How To Generate HR Letters?

The HR Letters feature helps you simplify and organize employee communications in one place. It allows you to easily create, manage, and send different types of HR documents without manual effort.

With customizable templates and a user-friendly interface, you can generate letters such as employment verification, promotions, warnings, and more. Everything is designed to make the process faster, more consistent, and easier to manage from start to finish.

How to Add New HR Letter Categories

Main Menu → Documents  → HR Letters → Categories 

1. Go to the Categories page

2. Click “Add New Category”

3. Fill in:

   • Category name (English & Arabic)

   • Classification: Positive / Negative / Neutral

4. Click “Add”

Once a category is added, you can edit it by clicking the “edit” pen icon. The category can also be deleted if no template is currently linked to it. 

If it is linked to disciplinary action, the classification cannot be changed, and its Classification will remain “Negative”.

How to Add a New Template

Main Menu → Documents  → HR Letters → Templates

HR Admins, Superadmins, and financial officers can manage the HR templates on this page. 

The HR Letter Template page displays two types of HR letter templates:  Default templates that are added by ZenHR, and custom templates that can be viewed on the page.

Template Types

• Default Templates (by ZenHR)

  • Ready-made examples

  • Actions: Use Template or Preview

• Custom Templates

  • Templates you created or that were shared with your branch

Each template has specific actions. Custom templates can be viewed in 2 different views: card view or table view. 

ZenHR’s Default HR Templates are found at the top of the page; these templates are built-in templates added by ZenHR as examples. Two actions can be taken on these templates: “Use Template” and “Preview”, and these actions will appear when hovering over any of the cards.

Using a Default Template

1. Click “Use Template”

2. Edit the content and add variables

3. Save → it will appear under Custom Templates

Click Preview to see it as a PDF.

Understanding Template Status

• Draft Templates

  • Only the creator can edit or delete

• Published Templates

  • Can be sent to employees

  • Can be edited or deleted (if not used)

Note: Templates are considered in use if an HR letter has been sent using the template or the template is linked to a disciplinary action. 

Allowing Employees to Request Letters

You can enable employees to request a letter by selecting:
 “Yes, with approval required”

• The request will go through your approval workflow

• Approvals are based on your system setup

Creating a New Template

1. Click “Create New Template”

2. Fill in:

   • Template name (English & Arabic)

   • Category

   • Description (English & Arabic)

3. Select:

   • Branches where the template will be used

   • People to notify for each branch

4. Click “Add more branches” if needed

Note:

• You cannot delete a branch if the template is already used in it

• The original branch (where the template was created) cannot be removed

Setting Up Notifications

You can choose who gets notified when:

• A letter is created

• A letter status changes (Confirmed, Rejected, etc.)

You can notify:

• Employees (grouped by branch)

• Or “Other parties”, such as:

  • Direct Manager (levels 1–3)

  • Supervisor

  • Approval Officer

  • Financial Officer

Employee Self-Service Options

You can decide if employees can:

• Generate the letter themselves from “My HR Letters”

• Or only request it

If they generate it:

• All selected “people to notify” will still be notified

Confirmation Settings

You can:

• Require employees to confirm the letter

• Set a time limit for confirmation

What happens if no action is taken:

• Negative letters → automatically confirmed

• Positive / Neutral letters → automatically invalid

Note: The template will include a confirmation only if the option "Allow employees to generate this HR Letter through the 'My HR Letters' page?" is marked as "No".

Building Templates

When building the template for the first time, the template will be saved as a draft until the user publishes the template on the editor page.

Once the template is built, the text editor page will open, where you will be able to write the HR letter template and add variables in English and Arabic to the template. For additional customization, an option to divide the page into 2 sides vertically or horizontally was added to the editor.    

Click on “Preview” to view the template on a new page as a PDF.  

Click “Keep as Draft” to save the HR letter as a draft that can be edited later. 

If you click “Publish”,  the template will be added to the Custom Templates section.  

Template Actions

Draft Templates

• Preview → View as PDF

• Publish → Make it live

• Edit → Update content or variables

• Delete

• Favorite

Published Templates

• Preview → View as PDF

• Send Template → Send to employees

• Delete

• Favorite

Notes: An HR letter template cannot be deleted if linked with an HR letter or a disciplinary action. An HR letter template cannot be changed from non-draft to draft (unpublished) if the template is linked to an HR letter and the user is not the creator.

Cloning Templates Between Branches

1. Click “Clone from another branch”

2. Select:

   • Template

   • Branch

3. Click “Clone”.

You’ll be redirected to edit it.

Note: Missing variables in the new branch will appear in red.

Manage HR Letters

Main Menu → Documents  → HR Letters → Manage HR Letters.

On this page, HR Admins, Superadmins, and financial officers will be able to view all employee HR letters as well as their own HR letters. As well as track all the HR letters generated by them, by the HR Admins, or by disciplinary actions, as well as their details. 

What Can be Tracked

• Letter details

• Status:

  • Sent

  • Seen

  • Pending

  • Failed

• Confirmation status:

  • Confirmed

  • Rejected

  • Auto-confirmed

  • Invalid

  • Required

On the Manage HR Letters page, the user can also access the templates page by clicking on “Templates”.

Note: When you hover over Confirmation Status, an icon will appear to show the people notified for this HR letter. 

The Generated by column will include the name of the employee who generated this HR letter. 

If an HR letter was generated by a Disciplinary Action, it will be highlighted under the “Generated by” column. 

Click Disciplinary Action to view all the relevant details, such as Disciplinary Action rule, Disciplinary Action Type, Deduction Type, and  Drop After. 

Note: Users can view and delete any of the letters except the letters that were sent to them by other employees.

Sending HR Letters

1. Click “Send HR Letter”

2. Enter:

   • Employee name

   • Template

   • Effective date

   • Expiry date

3. Click Preview (optional)

4. Send

The employee will receive:

• Email

• App notification

My HR Letters

Main Menu → Documents  → HR Letters → My HR Letters

On My HR Letters page, the employee will be able to find all the HR letters they have generated and all letters that have been sent to them. 

The table will show the details of the HR letters, including: Template, Category, Classification, Confirmation Status, Generated by, Generated on, Effective date, and Actions.

If there are any pending HR letters, a message above the table will appear informing you of any pending HR letter confirmations. 

Click “Show All” to see all pending HR letters on the table. 

On this page, you can generate an HR letter:

1. Click “Generate HR Letter”

2. Fill in the required details

3. Preview (optional)

4. Click “Generate”

The letter will be sent to:

• The employee

• All selected “people to notify”

Taking Action on a Letter

1. Click “Take Action”

2. Review the PDF

3. Choose:

   • Confirm

   • Reject

If rejected → you must add a reason

Negative HR Letters: 

Positive or Neutral HR Letters:

If an HR letter is rejected, a Rejection Reason has to be provided.

Requesting HR Letters

Main Menu → Approvals & Requests → My Requests 

On the My Requests page, the employee will be able to request the HR letters (if enabled). 

They can also preview how the letter will look before requesting. 

Custom Fields  

Custom fields can be added on the HR template level.

You can add custom fields to templates for more flexibility.

How It Works

• Employee-level fields
   → Pulled automatically from the employee profile
  
  

• HR Letter-level fields
   → Filled when:

  • Requesting

  • Creating

  • Approving the letter