# Kenjo — Absence Management

Kenjo by Kenjo GmbH holds a panel rating of 3/5 from 6 AI judges (category median 1.5/5), as of 2026-10-15. Provenance: EU-Made; sovereignty: not determined.

- Vendor: Kenjo GmbH (https://www.kenjo.io)
- Category: [Absence Management](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management.md)
- Provenance (editorial classification): EU-Made
- Canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/kenjo
- Alternatives: https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/kenjo/alternatives ([markdown](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/kenjo/alternatives.md))
- Data as of: 2026-10-21 · evaluated 2026-10-15 · oldest source captured 2026-10-13

**AI-generated.** Every score, rationale and verdict here is written by a panel of AI judges from public evidence — an analysis, not a hands-on test. Every fact quotes the vendor page it was read from. No score can be bought. How scores are made: https://whats-best.ai/methodology

## At a glance

- Vendor: Kenjo GmbH
- Headquarters: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026
- Data hosting: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026
- Free plan: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026

## The panel's verdict

Kenjo is an HR suite for SME and deskless workforces from Kenjo GmbH, Berlin, and the strong scores cluster on the daily mechanics: requests and approvals at 7-8, sick leave and eAU at 7, payroll handover at 6-7 and leave policies at 5-7. The eAU route is documented end to end — retrieved automatically from the statutory health insurer through the DATEV integration, with confirmed, pending or failed status — and approvals run on mobile with two-step chains and delegation that reverts on return. The weak end is absence data protection at 4 and sovereignty at 3 to 5, where the judges genuinely split: the high score credits the privacy policy's commitment to processing and storage within the EWR, with no third-country transfer by default, while the low ones note the captured pages name no subprocessors and leave the contracting entity's jurisdiction unconfirmed. Leave policies split over the statutory detail sitting on free calculator pages rather than product documentation. Pricing transparency scores 1 to 2 and is not counted.

**Speaks for it:**
- The eAU is retrieved automatically from the statutory health insurer through the DATEV integration, with status shown as confirmed, pending or failed.
- Absence requests run on mobile with push approval, two-step approval chains, and delegation that is removed automatically when the approver returns.
- Entitlements are calculated automatically, with proration for part-time, joiners and leavers and statutory minimum kept apart from contractual extra leave.
- The DATEV handover moves salaries, wages, attendance and master data encrypted via the DATEV data centre, with ADP, SD Worx and Deel also named.
- Managers see only their direct reports, and viewing absence details is kept apart from managing balances and carry-over.

**Held against it:**
- We found no public information on who may see a sickness reason or certificate, or on retention settings for absence records.
- We found no public information on a data processing agreement or documentation aimed at a works council.
- The captured pages name no subprocessors and leave the contracting entity's jurisdiction unconfirmed.
- The API appears only as a line in the Connect plan, and we found no public information on published API documentation, webhooks or a monthly period lock.
- We found no public information on hourly leave, half days, or automatic notices before carried-over leave expires.

**Best for:**
- You run payroll through DATEV and want sick-leave certificates and salary data to reach your tax advisor over one encrypted connection.
- You manage shift or field-service teams from 25 employees and want absence requests approved from a phone.
- You prorate leave for part-time staff, joiners and leavers across locations with different holiday calendars.

**Avoid if:**
- Your procurement requires a published subprocessor list and a contracting entity confirmed on the vendor's own pages.
- You need published prices before shortlisting — the pricing page names the Starter, Growth and Connect tiers but no figures.
- You plan to wire absence data into your own stack — APIs and integrations sit only in the top Connect plan.

## Scores by judge and criterion

Scores out of 5, each judge scoring independently against the published rubric (v1). "n/r" = not rated: the vendor publishes no price.

| Criterion | The Team Lead | The Managing Director | The Payroll Accountant | The Data Protection Officer | The HR IT Integrator | The Skeptic |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entitlements & German leave rules | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 2.5/5 |
| Requests, approvals & team calendar | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Sick leave, eAU & continued pay | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Payroll handover, time tracking & API | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Health data, access & works council | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| European sovereignty | 1.5/5 | 2/5 | 2.5/5 | 1.5/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Pricing transparency | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r |
| **Weighted verdict** | **3/5** | **3.5/5** | **3/5** | **2.5/5** | **3/5** | **3/5** |

