But this is exactly where the problem lies: more isn’t always better. Customer reviews of enterprise solutions often paint a very different picture. At absence.io, we’ve been dealing with this topic for several years, admittedly, also out of self-interest. In this article, we summarize the most common criticisms voiced by users of all-in-one solutions. You can then decide for yourself what really makes sense for you.

Many choose large software providers because of their strong brand presence. They are well-established and therefore automatically seem like the right choice.

What often gets overlooked: there are also many smaller providers that offer exactly the features you actually need.

What is marketed as a “does-it-all” solution often turns out in practice to be unnecessarily complex software with high costs and little added value. Users frequently report a central issue: while the software can theoretically do everything, its practical benefit is often lost due to its complexity. Enterprise solutions try to offer as many features as possible, which often comes at the expense of the quality of individual functions. As a result, many companies end up using specialized software like absence.io for time tracking alongside their all-in-one solution, simply because it works.

Here’s a small example from our daily work:

At the end of last year, a now customer told us during a product demo that, with fewer than 10 employees, they were paying €7,000 per year for an all-in-one solution and the functions they needed didn’t even work properly. They now use the Pro package from absence.io for less than €50 per month and are very happy.

This experience is not an isolated case but is reflected in many customer reviews. We’ve summarized the typical problems for you below.

Software that is supposed to simplify processes often ends up making them more complicated:

• lengthy, complicated onboarding or even required training
• confusing interfaces
• lack of practical usability

HR teams spend more time implementing and understanding the tool than they ultimately save with it.

Another common issue: lack of flexibility.

• long minimum contract terms
• cancellations are delayed
• automatic renewals without clear communication

The result: companies continue to pay high prices even though the software is no longer really being used.

One of the biggest problems: when something doesn’t work or questions arise due to complexity, help is often slow or insufficient:

• response times of several days or weeks
• no direct contact person
• answers without concrete solutions

You would expect large HR software providers to offer strong support that helps customers at all times. In reality, however, this is often not the case, as many reviews show. Especially in HR, this is critical. If vacation requests, absences, or time tracking don’t work, things can quickly turn chaotic.

Many enterprise solutions appear affordable at first, until you actually start using them:

• additional costs for essential features
• expensive integrations and modules
• price increases after signing the contract

What was planned as an investment can quickly turn into an unexpected cost factor with no clear added value.

A lot is often promised during the sales process:

• “all-in-one” solutions for all HR processes
• seamless integrations
• full automation

In practice, however, things often look very different: many features are missing, don’t work properly, or are only available at an extra cost.

All-in-one solutions are not automatically a bad fit. For companies with complex HR processes, such a solution can work very well, especially if the features are actually used. The problem arises when they are not.

In short: you should only pay for what you really need.

absence.io focuses on what matters: absence and vacation management, time tracking, and digital personnel file, all without unnecessary complexity.

• clear, transparent pricing structure
• no hidden costs
• no expensive add-ons

At absence.io, there are no hidden fees or extra charges for individual features. Our packages clearly show everything included.

• cancel anytime on a monthly basis

Since we are fully confident in the quality of our software, we don’t lock you into long-term contracts.

• fast response times
• real people as contact partners
• solution-oriented support

At absence.io, you get fast and personal support without having to wait hours, days, or weeks. On average, we respond within just 42 minutes.

• intuitive usability
• processes that adapt to HR, not the other way around
• secure and reliable

absence.io is designed to make your daily work easier, so that HR processes are simple, clear, and reliable.

Choosing HR software should not depend on how many features it offers, but on how well it meets your actual needs.

With absence.io, you get a solution that is truly intuitive to use, fairly priced, and reliable in everyday use, without unnecessary complexity or hidden costs.

If you’d like to simply try it out, you can test absence.io free of charge and without obligation for 14 days. Our product experts are also available to you at any time. Just book an appointment, and we’ll take a look at our software together.

• Mobile Time Tracking: Flexible, Efficient, and GDPR-Compliant – What a Business Needs to Know
• Why Absence Management Doesn’t Have to Be Chaotic for Startups

The post Why enterprise HR software is often the wrong choice appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

Personnel management is becoming increasingly complex: today, it’s not just about absences, but also about staying legally up to date and managing data in compliance with GDPR, especially for companies across the EU.

The question is no longer whether you need a HR software, but how comprehensive it should be for your needs. In this article, we’ll show you the differences between the Pro and Complete packages from absence.io, so you know which one suits you best.

The Pro package is ideal for companies that:

• want to professionalize their HR processes
• are currently still working with Excel, paper, or individual solutions

Whether you have a small team of 3 people or a company with 3,000 employees, the Pro package from absence.io fits any company size.

Many companies are still juggling:

• Excel spreadsheets for vacations
• separate tools for working hours
• paper files for HR

Pro brings everything together:

• absences
• working hours
• personnel documents

Result: a centralized, clear HR system that makes your work noticeably easier.

Working hours must be systematically recorded, whether you like it or not. This is not just a best practice, time tracking is legally mandatory for companies across the European Union.

