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Public holiday settings

Sean Wyse By Sean Wyse Updated 7 September 2026 3 min read
Permission level: Admins Device: Web Browser

Configure public holiday settings in RosterElf

This guide explains how to set and manage public holiday settings for your RosterElf site. You’ll learn how to navigate to the Public Holidays tab, add or import custom holidays, and remove ones that don’t apply. Keeping your public holiday settings accurate ensures your roster calendar reflects the correct schedule and that public holiday pay rates are applied properly.

This article covers accessing and customising your site’s public holiday list. For a fuller walkthrough that also covers deleting holidays and reverting to the standard list, see manage public holidays. Once your public holidays are configured, see our guide on how to pay staff for public holidays in RosterElf.

1. Access the public holiday settings

Follow the steps below to navigate to the public holiday settings for your site.

1.1 Navigate to the sites tab

1.1.1 Log in to your RosterElf account.

RosterElf login screen showing the email address and password fields

1.1.2 Click on the Sites tab in the main navigation menu.

RosterElf dashboard with the Sites tab highlighted in the main navigation menu

1.2 Select your site

1.2.1 Find the site you want to configure public holidays for.

RosterElf Sites page showing a list of sites with one site highlighted for selection

1.2.2 Click on the site name to open its settings.

RosterElf Sites list with an arrow indicating where to click to open a site's settings

1.3 Open the public holidays tab

1.3.1 Locate the Public Holidays tab in the site settings panel.

RosterElf site settings panel with the Public Holidays tab visible in the tab menu

1.3.2 Click on the Public Holidays tab to open the holiday settings. While a site is using the standard list, this tab shows the default public holidays for the site’s country and state.

RosterElf site settings with the Public Holidays tab selected and active

2. Manage public holidays

Once you’re in the Public Holidays tab, you can switch to a custom list to add or import holidays, remove ones that don’t apply to your site, and revert to the standard list at any time.

2.1 Switch to custom public holidays

2.1.1 Click the I want to customise my public holidays button below the default holiday list.

RosterElf Public Holidays tab showing the default holiday list with the 'I want to customise my public holidays' button

2.1.2 This opens the Custom Public Holidays view, with Import From a List and Add a Single Day buttons at the top right.

RosterElf Custom Public Holidays view showing the 'Import From a List' and 'Add a Single Day' options, Country and State drop-downs, and the existing holiday list with red × icons

2.2 Add a single public holiday

2.2.1 Click Add a Single Day. Enter the holiday name and date in the fields provided.

RosterElf public holiday entry form with a custom holiday name being entered in the text field

2.2.2 Click Add to save the new public holiday.

RosterElf public holiday form with the Add button highlighted to confirm saving the new holiday

2.3 Import holidays for a different country or state

2.3.1 Click Import From a List, then select the Country and State from the drop-down lists.

2.3.2 Click Import to load the public holidays that apply.

2.4 Remove a public holiday

2.4.1 Find the holiday you want to remove in the Public Holidays list.

2.4.2 Click the red × icon next to the holiday.

RosterElf Custom Public Holidays list showing the red × icon next to each holiday entry

2.5 Revert to the standard holiday list

2.5.1 Click I want to use the standard holiday list at the bottom of the Public Holidays tab.

2.5.2 This discards your customisations and restores the standard public holidays for your site’s country and state.

Frequently asked questions

1. How do I access the public holiday settings in RosterElf?

To access the public holiday settings, log in to your RosterElf account, navigate to the Sites tab in the main menu, select your site, and open the Public Holidays tab from the site settings panel.

2. How do I add a custom public holiday to my site?

Go to the Public Holidays tab and click “I want to customise my public holidays”. Then click “Add a Single Day”, enter the holiday name and date, and click Add to confirm.

3. How do I import the public holiday list for a different country or state?

After clicking “I want to customise my public holidays”, click “Import From a List”, select the Country and State from the drop-down lists, then click Import to load the public holidays that apply.

4. How do I remove a public holiday from my site settings?

To remove a public holiday, open the Public Holidays tab in your site settings, locate the holiday in the list, click the red × icon next to it, and confirm the removal when prompted.

5. Can I revert to the standard public holiday list for my site?

Yes. Click “I want to use the standard holiday list” at the bottom of the Public Holidays tab to discard any customisations and restore the standard public holidays for your site’s country and state.

6. Why should I configure public holiday settings in RosterElf?

Configuring public holiday settings ensures your roster calendar and payroll calculations are accurate, preventing scheduling errors and ensuring correct public holiday pay rates are applied automatically.

7. Can I edit an existing public holiday in my site settings?

Yes. To edit an existing public holiday, open the Public Holidays tab in your site settings, locate the holiday in the list, click on it to make changes, then save your updates.

8. Will a public holiday show up on my roster once it's added?

Yes. Once a public holiday is added or imported for your site, the date is highlighted on the roster calendar so you can see at a glance which days are public holidays.

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