Explaining the Performance Review Template Components 

A Form Template is a shell containing the performance review form's structure (layout). This includes the form title and sections, as noted previously. This template also controls which rating scale is used, which route map is used, and other settings and options.

In this section, we will discuss the various form template components and their associated configuration decisions.

A Rating Scale is a tool used in SAP SuccessFactors Performance Management forms, in which the reviewer assigns a score to the employee to measure performance. Rating scales can have any number of points based on the customer’s processes.

The advantage of using a 5-point rating scale is that it has a midpoint and allows for just enough differentiation without introducing scores too close to be of much value.

With a 7-point scale, there’s too much differentiation; the extra scores aren’t as clearly defined based on the midpoint.

Evaluators must artificially determine for themselves how much better than neutral and how much less than best each extra score means, which introduces inconsistencies.

In contrast, a 3-point scale doesn’t allow for enough differentiation. The evaluator can only choose the worst, neutral, or best. This leaves out nuanced better or worse scores, introducing inaccuracies. In addition, this rating scale often results in too many employees rated as neutral.

A 4-point scale lacks a neutral midpoint, forcing evaluations to be lopsided towards one end or the other. Generally, evaluations trend to the high end, resulting in excessive positive evaluations.

Route Maps establish the workflow and steps that employees follow during the performance review process. They specify the order in which a form moves from one employee to another and what employees can do during each step. However, some aspects of form permissions are built at the template level.

Stages of a Route Map

There are three stages in a route map:

• Modify Stage – During this stage, users edit various aspects of the form, including ratings, goal status, and comments.
• Signature Stage – During this stage, the form is locked for editing and is read-only except for signature section comments.
• Completion – This stage is achieved once all parties sign the form.

Stages contain steps. You can edit the Step Name, Step Description, Step Type, Reviewer Roles, and Dates in the Modify Stage.

• The Step Name is the name displayed on the route map within a form.
• The Step Description is a description that the users will see in their To Do list on the Home page. This gives more context about the action users are being asked to take. If this field is blank, the Step Name will be used for the To-Do list.
• Step Type describes the way the form is routed. Step Types are:
  • Single Role
  • Iterative
  • Collaborative

Reviewer Roles are associated to employees when you add them to SAP SuccessFactors. The route map you define will use the roles assigned to these users to determine who to send the form to. The standard system roles are employee, manager, second-level manager, first matrix manager, all matrix managers, HR rep, HR rep’s manager, user, originator, and originator’s manager. There is also a custom role that can be defined.

• Entry User – Specifies who receives the form first in an iterative step.
• Exit User – Specifies who is assigned to route the form to the next step in iterative and collaborative steps.

In the Modify and Signature stages several date fields can be defined. These are:

• Start Date – The date when the specific step starts.
• Exit Date – The form cannot be completed until this date has passed.
• Due Date – The date the step is due.

In the Signature Stage, you can edit the Step Name, Step Description, Step Type, and Dates.

The Step Type is different in the Signature Stage than in the Modify Stage. The form may only be with one employee at a time for signature; therefore, Step Type contains the role of the person who must sign during this step.

In the Completion Stage, you can edit the Step Name and Select Carbon Copy roles, determining who is copied on the form when completed.