HR handles some of the most sensitive documents in any organisation, and a lot of them are PDFs: contracts, offer letters, ID copies and performance records. Speed matters, but so does care.
A note on confidentiality first
These tools run online. Some conversions and translation are processed by third-party services. Before uploading personnel files, check your organisation's data-protection policy and any requirements that apply in your region. For highly sensitive records, an approved internal system is the safer choice.
Onboarding packs
Assemble a new-starter pack from the offer letter, contract, policies and forms with Merge PDF; it accepts up to 10 files per run and each file can be up to 50 MB. Put the documents in reading order, then add page numbers with Add Page Numbers. Our merge guide covers ordering and mixed page sizes.
Protecting contracts and records
Add an open password with Protect PDF before emailing anything private, and share the password by a different channel, such as a phone call. Our password guide covers strong passwords and sharing. If you need to work with a protected file you own, Unlock PDF removes a password you know.
Signatures
Sign PDF adds a typed or drawn signature to the first page. That is a simple electronic signature, which is fine for many internal approvals. Employment contracts and regulated documents may require a certified signing process, so check with legal. See signing electronically.
Redacting personal information
When sharing a document with others, you may need to hide names, salaries or ID numbers. Black boxes alone don't remove the text underneath. Use Redact PDF to draw the boxes, then convert the pages to images with PDF to PNG and rebuild the PDF with PNG to PDF. Follow our full redaction guide and test the final file.
Everyday clean-up
- Shrink large scans with Compress PDF.
- Make scanned records searchable with OCR PDF; it currently works best on English.
- Fix crooked scans with Rotate PDF and Crop PDF.
- Stamp CONFIDENTIAL across every page with Add Watermark.
- Remove blank or duplicate pages with Delete Pages.
A simple routine
- Work on copies, never the master record.
- Name files consistently, for example Surname_Contract_2026.
- Protect anything that leaves your systems.
- Delete downloaded copies when you're done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we rely on these tools for legal compliance?
No. Treat them as productivity tools and follow your organisation's data-protection and records policies.
Is a typed signature valid for contracts?
It depends on the document and the jurisdiction. Ask legal before using it for anything binding.
Is a black box enough to hide a salary?
No. Flatten the redacted pages to images as described above and test the result.
Are there file size limits?
Yes, 50 MB per file.