Describing Key Performance Review Form Components

The latest experience of Performance Management forms, released in 1H 2025, enabled by administrators in Performance Management Feature Settings features a complete redesign of the experience, and includes the following high-level capabilities:

• A new General Information group was created to hide some sections from the main view and highlight other sections that matter most, like Goals, Skills, or the Overall Summary. Users can focus on the most relevant tasks while accessing the general information group to review other details, such as the Introduction, Employee Information, or Review Dates for the form.
  • Movable sections for the general information group include: Introduction, Review Dates, Employee Information, and custom sections.
  • The sections you want to be placed into this general information group need to be enabled with a Move this section under General Information checkbox in Manage Templates.
  • The main view will show the Current Step and Next Step. Selecting General Information from the table view opens a side panel where the route map and details for each section within this group can be reviewed.
• Side panels: The side panels have a decorative icon (right arrow) at the right end, indicating they have more to display. When selecting a section in the main view, a side panel expands to display all details and actionable items.
• The form's navigation bar is displayed vertically so that users can browse the content more efficiently.
• In rating sections, the skills, competencies, or goals are listed in tables. This makes it easier to give and compare ratings. Users can give ratings using a slider, stars, or a dropdown list.

The figures below show some of the key features of the latest experience for performance management forms.

Performance Review Forms contain the following components:

• Form Title
• Form Workflow
• Form Sections

We will discuss each of these in detail and present you with decision points for each component.

Each form template must have a name. This name should be descriptive of the form and easy for your users to understand. This title is visible across the platform.

The Form Title includes the name of the form template and the subject’s name.

• Performance Review with Self Review
• [YEAR] Annual Review
• FY [YEAR] Performance Review

The workflow controls how the form will move through the review process. The Route Map controls the workflow. We will discuss form Route Maps in more detail later.

You may develop your own unique set of steps for a performance review to follow your company’s process. This section will provide a sample performance review workflow and discuss the steps involved.

Many end-of-year performance review processes begin with an employee performing a self-evaluation or review. During the Employee Self Review step, the employee uses the performance review form to:

• Update each goal’s status and comment on completion
• Assess competency strengths and areas for development

When finished, the employee sends the form to the next step. In this example, the manager receives the employee’s performance review form and reviews the employee’s self-evaluation. Then, the manager conducts their own evaluation of the employee’s performance on goals and competencies.

Typically, the manager and employee then meet to discuss the evaluation. The discussion that follows should include:

• Reviewing and giving feedback on the employee’s performance
• Identifying development needs

After the performance discussion, the form is sent to the employee for electronic signature to confirm the discussion has occurred. It is then forwarded to the manager for signature. When signed by all, the form is complete.

For reference, a copy of the completed performance review form will be available in the employee’s and manager’s Completed folder in the Performance tool.

Each form contains sections that provide the reviewer with additional information and display information from other tools within SAP SuccessFactors, such as the Goal Plan, as well as provide the ability to rate and comment on goals and/or competencies.

In this section, we will explore each form section type and present you with the various decisions you will make while implementing these sections.

Introduction

The Introduction section may contain text-based content that provides information to your users. This information may be about the purpose of the review, whom to call for assistance, or any other information you feel is relevant.

Goals

Performance goals can be automatically populated into the form from the employee’s Goal Plan or added manually.

Objectively measuring your employees' goals in a meaningful way allows the organization to use the full value of establishing individual Goal Plans.

A rating scale can be used, and employees and managers can use tools like SAP SuccessFactors’ Legal Scan to avoid using potentially inappropriate language in the comments.

Attributes

Including Core attributes (Competencies or Skills) in the review identifies and reinforces the competencies/skills expected of all employees. Role-based competencies or skills can also be integrated into the performance review process. This is invaluable given that these attributes make up the very nuts and bolts of what is expected of someone in a given role and set the stage for career and development planning.

Competencies and Skills can be automatically populated or added manually to the form. A content-rich Writing Assistant and AI-Assisted Writing* help users eliminate writer’s block and provide meaningful feedback for the competency content.

Development Goals

Performance review forms may contain multiple goal sections. Although Development Goals are typically not rated, they are sometimes included in the end-of-year evaluation to assist in planning for the upcoming year. AI-Assisted Writing* tools are available in the Development Goals section as well.

Summary

The Summary section displays summarized information about the evaluation sections on the form in one central area. For example, if you have two Goal sections, a Competency section, and a Skills section in your form, summaries about the content in all four sections are shown in the Overall Summary section. Here, you can also set the weights for each section.

This section is sometimes titled Overall Performance Summary or Assessment Summary. The content in the working sections of the form determines the amount of summarized information.

For example, if your form includes ratings and weights, the average score from these values is shown for each section, and a general overall performance score. You can also allow managers to manually enter an employee’s overall performance rating in this section.

Signature

The Signature section displays the names of the people who have been asked to sign the form.

Once signed, this section displays the electronic signature of the signer and the date signed.

Note

*The usage of AI capabilities in SAP SuccessFactors requires an SAP AI Units license. Customers are advised to contact their SAP SuccessFactors Account Representative. More information about all the available capabilities can be found here: Premium AI Features in SAP SuccessFactors | SAP Help Portal.

• The Form Title should be descriptive of the form and easy for your users to understand.
• The workflow controls how the form will move through the review process. The Route Map controls the workflow.
• Generally, the performance review process starts with employee completing a self-evaluation. The manager then reviews the form and completes a review as well. They then meet to discuss and then the form is sent to the employee for electronic signature to confirm the discussion has occurred. It is then forwarded to the manager for signature. When signed by all, the form is complete.