# Departments

You may mirror your company's structure and hierarchy using departments and roles within freispace.

Departments and roles may have approval workflows for time tracking attached to them. E.g. the post department could have a different approval process than production.

![Company Hierarchy with Departments in freispace](/assets/images/hierarchy-departments-08b8f624a12457682e7dd56ddd8b494b.png)

## Set up departments[​](#set-up-departments "Direct link to Set up departments")

To set up departments:

1. Navigate to Staff > [Departments](https://app.freispace.com/staffs/departments)

2. Click **Add department** on the top right

3. **Name** the department

   <!-- -->

   * You may make the new department a child / sub-department of another department
   * Setting a department as *Default* will assign any new staff with enabled time tracking a member of that department (if the staff does not have any assigned departments yet)

The hierarchy view will automatically be created as you create sub-departments.

## Defining roles[​](#defining-roles "Direct link to Defining roles")

On any department:

1. Click **Add role**
2. **Name** the new role

Role name may repeat within various departments, but not within a single department. E.g. you may set up a *Manager* role within each department, but a single department may only have one role with that name.

note

Multiple staff members can be assigned to each role.

## Assigning staff to departments and roles[​](#assigning-staff-to-departments-and-roles "Direct link to Assigning staff to departments and roles")

To assign staff members to any department or role, click the appropriate **Manage staff** button to select and deselect assigned members.

Staff may be members of multiple roles and department.

note

It is not possible for a staff to be assigned to both a department's role AND the same department. Trying to do so will unassign the staff member from either role or department.

### Notice: Staff and User Accounts[​](#notice-staff-and-user-accounts "Direct link to Notice: Staff and User Accounts")

Staff may not always be linked to a user account. With no user account, these staff members can not receive notifications nor start or reply to approval requests. Staff that are referenced in departments and roles but have no associated account are highlighted with a yellow exclamation sign.

![Staff User Accounts](data:image/png;base64,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)

## Shown information / tags[​](#shown-information--tags "Direct link to Shown information / tags")

Departments may show a number of different tags.

![Department information](data:image/png;base64,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)

* `Default` highlights the default department that new staff members are automatically added to. There can only be one default department.

* The `green tag with number` indicates the number of configured [approval workflows](https://docs.freispace.com/docs/time-tracking/approval-workflows.md) that are set up for a department or role. Hovering it shows more information.

* A `yellow play tag` informs you that the department has [workflows](https://docs.freispace.com/docs/time-tracking/approval-workflows.md) that are currently in process (still requiring approval before completing). Changing workflow settings will only affect newly launched requests.