When to use Document Management (Document Services) versus Employee Document Management (HRSD)

[Nick Derbawka]

ServiceNow offers multiple ways to manage documents—which often leads to confusion about when to use what. The goal of this Blog is to break down the key differences between Document Management and Employee Document Management, and offer a simple framework for choosing the right solution for your (or your client’s) needs.

To start, let's define what Document Management and Employee Document Management are:

Document Management

This refers to general-purpose, platform-wide file storage and access—usually for documents shared broadly (one-to-many). It’s available for free by activating the Document Management plugin [com.snc.platform_document_management].

Common Use Cases:

• Uploading PDFs, images, or policies into a centralized, on-platform repository

• Generating shareable document links for use across incidents, change requests, HR cases, etc.

• Creating Knowledge Articles directly from uploaded SOPs or employee handbooks

• Integrating with tools like SharePoint or Google Drive using Integration Hub

Document Management Documentation

Note: If you were previously familiar with "Managed Documents" and are unsure where Document Management sits within the ServiceNow document capability hierarchy, check out my other Blog post on that topic: Document Management versus Managed Documents (legacy solution) comparison.

Employee Document Management (EDM)

EDM is part of the HR Service Delivery (HRSD) product and is purpose-built for storing, securing, and managing documents tied to individual employee records—with compliance, access control, and retention in mind.

Note: Additional licensing may be required on top of existing HR Service Delivery entitlements. To activate Employee Document Management, enable the Employee Document Management plugin [com.sn_employee_document_management].

Common Use Cases:

• Storing employee-specific files like offer letters, leave documentation, and disciplinary actions

• Automatically filing documents during HR cases or lifecycle events

• Enforcing retention policies and legal holds based on document type and employee status

• Managing visibility by HR role, document type, or Center of Excellence alignment

Employee Document Management Documentation

How to Decide Between Document Management and Employee Document Management: 6 Quick Questions

To help define when to use Document Management versus Employee Document Management, I typically ask these 6 questions:

1. Do you need to store operational or knowledge-related documents? → Document Management

2. Do you need version control or approval workflows for your document repository? → Document Management

3. Are you interested in integrating with your existing document repository (OneDrive or Google Drive)? → Document Management

4. Are the documents tied to a specific employee’s record? → Employee Document Management

5. Do you need to define retention schedules or legal holds? → Employee Document Management

6. Are you automatically generating employee documents (e.g., verification letters)? → Employee Document Management

It’s common for organizations to use both solutions, depending on the use case. These questions should help guide the decision on which ServiceNow capability best fits the need—ensuring documents are not only stored, but managed in the right context.