Overtime
Objective. Define overtime as time worked beyond the scheduled or contracted base and clarify what it does and does not signal.
Overtime is a cost and risk signal that reads differently depending on the base it is measured against. Quoting it without that base invites both over-reaction and complacency.
See it in the demo
Definition
Overtime is time worked beyond an employee's scheduled or contracted base for the period. It is an exception against a plan, so it only has meaning relative to the scheduled paid hours or contracted hours it is being compared against.
How it is calculated
At app-logic level: overtime equals qualifying worked time above the scheduled or contracted threshold for each person. Included: worked time over the agreed base that meets the customer's overtime rule. Excluded: time within the base, and any categories the customer's policy does not treat as overtime. Thresholds, rounding, approval requirements and whether the base is daily, weekly or contractual are all configurable, so confirm the overtime rule with product and the customer's own policy - never assert it.
How to read it and the common misread
Read overtime as a cost, fatigue and capacity-strain signal, and as a prompt to check whether demand, staffing or process is the cause. The common misread is treating overtime as extra productivity or as proof of commitment - it is additional paid (often premium) time that may equally signal under-staffing, poor scheduling or inefficient work. A second misread is comparing raw overtime hours across teams on different bases or policies.
Where it appears
Overtime appears in Time and Activity under hours and overtime, and in Scheduling where overtime and VTO are managed against the roster. Exact overtime rules and thresholds are SME-validation-pending; confirm with product.
Interpretation check
Overtime is worked time above the scheduled or contracted base - a cost and strain signal, not proof of extra productivity, and only comparable on the same base and policy.
Practical task
Find overtime for one team in the demo, state the base it is measured against, and write one line on two different root causes (demand versus staffing versus process) that could produce the same overtime figure.
Self-check
A manager is proud of high overtime as a sign of a hard-working team. How do you reframe it?
Overtime is additional, often premium-cost time. High overtime can equally mean under-staffing, poor scheduling or inefficient work. It is a signal to investigate cause and cost, not automatically a sign of productivity.
Why can two teams' overtime hours not be compared directly?
The base and policy differ - daily versus weekly versus contractual thresholds, different rules on what qualifies. Without the same base and rule, the raw hours are not comparable.
What would you confirm with product before quoting an overtime figure?
The overtime rule - the base, threshold, rounding and approval treatment - since these are configurable and determine what the figure actually counts.
Verified vs demo. Overtime is shown in the Time and Activity demo; overtime rules, thresholds and bases are configurable and SME-validation-pending - confirm with product.