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Automate document templates with the expanded variable library

Available for the following plans: Plus, Unlimited HR, Engage, Elite, Unlimited HR+Payroll
Available for the following HR plans: Premium, Platinum
Available for the following User Access levels: Admin

Building document templates is now more efficient with the expanded variable library. You can now insert specific employee profile data, such as personal contact details and emergency information, directly into your contracts and offer letters. This update removes the need for manual placeholders and ensures your documents automatically populate with accurate information from the employee profile.

This article shows you how to manage the following:

Insert new employee variables into a template

Add personal and emergency contact fields

The variable library includes additional fields to help you automate document creation across all template types, including contracts, offer letters, compliance documents, and onboarding documents.

  1. Log in to Employment Hero.
  2. Navigate to the Document Templates editor.
  3. Open the Variable Picker.
  4. Under the Employee category, you can select and insert the following:
    • Personal Email
    • Mobile Number
    • Middle Name
    • Emergency Contact Name
    • Emergency Contact Phone
  5. Click the variable to insert it into your document.

Helpful Hint

When a document is generated for an employee, these fields automatically fill using their saved profile data. If an employee does not have a value for a field, the document leaves it blank without showing an error or broken placeholder.

Use region-specific and work rights variables

Depending on your organization's region, you may have access to specific employment data fields. Global fields for work eligibility are also available.

  1. In the Variable Picker, locate the Employee category.
  2. For organizations in Australia and New Zealand, relevant regional fields appear in the picker.
  3. For all regions, you can insert the following work rights details:
    • Passport number
    • Visa type
    • Visa start date
    • Visa expiry date
    • Visa notes
    • Work eligibility status

Filter and search for variables by category

Find variables quickly using category filters

To save time when building templates, you can filter the variable list to show only the categories you need.

  1. Open the Variable Picker in the template editor.
  2. Locate the All categories dropdown menu below the search bar.
  3. Select a specific category (such as Employee, Company, Profile Fields, Custom Variables, or Signatures) to view only those variables.
  4. Use the Search bar and category filter together to narrow your results.
Distinguish between Profile Fields and Custom Variables

The variable picker provides a clearer distinction between organization-level data and template-specific placeholders.

  • Profile Fields: This section displays organization-level custom HR profile fields, such as Department Code or Employee Badge Number.
  • Custom Variables: This section displays manual placeholders created specifically for the current template.

Further information

Are there any fields that cannot be inserted?

Certain sensitive or specialized fields are currently out of scope for the variable library. These include:

  • Tax File Numbers (TFN) and IRD Numbers
  • Employee gender fields
  • Financial sensitive fields requiring further policy review

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