This article is for administrators who prepare the company’s review questionnaires. It explains how to create a form template, build its sections and questions, translate it, preview it and then keep it up to date once it has been used. Templates are then used by campaign steps, one-off reviews and 1:1 meetings.
Before you start #
- The Performance module must be installed for your workspace.
- Seeing the list of templates: “Settings — Feedback form templates”, Access level. Creating, renaming, activating, deactivating, deleting and reordering templates: Execute level.
- Opening a template in the builder: “Settings — Form builder”, Access level. Saving questions and duplicating a template: Execute level on both permissions.
- By default, only the administrator role holds these permissions. They are set in Settings › Manage Employees › Employee Roles, PERFORMANCE section.
The list of templates #
Open Settings › Performance › Feedback Templates. The “Feedback Form Templates” page shows a table:
- Template Name, with a “Disabled” badge for a template that is no longer offered, or “Locked” for a template used by a signed review;
- Languages: the number of languages into which the template name is translated;
- Steps: the number of questions in the template (section titles are not counted);
- Actions: View opens the builder; the row’s three-dot menu offers Edit, Duplicate, Deactivate or Activate, and Delete.
Drag a row to change the order of the templates. The message “Templates order updated successfully” confirms the change.
Creating a template #
- Click Create new form. The “New form” window opens.
- Enter the Form name (required), for example “Annual review”.
- Under Translations, click Add: the button shows how many translations are missing. Enter the name in each language active for the company (French and English are supported). Without them, creation is refused with the message “Missing translations: …”.
- Click Create. If you have access to the builder, it opens straight away on the new template; otherwise you stay on the list.
To rename a template later, choose Edit in its row’s three-dot menu: the “Edit Feedback Template” window shows the name and its translations. Click Save changes.
Building the questionnaire #
The “Performance Form Builder” opens in Edit mode. At the top, the Form title field holds the template name.
- A form is made of sections. Give the first one a Section title, then use Add section at the bottom of the page for the next ones.
- In a section, click Add question. Enter the Question label, choose its type and, if useful, a Description to guide the person answering.
- Set the question’s three switches: Required (the review cannot be submitted without an answer), Comments (a comment field comes with the answer) and Private (see below).
- The question’s icons let you duplicate or delete it; the handle at the top of the question lets you move it by dragging.
| Question type | What you set |
|---|---|
| Open text | Nothing more: the person writes their answer. |
| Binary (Yes/No) | The labels of the two options. |
| Traffic light | The labels of the three options: negative, neutral and positive. |
| Descriptive scale | A list of options, extended with Add option. |
| Numeric scale | The bounds From (0 to 8) and to (up to 10, at least two points above the minimum), a Low label and a High label, with a preview. |
| Multiple choice | A list of options, extended with Add option, and the Allow “Other” box. |
Private questions #
A question marked Private (“This question and its answer will be hidden from the recipient.”) is never shown to the person being reviewed, except in their own self review. It does not appear in the end-of-cycle dossier either. A form cannot contain only private questions: the builder flags it and refuses to save.
Translating the labels #
The builder’s fields hold the French wording. The globe next to the title, sections, questions and options (“Manage translations”) opens the “Translations” window, which has one field per active language: enter the English wording there, then click Save.
Every label must exist in all of the company’s active languages, including options and scale labels. The default texts the builder suggests (“Nouvelle question”, “Oui” / “Non”, the traffic light options, “Insuffisant” / “Satisfaisant” / “Excellent”, “Minimum” / “Maximum”) exist in French only: if English is active, replace or translate them before saving.
Previewing and saving #
Click Preview to see the form as it will be presented: the title, an “Instructions” box, then the sections and their questions (an asterisk marks required questions). The list at the top right switches the preview language (French or English). Go back to editing with Edit.
Click Save. The button stays greyed out while the form has no title or no question. The builder then checks that the title has at least two characters and that every label is translated; a missing translation is named in the message (for example “… — missing translation: English”). Once saved, the message “Form updated successfully” appears and you return to the list.
Marking a template as a professional interview #
For employees in France, the Professional interview (France, art. L6315-1) box, below the form title, means that a finalized interview with this template counts as a professional interview. The setting applies as soon as you tick the box, without going through Save, and remains available on a locked template. Its effect is described in Tracking professional interviews (France).
Updating a template that has been used #
Locked template #
As soon as a signed review uses a template, it becomes “Locked”: the builder shows it read-only. To change it, choose Duplicate in its row’s three-dot menu. The copy, named “<name> (Copy)”, takes all the questions and can be edited; the locked template is deactivated at the same time, so that only the new version is offered. Remember to rename the copy and to select it on upcoming cycles and steps.
Deactivating or deleting #
A deactivated template is no longer offered when choosing a template for a new review, a cycle or a step; reviews and steps that already use it keep it. Activate makes it available again. A template that has never been used is deleted along with its questions (“Delete Feedback Template”). A template that has been used cannot be: the “Cannot Delete This Template” window suggests deactivating it instead.
Good to know #
- On a question that has already been answered, the type can no longer change; the options of a scale or choice can be renamed or added, but not removed; the range of a numeric scale cannot be narrowed. A question of a template that has been used cannot be deleted: deactivate the template and duplicate it.
- A finalized review keeps the questions as they were when it was finalized.
- The template is chosen on the cycle or on each step: see Setting up a review cycle and campaign. For a review outside a campaign, see Completing and approving reviews.
- Performance forms do not include a skills assessment. The skills part of the annual review belongs to the Training module: see Managing skills.
FAQ #
Why does the Save button stay greyed out? #
The form has no title yet or contains no question. If the template is locked, or if you only have the Access level, the builder opens read-only.
Do I need to recreate the template for the next campaign? #
No. An active template can be selected on as many cycles and steps as needed. Only duplicate it to change its content, especially when it is locked.
