, so double-check your selection before confirming any changes.
***
## Deleting users
Permanently deleting a user removes all their data from the system and cannot be undone. Deleting users is also a cost-saving option for organizations on paid plans, as it reduces the number of billable users.
Deleting is also the only way to free up an email address. An address exists only once in all of absentify, and an archived user keeps holding theirs. So if the same person needs to be added to a different workspace, or you want to reuse the address for someone else, archiving is not enough.
**Steps to delete users:**
1. Go to **Settings** > **Users** > **Archived**.
2. Select the red trash bin icon next to the user you wish to delete.
3. A confirmation message will appear, warning you that this action cannot be reversed. Ensure any necessary data has been saved beforehand.
4. Select the **Delete** button to permanently remove the user.
### Exporting user data before deletion
Before deleting users, you can [export user data](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/export) for record-keeping:
1. Navigate to **Settings** > **Export**.
2. Use the **Export** option to generate an Excel file of user data.
3. Save the file for future reference, ensuring no critical data is lost.
### Handling open approval requests when deleting an approver
If a user you are trying to delete was an approver and still has open absence requests from their requestors, a notification will appear, preventing deletion.
To proceed:
1. **Select "Details"** to view the pending requests. This will display:
* The type of absence request.
* The employee who submitted the request.
* The request's status and relevant dates.
2. **Overtake the approval process**:
* As an **admin**, you can manually approve or decline the request on behalf of the archived user.
* Once all pending requests are processed, the user can be deleted without restrictions.
Deleting a user is permanent. Double-check that all necessary leave and allowance data has been [exported](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/export) before proceeding or use the archive feature if you need to retain historical records within the app.
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## Best practices for managing users
* **Use bulk actions to save time**: Apply updates to multiple users simultaneously, such as department changes or archiving inactive users.
* **Monitor costs on paid plans**: Archived and inactive users still count toward billable user limits. Consider exporting data and deleting unnecessary users to save costs.
* **Review user roles and permissions:** For a full overview of what each user can see and do in absentify, refer to the [permissions and roles guide](/docs/en/roles/hr_admins/settings/general/privacy#summary-of-user-roles-and-permissions).
* **Understand the difference between inactive and archived users**:
* **Inactive users**: Still visible in team overviews but cannot sign in or receive system emails. If you're unsure why a user isn't receiving notifications, see our [email delivery troubleshooting guide](/docs/en/roles/m365admins/troubleshooting/email_delivery_issues).
* **Archived users**: Completely hidden from team overviews and all user-facing sections.