How to configure and use automatic breaks?

Automatic breaks (also known as pre-assigned lunch or pre-assigned breaks) allow the start and end times of a break to be automatically included in the employee's Schedule.

With this configuration, the employee only needs to record the day's Entry and Exit. Break punches are generated according to the times or duration configured in the Schedule.

1. Access the Schedule

To configure an automatic break:

1. In the sidebar, under Configure, go to Schedules;
2. Open an existing Schedule or click Add to create a new one;
3. In the Details tab, locate the table containing the workdays and working hours;
4. Find the day(s) on which you want to configure the break.

Before adding the break, make sure the day's Entry and Exit times are correct.

2. Add the break

On the row corresponding to the day:

1. Click + Add break;
2. In the Add break window, select the Type;
3. Under Choose Range/Duration, select Range or Duration;
4. Enable Setup as Automatic;
5. Click New Break.

The Setup as Automatic option is not available for Flexible breaks. Because these breaks are not necessarily part of the Schedule, their punches must be recorded according to the employee's needs.

After adding the configuration, the break will be displayed in the break column of the Schedule.

Repeat the process for the other days on which the same break should apply. When available, use the Schedule copy icon to replicate the settings between days.

2.1. Configure an automatic break with Range

Select Range when the break must always occur at the defined times.

Fill in:

• From: break start time;
• To: break end time;
• Duration: calculated according to the times entered.

Then enable Setup as Automatic.

Example:

• Planned Entry: 09:00;
• Automatic break: 12:00 to 13:00;
• Planned Exit: 18:00.

In this scenario, the break will be automatically included from 12:00 to 13:00.

The Range option is recommended when the break must always occur at the same time, regardless of when the employee recorded their Entry.

2.2. Configure an automatic break by Duration

Select Duration when the start of the break should be calculated based on the employee's Entry.

Fill in:

• Duration: the amount of time the break will last;
• Start after: the number of hours that must pass since the last Entry punch.

Then enable Setup as Automatic.

Example:

• Break duration: 60 minutes;
• Start after: 04:00;
• Recorded Entry: 09:00.

In this scenario, the break will start after four hours, at 13:00, and will last 60 minutes.

If the Entry is recorded at a different time, the start of the break will be calculated based on that punch.

3. Save the Schedule and define the effective date

After configuring the required breaks:

1. Review the times for all days;
2. Make sure Setup as Automatic is enabled for the desired breaks;
3. Save the Schedule;
4. In the Change Schedule window, enter the date from which the changes should apply;
5. Click Confirm.

Important: when editing a Schedule, selecting a retroactive date does not automatically create break punches for days that have already passed. Automatic breaks will only be generated from the current date or from a future date on which the new configuration is in effect.

Example:

• The Schedule was edited on 07/14 to include an automatic break;
• In the Change Schedule window, the date 07/01 was selected;
• Automatic breaks will not be created for records between 07/01 and 07/13;
• The configuration will apply to current and future days.

If breaks from previous days need to be corrected, those records must be reviewed and adjusted separately.

4. How does the employee record punches with an automatic break?

When an automatic break is configured, the employee needs to record:

1. The Entry, at the beginning of work;
2. The Exit, at the end of work;
3. Flexible breaks, when they occur.

The start and end of the break will be automatically included according to the Schedule configuration.

Example with Range:

• 09:00 — Entry recorded by the employee;
• 12:00 — Automatic break start;
• 13:00 — Automatic break end;
• 18:00 — Exit recorded by the employee.

Example with Duration:

• 08:30 — Entry recorded by the employee;
• 12:30 — Automatic start after four hours;
• 13:30 — Automatic end after 60 minutes;
• 17:30 — Exit recorded by the employee.

5. What happens when the employee does not record the Entry?

Without an Entry punch, the system does not have the required parameter to create the automatic break.

In this case, you will need to adjust:

• The Entry;
• The start of the break;
• The return from the break.

The punches must be added or corrected using the adjustment methods available to the company.

Important: adding only the Entry after the period has already passed does not retroactively create the automatic break punches. The break start and return also need to be adjusted.

6. Why does the automatic break appear as Pending?

When an Entry exists but the Exit has not yet been recorded or approved, the automatic break period remains with the Pending status.

To correct it:

1. Record the employee's Exit;
2. If the original punch does not exist, add the Exit through an employee with permission to adjust punches or submit an Adjustment Request;
3. Wait for the Exit to be approved, when applicable;
4. Check the day's punches again.

As soon as there is an approved Exit, the automatic break period will be approved shortly afterward. You do not need to manually approve the automatic break punches.

Example:

• The employee recorded the Entry at 09:00;
• The automatic break is configured from 12:00 to 13:00;
• The Exit was not recorded;
• The break period remains Pending;
• After the Exit is added and approved, the automatic break is also approved.

Important: the Pending status while the Schedule is still open does not necessarily mean there is a configuration error.

7. What happens if the employee records the break manually?

If the employee manually records the start of the break, that punch will replace the start that would have been created automatically.

From that point on, the employee will also need to manually record the return from the break.

Example:

• The Schedule has an automatic break from 12:00 to 13:00;
• The employee manually records the break start at 12:10;
• The manual 12:10 punch replaces the automatic start;
• The employee must manually record the return from the break.

The system will not automatically complete the break after the employee starts it manually.

Important: when the Schedule uses an automatic break, instruct employees not to manually record the start of the break unless they need to replace the automatic time.

