HR Calendar - User Guide

Version: 1.0
Last updated: December 10, 2025

What is the HR Calendar?

The HR Calendar is your visual tool for managing and tracking important HR events, company holidays, employee leave schedules, and team activities. Think of it as a shared calendar where you can:

  • View all company holidays and events
  • See employee leave schedules at a glance
  • Plan HR activities and deadlines
  • Track team milestones and training sessions
  • Avoid scheduling conflicts
  • Coordinate with other departments
  • View employee time off requests

Who Should Use This Calendar?

This calendar is for:

  • HR Managers — Plan events, track holidays, manage employee leave
  • HR Specialists — Coordinate HR activities and deadlines
  • HR Directors — Monitor team activities and company events
  • Department Managers — View your team's leave and schedules
  • Employees — See company holidays and events
  • Finance/Payroll — Track leave for salary calculations

How to Access the Calendar

Method 1: From the HR Menu

  1. Log in to the DTR System
  2. Click on HR in the main menu
  3. Click on Calendar
  4. You're now viewing the HR Calendar

Method 2: Direct URL

URL: /hr/calendar

Calendar Overview

The HR Calendar is organized with these main sections:

Section 1: Calendar Navigation (Top Left)

  • Month and year selector
  • Previous/Next month buttons
  • Today button to return to current date
  • Small calendar preview for quick navigation

Section 2: Main Calendar View (Center)

  • Large calendar grid showing the full month
  • Days displayed in a weekly format
  • Events and holidays highlighted with colors
  • Employee leave shown on specific dates

Section 3: Calendar Legend/Key (Right Side or Bottom)

  • Color codes explaining what each color means
  • Event type indicators
  • Holiday markers
  • Leave type symbols

Understanding the Calendar Layout

Month View

The calendar displays one full month at a time.

Layout:

  • Rows: Each row represents a week
  • Columns: Each column represents a day (Sunday to Saturday)
  • Dates: Numbers 1-31 depending on the month
  • Previous Month Dates: Grayed out or faded
  • Next Month Dates: Grayed out or faded

Day Display

Each day box can show:

  • Date number
  • Event name or holiday name
  • Color coding indicating event type
  • Number of employees on leave (if multiple)
  • Holiday flag or icon

Example Day Box:

┌─────────────────┐
│ 10              │
│ Company Meeting │
│ 3 on Leave      │
└─────────────────┘

Color Coding and Event Types

Understanding the Colors

The calendar uses different colors to indicate different types of events:

Red Color

Means: Company Holidays or Important Deadlines

Examples:

  • Christmas Day
  • New Year's Day
  • Independence Day
  • Payroll Cutoff Date

What to do: Nobody works on these days (unless essential staff)

Blue Color

Means: Team Events or Company Activities

Examples:

  • Team meetings
  • Company town halls
  • Training sessions
  • Department meetings
  • Workshops

What to do: Employees should be available for these events

Green Color

Means: Employee Leave or Time Off

Examples:

  • Vacation days
  • Sick leave
  • Personal leave
  • Sabbatical

What to do: Employee is unavailable on these days

Orange/Yellow Color

Means: Reminders or Upcoming Deadlines

Examples:

  • Leave request deadline
  • Benefits enrollment deadline
  • Performance review dates
  • Interview scheduled

What to do: Action needed soon

Purple Color

Means: HR Activities or Special Events

Examples:

  • Recruitment drive
  • Training programs
  • Onboarding sessions
  • Team building events

What to do: HR-related activity happening

Event Icons

Look for small icons next to event names:

  • Calendar Icon — Standard event
  • Heart Icon — Holiday
  • Person Icon — Employee-related
  • Bell Icon — Reminder
  • Briefcase Icon — Work-related event
  • Plane Icon — Leave or vacation
  • Hospital Icon — Sick leave
  • Checkmark Icon — Completed event

How to Navigate the Calendar

Move to Next Month

Steps:

  1. Look at the top left of the calendar
  2. Click the right arrow button (>)
  3. Calendar advances to the next month
  4. See updated dates and events for the new month

Move to Previous Month

Steps:

