Set up performance

The full performance setup checklist in order, from rating scales and financial years to launching a cycle, plus the HR steps that follow.

For hr administratorsUpdated 4 Nov 2026

Before you start

  • Set up employees and supervisorsAppraisals go to each employee's line manager ("Reporting To" or primary supervisor). Without it, nobody can review the appraisal.
  • Set up HR settingsDepartments come from HR Settings. Templates, KPI templates and goals are all tied to a department.
In this article
  1. How an appraisal moves through WbizManager
  2. Setup checklist, in order
  3. Who sees what
  4. What employees and managers see

Performance management in WbizManager runs in cycles. HR prepares the year, the scoring rules and the forms. Employees rate themselves, their line manager reviews them, and HR approves the result. This page is the checklist: do the setup steps in the order below, then launch the cycle. For leave, expenses and loans, see the HR setup overview.

  1. Everything is under HR › Performance in the menu on the left.
  2. The dashboard shows the active cycle, pending self-assessments, completed appraisals and active PIPs.
  3. Performance Management Workflow shows the same steps as this page. Select a step to open its screen.

How an appraisal moves through WbizManager

StageWhoWhat happensGuide
1. SettingsHRRating scale, KPI and behavioural weights, competencies, automatic PIPSet up performance settings
2. Year and cycleHRFinancial year, then the appraisal cycle with its deadlinesSet up financial years, Set up appraisal cycles
3. KPIsHRKPI library (optional), KPI templates per roleSet up the KPI library, Set up KPI templates
4. Appraisal templateHR (or a manager with template rights)Build the form, apply a KPI template, lock it, approve itSet up appraisal templates
5. Who is dueHRCheck eligibility before you assignCheck appraisal eligibility
6. GoalsHR and managersOrganisational, department and individual goalsOrganisational goals, Department goals, Individual goals
7. LaunchHRActivate the cycle and assign the template to employeesLaunch an appraisal cycle
8. Self-assessmentEmployeeScores each KPI and competency, then submitsComplete your appraisal
9. Manager reviewLine managerScores, comments, review meeting, submits or sends backAppraise your team, Hold a review meeting
10. HR decisionHRApproves or rejects; employee and manager sign offReview appraisals as HR
11. Follow-upHR and managersImprovement plans, top performers, reportsRun a performance improvement plan, View top performers, View employee performance, View performance reports

Setup checklist, in order

  1. Check employees and line managers

    Each employee needs a primary job with a Department, a Join Date and a line manager (Reporting To, or a primary supervisor). The appraisal goes to that line manager for review. A secondary supervisor stands in only while the primary supervisor is on approved leave. See Set up employees and supervisors.

  2. Set the performance settings

    In Settings › HR Settings › Performance, set the rating scale, the KPI and behavioural weights (they must add up to 100%), the behavioural competencies, and automatic PIP if you want it. New templates read these values. See Set up performance settings.

  3. Add the financial year

    Create the year and keep it active. Appraisal templates are tied to an active financial year. See Set up financial years.

  4. Create the appraisal cycle

    Create the cycle with its dates and deadlines. Keep it as a draft until you are ready to launch. See Set up appraisal cycles.

  5. Prepare KPIs

    Write a KPI template for each role or department, with weights that add up to 100%. The KPI library is an optional catalogue. See Set up KPI templates.

  6. Build, lock and approve the appraisal template

    Create the template for the department and financial year, apply the KPI template, check the behavioural weights, then Lock it. Locking checks the weights; only locked templates can be assigned. See Set up appraisal templates.

  7. Check eligibility and set goals

    Check which employees are due for an appraisal, and record the goals they will be measured against. See Check appraisal eligibility and Set up organisational goals.

  8. Launch

    Activate the cycle, then assign the locked template to employees or whole departments. See Launch an appraisal cycle.

Who sees what

ScreenWho uses itWhere
My Performance (also HR › Performance › My Appraisal)Every employee with the self-assessment permissionMy Portal
Team Appraisals, Review MeetingsLine managersManager Workspace, or HR › Performance
Everything else on this pageHR administratorsHR › Performance, Settings › HR Settings

The screenshots in these guides were taken as a Super User, who sees every screen. Other users see only the menu items their role allows.

What employees and managers see

  • Employees see the cycle email, then their appraisal under My Performance once HR assigns a template. The KPIs, weights and competencies on their form come from the template you lock. See Complete your appraisal.
  • Line managers see each team member's appraisal under Team Appraisals as soon as it is assigned, and can review it after the employee submits. Who counts as the manager comes from the employee record. See Appraise your team.