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Offer Letter Management

Khibtiya Afreen
Updated

Challenges with Manual Offer Letter Process

Automating Offer Letters with Sense CRM

Configuring Offer Letters in Sense CRM

Sending an Offer Directly from the Applicants Tab

Sending Offer Letters for Approval

Approving an Offer Letter (Approvers’ Guide)

E-signing Offer Letters

Adobe Sign Integration

Leegality Integration

DocuSign Integration

Managing Sent Offers

Candidate Response and Status Updates

Importance of Offer Letters 

A solid offer letter is important as it helps establish a common ground between a new employee and the company. A signed offer letter can protect your company if an employee quits and claims job duties and compensation weren’t described accurately. Having a professionally drafted, signed offer letter communicates to a candidate that you are serious about bringing them on board.

Offer letters often include details such as:

  • Compensation
  • Work Hours
  • The job responsibilities and supervisor
  • Benefits
  • Leave and vacation
  • Key dates

Challenges with Manual Offer Letter Process 

Rolling out an offer letter can take time and effort, especially when managing hiring for multiple positions. The manual process of generating and rolling out offer letters can be frustrating for both hiring teams and candidates. Common pain points include:

  • Lack of data integrity
  • Time-Consuming
  • Duplication of effort
  • Poor candidate experience

Automating Offer Letters with Sense CRM 

There is always time to consider automating and choosing a software solution. Sense CRM makes it easier to generate and send offer letters to bring everyone on the same page once a candidate is selected.

Configuring Offer Letters in Sense CRM 

Recruiters can configure offer letters by uploading a template with placeholders before hiring. The template should be in .docx format. A form can be generated for the respective offer template for easy and faster offer generation. Recruiters will be prompted to fill up this form upon finalizing a candidate. The details filled in the form automatically replace the placeholders on the offer template. You can make changes or updates to the form anytime. However, if the offer letter has already been rolled out, you may need to generate a fresh copy upon saving changes to the form. Automated emails for the internal offer approval team can also be set up if required.

To configure templates and forms:

  1. Navigate to Configurations > CRM Settings > Sourcing Configuration > Offer Configuration > Templates.


     
  2. Navigate to the Form tab in Offer Configuration.
  3. When creating a new form or editing an existing one, you can specify the number of signatures apart from the required candidate.
  4. Click on Create.
  5. Once the form is created with the required signatures, you can generate an offer letter for candidates in the Offer stage.

Placeholders are used in the template to automatically pull in information. For e-signing integrations, specific placeholders are used for signatures and dates. These placeholders need no validation process and will appear as not validated when viewing the template from Offer Configuration. It is recommended to change the font color of these placeholders to white so they do not appear on the final document.

Sending an Offer Directly from the Applicants Tab

If a candidate has completed the interview process and is being finalized, you can generate and send an offer letter from the applicants tab.

  1. Navigate to Jobs > All Jobs > click on a job > Applicants.
  2. Click on the candidate you want to send an offer to.
  3. If the next stage is Offered, clicking Move to Next will generate and send the offer letter.
  4. Alternatively, if there are stages between Interview and Offered, you can skip them by clicking the drop-down menu and selecting Offered. This action will generate and send the offer letter to the candidate.

After generating the offer letter, you can also perform the following actions:

Revoke Offer – Cancel the offer that was previously sent.

 

Edit Offer – Make changes to the offer details before resending.

 

Mark as Hired – Update the candidate’s status to Hired.

 

Download Offer – Download the offer letter as a PDF or DOCX file.

 

Replace Offer Manually – Upload a new version of the offer letter to replace the existing one.



 

Resend Offer – Send the offer letter again. The system automatically updates dynamic fields (e.g., date) based on your configured settings. You can click on Edit to edit the fields.

Sending Offer Letters for Approval 

Once the offer letter is generated, it can be sent for approval using the Offer Approval Chain.

  1. Click on Send for Approval. Users added to the approval chain will be notified via email.
  2. In the pop-up, you can add a message for the approvers.
  3. Choose whether to include a copy of the offer letter and the candidate's resume in the email.
  4. Click on Send.
  5. After sending, you can click on View Status to see the approval status.

