HR Document Signing Tasks: Putting the pieces together

[dan_linton]

Today we are going to review and build out HR document tasks starting from the ground up. These document tasks get assigned for signing or completion by users of the platform, in our example these will be employees. There are several components and while this is all documented there are many turns that can take you off course.

https://www.servicenow.com/docs/csh?topicname=document-templates-overview.html&version=latest

Understanding the Components

Configuring document tasks starts with understanding the key components. In this post, we will build this out but in reverse order so we can reference our data in following steps.

1. Create document templates
2. Creating HR templates and automating document task generation
3. Set up an HR service configuration

Step 1: Building the Document Template

Creating a document template requires the below steps and assumes you have the “Document Templates” plugin installed.

1. Navigate to Document Templates > All Document Templates and create a new record
   • Select HTML Document Template, you could select another type however the below steps to build the Document Template will differ slightly.
2. Populate the following fields
   • Name: ensure this is meaningful as users will see this information
   • Table: <target_table> likely HR Case
   • Body: Enter the body of the article
     • Note this is formatted like an email notification and you can inject fields from the table referenced above.

1. Save or Submit the record
2. Open the newly created Document Template
3. Locate the Participants related list and click New within the related list
4. Create a new Participant record
   • Name: <name>
   • User: Subject person
   • Order:100
5. Click Submit 
6. Ensure you are back on the Document Template record create earlier.
7. Within the Body place cursor at the end of the HTML field
8. Click “Insert Signature” button and confirm the signee by clicking OK.

Click Publish (very important, unpublished document template will not generate tasks)

Step 2: Configuring the HR Template

1. Navigate to HR Administration > HR Service > HR Templates (table sn_hr_core_ sn_hr_core_template)
2. Create a New Record
3. Complete the record
   • Name
   • Table: target table for Service, we will use “HR Talent Management Case” in this example
   • Template:
     • Document Template is <template created in step 1>
     • Other fields can be included in the template such as priority and short description.
     • Setting state to Ready/Work In Progress in Template will allow for immediately generate document task when HR case is created.
4. Submit Record

Step 3: Configuring the HR Service

1. Navigate to HR Administration > HR Service > HR Service Configuration (table sn_hr_core_service)
2. Create a new or locate an existing HR service
   1. HR service name:
   2. Fulfillment type: Manual
   3. Topic detail: Ensure selection reference same table as in HR template above
   4. Template: Reference Template above
   5. Case options: Automatically Initiate Document Tasks  **Only if you want tasks generated automatically
   6. Opened for/Approver view: Default for opened for/approver
   7. Subject person/Task assignee view: Default for subject person/task assigned to
   8. Service table fields: Document template (selected)
   9. Save record ensuring active is checked.

Validation

1. Create a new HR Case with the appropriate HR Service
2. Navigate to the case record
3. Move the state to Ready or Work In Progress
4. Notice the document task created in the related list.

Impersonate the user to sign the document to complete the document task

Congratulations you now have a signable document!