8. What should I check when the automatic break does not appear?

Check:

1. Whether the employee is assigned to the correct Schedule;
2. Whether the Schedule applies on the date being analyzed;
3. Whether the break was added to the correct day in the Schedule;
4. Whether Setup as Automatic is enabled;
5. Whether the break was configured as Range or Duration, since the automatic option is not available for Flexible breaks;
6. Whether the employee recorded the Entry;
7. Whether the Exit was recorded and approved;
8. Whether there was a manual break start punch;
9. Whether the configuration was saved;
10. Whether the date being analyzed is earlier than the Schedule edit.

If there is no Entry punch, you will need to adjust the Entry, the break start, and the return from the break.

If the Exit is missing or pending approval, the automatic break period will remain Pending until there is an approved Exit.

If the employee manually recorded the start of the break, check whether they also manually recorded the return.

If the Schedule was changed using a retroactive date, automatic break punches will not be created for days that have already passed.

Tips or troubleshooting

• The Setup as Automatic option does not appear: check whether the break was defined as Flexible. Flexible breaks cannot be configured as automatic.
• The employee did not record the Entry: adjust the Entry, break start, and return from break, because there is no parameter for automatically generating the break.
• The break is Pending: check whether there is a recorded and approved Exit.
• The Exit was added through an adjustment: after the Exit is approved, the automatic break will be approved shortly afterward without requiring manual approval.
• Only the start of the break appeared: confirm whether the employee started the break manually. In that case, they must also record the return.
• The break was created at a different time than expected: check whether it was configured as Range or Duration.
• The Duration break changed time: this option calculates the start based on the last Entry punch.
• The break does not appear on a specific day: check whether it was specifically added to that day's row in the Schedule.
• The break does not appear on days before the change: automatic breaks are not created retroactively.
• I selected a retroactive date when saving: this does not automatically generate break punches for days that have already ended.
• I need to correct breaks from previous days: review the records for those days and make the required adjustments separately.
• The employee still sees break options in the app: instruct them to record only Entry and Exit when the automatic break should be used.
• The configuration was changed but does not appear on the current or future date: check the date selected in the Change Schedule window and whether the change was confirmed.

Best practices

• Use Range when everyone must take the break at the same time.
• Use Duration when the break should begin after a specific amount of time counted from the Entry.
• Do not use Flexible when the break must be a required part of the Schedule and generated automatically.
• Explain to employees the difference between automatic and manual punches.
• Review all days in the Schedule to confirm that the break was added correctly.
• When editing a Schedule, carefully define the effective date of the changes.
• Use the current date or a future date when you need automatic breaks to be generated from the change onward.
• Do not use a retroactive date expecting the system to create automatic punches for days that have already passed.
• Before correcting a Pending break, check whether there is an approved Exit.
• Avoid creating manual adjustments before confirming whether the Exit is still missing.
• When previous periods need to be corrected, review the records and make the adjustments separately.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is an automatic break?

It is a break whose start and end times are automatically included according to the Schedule configuration. The employee only needs to record Entry and Exit.

2. Are automatic break, fixed break, and pre-assigned lunch the same thing?

These terms may be used to refer to a break that is automatically included. In the Schedule, the option must be enabled under Setup as Automatic.

3. What is the difference between Range and Duration?

With Range, the break occurs at the times defined in the From and To fields. With Duration, the break begins after the configured amount of time, based on the last Entry punch.

4. Does the Duration break time change when the employee arrives late?

Yes. The start is calculated from the last Entry punch. For example, if it is configured to start after four hours, an Entry at 09:30 will cause the break to start at 13:30.

5. Can I configure a Flexible break as automatic?

No. The Setup as Automatic option is not available for Flexible breaks because they are not necessarily part of the Schedule.

6. What happens if the employee does not record the Entry?

The automatic break will not be created because there is no Entry punch to use as a parameter. The Entry, break start, and return from break will need to be adjusted.

7. What happens if the employee does not record the Exit?

The automatic break period will remain Pending until an Exit is recorded and approved.

8. After approving the Exit, do I need to manually approve the automatic break?

No. After the Exit is approved, the automatic break period will be approved shortly afterward without requiring additional manual approval.

9. Can the Exit be added by an administrator or through an Adjustment Request?

The Exit can be added by an employee with permission to make adjustments or approved through an Adjustment Request. Once it is approved, the automatic break will also be approved.

10. Does the employee need to punch for the break?

No, when the automatic break is used according to the Schedule. The employee only needs to record the Entry and Exit.

11. What happens if the employee records the start of the break?

The manual punch replaces the automatic start. In this case, the employee must also manually record the return from the break.

12. Does the system automatically create the return when the break start was manual?

No. After manually starting the break, the employee must also record the return.

13. Can I configure different break times for each day?

The configuration is made individually on the Schedule rows. Therefore, each day can have the break corresponding to its planned hours.

14. Can I apply the automatic break retroactively?

Not to generate punches for days that have already passed. Even if a retroactive date is selected when saving the Schedule, automatic break punches will not be created automatically for those days.

15. Which date should I select when editing a Schedule with an automatic break?

Select the current date or a future date from which the new configuration should begin generating automatic breaks.

16. I selected an earlier date, but the breaks were not created. Is this an error?

No. Automatic punches are not generated retroactively for days that have already passed.

17. How do I correct breaks for days before the change?

Those days must be reviewed and adjusted separately because editing the Schedule does not automatically create retroactive records.

18. What should I check when the automatic break was not created?

Check the applied Schedule, configuration date, planned day, break type, whether Setup as Automatic is enabled, the Entry and Exit punches, and whether there are any manual punches.