  1. Look at the top left of the calendar
  2. Click the left arrow button (<)
  3. Calendar goes back to the previous month
  4. See the previous month's events

Jump to Today

Steps:

  1. Look at the navigation buttons
  2. Click the "Today" button
  3. Calendar jumps back to the current date
  4. Current date is usually highlighted

Jump to Specific Month/Year

Steps:

  1. Click on the month and year text (e.g., "December 2025")
  2. A dropdown or popup appears
  3. Select the month you want
  4. Select the year you want
  5. Calendar updates to that month/year

Viewing Event Details

Click on an Event

What you want to do: See full details about an event

Steps:

  1. Find the event in the calendar
  2. Click on the event name or date
  3. A popup or detail panel appears showing:
    • Event name
    • Event date and time
    • Event description
    • Location (if applicable)
    • Who organized it
    • Number of attendees
  4. Close the popup when done

View Holiday Information

Steps:

  1. Find the holiday on the calendar (usually in red)
  2. Click on the holiday name
  3. See details like:
    • Holiday name
    • Why it's a holiday
    • Whether it's paid time off
    • Any special instructions
  4. Close the popup

View Employee Leave

Steps:

  1. Find a date with employee leave (usually green)
  2. Click on the leave entry
  3. See details like:
    • Employee name
    • Type of leave (vacation, sick, etc.)
    • Start and end dates
    • Leave duration
    • Approval status
  4. Close when done

Common Calendar Tasks

Task 1: Check if a Date is Available

Objective: Verify if a date is free for scheduling a meeting

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the month containing the date
  2. Find the specific date on the calendar
  3. Look at the day box
  4. If no events are shown, the date is available
  5. If events are shown, check if your meeting can fit
  6. If unsure, click on the events to see details

Example:

  • Want to schedule meeting on December 15
  • Check calendar for December 15
  • See only "Team Meeting 2-3 PM"
  • Can schedule your meeting at a different time

Task 2: View Company Holidays for a Month

Objective: See all holidays in a specific month

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the desired month
  2. Look for red-colored events
  3. These are company holidays
  4. Count them to see how many holidays in that month
  5. Click each one to see details if needed

Example:

  • December 2025 holidays:
    • December 25: Christmas
    • December 31: New Year's Eve
    • Total: 2 holidays

Task 3: Check Your Team's Leave Schedule

Objective: See which team members are on leave this week

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the current or desired week
  2. Look for green-colored events on the calendar
  3. Click on leave entries to see employee names
  4. Note the dates they're away
  5. Plan coverage accordingly

Example:

  • Jane Doe: Dec 15-17 (vacation)
  • John Smith: Dec 18-19 (sick leave)
  • Plan for their absence

Task 4: Find the Next Available Meeting Date

Objective: Schedule a meeting when most people are available

Steps:

  1. Look at the calendar for the coming weeks
  2. Identify days with minimal events
  3. Days with fewer colored blocks are better
  4. Check both holidays and leave entries
  5. Avoid red dates (holidays)
  6. Avoid peak busy days (lots of events)
  7. Click "Create Event" to schedule the meeting

Example:

  • December 15: 5 events (too busy)
  • December 16: 2 events (okay)
  • December 17: 0 events (perfect)
  • Schedule meeting on December 17

Task 5: Track Leave Requests Throughout the Month

Objective: Monitor when employees take time off

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the month you want to review
  2. Look at all the green-colored entries
  3. Count total leave days
  4. Identify any patterns (e.g., Fridays, holidays)
  5. Note if multiple employees are out the same day
  6. Ensure adequate staffing coverage

Task 6: Prepare for Busy Periods

Objective: Identify peak busy times in your organization

Steps:

  1. Scan the calendar for months with many events
  2. Look for clusters of colored boxes
  3. Note which weeks have the most activity
  4. Plan accordingly:
    • Don't schedule leaves during busy periods
    • Ensure full staffing
    • Prepare for high workload
  5. Communicate with team

Understanding Different Event Types

Company Holidays

Display: Red colored, with holiday name

Examples:

  • New Year's Day
  • Independence Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas
  • Diwali
  • Eid

Meaning: No work is expected; offices closed

Action: Plan around these dates

Employee Leave

Display: Green colored, with employee name

Types:

