HR Administration Template – Definition, Contents & GDPR Tips

An HR administration template helps HR professionals capture employee data in a structured, complete, and GDPR-compliant way. It typically covers master data, contract information, absences, and key documents. For small companies, an Excel template is often sufficient – once headcount grows, a digital HR solution becomes the better choice.

What Is HR Administration?

HR administration refers to all the administrative processes required to manage employees within an organisation. This includes capturing and maintaining master data, managing contracts and documents, tracking absences, and complying with statutory retention and data protection obligations.

HR Administration vs. Personnel File – What's the Difference?

These two terms are often confused, but they refer to different things:

• Personnel file: The collection of all documents and data relating to a single employee – can be kept physically (paper folder) or digitally.
• HR administration: The overarching process that covers all employees – in other words, the systematic management of all personnel files, absences, deadlines, and documents across the organisation.

An HR administration template (e.g. an Excel spreadsheet) structures this overall process and ensures that all relevant data is captured completely and consistently.

Who Is Responsible for HR Administration?

In larger organisations, HR managers or HR generalists handle this task. In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), HR administration often falls to the managing director or office manager.

Contents of an HR Administration Template

A solid template covers at least four core areas:

Employee Master Data

The foundation of every HR administration system is basic personal data:

• First and last name
• Date and place of birth
• Home address and contact details
• Social security number
• Tax identification number and tax class
• Bank account details (for payroll)
• Emergency contact

Note: Under § 26 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), only data that is necessary for the employment relationship may be collected. Data on religious affiliation, political views, or private lifestyle generally does not qualify.

Contract Data and Working Conditions

This section documents the framework of the employment relationship:

• Start date and (if known) end date
• Job title and department
• Contract type (permanent, fixed-term, marginal employment, part-time)
• Weekly working hours and schedule
• Gross salary and pay history
• End of probationary period
• Annual leave entitlement in days

Absence and Leave Management

A structured overview prevents double-bookings and payroll errors:

• Leave days (requested, approved, taken, remaining balance)
• Sick days with dates
• Special leave (e.g. wedding, bereavement)
• Parental leave, care leave

Documents and Certificates

The following documents are typically filed in the personnel file and referenced in the template:

• Signed employment contract
• Educational and professional qualification certificates
• References from previous employers
• Training and further education certificates
• Formal warnings (if applicable)
• Termination letters and settlement agreements

HR Administration and GDPR: What Data May Be Stored?

Data protection in HR administration is not optional – it is a legal requirement. Violations can result in significant fines.

Permitted Data under § 26 BDSG

Under § 26 of the BDSG, processing personal data of employees is only permitted if it is necessary for the establishment, performance, or termination of the employment relationship. In practical terms: only data with a direct connection to the job may be collected and stored.

Sensitive Data: Special Categories under Art. 9 GDPR

Extra caution is required for what the GDPR calls "special categories of personal data" under Art. 9. These include health data, biometric data, ethnic origin, and trade union membership. Such data may only be processed in narrow exceptional circumstances (e.g. health data for continued pay during illness).

Record of Processing Activities – A Legal Obligation

Every organisation that processes personal data is required under Art. 30 GDPR to maintain a record of processing activities. This document records which data is stored, for what purpose, and on what legal basis. This obligation also applies to HR administration.

Practical tip: Anyone using an Excel template should ensure the file is password-protected, access is restricted to authorised individuals, and the file is stored securely – ideally in an encrypted location. Storing sensitive data in unsecured cloud services is a data protection risk.

Retention Periods in HR Administration

Once employees leave the organisation, their data cannot be stored indefinitely. Art. 17 GDPR imposes a duty to delete data once the purpose for which it was collected no longer exists – unless statutory retention periods require otherwise.

Once retention periods have expired: Documents must be deleted or destroyed in a data-protection-compliant manner (Art. 17 GDPR).

Excel Template or HR Software – What Works for Your Organisation?

Not every company needs to invest in HR software straight away. The right decision depends on the size of the organisation and its specific requirements.

When Is an Excel Template Sufficient?

An Excel template for HR administration makes sense when:

• the organisation has fewer than 20–25 employees
• no complex interfaces with payroll accounting are needed
• self-service functions (e.g. digital leave requests) are not required
• the volume of data remains manageable

For GDPR compliance, the file must be password-protected, accessible only to authorised individuals, and stored in a secure, ideally encrypted location.

When Does Digital HR Software Pay Off?

