> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.harly.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Documents

> Request documents from candidates, collect them in the portal, and apply retention and expiry rules.

Documents keep the files a hire produces — resumes, signed offers, right-to-work
proof, certifications — on the candidate record instead of scattered across
inboxes. You can request documents from a candidate and review what they upload.

## Request a document

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the candidate">
    From the candidate record, choose **Request document** and name what you
    need — for example, "Signed offer letter" or "Proof of eligibility to work."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the request">
    The candidate receives the request in their [portal](/product/candidate-portal)
    and uploads the file there. No email attachments to chase.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review">
    Uploaded documents appear on the candidate record marked as pending review.
    Accept or ask for a replacement.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Retention and expiry

Documents carry personal data, so Harly supports retention and expiry:

* **Expiry** — a document (for example a certification) can carry an expiry date
  and surface when it lapses.
* **Retention** — an opt-in retention job anonymizes or removes documents after
  a defined period, in line with your [privacy settings](/security/privacy).
* **Legal hold** — a document under legal hold is protected from deletion until
  the hold is released.

<Warning>
  Documents are personal data. Do not download candidate documents to personal
  devices or accounts. Deletion and export must follow the
  [privacy workflow](/security/privacy).
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Candidate portal" icon="id-card" href="/product/candidate-portal">
    Where candidates upload requested documents.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Privacy and retention" icon="shield" href="/security/privacy">
    Configure retention, export, and deletion.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>