  1. Vacation — Planned time off (blue-green)
  2. Sick Leave — Employee illness (lighter green)
  3. Personal Leave — Personal matters (medium green)
  4. Unpaid Leave — Without pay (dark green)

Meaning: Employee is not working these dates

Action: Plan coverage for their absence

Team Events

Display: Blue colored, with event name

Examples:

  • Team meetings
  • Training sessions
  • Company town hall
  • Department meeting
  • Brainstorm session

Meaning: Employees should attend

Action: Mark your schedule; don't miss

HR Activities

Display: Purple colored, with activity name

Examples:

  • Recruitment drive
  • Onboarding session
  • Employee review period
  • Benefits enrollment
  • HR training

Meaning: HR-related activity happening

Action: Participate if required

Reminders/Deadlines

Display: Orange/Yellow colored

Examples:

  • Leave request deadline
  • Time sheet submission
  • Performance review due
  • Document submission deadline

Meaning: Action needed by this date

Action: Complete the task before deadline

Week View (If Available)

Some calendars show a week view with more detail:

Week View Features

  • Shows 7 days in detail
  • Each day column is wider
  • Hourly time slots visible
  • Better for scheduling exact times
  • Shows time conflicts clearly

How to Switch to Week View

  1. Look for view options (usually top right)
  2. Click "Week" button
  3. Calendar changes to show 1 week in detail
  4. Use arrows to navigate between weeks

Tips for Using the Calendar Effectively

Tip 1: Check Calendar Before Scheduling

  • Always check the calendar before scheduling meetings
  • Avoid holidays and busy days
  • Ensure attendees aren't on leave

Tip 2: Use Color Coding Quickly

  • Learn what each color means
  • Quickly spot events by color
  • Red = No work, Green = Someone's out, Blue = Team event

Tip 3: Look Ahead

  • Check the calendar 2-3 weeks in advance
  • Plan for upcoming holidays
  • Prepare for busy periods

Tip 4: Track Leave Patterns

  • Look for patterns in employee leave
  • Note if certain days are always busy
  • Plan your team's workload accordingly

Tip 5: Keep Calendar Updated

  • Add events promptly
  • Update changes immediately
  • Remove cancelled events
  • Keep information current

Tip 6: Use Reminders

  • Note important deadlines
  • Set alerts in your phone
  • Don't miss deadline dates

Tip 7: Share Calendar Information

  • Brief team about upcoming holidays
  • Notify about important events
  • Coordinate leave schedules
  • Communicate busy periods

Step-by-Step Examples

Example 1: Planning a Department Meeting

Scenario: You need to schedule a 2-hour department meeting with 8 employees

Steps:

  1. Open the HR Calendar
  2. Navigate to December 2025
  3. Scan for days with minimal events
  4. Look for days without red (holidays) or green (leaves)
  5. Check employee leave schedules:
    • December 15: Jane on vacation (avoid)
    • December 16: John on sick leave (avoid)
    • December 17: No leaves, minimal events (perfect!)
  6. Click on December 17
  7. Create event "Department Meeting"
  8. Set time 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  9. Add all attendees
  10. Save the event
  11. Event appears on the calendar

Example 2: Checking Holiday Schedule

Scenario: You want to know all holidays in Q4 (Oct-Dec)

Steps:

  1. Open HR Calendar
  2. Navigate to October 2025
  3. Look for red-colored events
  4. Note: Columbus Day (Oct 13)
  5. Move to November
  6. Note: Veterans Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 27)
  7. Move to December
  8. Note: Christmas (Dec 25), New Year's Eve (Dec 31)
  9. List of Q4 holidays: 5 total
  10. Use this for planning and payroll

Example 3: Managing Team Availability

Scenario: Several team members requested leave for the same period

Steps:

  1. Open HR Calendar
  2. Look at the month in question
  3. Find the dates with multiple green entries
  4. Click each to see which employees are on leave
  5. Verify there's adequate coverage
  6. If understaffed, deny one or approve with conditions
  7. Update calendar with approved leaves
  8. Communicate schedule to team

