Automatic break deduction per working time type

Automatic break deduction can be controlled separately for each working time type. For every attendance time type, you define whether the automatic breaks defined in the working time rules — the minimum breaks and/or fixed breaks — may be applied to bookings of that type.

This is especially useful when certain activities should not trigger an automatic break deduction. A typical case is travel time with a non-billable deductible: if the automatic break falls on the travel time, little or no billable time often remains after the deductible is subtracted. With this setting, you control that the break falls on regular work time instead.
 

1. Prerequisites
2. Configuring automatic break deduction per working time type
3. Automatic break deduction in bookings – examples
4. Frequently asked questions
 

1. Prerequisites

The option is only available for minute-based attendance time types.

In addition, an automatic break deduction must be defined in the working time rules — a minimum break and/or a fixed break. Without an automatic break deduction, the setting has no effect.
 

2. Configuring automatic break deduction per working time type

To open the setting:

Step 1: Go to Administration → Working time types.
Step 2: Open the desired attendance time type or create a new type.
Step 3: Open the Automatic break deduction section.

Three options are available for automatic break deduction:

• Deduction allowed (default):
  Automatic breaks are applied to bookings of this working time type like any other work time.
• Prefer not to deduct:
  timr tries to place the automatic break on another, earlier time booking of the day. If this is not possible, the break is applied to this working time type anyway, so that the statutory minimum break is still met.
• Never deduct:
  A break is never deducted from bookings of this working time type. timr tries to place the break on another, earlier time booking. If this is the only time booking of the day, no break is deducted on that day — even if this means the statutory minimum break is not met. In this case, timr displays a warning.
   

3. Automatic break deduction in bookings – examples

timr considers the entire working day and distributes the automatic break deduction across the existing bookings.

• If the break can be deducted from another (earlier) booking, Prefer not to deduct and Never deduct behave identically: the break lands on the other booking.
• If no other booking is available, the two options differ: Prefer not to deduct places the break on this working time type, while Never deduct skips the deduction entirely.

Example: A working day consists of an outbound trip, a short work period and a return trip (travel times with a 30-minute deductible). A 30-minute automatic break is due after 6 hours.

• Deduction allowed: The break is placed on the return trip, because the 6 hours are only exceeded with this last booking.
  
• Prefer not to deduct: The break is placed on the earlier work time; if a remaining part of the break did not fit there, it would land on the travel time.
  
• Never deduct: The break is deducted exclusively from the regular work time. In our example, the break can be fully deducted from "Customer visit", so the result is the same as with Prefer not to deduct.
  If the break cannot be deducted from the regular work time, the statutory minimum break remains unmet and timr displays a warning. Check whether the statutory minimum break is ensured by other means to avoid warnings.
  
  In the following example, the statutory minimum break cannot be fully deducted, hence the validation:
  
   

4. Frequently asked questions

Does the setting apply to the minimum break and to fixed breaks?
Yes. It affects the entire automatic break deduction — both the minimum break (e.g. 30 minutes after 6 hours) and fixed breaks.

What is the difference between "Prefer not to deduct" and "Never deduct"?
As long as the break can be deducted from another, earlier booking, both options behave the same. The difference only shows when no other booking is available: Prefer not to deduct then places the break on this working time type after all, while Never deduct does not deduct the break at all.

What happens to the statutory minimum break with "Never deduct"?
If it causes the statutory minimum break to be missed, timr displays a warning. The break is still not deducted.

How does the setting affect project times?
It depends on whether you have enabled the option in the work time rule.
If automatic break deduction is also active in the project time, it works as follows: Automatic break deduction is always calculated based on the attendance time. The break is deducted from the project time that belongs to the attendance time on which the break is actually deducted. So if the break is moved to another attendance time, the project time of that other attendance time is reduced as well. If you use Never deduct or Prefer not to deduct to prevent a break from being deducted at all, the project time remains unreduced too.

Why can't I see the option?
The option is only visible for minute-based attendance time types. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our support team at info@timr.com.