Create a document template in the Doc Studio

1. Log in to Employment Hero. 
2. Click the  Compliance menu option on the left-hand side navigation.
3. Click Template Library option.
4. Click the  Add Templates button.
5. Complete the following fields:
   • Template name
   • Signature logic:
     • No signature
     • Sender only
     • Sender then recipient
     • Recipient only (Available on Engage, Elite, and Unlimited plans only)
   • Template type
   • Countries
6. Click the Save button.
7. On the next screen, you will see a word editor, similar to the experience of a Microsoft Word editor or Google Docs editor. Along the top bar of the text editor, you will see your usual text and layout formatting actions. 
8. First, you can decide if you would like to add a header and footer to your document. Toggle the header and footer switch on if you would like to add these. 
    
9. This will divide the page into three sections, the header, the body and the footer. 
    
10. Now you can edit each section individually.

11. Click on the curly brackets icon on the top bar to open the variable library.

    What is a variable library?

    A variable library is a collection of reusable placeholders—like {{first_name}} or {{start_date}}—that stand in for information that changes from person to person.

    In a template editor, you drop these placeholders into your document so the platform can automatically fill them with the right details later. This lets you create one template and have it personalised for each person without rewriting anything.

    Click on the plus icon next to the variable you want to add to your template library. 

    Note: Custom variables are designed exclusively for admins and senders to fill out while finalising a document. Currently, recipients cannot edit or update custom variables.

12. To create a clause, add the reusable passage of text, then click on the block icon.

    What are clauses?

    Clauses are optional blocks that can streamline document creation by offering selectable text blocks for specific and reusable text passages. They were previously called contract blocks.

    There are two types of clauses - a single optional clause, and an alternative clause group.  See the below Further Information section on How to use a clause for more detail about clauses.

13. Give your clause a name.
14. Click on Save.
15. Click on the eye icon to show the block line to visualise block boundaries when reviewing format or collision with other elements. This helps identify why content may shift when issued as PDF.
16. Click on the table icon to insert a table into your template.
17. Select the amount of rows and columns you would like in your table. 
18. Click on Save. 

When you click on the curly brackets icon, this will open the variable library. Here you will see all of the variable options you can select to insert into the template. 

You can also insert variables into a table. 

Custom variables are designed exclusively for admins and senders to fill out while finalising a document. Currently, recipients cannot edit or update custom variables.

Add a single optional clause

A single optional clause is a clause you can choose to add to or remove from your document.

1. Type out the text passage in your document that you want to reuse.
2. Highlight the passage.
3. Click on the block icon on the top bar.
4. Give the clause a name, and select Single optional clause .
5. Click on Save.

Add an alternative clause group

An alternative clause group is a set of interchangeable clauses where you pick the one that fits your situation.

E.g., if your contract has different probation periods for different roles, you would set those up as an alternative clause group so only the relevant one appears in the final document.

1. Type out the text passage in your document that you want to reuse.
2. Highlight the passage.
3. Click on the block icon on the top bar.
4. Give the clause a name, and select Alternative clause group.
5. Create or select a clause group name.
6. Click on Save.
7. Now you will have to use one of the options in your document. Each option in your clause group is reusable.

Here's a beginner-friendly explanation of optional clause groups for your help centre article:

What are optional clause groups?

When you create a document template — like an employment contract — some sections may need to change depending on the employee. Optional clause groups give you a way to handle this flexibility.

There are two types of optional clauses:

1. Single optional clause

This is a section that can simply be removed from the document when it's not needed.

For example, a clause about a company car allowance might only apply to some employees. You can mark it as a single optional clause, and when issuing the document, you can choose to leave it out entirely.

2. Alternative clause group

This is used when you have two or more versions of the same section, and you need to pick only one.

For example, you might have two versions of a probation clause — one for full-time employees and one for part-time employees. You add both to the template and group them together. When issuing the document, you choose which version applies. The other versions are automatically removed.

The key rule: At least one clause from the group must always stay in the document. You can't remove all of them.

How to set up an alternative clause group

1. Select the clause text in the document editor.
2. Click Clauses in the toolbar.
3. Choose Alternative clause group.
4. Either select an existing group from the list, or type a name to create a new one.
5. Repeat for each clause that belongs to the same group.

Clauses in the same group will be visually linked in the editor so you can easily see which ones are connected.

What happens to the numbering?

Note: This applies to alternative clause groups only. Single optional clauses do not have dynamic numbering.

For alternative clause groups, don't worry about gaps in your clause numbers. When a document is issued and unused alternative clauses are removed, the numbering automatically adjusts so the final document reads cleanly and in sequence — no skipped numbers.

If you want to use the bullet list or numbered list feature in the advanced Doc Studio and want to nest lists (create a list inside another list), all you need to do is press the tab key to create a list inside an existing list.

1. Click on the bullet list or the numbered list icon.
2. Create the first list item.
3. Press the Enter (PC) or Return (Mac) key to create the second list item.
4. Press the Enter (PC) or Return (Mac) key, then press the tab key to create the nested list. 
    

To add up to 3 signatories to a document, proceed with the following:

1. Log in to Employment Hero. 
2. Click on the Compliance menu option.
3. Click on Template Library.
4. Click on + Add templates.
5. In the pop-up modal, give the new template a name.
6. Under the subheading Signature Logic, select Sender only or Sender then recipient.
7. Select 1, 2 or 3 Sending Signatories from the drop-down menu. 
    
8. Proceed with the remaining fields to create your new template.
9. Click on Save.