---
schema_version: "1"
id: 041b5c8c92a239044a587a3b9f62644e723b4e3f63a6724c020e5b0cbcb089d4
title: Create Service Resource Absences for Field Service
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/fs_create_absences.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_create_absences.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: adb62ad3ce1bce3512740ef11e6ef38721e855205abc4b4ce3448b3158b64a1f
description: Create resource absences to indicate when a service resource is unavailable to work. During schedule optimization, service resources aren’t assigned to appointments that conflict with their absences. View and manage absences from the Absences related list on service resource records.
products:
  - Field Service
release: "264"
---
# Create Service Resource Absences for Field Service

Create resource absences to indicate when a service resource is unavailable to work. During schedule optimization, service resources aren’t assigned to appointments that conflict with their absences. View and manage absences from the Absences related list on service resource records.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
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            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d46536e41">User
              Permissions Needed</th>
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        </thead>
        <tbody>
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            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">To view resource absences:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">Read on service resources</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">To create and update resource absences:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">Read on service resources</td>

          </tr>
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            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">To add or edit picklist values:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">Customize Application</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">To customize the Field Service managed package:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d46536e41 ">Customize Application</td>

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1. From the Absences related list on a service resource, click **New**. To create a set of regularly scheduled absences, click **New Recurring Absence** and fill out the form.
    
    When modifying recurring absences, you can only modify them one at a time. For example, if a resource had a regularly scheduled appointment every Wednesday, and now that appointment occurs every Thursday, you must create a new recurring absence. If they must change their appointment time and date only a few times, you can modify individual absences in the pattern.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note Resource absence isn't supported for capacity-based service resources when you're using Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization.
2. Select **Non Availability** as the record type. The Break record type is used to automatically create breaks during schedule optimization.
3. Select an absence type: Vacation, Meeting, Training, or Medical.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note Add more absence types by updating the Type picklist on the resource absence object in Setup. Don’t use Break as a picklist value; the managed package uses that name.
4. Enter a start and end time and description.
5. Optionally, add a Gantt label. The Gantt label appears on the absence in the Gantt. For example, Bahamas or Driver Training.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note Gantt labels aren’t available on Break resource absence or Recurring absence types.
6. Optionally, enter an address, such as a training location. For absences that don’t span an entire shift, like a morning medical appointment, the absence address is used to determine travel time to and from adjacent service appointments. Appointments aren’t scheduled during dedicated travel time.

If the Field Service managed package isn’t installed, you don’t see options to select a record type or enter a Gantt label.

The Gantt shows breaks to the left of travel to appointments. If a break is planned during travel time, optimization can still schedule the appointment. The resource can drive, take the break at the specified time, and then complete the travel.

If you're using Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization and there’s no address on the resource absence, optimization and scheduling actions use the location of the last event (Service Appointment or Resource Absence) that has a location to calculate the travel time to the next event. If the resource absence overlaps with the shift end, the resource’s home base location is used to calculate the travel time. If you're not using Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization and there’s no address on the resource absence, optimization uses the resource’s home base to calculate travel time to the next service appointment. For a more precise travel estimate, add an address to the absence, such as the location of the previous appointment or an address for the break.

If you’re not using Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization, the Service Resource Availability work rule sets the home base to midnight. If a dispatcher manually schedules an appointment or resource absence during non-working hours after (or before) midnight, the travel time to the resource’s first appointment (or last appointment on the previous day) during working hours is taken from the manually scheduled item, which is during non-working hours. For example, a service resource has working hours from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM. A resource absence is scheduled during the resource’s non-working hours between 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM. The travel time to the first service appointment of the day is calculated from the resource absence and not from the home base.

Non Availability absences are shown on the Gantt with a “no entry” icon, while Break absences are shown with a cup icon. To customize the color of a resource absence on the Gantt, update the Gantt Color field. You can also use Flow Builder to automate the color-coding of resource absences.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)

Note Only Non Availability and Break record types are shown on the Gantt. Records using a custom record type on the Resource Absence object aren’t shown on the Gantt.

![Absences on Gantt](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/support_field_service/images/fs_absences_gantt.png)

With Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization, a lunch break is created whenever a resource absence is created. If a full-day absence is created (there are no appointments for that day), a lunch break is still shown on the Gantt.

![Absences on Gantt for full day showing lunch break](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/support_field_service/images/full_day_absence_lunch_break.png)

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)

Note If a service resource of type Crew has resource absences, those absences are considered in scheduling and shown on the Gantt. Absences associated with individual crew members’ corresponding service resources aren’t considered.

- **[Sync Services and Resource Absences with Events Using Calendar Sync](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_calendar_sync.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    You can keep your services and resource absences in sync with calendar events using Calendar Sync. Syncing services and resource absences to or from calendar events lets you maintain an accurate view of your services and resource availability when you create events and request meetings from your Salesforce calendar. Events can then be synced between external calendars and Salesforce.

#### See Also

- [Work with Resource Absences](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_approved_absences.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To make it easier for you to work with resource absences, create and edit resource absences directly on the Gantt, view overlapping absences scheduled to the same resource, hide unapproved absences on the Gantt and show resource absences on the Classic Dispatch Console map.")
- [View a Field Service Resource’s Calendar](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_view_calendar.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Resource detail pages include a customizable calendar that shows the resource’s scheduled appointments and absences. The calendar gives dispatchers a snapshot of the resource’s availability, and helps resources stay on top of their schedule.")
- [Create Resource Absences in the Field Service Mobile App](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.mfs_resource_absence.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Resource absences indicate when a service resource is unavailable to work. During schedule optimization, service resources aren’t assigned to appointments that conflict with their absences. View and manage absences from the Profile tab in the app. Or view work and absences together in the Schedule tab.")
- [Work Rule Type: Service Resource Availability](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_optimization_theory_work_rules_service_resource_availability.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Service Resource Availability is an Apex work rule type that ensures that a service resource is available to perform a service appointment. You can schedule breaks automatically, account for travel time, or set up short breaks between service appointments. A work rule of this type is mandatory for all scheduling policies to ensure that both resource absences and availability are respected during the scheduling process.")
- [Service Resource Fields for Field Service](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_resource_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Service resources, resource absences, resource capacity records, assigned resources, and resource preferences have these fields. Sometimes certain fields aren’t visible or editable depending on your page layout and field-level security settings.")