Employee documents, verification and expiry
Updated 2026-11-07
What it is
Documents is the file store on each employee's record. It holds ID proof, address proof, photo, education and experience certificates, bank proof and any other file, plus every letter you generate in PunchMe.
Files uploaded by HR are verified straight away. Files uploaded by employees can wait for HR approval first, so you know every document on file has been checked.
Who uses it
| Task | Permission needed |
|---|---|
| See an employee's documents and open files | employees.view |
| Upload, approve, reject or delete documents | employees.edit |
Office- and team-scoped staff only see documents of employees in their own office or department. See Roles and permissions.
Employees see their own documents in the app. They can upload only if you allow it.
Where to find it
- One employee: Employees, open the person, Documents tab.
- Everything waiting for approval: Requests, Documents tab.
- Manager app: pending documents appear in the approvals queue, with a file preview.
- Employee app: Profile, Documents.
Uploading a document
In the dashboard, click Upload on the Documents tab. Fill in:
- Name, for example "Aadhaar card" or "Degree certificate"
- Type: ID proof, Address proof, Photo, Education, Experience letter, Bank proof (cheque / passbook), or Other
- Expires on (optional)
Files must be PDF, JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB. PunchMe checks the file's real content, not just its name, so a renamed file of another type is refused.
Documents you upload as HR are saved as approved.
In the app, employees tap Upload on the Documents screen, pick a type and an optional expiry date, then choose a photo or PDF.
Turning it on or off
Employee uploads follow Settings, Employee self-service, row Documents:
- Employees can edit: lets employees upload from the app. Default: off.
- Needs HR approval: employee uploads wait in Requests until approved. Default: on.
The per-employee Self-edit override on the Profile tab also applies to documents. See Employee profile.
HR uploads from the dashboard are always allowed for anyone with employees.edit.
What happens when it's on / when it's off
Uploads on, approval on. The employee's file is saved as pending. It shows in Requests, Documents and in the manager app. Click Approve or Reject. A rejection asks for a reason, which the employee sees in the app. The employee gets a push either way.
Uploads on, approval off. The file is saved as approved straight away.
Uploads off. The employee sees their documents but no Upload button.
Staff with employees.edit whose scope covers the employee, plus the owner, get an in-app notification that links to Requests, the same as for profile changes.
Expiry alerts
If a document has an expiry date, PunchMe checks it once a day. When the expiry is 30 days away or less:
- Staff with
employees.editfor that employee get an in-app note: "Asha's Passport expires on 2027-01-15. Ask them for a renewed copy." - The employee gets a push: "Upload a renewed copy in Profile."
Each document alerts only once. Rejected documents and inactive or archived employees are skipped.
To renew, upload the new copy with the new expiry date. You cannot edit the expiry date of an existing file, so upload a new one and delete the old one if you like.
Who sees what
| Person | Sees |
|---|---|
Staff with employees.view in scope | All the employee's documents, including pending and rejected ones |
| The employee | Their own documents and their status, with the rejection reason |
| Other employees | Nothing |
Files are served privately. They are never cached and never public. The only exception is a generated letter you choose to email: the employee gets a signed link that works for 30 days. See Letters.
Deleting documents
- Staff with
employees.editcan delete any document, including letters. The file is removed permanently. - Employees can delete their own pending or rejected uploads. Once a document is approved, only HR can remove it.
Changing it midway
- Turning Employees can edit off does not remove existing uploads or cancel pending ones. Decide them in Requests.
- Turning Needs HR approval off does not approve files already pending.
- Turning approval on later does not send old approved files back for review.
Limits and edge cases
- 5 MB per file. PDF, JPEG, PNG or WebP only.
- Generated letters are stored here with the type Letter. They are HTML pages, not PDFs. Use your browser's or phone's print option to save a PDF.
- Pre-boarding uploads from new joiners arrive as pending, up to 15 files per link. See Onboarding and exit.
- An approved ID proof and Photo count towards profile completeness. A pending one counts too. A rejected one does not.
Related
Common questions
Why can't my employees upload documents?
Uploads are off by default. Open Settings, Employee self-service, and tick Employees can edit on the Documents row. Then click Save changes.
Where do I approve documents employees uploaded?
Requests, Documents tab. You can also approve from the employee's Documents tab or the manager app.
Can an employee delete a document after HR approved it?
No. Approved documents can only be removed by HR, so verified records stay on file.
How early does PunchMe warn about expiring documents?
30 days before the expiry date. HR gets an in-app note and the employee gets a push, once per document.
Can I upload Word or Excel files?
No. Save them as PDF first. PunchMe accepts PDF, JPEG, PNG and WebP up to 5 MB.