Example 4: Preparing Annual Leave Plan

Scenario: Plan employee leaves for the entire year

Steps:

  1. Review HR Calendar for full year
  2. Navigate month by month (Jan-Dec)
  3. Note peak business periods (look for busy months)
  4. Identify slow periods (fewer events)
  5. Recommend employees take leave during slow periods
  6. Note existing leaves and holidays
  7. Create annual leave plan document
  8. Share with management and employees

Mobile and Responsive Features

Using Calendar on Mobile

  • Calendar adapts to phone screen
  • Swipe left/right to change months
  • Tap events for details
  • Single tap to view, double tap to edit (if permitted)
  • Touch-friendly buttons and text

Using Calendar on Tablet

  • Better view than mobile
  • More details visible
  • Easier to see events
  • Good for planning on the go

Desktop Features

  • Full functionality
  • More details visible
  • Better for creating events
  • Best for detailed planning

Calendar Legend

Quick Reference Guide

Color Meaning Action
Red Holiday/No Work Plan around this
Green Employee Leave Plan coverage
Blue Team Event Attend/Participate
Orange/Yellow Deadline/Reminder Complete task
Purple HR Activity Participate if needed

Common Questions

Q: Why is the calendar empty?

A: The company might not have added events yet. Contact your HR manager to add holidays and events.

Q: Can I see only my team's schedule?

A: Yes, some calendars have filters. Look for a "Filter" or "Team" option to show only your team.

Q: Can I add events to the calendar?

A: Only HR staff with permissions can add events. Contact your HR manager to add or update events.

Q: How often is the calendar updated?

A: The calendar updates immediately when events are added. Refresh your page if you don't see recent changes.

Q: Can employees see this calendar?

A: Depends on company policy. Usually, employees can see holidays and team events but not all HR activities.

Q: What if I disagree with a leave date?

A: Contact the employee or their manager to discuss. The leave must be changed in the leave request system, not the calendar.

Q: How far in advance are events added?

A: Company holidays are usually added at the beginning of the year. Team events are added as planned.

Q: Can I export the calendar?

A: Depends on your system. Look for an "Export" button or right-click options.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Calendar not loading

Solution:

  • Refresh the page
  • Clear your browser cache
  • Try a different browser
  • Check your internet connection

Problem: Events not showing

Solution:

  • Verify you're looking at the correct month/year
  • Check if calendar filters are enabled
  • Refresh the page
  • Contact your HR administrator

Problem: Can't click on events

Solution:

  • Make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser
  • Try updating your browser
  • Use a different browser
  • Try on a different device

Problem: Seeing outdated information

Solution:

  • Refresh the page (F5 or Ctrl+R)
  • Clear browser cache
  • Log out and log back in
  • Contact IT support

Problem: Calendar shows incorrect date

Solution:

  • Check your computer's date/time settings
  • Contact your IT department if incorrect
  • Clear cache and try again

Best Practices

Practice 1: Check Before Scheduling

Always check the calendar before scheduling any meeting or event.

Practice 2: Keep It Updated

Add events promptly so everyone can see them.

Practice 3: Plan Ahead

Look ahead 2-3 weeks to anticipate busy periods.

Practice 4: Respect Leave

Honor approved leaves and don't schedule meetings during them.

Practice 5: Communicate Changes

Inform the team of calendar changes immediately.

Practice 6: Avoid Holiday Conflicts

Never schedule important deadlines on holidays.

Practice 7: Use for Planning

Use the calendar to plan HR activities and employee schedules.

Need Help?

  • Ask your HR Manager or Director
  • Contact your HR Department
  • Reach out to your system administrator
  • Check company policies document

Key Features Summary

Feature What It Does How to Use
Month Navigation Move between months Click < or > buttons
Day View See events on a specific date Click on the date
Event Details See full event information Click on event name
Color Coding Identify event types Look at event color
Holiday Tracking See company holidays Find red events
Leave Monitoring Track employee absences Find green events
Event Filtering Show specific event types Use filter options
Today Button Jump to current date Click "Today" button

Last Updated: December 10, 2025
Version: 1.0
For: HR Managers, HR Specialists, HR Directors, Department Managers, Employees