Create and manage offer letters

Once you create an offer letter template, you can use it every time you want to make a job offer to a prospective employee. You can quickly customize the template for each offer you send out.

1. Sign in to Gusto.
2. Go to the Documents section.
3. Choose Add document.
4. Click Offer template.
5. Click Build your template.
6. Name your offer letter template.
7. Select whether you have your own offer letter template that you'll paste in, or if you'd like to start with Gusto's template. You'll have the chance to customize all templates before sending them.
8. Click Create template.
9. Customize the template's text. If you have your own template, copy and paste it into the text field.
10. If you want any fields to auto-populate when you send a letter, here's how to insert smart text:
    • Highlight a section that changes for each candidate (like title or compensation). Click Insert Smart Text and select the desired field.
    • Insert custom text
      • If you cannot find the smart text field you want, you can create custom text fields. When you're ready to send an offer letter, you'll fill out custom fields yourself.
      • Example: In the existing offer template text, add something like, "[INSERT RELOCATION PACKAGE]."
      • Note: This does not create a "smart text" field that will populate during step one of sending the offer. You will manually fill in the placeholders during step two, "Edit template," where you can edit all parts of the offer letter.
    • Be sure to include a smart text field for both the employer and employee signature.
    • If you add Manager as smart text, you'll later be required to select a manager when you onboard the team member.
11. Click Save & continue.
12. For the document's signature, enter the name and title of the person in charge of hiring.
    • This is typically your CEO, owner, or head of HR.
    • Note: In previews of the offer letter, this field may show up as “Steven Smith.”
13. Click Save & continue.
14. Click Use this offer template now if you’d like to extend an offer immediately.

This offer letter template will now be stored in your Documents section for you to customize and send anytime in the future. You can also review or manage your offers from the People section of your account. 

If the offer letter has not been sent

1. Go to the Hiring section. 
2. Next to "Offer letters" click See details. 
3. To the right of the employee’s name, select the symbol under the "Actions" column.
4. Click Update & finish.
5. Make the desired changes and submit. 

If the offer letter has already been sent

1. Go to the Hiring section. 
2. Next to "Offer letters" click See details. 
3. To the right of the employee’s name, select the symbol under the "Actions" column.
4. Select Update offer.
   • This will void the original offer letter link sent to the employee.
5. Click Yes, I need to update this offer.
   • This will move the employee’s name under the "Not Sent" header.
6. To the right of the employee’s name, select the symbol under Actions.
7. Click Update & finish.
8. Make the desired changes and submit.

If the offer letter has already been signed by the employee

Once an offer letter has been signed by an employee, it cannot be edited or deleted from the employee’s account. You'll need to have the employee sign a new offer letter outside of Gusto. You can then upload this to the Documents tab of the employee’s profile.