From around 25–30 employees, or when the following requirements arise, a digital solution is worth considering:

• Automated absence management with approval workflows
• Digital signatures for contracts and documents
• Interfaces with payroll accounting systems
• Audit trails and access logging for GDPR compliance
• Employee self-service portals

Practical Tips for Setting Up Structured HR Administration

Step 1: Current-State Analysis - Where is data currently stored and in what form? Information is often scattered across emails, folders, and local files. A clear picture of the current state is essential before any meaningful structure can be put in place.

Step 2: Choose or Create a Template - Decide on a suitable template format (Excel or software). Define required fields and optional fields. Less is often more – keep the template as lean as possible.

Step 3: GDPR Review - Before rolling out the template, have it reviewed by a data protection officer or someone with data protection expertise. Document the legal basis for each data field.

Step 4: Define Access Rights - Determine who may view and edit which data. In smaller organisations, this is often limited to management and one HR person.

Step 5: Regular Maintenance and Updates - HR administration is not a one-off project. Plan for regular updates – for example, after salary adjustments, contract changes, or address updates.

For organisations that also want to bring structure to their recruiting process, it makes sense to link HR administration with a structured job interview process – creating a consistent data trail from first contact through to hire.

Frequently Asked Questions about HR Administration Templates

What belongs in an HR administration template?

A complete template includes master data (name, address, date of birth, contact details), contract data (job title, start date, salary, working hours), absences (leave, sick days, parental leave), and references to documents such as the employment contract and references. The governing principle is always § 26 BDSG: only data that is permissible under data protection law may be captured.

How long must personnel records be retained?

Retention periods vary by document type. General personnel records must be kept for at least 3 years after an employee leaves (§ 195 BGB); payroll and income tax records for 6 years each (§ 257 HGB, § 147 AO). Once the retention period has expired, there is a duty to delete under Art. 17 GDPR.

What employee data may an employer store?

Under § 26 BDSG, only data that is necessary for the employment relationship may be stored. Data relating to private lifestyle, trade union membership, or political views is generally not permissible. Health data (a special category under Art. 9 GDPR) may only be processed in exceptional cases.

Is an Excel template for HR administration GDPR-compliant?

In principle, yes – provided it is password-protected, access is restricted to authorised individuals, and the file is stored securely (no unencrypted cloud sharing). Regardless of format, a record of processing activities under Art. 30 GDPR is mandatory.

When should you switch from Excel to HR software?

The general recommendation is at around 25–30 employees. At the latest when absence management with approval workflows, digital signatures, or GDPR-compliant audit trails are needed, Excel reaches its limits.

Do employees have the right to view their personnel file?

Yes. § 83 of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG) gives employees the right to inspect their own personnel file at any time. This right also applies to digital personnel files. On request, the file must be explained to them.

What mandatory information must a personnel file contain?

There is no exhaustive statutory list. In practice, a complete personnel file should contain at minimum: personal master data, the signed employment contract, social security records, income tax data, and any termination letters. Industry-specific requirements and company policies may call for additional documents.

Conclusion

A structured HR administration template is the foundation for legally sound, efficient HR management. It provides a clear overview of master data, contracts, absences, and documents – and helps organisations meet legal requirements under GDPR, BDSG, and other applicable regulations.

The most important principle: only collect data that is genuinely necessary for the employment relationship. Review retention periods regularly and delete data consistently once deadlines have passed.

For small organisations, a carefully set-up Excel template is often enough. As the team grows or more complex workflows become necessary, switching to a digital HR solution is worthwhile.

Beyond structured HR administration, the objective selection of employees is equally critical to success. The digital platform Aivy supports HR teams with scientifically validated game-based assessments – enabling fair, bias-free hiring decisions from the very start. Learn more about Aivy

Sources

• GDPR (EU) 2016/679 – General Data Protection Regulation, Art. 6, 9, 17, 30. European Parliament / Council of the EU, 2016. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32016R0679
• Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) – § 26 Data processing for employment purposes. Federal Republic of Germany, 2018. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bdsg_2018/
• Works Constitution Act (BetrVG) – § 83 Right to inspect personnel files. Federal Republic of Germany, 1972. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/betrvg/__83.html
• German Commercial Code (HGB) – § 257 Retention of records. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hgb/__257.html
• German Fiscal Code (AO) – § 147 Retention obligations for records. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ao_1977/__147.html
• Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI): Guide to Employee Data Protection. https://www.bfdi.bund.de
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Personalführung (DGFP): Practice papers on HR administration and data protection, 2022. https://www.dgfp.de