### The judges

- **The Team Lead** (v1.0): Approves leave for twelve people across two shifts and finds out about clashes too late. Wants requests and approvals on the phone, a named substitute on every request, minimum-staffing warnings before approval, and a team calendar that shows who is away without showing why.
- **The Managing Director** (v1.0): Runs a forty-person company in two federal states without an HR department and is liable when leave is calculated wrong. Wants part-time entitlements prorated correctly, the right public holidays per site, carry-over that lapses only after employees were told, and the eAU handled without a phone call to every health insurer.
- **The Payroll Accountant** (v1.0): Closes payroll in DATEV every month and corrects whatever arrived late. Wants absences exported with the right payroll codes, the eAU result attached to the sick day, the six-week continued-pay limit counted per illness, and past months locked once they are paid.
- **The Data Protection Officer** (v1.0): Treats every sick day as special-category data, because the law does. Asks who can see a reason or a certificate, how long absence records are kept and deleted, whether access is logged, where the data is hosted, and which subprocessors send the push notification that says someone is ill.
- **The HR IT Integrator** (v1.0): Wires the absence tool to payroll, time tracking, the identity provider and the calendar. Wants a documented API and webhooks, maintained connectors for the named German payroll systems rather than a CSV, SSO, and balances that agree with the time-tracking system on both sides.
- **The Skeptic** (v1.0): Knows "eAU supported" can mean a photo upload, "DATEV integration" can mean a CSV, and "GDPR-compliant" can mean every manager sees every diagnosis-adjacent note. Reads for who actually retrieves the certificate, which leave rules are computed rather than typed in, and whether the carry-over expiry notice exists at all.

## European sovereignty — proven facts

Built only from facts on the vendor's own pages; a dimension we could not prove is left open, never scored as zero. Headline: not determined.

| Dimension | Finding | Points | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Not determined | — | — |
| Ownership | Not determined | — | — |
| Data residency | Not determined | — | — |
| Subprocessors | Not determined | — | — |

## Key facts

Each fact is the vendor's own statement, cited to the source page it was read from ([S*n*] → Sources).

**Compliance**
- AI training: yes [S4]
- Cookie consent domains: hr.kenjo.io · blog.kenjo.io · kenjo.io [S4]
- Data subject rights: yes · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 20 · 21 [S4]
- Encryption: yes [S4]
- GDPR german servers: yes · Germany · yes [S13]
- Profiling: yes · yes [S4]

**Data**
- Retention analytics: yes · 12 [S4]
- Retention applications: 6 [S4]
- Retention general: Statute of limitations · 10 · 3 [S4]
- Retention talentpool: 2 [S4]
- Retention transcripts: yes · 12 [S4]

**Hosting**
- Analytics ewr: yes · Germany [S4]
- Third country transfer: Standard Contractual Clauses · Binding Corporate Rules · adequacy decision · yes [S4]

**Integrations**
- CSV export: Balance and history reports downloadable as CSV for payroll/tax accountant [S5]
- Datev: yes · Nacht- · Feiertagszuschläge [S13]
- Datev setup steps: Activation via Kenjo account settings, 4-step process including secure connection to DATEV data services [S12]
- Datev transfer: FAQ addresses absence transfer to DATEV [S5]
- Payroll exports: DATEV · ADP · SD Worx · Deel [S6]
- Payroll exports: DATEV · ADP · SD Worx · Deel · yes · yes [S8]

**Legal**
- Controller: Kenjo GmbH · c/o The Delta Campus, Donaustraße 44, 12043 Berlin, Deutschland [S4]
- Entity: Kenjo GmbH · Donaustraße 44, 12043 Berlin, Deutschland [S3]
- Register number: Amtsgericht Charlottenburg · HRB B 183681B [S3]
- Tax number: 29/377/30115 [S3]
- VAT id: DE311075739 [S3]

**Pricing**
- Annual discount: Annual billing saves 10% [S2]
- Datev integration fee: EUR · 600 · Growth [S2]
- Free trial: 14 · yes [S2]
- Free trial: 14 · free trial [S6]
- Free trial: 14 [S8]
- Free trial: 14 · yes [S13]
- Free trial days: yes · 14 [S7]
- Free trial days: 14 · yes [S5]
- No obligation trial: yes · yes [S7]
- Onboarding fee: 400 · EUR · yes · German-speaking customer support staff assists setup [S2]
- Recruiting addon: Recruiting-Modul · 249 · EUR [S2]
- Recruiting plus addon: Recruitment PLUS · 399 · EUR [S2]

