Who it's for: Administrators (see access roles note)
Platform: Sense HR web app
Available on: Professional, Elite, and Enterprise
Before you begin, make sure you’ve:
☑️ Logged into the Sense HR web app
☑️ Been assigned administrator permissions
🖊️ Access roles note:
On Professional, Elite, and Enterprise plans, organisations using Access Role Management can also allow other roles to create document templates and manager-type (advanced) roles to add personal documents for the employees or groups they have access to.
Overview
Creating personal document templates helps administrators save time and maintain consistency across important HR documents such as contracts, employment letters, and agreements. You can create templates manually or use AMI within the editor to help generate and refine document content.
Templates help you:
Reuse the same document structure across multiple employees
Insert employee data automatically using basic merge tags
Use advanced merge tags to pull data from any screen or record in Sense HR
Add e-signature fields where required
Keep documents consistent and easier to manage at scale
🖊️ Note:
Advanced merge tags are only available when using document templates.
Templates are created in Settings > Documents and used later when:
Adding a personal document to an employee profile
Sending documents at scale using the Doc Sender AMI agent (Elite and Enterprise plans only)
Navigation path
Dashboard > Settings > Documents > Add
Steps to create a document template
Step 1: Navigate to Document templates
Open Settings from the left-hand navigation menu.
Select Documents.
Click Add in the upper right.
Step 2: Create Your Document
Enter a Template name, select a Category (or + Add new option to create a new one), and (optionally) add a Description.
Click Next to open the document editor.
In the blank editor screen, enter the document content.
Use the toolbar to format text, insert images or links, and adjust alignment.
See also: Using the Sense HR document editor toolbar
💡 Tip: Use the Merge tag dropdown in the editor to insert employee fields directly. Place your cursor where you want the data to appear, then select the relevant merge tag.
🖊️ Using advanced merge tags
Advanced merge tags are not available in the toolbar and must be typed or pasted manually into the document.
You can use them to pull data from specific screens, fields, or records in Sense HR.
👉 See: Using advanced merge tags in document templates for full guidance and examples.
(Optional) Step 3: Draft document content with AMI
You can use AMI within the document editor to help generate or refine document content.
Option 1: Use natural language (chat)
Enter a prompt in the AMI input bar at the bottom of the editor.
For example:
“Write an employment contract for a full-time employee”
“Create a probation review letter”
AMI will generate content directly into the document, which you can then edit.
Option 2: Use Advanced mode (guided input)
Click Advanced to open a structured panel with guided fields.
You can define:
Document type or purpose
Key points to include
Tone
Output language
Length
This helps you generate more controlled and consistent content.
After generating content:
Review and edit the output in the document editor
Apply formatting, merge tags, and signature fields as needed
🖊️ Note:
AMI-generated content should always be reviewed to ensure it meets your organisation’s legal and policy requirements.
Advanced merge tags must still be added manually.
(Optional) Step 4: Add e-signature fields (if needed)
If the document needs to be signed, insert signature merge tags where the signatures should appear.
Examples:
{{Signature_1}}
{{Signature_1_Date}}
{{Signature_1_FullName}}
Use additional numbering for more signatories, for example:
{{Signature_2}}
{{Signature_2_Date}}
{{Signature_2_FullName}}
If the same person needs to sign in multiple places, repeat the same signature tag (for example, {{Signature_1}}) wherever their signature should appear.
Step 5: Preview the Document
Click Preview in the top-right corner to check how the document will look.
Step 6: Save the Template
When you’re happy with the content, click Done.
If your document contains signature merge tags (for example {{Signature_1}}), a Signature details panel will appear after clicking Done.
In the Signature details panel:Set the primary signatory as Own
Set the line manager signature as Line Manager (if required)
Assign any additional signatories (if required) by name (such as HR, CEO, etc)
Select Sign in order specified if you want signatures to be completed in sequence.
This will trigger To Dos in the defined order.
Click Done again to finish saving the template.
Choose either:
• Create another template – save the current document and begin a new one, or
• I’m done for now – save and return to the template list.
✅ Your new template will now appear in the list and can be reused whenever needed via:
People > [select profile] > Documents > Add > Use template
Using templates with Doc Sender
If you plan to send document templates at scale using the Doc Sender agent (Elite and Enterprise plans only):
Use Own for signatures that should be completed by the assigned recipient
Use Line manager for signatures that should be completed by the recipient’s line manager
Avoid entering specific names unless the same person should sign every document
This ensures the correct signatories are assigned automatically for each recipient.
When assigning documents individually
If you are assigning documents via:
People > [select profile] > Documents > Add > Use template
You can update or override signatories during the assignment process.
This means:
You can safely adjust incorrect or placeholder values
Using named individuals in templates is less restrictive in this process
What templates support
Templates support:
Basic merge tags
Advanced merge tags
E-signature fields
In-app editing before the final personal document is saved to the employee profile (this does not apply when using the Doc Sender agent)
Sending personal documents at scale with the Doc Sender AMI agent (Elite and Enterprise plans only)
🖊️ Note: Uploaded PDF documents can use basic merge tags and e-signatures, but advanced merge tags only work in document templates.
Best practice
Use templates for documents you issue regularly
Keep formatting simple and consistent
Use basic merge tags where possible
Use advanced merge tags only when needed
Preview templates before reuse
Review templates regularly for legal and policy accuracy
FAQ
Q: How do I add a link to a document template?
A: In the document editor, click the link icon (🔗) in the toolbar. Paste in your link, then save. You can also edit or remove the link later if needed.
You can access the editor from:
Dashboard > Settings > Documents