Setting Up Initial Configurations

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Edit field and sections in a form template.
  • Edit ratable sections in a form template.

Customization of Performance Form Elements

Elements of the Performance Form can be customized in Edit Fields and Sections. Here you can add, delete and re-order sections. There are several different kinds of sections that can appear only once on a Performance Form template. The configuration options within each type of section differs. You will learn how to configure each of these sections in Admin Center and in XML.  

Most common sections: 

  • Introduction: To display instructional text to the end users about the form content, steps, etc. 
  • Employee Information: To display basic information about the subject of the form. 
  • Review Dates: To display the start, end and due dates of the form, as well as the form originator. 
  • Goal: Goals from the goal plan populate here. There can be more than one goal section added to a performance form template. 
  • Competency: To display the competencies. Typically, form templates have more than one competency section, such as core and job-related competencies. 
  • Summary: To provides a summary of all ratable goal and competency sections, and generate an overall calculated rating. 
  • Signature: To electronically sign the form before completion.
  • Additionally, custom sections can be added to further meet customer requirements. 

Adding New Sections

The process for adding any kind of section to a form template is identical. By selecting the Add New Section button, a list with available options to add a new section displays.

Remember, there are certain section types that can only be added to a template once.

If you are configuring the new section through the instance, the system does not allow you to create duplicates of those section types. When using XML, your template will not validate. Once the section is added to the template, you can drag-and-drop it to the desired location. 

New Section Addition in the XML Template

For additional goals and competencies sections, it is easiest to select the code for the entire existing goal or competency section and paste it either before or after the existing section, depending on where you wish the section to appear in the instance. From the pasted code, you can make the required configurations to that section. To ensure that all sections appear in the desired order on the form, remember to change   the<fm-element index>of this section, and all the other sections. 

Note

When copying and pasting, remember that you can only copy a like section to make a like section.

Configuration of Section Attributes

Each section has various attributes that can be configured within the section. Most commonly used attributes can be configured in the following:

  • Manage Templates (if applicable)
  • XML Templates. For each section, there is an <fm-sect-config> tag that describes basic settings for each section.

Modification of the Section Name and Introduction

Every section in the Form Template has a Name and Introductory text. You can change a section name in the Instance or in the XML template as follows:

You can add a new section introduction in the Instance or in the XML template as follows: 

  • Instance: Enter and update the text in the designated area 
  • XML: Update the section’s <fm-sect-intro>

Configuration of Comment Settings

Comments can be configured according to customer preference. Comment settings are configurable in both Manage Templates and in the XML.

  • Instance: Select the appropriate checkbox to enable comments in Show advanced options of the section.  
  • XML: Update the section’s cmt-opt attribute.

For most sections when enabling comments, a comment box appears at the end of the section. These are called Section Comments.   

For Goal and Competency sections, besides section comments, there are also item comments available. By default, the item comments appear below each goal and competency. 

Watch this video to learn about how to configure the comment options in Manage Templates and in the XML. 

Configuration of Comment Settings in Manage Templates

In the desired section check to enable or uncheck to disable the comment option.

Configuration of Comment Settings in XML

The visibility of both section comments and item comments is controlled by the cmt-opt attribute in the element of the section. You can choose from the following options in the goal and competency sections: 

  • cmt-opt="0": Show both item and section comments

  • cmt-opt="1": Only show section comments

  • cmt-opt="2": Only show item comments

  • cmt-opt="3": Don’t show item or section comments

If the section is not a goal or competency section, only section comments can be enabled. In this case the following options apply:   

  • cmt-opt="0": Show section comments 
  • cmt-opt="1": Don’t show section comments 

Rating Scale per Section

Enable a Rating Scale per Section

If a different rating scale needs to be used per ratable section, it can be selected at each section using the Rating Scale dropdown option from Manage Templates, or in XML using this code below the <sect-weight-4-objcomp-summary> element.

Code Snippet
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<fm-sect-scale show-value="true">
<scale-source>1</scale-source>
<scale-id><![CDATA[ADD YOUR RATING SCALE HERE]]></scale-id>
<scale-type><![CDATA[null]]></scale-type>
</fm-sect-scale>

Begin the interaction to learn how to configure the rating scales on a performance form.

Rating Options

Rating Options

In each ratable section of the form we can define the rating-opt attribute. This attribute determines how ratings are solicited on a form. There are various scenarios possible.

The following rating options are available:

  • rating-opt="0": Only one rating field appears, and is accessible by everyone with access to the form. It is the rating of record, and the field is the item-rating.
  • rating-opt="1": A rating field appears and is accessible by everyone with access to the form. It is the rating of record and the field is the item-rating. Additionally, the employee will have his/her own rating box (unofficial user rating) item-cmt-rating.
  • rating-opt="2": A rating field appears and is accessible by everyone with access to the form. It is the rating of record, and the field is the item-rating. Additionally, everyone with access to the form will have their own rating box (unofficial user rating). For this type of rating option, there are two possible fields for the unofficial user rating: the user-item-cmt-rating or the item-cmt-rating, which will be explained in more detail in Unit 10.
  • rating-opt="3": Two rating fields appear. One rating for the Employee, the subject-item-rating field, and one for the manager, the item-rating field, which is the rating of record. This is the recommended option. If this option is used, the split-cmt attribute should be set to true.

Configuration of the Option to Add or Remove a Section Item

In each competency and goal section we can allow the user to add and remove an item. When this is configured, the Add Competency or Add Goals buttons will appear in the respective sections and the users will be allowed to remove items as well. 

Note

Both the Add Competency and Add Goals buttons as well as the deletion of items can be permissioned by role.

Configuration in Manage Templates 

  1. For goal sections, the configurable option can be enabled in Performance Form Templates by selecting Advanced Options followed by Allow users to add/remove Goals within the section.
  2. For competency sections, select the checkbox titled Allow users to add competencies.

Configuration in the XML Template

In both goals and competency sections, the option to add a section item in the XML template is controlled by the section attribute configurable. In this context, configurable means that competencies or goals can be added to (or deleted from) the section on an ad hoc basis. 

  • configurable="true": An Add Competency or Add Goals(depending on the type of section) button appears in the section and trash bin icons next to the items.  
  • configurable="false": Buttons are not visible

Configuration of Item Weights

In a goal or competency section, individual items within the section can be weighted.

The ability to weight goals within a goal section is enabled in the Performance Form Template under Advanced Options → Include the ability to enter in a weight in the appropriate goal section.

The ability to weight competencies within a competency section would be also enabled via Include the ability to enter in a weight in the appropriate competency section.

Note

While the functionality is the same in both sections, it is best if weighting is used only in a goal section. Weighting tends not to be used in a competency section, as it makes the overall evaluation score too granular.

In XML, the no-weight attribute is used to define whether weights are used per goal or competency.

no-weight="true"No weights are shown within the section, and the average rating of the section is used to calculate the overall rating of the form.
no-weight="false"Individual items, competencies and goals, can be weighted from within the Performance Management form. 

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