**Product**
- Absence approval scope criteria: direct reports · area of responsibility [S14]
- Absence details view permission: view absence details in calendar and overview · own · selected_by_criteria · all [S14]
- Absence manage permission: manage absence entitlements: adjust balance, adjust carryover, assign policies [S14]
- Absence manage vs view difference: read-only absence data · adjust balance, assign policies, manage carryover [S14]
- Absence management: digitales Abwesenheitsmanagement [S8]
- Absence page access prerequisite: access to absence page must be enabled before other absence permissions take effect [S14]
- Absence permission blocks: Anfragen · Abwesenheitsverwaltung · Genehmigungen [S14]
- Absence request app: Employees request absence fully via app: choose period, absence type, submit [S5]
- Absence request scopes: own · selected_by_criteria · all_employees [S14]
- Additional products: Digitale Personalakte · Vorbereitende Lohnabrechnung · Onboarding/Off-boarding · Zeiterfassung · Performance Management · Digitale Unterschrift · Urlaubsverwaltung · Organigramm · Workflows [S7]
- Addons new: 2 · Prüfberichte (available) · Motor AI agents (early access) [S1]
- AI assistant: yes [S3]
- AI features: yes [S1]
- AI product expert: yes [S8]
- Approval deputy: Approval delegation: substitute approves automatically when manager absent [S5]
- Approval rules: yes · yes · yes [S8]
- Automated gross wages: yes [S13]
- Automatic time accounts: yes [S13]
- Blocking period message: Employees immediately see a message why their request is blocked [S5]
- Blocking period policy link: Blocking periods can be linked to specific policies/teams [S5]
- Blocking periods: Blocking periods prevent new vacation requests in selected time ranges [S5]
- Break reminders: yes [S13]
- Browser check in: yes [S13]
- Calculation factors: Jahresurlaubsanspruch (vertraglich) · gesetzlicher Mindesturlaub · bereits genommene Urlaubstage · Ein- und Austrittsdatum (Anteiligkeit) · Vertragslogik zu vertraglichem Mehrurlaub [S7]
- Calculator example savings: annual billing saving example · 240 [S2]
- Calculator inputs: Start- und Enddatum des Arbeitsverhältnisses eingeben · Vertraglichen Jahresurlaub + gesetzlichen Mindesturlaub erfassen · Bereits genommene Urlaubstage eintragen [S7]
- Calculator legally binding: FAQ behandelt Frage, ob Rechner-Ergebnis rechtlich bindend ist [S7]
- Calculator output: yes [S7]
- Calculator pro rata: yes [S7]
- Certificate deadline: fourth calendar day · day 1 [S10]
- Communications modules: Updates · Mitarbeiterverzeichnis · Hinweisgebersystem [S3]
- Communications products: Updates · Mitarbeiterverzeichnis · Hinweisersystem [S7]
- Connect features: Connect adds training management, bulk actions, APIs and integrations, labor-law compliance alerts, time tracking automation, shift templates/availabilities, direct support and implementation [S2]
- Contract types: yes [S13]
- Core feature matrix: All plans include time tracking, absence management, personnel management, SmartDocs document management [S2]
- Dashboard open eau tracking: Time off history dashboard with Status and Attachment columns tracks open eAU [S10]
- Data storage faq: FAQ behandelt Frage zur Datenspeicherung [S7]
- Datev automatic eau retrieval: automatic from statutory health insurer · DATEV [S10]
- Datev capabilities: automatischer Abruf von eAU · Stammdaten · Einmalzahlungen · Wiederkehrende Zahlungen · Fixgehälter · Stundenlöhne · Benachrichtigungen bei Aktualisierungen · Lohnimportdatenservice [S12]
- Datev data types: Fixed salaries, hourly wages, variable payments, attendance data, master data [S12]
- Datev eau automated: yes [S12]
- Datev eau prerequisites: DATEV LODAS · DATEV Lohn und Gehalt [S10]
- Datev employee self service: Employees can enter DATEV-related data in their own Kenjo profile; monthly auto-sync [S12]
- Datev integration: DATEV integration enables seamless payroll data transfer between Kenjo and DATEV [S2]
- Datev integration: DATEV · Übergabe der vorbereitenden Lohnabrechnung [S7]
- Datev integration: DATEV integration for salary data sync and eAU management [S12]
