# How to Configure Time in Lieu (TIL) in Shiftsheet

**Product:** Shiftsheet  
**Applies to:** Administrators, Payroll Managers  
**Last updated:** 2026-06-10

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## What is Time in Lieu (TIL)?

Time in Lieu (TIL) — also called Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) — is a form of overtime compensation used by Australian businesses. Instead of receiving overtime pay, an employee earns paid time off equivalent to (or a multiple of) the extra hours worked.

Under the **Fair Work Act 2009**, TIL arrangements must be:

- Agreed upon in writing before the overtime is worked (or as soon as practicable after).
- Taken within a reasonable period (commonly defined in the applicable Modern Award or enterprise agreement).
- Recorded accurately by the employer.

Shiftsheet automates TIL accrual, balance tracking, and scheduling to ensure you remain compliant without manual calculations.

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## Prerequisites

Before enabling TIL tracking, ensure the following are in place:

1. **You have Administrator or Payroll Manager access** to your Shiftsheet workspace.
2. **Each relevant employee is assigned to a Modern Award or enterprise agreement** in Settings > Teams > Employee Profile > Award.
3. **Ordinary hours and overtime thresholds are configured** for each Award in Settings > Payroll > Award Rules.

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## Step-by-Step: Enabling TIL Tracking

### Step 1 — Open Payroll Settings

1. Log in to Shiftsheet and navigate to **Settings** (gear icon, top-right navigation).
2. Select **Payroll** from the left-hand menu.
3. Click **Award Rules**.

### Step 2 — Select the Applicable Award

1. Locate the Award relevant to your employees (e.g., *Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020*).
2. Click **Edit Rules** next to the Award name.

### Step 3 — Enable TIL for the Award

1. Scroll to the **Overtime & TIL** section within the Award rule editor.
2. Toggle **Enable Time in Lieu (TIL)** to **On**.
3. Set the **TIL Multiplier** (e.g., `1.0` for straight time, `1.5` for time-and-a-half). This must match your Award or agreement.
4. Set the **TIL Expiry Window** — the number of days within which accrued TIL must be taken (e.g., `180` days for 6 months).
5. Click **Save Award Rules**.

### Step 4 — Assign TIL Eligibility to Employees

1. Go to **Settings > Teams**.
2. Open each employee's profile by clicking their name.
3. Under the **Entitlements** tab, confirm their Award is correctly assigned.
4. Set **TIL Eligibility** to **Yes**.
5. Click **Save**.

### Step 5 — Verify Accrual on a Timesheet

1. Navigate to **Timesheets** and open or create a timesheet entry that exceeds the ordinary hours threshold.
2. Shiftsheet will automatically flag the excess hours and display an **Accrue as TIL** option in the entry detail panel.
3. Select **Accrue as TIL** and submit the timesheet for approval.
4. Once approved, the TIL balance updates immediately in the employee's profile.

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## How Employees View Their TIL Balance

1. Employees log in to Shiftsheet and click their **avatar** (top-right corner).
2. Select **My Balances**.
3. The **Time in Lieu** tile shows:
   - **Current balance** (hours available to take)
   - **Accrued this period**
   - **Expiry date** of the oldest pending TIL block
4. To request TIL leave, employees go to **Leave > New Request > Leave Type: Time in Lieu**.

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## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Likely cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| TIL option not appearing on timesheet | TIL not enabled for the employee's Award | Check Settings > Payroll > Award Rules |
| TIL balance not updating after approval | Timesheet still in "Submitted" (not "Approved") status | Approve the timesheet in Approvals > Timesheets |
| Employee cannot see TIL balance | TIL Eligibility set to No | Set to Yes in Settings > Teams > Employee Profile > Entitlements |
| TIL expiry alert not triggered | Expiry window not configured | Set Expiry Window in Award Rules |

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## Related Articles

- [Setting Up Rostered Days Off (RDO)](./setting-up-rostered-days-off-rdo.md)
- [How Flexi Time Balances Work in Shiftsheet](./managing-flexi-time.md)
- [Configuring Modern Awards and Enterprise Agreements](./award-configuration.md)
- [Exporting Payroll Reports](./payroll-export.md)