Microsoft Shifts synchronization

Enable Microsoft Shifts synchronization to automatically push approved absences into a Microsoft Teams Shifts schedule as time-off entries. This integration requires permissions for the absentify Shifts Permission Microsoft Entra ID app, utilizing Schedule.ReadWrite.All (Application) and Group.Read.All (Application) permissions.

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Benefits of granting Shifts synchronization permissions

Granting the Schedule.ReadWrite.All and Group.Read.All permissions to the absentify Shifts Permission app offers significant advantages for organizations that use Microsoft Teams Shifts for shift planning:

• Automated time-off visibility: Approved absences in absentify are automatically written into the relevant Shifts schedule, so shift planners and colleagues see who is off directly in the timeline.
• Reduced double entry: Managers no longer need to manually create time-off entries in Shifts after approving an absence in absentify.
• Consistent data: Because absentify creates, updates, and removes time-off entries automatically, the Shifts schedule always reflects the current state of approved absences.

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Default functionality without permissions

If the Schedule.ReadWrite.All and Group.Read.All permissions are not granted, the Shifts synchronization feature is unavailable. Without these permissions:

• Manual time-off management: Shift planners must create and maintain time-off entries in Shifts manually after absences are approved in absentify.
• No automatic updates: Changes to an absence (e.g. date edits, cancellations, or rejections) are not reflected in Shifts unless updated by hand.

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How absentify uses the Schedule and Group permissions

To promote transparency and trust, here is how absentify uses the requested permissions:

• Schedule.ReadWrite.All allows absentify to read a team’s Shifts schedule status, manage time-off reasons, and create, update, or delete time-off entries when absences are approved, modified, or cancelled.
• Group.Read.All allows absentify to list the Microsoft Teams in your tenant so an administrator can select which team’s Shifts schedule to synchronize. No groups are modified — access is read-only.
• Secure storage: Synchronization metadata (time-off IDs, sync status) is stored in absentify’s database hosted in Azure North Europe, adhering to GDPR requirements. Access is restricted to authorized personnel at absentify GmbH.

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Security and data protection

absentify adheres to strict security protocols to protect your organization’s data:

• ISO 27001 certification: absentify is ISO 27001 certified, confirming compliance with international standards for information security management.
• Microsoft 365 App Certification: The app has achieved Microsoft 365 App Certification, meeting Microsoft’s requirements for security, privacy, and compliance.
• Controlled access: Secrets and permissions required for Shifts synchronization are securely stored in an Azure Key Vault, restricted to necessary personnel only.

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Enabling Shifts synchronization

To activate the Shifts synchronization, follow these steps:

1. Grant permissions: A Microsoft Tenant Administrator must grant admin consent for the absentify Shifts Permission app. You can find the direct admin-consent link on the Settings > Microsoft page in absentify, or share it with your IT department using the built-in email template.
2. Activate the permission in absentify: Go to Settings > Microsoft and enable the Microsoft Shifts synchronization toggle. absentify verifies that both Schedule.ReadWrite.All and Group.Read.All are consented before activation.
3. Configure the integration: Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Microsoft Shifts to connect a Microsoft Team and choose which departments and leave types should be synchronized. See the Microsoft Shifts integration guide for step-by-step instructions.

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Key features of Shifts synchronization

With the integration enabled, absentify provides:

• Automatic time-off entries: Creates time-off entries in the Shifts schedule when absences are approved.
• Real-time updates: Updates time-off entries when an absence is modified and removes them when an absence is cancelled, rejected, or deleted.
• Time-off reason mapping: Each leave type is mapped to a Shifts time-off reason with a configurable display name and color theme.
• Working-schedule alignment: The synced time-off period follows the employee’s absentify working schedule, not their Shifts shift assignments, ensuring consistent deduction across systems.

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Plan requirements

Microsoft Shifts synchronization is available on the Essentials and Plus plans.

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Revoking permissions

If you need to revoke the permissions for the absentify Shifts Permission app, follow these steps:

1. Access Microsoft Entra admin center: Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center with your Microsoft 365 administrator account.
2. Navigate to Enterprise applications: In the left-hand menu, go to Identity > Applications > Enterprise applications.
3. Find and select the absentify Shifts Permission app: Locate the app in your list of enterprise applications.
4. Manage permissions: Go to the Permissions section and revoke Schedule.ReadWrite.All and Group.Read.All, or delete the app’s service principal entirely.

Revoking these permissions disables Shifts synchronization. Existing time-off entries that were already synced remain in the Shifts schedule but will no longer be updated or removed by absentify. By granting and — if necessary — revoking the permissions for the absentify Shifts Permission app, you retain full control over Shifts synchronization while upholding data security.