- Datev setup prerequisites: Requires DATEV consultant number and client number [S12]
- Datev transfer encrypted: yes [S12]
- Datev transfer via rechenzentrum: Transfer via DATEV Rechenzentrum to tax advisor with one click [S12]
- Digital pay slips: yes [S13]
- Duty to inform: Resturlaub muss gewährt werden, solange der Arbeitgeber Mitwirkungspflichten erfüllt [S7]
- Eau activation path: Payroll > DATEV settings > eAU certificate [S10]
- Eau digital sick notes: Kenjo supports eAU (digital sick notes) retrieved via DATEV integration [S11]
- Eau mandatory date: eAU mandatory in Germany since 01.01.2023, largely replaces paper yellow slip [S10]
- Eau notification email: New eAUs trigger email notification to admin or accountant address [S11]
- Eau retrieval timeframe: 14 · 3-4 [S10]
- Eau setup requirements: DATEV login medium · DATEV personnel numbers stored in Kenjo · insurance details recorded in Kenjo personnel files [S11]
- Eau status tracking: eAU request status shown: confirmed, pending or failed [S5]
- Eau time off type selection: eAU retrieval can be enabled per time off type [S11]
- Excel alternative: yes [S7]
- Export dashboard: Time off history dashboard can be exported [S10]
- Export formats: Word · PDF [S8]
- External retrieval tools: sv.net · DATEV Online · tax advisor [S10]
- Free leave request tool: yes · yes · yes · yes [S8]
- Free trial: 14 [S4]
- Geofencing: yes [S13]
- Growth features: Growth adds digital signature, custom workflows, onboarding/offboarding assignment, multi-office management, BI dashboards, custom profiles/permissions, time clock terminal, whistleblowing system, phone support [S2]
- HR modules: Product modules: digital personnel file, preliminary payroll, onboarding/offboarding, time tracking, performance management, digital signature, vacation, org chart, workflows, shift planning, time clock terminal [S2]
- HR system scope: all-in-one HR system from workforce planning and time tracking to payroll preparation, with AI [S1]
- Kiosk terminal: PIN · QR-Code · yes [S13]
- Leave auto calculation: Automatische Berechnung von Urlaubsansprüchen inkl. Sonderfällen [S6]
- Leave balance auto update: yes · yes · yes [S8]
- Leave calculator no signup: Rechner ohne Anmeldung, Daten bleiben im Browser [S6]
- Leave calculator purpose: Berechnungstool für gesetzlichen Urlaubsanspruch für Kündigung, Minijob, Teilzeit, Elternzeit, Mutterschutz [S6]
- Leave legal basis display: Ergebnis mit Begründung inkl. Paragraf (BUrlG, BEEG, MuSchG) [S6]
- Leave types: Erholungsurlaub, Sonderurlaub, Bildungsurlaub [S8]
- Legal basis burlg: Bundesurlaubsgesetz (BUrlG) · bis 31.03. des Folgejahres [S7]
- Live balance view: App card shows total entitlement, taken days, planned days and remaining balance, live calculated [S5]
- Live cost control: yes [S13]
- Live dashboard: yes [S13]
- Manual deduction correction: Manual per-day correction of deducted amount possible [S5]
- Manual upload even with automatic: yes [S10]
- Maternity leave rule: § 24 Abs. 2 MuSchG · yes [S6]
- Milog reports: yes [S13]
- Minijob leave rule: Gleicher gesetzlicher Urlaubsanspruch wie andere Beschäftigungen, anteilig nach Arbeitstagen pro Woche [S6]
- Mobile gps check in: yes [S13]
- Module list: Digitale Personalakte · Vorbereitende Lohnabrechnung · Onboarding/Off-boarding · Zeiterfassung · Performance Management · Digitale Unterschrift · Urlaubsverwaltung · Organigramm · Workflows [S13]
- Modules: Digitale Personalakte · Vorbereitende Lohnabrechnung · Onboarding/Off-boarding · Zeiterfassung · Performance Management · Digitale Unterschrift · Urlaubsverwaltung · Organigramm · Workflows [S3]
- Modules: HR · Digitale Personalakte · Vorbereitende Lohnabrechnung · Onboarding/Off-boarding · Zeiterfassung · Performance Management · Digitale Unterschrift · Urlaubsverwaltung · Organigramm · Workflows [S6]
- Modules: Schichtplanung · Digitale Zeiterfassung · Vorbereitende Lohnabrechnung mit DATEV-Übergabe · Urlaubs- und Abwesenheitsverwaltung · Reporting [S7]
- Modules footer: Digital personnel file · Payroll preparation · Onboarding/offboarding · Time tracking · Performance management · Digital signature · Leave management · Org chart · Workflows [S4]

