HR document generation

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of HR document generation

    HR Service Delivery provides multiple methods to generate HR-related documents automatically or manually, supporting workflows that require signatures, reviews, or direct sending to employees. This capability streamlines HR processes such as tuition reimbursement requests, employment verification letters, and offer letters with multiple signatories.

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    Key Features

    • Automatic Document Generation: Documents can be automatically created and made available for employees to sign once the HR case reaches a specific state like Work in Progress or Ready. For example, the Tuition Reimbursement Request triggers a task for the employee to sign.
    • Multiple Signatures Support: Documents requiring several signatures, such as offer letters, are generated only after all required signatures are collected, ensuring completeness before finalization.
    • Preview, Sign, and Save Workflow: HR agents can preview documents, sign them if necessary, and then send them to the subject person. This is useful for documents like employment verification letters that require HR review and signature before distribution.
    • Configurable Document Availability: By default, documents are available for the subject person after preview, but this behavior can be customized by adjusting the state field in the HR task template accessed via the HR Case form.
    • Error Handling and Editing: If document content has errors, customers can verify source tables, case information, and template mappings. There is also support for editing rendered values of variables, scripts, and blocks directly in the preview mode to ensure accuracy.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    ServiceNow customers can leverage these HR document generation features to automate routine HR documentation processes, reduce manual effort, and ensure compliance with signature and review requirements. Administrators can configure HR services and workflows to trigger document creation, manage signature collection, and control document visibility to employees. Agents benefit from tools to preview and correct documents before sending, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in HR interactions.

    There are multiple ways to generate documents in HR Service Delivery.

    • Automatically
    • Multiple signatures are collected.
    • Preview, Sign, or Save

    Automatically

    The document is made available for the subject person to sign. Only after the signature is added, the document will be generated automatically. Following are some examples:

    • A document such as Tuition Reimbursement Request must be sent to the employee for signature. The Request Tuition Reimbursement service has a work flow that triggers a task for the subject person (employee) of the case.

      An administrator enables theAutomatically Create Draft Document case option on the HR service and sets up the HR service. When a case is created with that HR service and its state is changed to Work in Progress or Ready, a task gets automatically generated for the employee with the document available for signing.

    • A document such as Employee Verification Letter must be sent to the employee that does not require any signature.

      An administrator selects the template on the HR service. An HR case is created with that HR service. The HR agent previews the document using the Preview Document option, generates the document, and sends an email to the employee using the Send email option on the case.

    Case options for HR service form.

    Multiple signatures are collected

    Documents like offer letters can require multiple signatures. When all signatures are collected, the document is automatically generated.
    Note:
    For more information on setting this feature up, please see Advanced form configuration and Advanced Forms Management in HR Service Delivery.

    Preview, Sign, or Save

    Some documents require an HR agent to review, sign, or save it prior to sending it to a subject person for an HR case. An example is when a subject person requests an employment verification letter. This document requires an HR agent to review it for accuracy, sign it, and send it to the requested email address.
    • Open a case requiring a document to be sent to the subject person.
    • Ensure that the state is Work in Progress.
    • The Form Header shows:Form header for HR workforce administration case form.
    • Click Preview Document to view the document.
    • Click Sign Document for documents that require an HR signature.
      Note:
      By default, the document is available for the subject person to view once you preview it. Change this behavior by changing the State field on the HR task template. You can access the task template from the HR Case form by selecting the HR service > Service Activities > Child task template.

    Change values

    When there are errors in the document:
    • Check the table the incorrect information is pulled from.
    • Check the HR case to ensure correct case information.
    • Check the document template for errors within the body of the document, incorrect field mapping, or variable information.