Approving an Offer Letter (Approvers’ Guide) 

Approvers receive an email with a button or URL to view the generated offer letter. Clicking this opens a new tab with details about the candidate's offer. The Offer Details tab shows offer details and approval status.

  1. Click View document against Offer Document to see the generated offer letter.
  2. After reviewing, click approving or rejecting the offer letter buttons on the Offer Details tab.
  3. You may be prompted to provide comments (optional).
  4. Continue by clicking Save. A success message will confirm the action.

E-signing Offer Letters 

Sense CRM integrates with e-signing platforms to send offer letters for acceptance signatures while keeping stakeholders informed of the status.

Adobe Sign Integration

  • Prerequisites: Contact your Sense CRM POC to enable Adobe Sign integration. You need a valid Adobe Sign account and permission to generate an offer letter. The email address used for integration must be a Sense CRM user. Trial versions of Adobe Sign will stop working after expiry. Internal stakeholder signature placeholders like "Sig_es_:signer#:signature" and "Dte_es_:signer#:date" need to be added to the template if required before sending to the candidate. Sense CRM-Adobe Sign integration supports a maximum of 3 internal stakeholder signatures.
  • Enabling Integration: Ensure Adobe Sign is your sign integration (Configurations > CRM Settings > Administration > Organization > Integrations > Sign Integration). If not, contact your Sense CRM SPOC. If Adobe Sign is listed, click Connect. You'll be redirected to Adobe Sign login to enter credentials and enable integration.
  • Formatting Template: Add signature placeholders to the template (e.g., "Sig_es_:signer1:signature", "Dte_es_:signer1:date"). Change font color to white. Specify the number of required signatures (apart from the candidate) when creating or editing the form in Offer Configuration.
  • Sending via Adobe Sign: Navigate to the Jobs and go to a candidate in the Offer Stage. Click on Send via Adobesign. Specify details and choose the template in the pop-up.
    • Case 1: Internal stakeholder signatures needed before candidate: You will not be redirected to Adobe Sign. Internal stakeholders receive an email from Adobe Sign. They click Review Document, are redirected to Adobe Sign, the signature placeholder is present, they choose the signature, click Click to Sign. Once all stakeholders sign, the candidate receives an email with the signed copy.
    • Case 2: Without internal stakeholder signatures: The candidate receives an email link from Adobe Sign to review and sign. They click Review & sign.
  • Signing/Declining: Stakeholders/candidates click Review Document or Review & sign, verify email if required, and are redirected to Adobe Sign. They can click Click to sign. Alternatively, they can decline the offer by navigating to Options > Decline. Declining is automatically updated in Sense CRM.
  • Viewing Status: Sense CRM syncs the Adobe Sign status. View status from the candidate card. Statuses displayed include Offer letter sent for signature, Offer letter signed by the candidate: DD/MM/YYYY, and Offer letter declined.

Leegality Integration

  • Prerequisites: Contact your Sense CRM POC to enable Leegality integration. You need a valid Leegality account and permission to generate an offer letter. Fetch the Auth Token from your Leegality account (Account > Settings > Auth Token). Integration is available for the whole organization once enabled and linked. The integration allows a maximum of 3 stakeholder signatures.
  • Enabling Integration: Ensure Leegality is your sign integration (Configurations > CRM Settings > Administration > Organization > Integrations > Sign Integration). If not, contact your Sense CRM POC. If Leegality is listed, click Connect. Enter the Auth Token in the pop-up.
  • Formatting Template: Specify the number of required signatures (apart from the candidate) when creating or editing the form in Offer Configuration (Settings > Sourcing Configuration > Offer Configuration> Form).
  • Sending via Leegality: Navigate to the Jobs and go to a candidate in the Offer Stage. Click on Send via Leegality. This button is visible upon offer approval if an approval chain is set up. In the pop-up, specify details, choose the template, and mention stakeholders in the order of signatures required against ‘The Select Signing Authority’. You can add as many signatories as defined in the form creation process. Click Send via Leegality. All signatories (internal stakeholders in order, then candidate) will receive an email from Leegality. The candidate only receives the email after all internal stakeholders have signed.
  • Signing/Declining: From the email, click Review Document. Verify your email using an OTP from Leegality. You'll be redirected to Leegality, where the signature placeholder is present. Click Proceed to e-sign the document. Leegality will email a copy of the signed letter. Information on declining via Leegality is not explicitly detailed in the provided Leegality sources.
  • Viewing Status: View status from the candidate card. Statuses include When the offer letter is sent for signatures, When an internal stakeholder signs the offer letter (specifies signatory’s email), and When the candidate signs the offer letter (view signing time, download signed letter).