**Support**
- AI product expert: AI Produktexperte · yes [S7]
- AI product expert chat: yes [S1]
- Channels: website chat · email · yes [S4]
- Datev related docs: Help center articles on eAU, DATEV setup, employee data import, sick leave, payroll [S12]

70 more facts on the canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/kenjo

## Questions

### Is Kenjo European?

Yes. whats-best.ai classifies Kenjo as EU-Made.

### Where does Kenjo store data?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026.

### Does Kenjo have a free plan?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026.

### What are the best alternatives to Kenjo?

As of 15 Oct 2026, the panel rates [flair (2.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/flair-hr), [HRlab (2.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/hrlab) and [Urlaubsverwaltung (2/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/urlaubsverwaltung) highest among the other 16 Absence Management products evaluated. Ratings that look equal are rounded to half stars; the order uses the unrounded rating, then the name. The highest-rated European alternative is [flair](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/flair-hr) (EU-Made). Ratings are the AI panel’s opinion, formed from public evidence: [how scores are made](https://whats-best.ai/methodology#ordering). The full list, with European products first: [Kenjo alternatives](https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/kenjo/alternatives).

## What this page leaves out

- 31 product facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 11 legal facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 6 subprocessors facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 5 hosting facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 3 pricing facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 2 support facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 2 sovereignty dimensions could not be confirmed on the vendor’s own pages and are shown as unknown.
- 6 of the readings below were written against an earlier fact sheet — a fact has been corrected, added or pulled since. Until the panel next runs on this product you are reading the older judgement.

## Sources

- [S1] Vendor homepage: https://www.kenjo.io/de (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S2] Pricing page: https://www.kenjo.io/de/preise (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S3] Imprint: https://www.kenjo.io/de/legal/impressum (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S4] Privacy policy: https://www.kenjo.io/de/legal/datenschutz (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S5] Absence management: https://www.kenjo.io/de/produkt/abwesenheitsmanagement (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S6] Entitlements & German leave rules — found from sitemap: https://www.kenjo.io/de/produkt/urlaubsanspruch-rechner (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S7] Entitlements & German leave rules — found from sitemap: https://www.kenjo.io/de/produkt/resturlaub-berechnen (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S8] Requests, approvals & team calendar — found from sitemap: https://www.kenjo.io/de/produkt/urlaubsantrag-vorlage (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S9] Requests, approvals & team calendar — found from sitemap: https://help.kenjo.io/en/articles/653628-manage-and-approve-time-off-requests (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S10] Sick leave, eAU & continued pay — found from sitemap: https://help.kenjo.io/en/articles/597687-manage-sick-leave-and-eau (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S11] Sick leave, eAU & continued pay — found from sitemap: https://help.kenjo.io/en/articles/597685-activate-eau-for-payroll (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S12] Payroll handover, time tracking & API — found from sitemap: https://help.kenjo.io/de/articles/597676-datev-integration-in-kenjo-verstehen-aktivieren (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S13] Payroll handover, time tracking & API — found from sitemap: https://www.kenjo.io/de/produkt/zeiterfassung-logistik (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S14] Health data, access & works council — found from sitemap: https://help.kenjo.io/de/articles/597805-profile-berechtigungen-fur-abwesenheit-konfigurieren (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S15] Health data, access & works council — found from sitemap: https://help.kenjo.io/en/articles/597805-configure-profiles-permissions-for-time-off (checked 2026-10-13)

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Cite as: whats-best.ai, "Kenjo — Absence Management", AI panel analysis, as of 2026-10-21. https://whats-best.ai/software/absence-management/kenjo

Corrections: https://whats-best.ai/correct/680?target=page