With Pro:

• you always automatically meet current legal requirements
• you create transparency for employees and managers
• you reduce legal risks

Check out our article on the benefits of digital time tracking. You’ll quickly realize that you probably wanted this feature all along.

Pro isn’t a “nice-to-have,” it’s essential. You only pay for active users, and there’s no minimum number of users required.

The Complete package is perfect for companies where employees frequently need to claim expenses, such as field teams. With the Complete package from absence.io, everything runs directly in one system, saving you tedious manual processes.

Submitting travel or expense claims usually involves:

• manual steps
• errors in accounting
• lots of time

With Complete, everything runs automatically in the system. You save time, stress, and reduce errors.

With Complete, you can:

• easily transfer HR data to other systems
• build automations

For all companies with regular expense claims, the Complete package from absence.io for only €7.99 per month per user is unbeatable.

Pro is perfect if you want to digitalize your HR processes, get rid of Excel & paper, and have everything around absences, working hours, and personnel documents under control in one place.

Complete is the right choice if you want to manage expenses, travel costs, and integrations.

No matter which package you choose: with absence.io, your HR processes finally become simpler, clearer, and less stressful.

If you’d like to try it out, you can test absence.io for 14 days for free and without obligation. Our product experts are also always available. Book a meeting and learn more about our software.

• Travel Expense Reporting via App: Why Digital Submission and Accounting are Essential
• Excel at expense management, just not with Excel.
• Manual vs. Digital Expense Management: Which Solution is Best for Your Startup?
• Efficient Time Tracking for Small Businesses: Simple, Secure, and GDPR-Compliant

The post Pro or Complete Package from absence.io? appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

Do you still need the template for 2025? You can find it here.

For Admins

• The template defines 8 hours of work per day by default. You can adjust this under the “Working Hours/Day” cell.
• All weekdays (Mon-Fri) are defined as workdays in the template. You can adjust the actual number of workdays per month (affected by holidays, which vary by state, or Saturday work) under the “Workdays/Month” cell.

For Users

• Enter the time you started your workday under “Start” (e.g., 09:00).
• Enter the time you ended your workday under “End” (e.g., 16:00).
• If you took a break, enter the duration of your break in minutes under “Break” (e.g., 00:30).

General

• Everything is entered in hh:mm format, e.g., 09:00 for 9 AM.
• Enter break times in the same format, e.g., 00:30 for a 30-minute break.
• The table automatically calculates your hours.
• Under “Balance”, you can see how many hours you still need to work in the corresponding month. If the number exceeds 0 and reaches the positive area by the end of the month, your overtime will be automatically displayed.

Vacation

• Enter the number of your vacation days for the respective month under “Vacation Days”. The hours will then be deducted from the hours to be worked accordingly. For better clarity, you can color-code your vacation days.

Time Tracking Template as a Google Drive Spreadsheet

If you’d like to track your working hours using a Google Drive spreadsheet, we also offer a template for that.

To use it, simply click on “File” in the top left corner, then select “Make a copy.” You can save this copy in your Google Drive account and use the time tracking template as needed.

If you’re looking for a time sheet template, you can download a PDF or Word template here.

Excel Templates: Time-consuming, Error-prone, Insecure

Keep in mind the following aspects when using an Excel template for time tracking:

• Time-consuming creation of the Excel table: Creating it requires time and effort, as formulas and formatting need to be inserted, adding complexity.
• High time expenditure for entering working hours: Manual entry can be time-consuming, possibly leading to sporadic updates and inaccuracies.
• Inaccuracy in recording working hours: Manual entries increase the risk of errors and inaccuracies.
• Error-proneness of Excel: Excel sheets are prone to errors, especially when mishandled.
• Lack of transparency: Difficulties in getting a comprehensive overview of all employees’ working hours due to scattered data.

Is There a Better and Cheaper Solution?

If you want to ensure secure time tracking while saving your budget, you should opt for absence.io. We are extremely convinced of our product and consider our time tracking software the best, so we highly recommend it to you.

Unlike any Excel template, we offer you digital time tracking with:

• Digital stopwatch, punch terminal, or manual entries
• Smart and automatic overtime management
• Usability via web and mobile app (iOS & Android)
• Optimal overview for admins and users

Software Instead of Excel Template?

If you want to take your time tracking to the next level, you can test our software now for 14 days for free and completely non-binding. You don’t need to enter any payment details, and the trial period ends automatically. Just give it a try!

Our experts are available to support you for free.

• Download your Free Vacation Request Form
• Timesheet Template Free Download
• Free Excel vacation planner template 2026
• Travel Expense Reimbursement Template: in PDF and DOCX

The post Free Time Tracking Excel Template 2026 appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

FREE DOWNLOAD

Instructions: How to use the vacation planner Excel template from absence.io

Step 1: At the bottom of the vacation planner, you’ll find a tab for each month. Go to January and enter your employees’ names. They will then be automatically included for each month and in the overall overview.

Step 2: In the last tab “Summary,” enter the corresponding number of vacation days under “Vacation Entitlement.” This can be specified separately for each person, for example, if you have full-time and part-time employees.

Step 3: Let’s get started! Enter “V” for vacation, “S” for sick leave, or “HO” for home office on the respective days. In the right table, you’ll then see the sum of individual absence days.