DocuSign Integration

  • Prerequisites: Contact your Sense CRM POC to enable DocuSign integration. You need a valid DocuSign account and permission to generate an offer letter. The email address used for integration must be a Sense CRM user. Trial versions of DocuSign will stop working after expiry. Internal stakeholder signature placeholders like {{organization_signature_#}} and date placeholders like {{organization_signature_date_#}} need to be added to the template if required. A placeholder for the candidate signature {{candidate_signature}} and date {{candidate_signature_date}} should also be added. Placeholders for the current date can also be added to the template. Sense CRM-DocuSign integration supports a maximum of 3 internal stakeholder signatures.
  • Enabling Integration: Ensure DocuSign is your sign integration (Settings > Administration > Organization > Integrations > Sign Integration). If not, contact your Sense CRM POC. If DocuSign is listed, click Connect. You'll be redirected to DocuSign login to enter credentials and enable integration.
  • Formatting Template: Add signature and date placeholders to the template (e.g., {{organization_signature_1}}, {{organization_signature_date_1}}, {{candidate_signature}}, {{candidate_signature_date}}). Change font color to white. Specify the number of required signatures (apart from the candidate) when creating or editing the form in Offer Configuration.
  • Sending via DocuSign: Navigate to the Jobs and go to a candidate in the Offer Stage. Click on Send via DocuSign. Specify details and choose the template in the pop-up.
    • Case 1: Internal stakeholder signatures needed before candidate signature.
    • Case 2: Without internal stakeholder signatures.
  • Signing/Declining: Details on signing/declining via DocuSign are mentioned as topics covered by an article, but the specific steps are not included in the provided excerpts.
  • Viewing Status: Details on viewing the signing status on Sense CRM are mentioned as a topic covered by an article, but the specific steps are not included in the provided excerpts.

Managing Sent Offers 

After an offer is sent, you have options to manage it.

  • Revoke Offer: You can revoke an offer letter. This action is irreversible. If you revoke an offer and want to send one again, you must generate a new offer letter. When revoking, you must add a comment on why you are revoking the offer. Add your comments, then email from and to, select the template, add subject, add the message, and click revoke offer. Revoking an offer makes the link for the candidate to view or sign the offer expire.
  • Replace Offer Manually: If you click on replace offer manually, a pop-up appears asking you to upload a file to replace the existing offer letter. Upload your file and click update. The offer will be updated.
  • Download Offer Letter: You have the option to download the offer letter as a PDF or Docs file. Under the offer letter details, click the PDF icon to view. Click the three dots next to it to download as PDF or Docs.

Candidate Response and Status Updates 

Upon the candidate acknowledging the offer, mark it as accepted or declined.

  • After marking offer acceptance: Sense CRM updates the candidate's card. If a signed offer letter is available, you can click Upload candidate signed offer letter to upload a copy.
  • Editing acknowledgment status: If the candidate offer acknowledgment changes, click the edit icon provided against the acknowledgment status. A pop-up allows you to choose the required status to update in Sense CRM.
  • Viewing Status: You can view the status of the offer (e.g., sent, revoked). Specific e-signing integration statuses can also be viewed from the candidate card.

You can also send the offer letter to edit the details by clicking on edit.

When generating an offer letter via the applicants tab, if the current stage is interview and the next stage is offered, you can click move to next. If there are stages between the interview and offer, but you want to skip them and offer directly, click the drop-down and select offered; the offer letter will be generated and sent. After sending, you can view details, revoke, or download the offer letter.

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