Pharlab Reduces Document Review Time During Employee Onboarding by 87% with AI and WhatsApp Integrated into SoftExpert Suite

With approximately 40 new hires per month and up to 20 documents per hire, HR previously handled around 800 documents every month. Now, AI reads and extracts information from many of these documents automatically

Less Manual Work for HR

Employee onboarding involves a series of time-consuming tasks for HR teams: requesting documents, following up on submissions, checking information, organizing files, and entering data into systems.

At Pharlab, this routine was part of approximately 40 hiring processes each month, with around 20 documents required for each new hire. In practice, every hire involved multiple manual interactions between the candidate and HR, as well as the work of organizing and checking the submitted documents.

Digital Onboarding Integrated with WhatsApp

Using SoftExpert Suite, Pharlab developed a digital onboarding process integrated with WhatsApp through a chatbot.

The process begins when HR enters the candidate’s basic information into the workflow. The system then automatically sends a WhatsApp message and guides the candidate through the next steps.

Instead of relying on manual exchanges with HR, candidates follow a guided process through WhatsApp, receive instructions, submit their documents, and provide the required information.

The process adapts to each candidate. The questions asked and documents requested vary according to individual circumstances, such as gender, age, marital status, and other applicable requirements.

HR monitors the process through the workflow and focuses primarily on the steps that require review and approval.

AI That Reads and Extracts Information from Documents

Automation goes beyond collecting files. Documents such as government-issued identification, social security or tax identification records, voter registration documents, and proof of address are processed using Artificial Intelligence that identifies document types and automatically extracts relevant information.

This capability, powered by Intelligent Document Processing (IDP), enables information to be extracted and transferred directly into the workflow in real time.

In practice, AI reads the documents candidates submit through WhatsApp and populates the corresponding workflow fields, eliminating the need for HR to manually enter the information extracted from those documents.

If an image is too poor to be read accurately, the workflow automatically asks the candidate to submit a new one.

Once the information has been collected, the documents, completed fields, and acknowledgment of Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD) terms are routed through the workflow and organized for HR review and approval.

From Hours to Minutes

Automation has made the biggest difference in document review and processing. Previously, the task could take hours, including saving, renaming, organizing, and validating individual documents, as well as addressing rework caused by scattered files.

Document review time dropped from approximately two hours to just 15 minutes — an 87% reduction.

With AI extracting information and most documents automatically grouped within the process, HR has reduced manual tasks, outstanding items, and rework.

“One of the biggest improvements has been the automatic grouping of most incoming documents. This has significantly reduced manual tasks such as saving files individually, naming them, and organizing them into folders,” says Anna Machado, HR Analyst at Pharlab.

From Onboarding to the Employee’s Digital File

The transformation continues beyond onboarding approval. Once the process is complete, documents are automatically made available to Payroll and Benefits through the creation of each new employee’s digital file in SoftExpert Document.

Documents that previously had to be manually transferred between departments are now incorporated into the employee’s digital file, creating a continuous flow of information across teams.

The result is a more organized, traceable, and reliable onboarding experience for candidates, HR, and the departments involved in the subsequent steps.

Results

87%
Reduction in document review time

2 hours → 15 minutes
Average document review time

From WhatsApp to the employee’s digital file
Documents and information connected throughout the onboarding process

AI-powered document processing
Information extracted automatically from identification, tax or social security records, voter registration documents, and proof of address

One Platform That Goes Beyond HR

Automated onboarding is part of Pharlab’s broader use of SoftExpert Suite. The platform supports multiple departments across the company, helping automate processes, manage documents and records, and organize workflows within a single environment.

Employees across a wide range of functions use SoftExpert Suite, including Accounting, Controlling, Procurement, Legal, Quality, Research and Development, Sales, Marketing, Production, Maintenance, IT, Logistics, and Warehouse Operations.

This cross-functional adoption allows teams to structure, automate, and monitor their processes digitally, extending the benefits of greater organization, traceability, and control well beyond HR.

For onboarding, this foundation has been enhanced with AI, a chatbot, and WhatsApp integration, connecting candidate interactions with document processing, workflow management, and, ultimately, the employee’s digital file.

A Fully Digital Onboarding Experience

By integrating WhatsApp, a chatbot, AI, workflows, and digital document management, Pharlab has transformed onboarding into an end-to-end digital process.

Candidates now have a simpler way to submit information and documents, while HR spends less time organizing files, entering data, and moving documents between systems and departments.

With technology taking over part of the operational workload, HR can dedicate more time to activities that require human judgment, follow-up, and personal interaction.