Step 4: In the last tab “Overview,” the Excel template provides a comprehensive overview:

• Vacation days: The total number of vacation days taken so far in the year
• Sick leave: The total number of sick days
• Home Office: The total number of home office days
• Vacation Entitlement: The number of the corresponding vacation entitlement
• Remaining vacation: The number of unused vacation days

Our vacation planner Excel template is simple and effective. You can track all types of leave (and more) with it. With the corresponding overview page, you can simultaneously keep the necessary overview. Enjoy!

FREE DOWNLOAD

Additional Options

If you’d like to manage your vacation through a Google Drive spreadsheet, you’ll find a template here. To use it, simply click on “File –> Make a copy” in the top left corner.

Do you still need the 2025 template? You can download it directly here.

Do you want an even better solution for vacation planning?

Our Excel vacation planning template is great, no doubt. However, there’s a solution that’s even simpler, safer, and more organized: our software.

All employees get their own account. Everything is requested and approved through it.

It works like this, for example:
Antonia wants to take a week off in September. She selects the corresponding days in absence.io and requests the desired vacation with just one click.
Her supervisor, Mascha, receives a notification (e.g., via email, Teams, or Slack) and can approve or deny the requested vacation accordingly.

In the background, everything is recorded and monitored according to your statutes. Employees and supervisors always have a comprehensive overview of the vacation and absence situation. There are also many practical automations.
For example, if someone has no more vacation days left, they can’t request any more. And much more.

This is not only convenient for employees and supervisors but also significantly reduces your HR effort. At the same time, it makes things much safer. Excel is susceptible. At absence.io, everything is encrypted to the highest security standards and protected against unauthorized access with the appropriate permissions. Everyone sees only what they are allowed to see.

Ready?

If you’re ready to take your vacation management to the next level, you’re in the right place with us. Test our software for 14 days without obligation and for free or schedule a consultation with our product experts!

LET’S GO

The post Free Excel vacation planner template 2026 appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

Sounds old-school, but it’s still common practice in many startups:

• Collecting, filing, or stuffing receipts into drawers
• Tracking expenses in Excel or Google Sheets
• Sending emails back and forth for approvals
• Manual verification by the finance team (or founders)

For a small team, this might work. But as your startup grows, it can quickly turn into chaos and wasted time.

❌ Receipts get lost: And the tax authorities won’t be happy.
❌ Excel spreadsheets are error-prone: One wrong digit, and your budget is off.
❌ Slow processes: Approvals take forever.
❌ No real-time overview: Tracking expenses becomes a guessing game.
❌ Not scalable: More employees = more chaos.

👉 In short: Manual expense management is slow, error-prone, and eats up valuable time you should be using to grow your startup.

Digital expense management means less hassle, more automation! Here are some smart solutions for your startup:

💡 Receipt scanning apps: Snap a picture of your receipt, and the software extracts the amount, date, and vendor. No more paper piles!
💡 Cloud-based expense management tools: Keep everything in one place: expense requests, approvals, and reimbursements run smoothly.
💡 Expense-tracking credit cards: Automatically log all business expenses and sync them with your accounting system.
💡 Automated approval workflows: No more endless email threads – expenses get approved directly in the system.
💡 Real-time analytics & reports: Instantly see your spending trends and keep control over your costs.

Sounds promising? What are the benefits?

✅ Saves time: Scanning receipts takes seconds.
✅ Greater transparency: Get a real-time view of your spending.
✅ Fewer errors: Automatic calculations = no more misplaced numbers.
✅ Faster reimbursements: Employees get their money back quicker.
✅ Easy scalability: Your processes grow as your team expands.

👉 Bottom line: Digital expense management eliminates unnecessary admin work and lets you focus on what truly matters – growing your startup.

The sooner, the better! By the time you reach 5–10 employees, the administrative workload will be so high that Excel & Co. become unsustainable.

🔎 Signs it’s time to switch:

• You’re constantly dealing with missing or incorrect receipts.
• Expense reports take forever and frustrate everyone.
• The tax authorities demand better records and reports.
• You need a scalable solution for growth & international expansion.

💡 Tip for Startups: Providers like absence.io offer flexible per-user pricing. That means you only pay for what you need – allowing you to professionalize your processes right from the start!

Manual expense management might be okay at the beginning, but in the long run, it’s a time and money trap. Digital solutions provide more efficiency, fewer errors, and maximum control – exactly what a growing startup needs!

If you’re ready to take the next step, check out absence.io’s digital expense and travel cost management. In addition to Expense Management, absence.io also offers solutions for leave and absence tracking, time tracking software, and a digital employee file. Each module can be booked separately, follows an affordable pay-per-user model, and can be canceled monthly at any time.

You can either test the software for free or book a free consultation with us.

• Why Absence Management Doesn’t Have to Be Chaotic for Startups
• Mobile Time Tracking: Flexible, Efficient, and GDPR-Compliant – What a Business Needs to Know
• AI in HR (Part 1): Potentials in Attendance and Absence Management?

The post Manual vs. Digital Expense Management: Which Solution is Best for Your Startup? appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.