Case study - Zola Improves HR Workflows with PDFMonkey’s Document Automation

Overview

Zola, an innovative all-in-one HR platform for talent management, needed a way to generate PDFs in their serverless environment without spending too much development time. Recently raising €1 million in funding to become the #1 digital assistant for HR directors, Zola has been expanding its suite of HR tools for SMEs and mid-sized companies. With limited resources, they couldn’t build their own PDF solution from scratch. Since January 2022, PDFMonkey has become a key part of their platform, helping them create automated meeting summaries for their clients.

The Challenge: PDF Generation in a Serverless Setup

When Zola began looking for a PDF solution, they had several specific needs:

• No Backend Rendering: As a serverless application, they couldn’t rely on traditional backend rendering for PDFs.
• Resource Constraints: Their small team couldn’t afford to spend weeks building a custom PDF solution.
• Avoiding Frontend Headaches: They wanted to avoid handling PDF creation in the frontend, which would require testing UI changes with every update.
• Integration Requirements: The solution needed to work seamlessly with their existing stack.

Why PDFMonkey Was the Right Choice

After exploring their options, Zola chose PDFMonkey for several practical reasons:

• Try Before You Buy: The free trial let them test everything before committing.
• Local Support: As a French company, they liked working with another French business that offered quick support when needed.
• Simple API: Getting started only required a few API calls, with no complex setup process.
• Easy Integration: PDFMonkey fit perfectly into their ecosystem where they already integrate with various HR tools.

Quick and Easy Setup

Getting PDFMonkey working in Zola’s system was surprisingly easy. Their developers integrated it with just a few API calls, and the solution was up and running almost immediately.

How Zola Uses PDFMonkey

Zola mainly uses PDFMonkey to generate meeting summaries based on surveys that clients complete in their app. These summaries are particularly important for their annual reviews and professional interviews modules, which are core features of their HR platform. What was once a manual process is now completely automated, making life easier for their clients who include companies like Intersport, KFC, and Crédit Agricole.

Real Results

Using PDFMonkey has made a big difference for both Zola and their clients:

• Time Saved: Their clients no longer write summaries by hand, saving about 7 hours every week.
• Money Saved: The solution cuts costs by roughly €150 weekly, or €7,800 annually.
• Reliable Service: After three years of use, Zola confirms that all issues reported to support ultimately originated from factors external to PDFMonkey.
• Enhanced Platform Value: The automated document generation adds significant value to Zola’s HR tool suite.

For Zola, PDFMonkey isn’t just a tool—it’s become a core part of what they offer to over 200 HR directors who trust their platform, saving them “weeks of development” and helping them deliver better service to their clients.