Configuring the Appraisals Function

The Appraisals function, accessed using the Employee and Manager responsibilities, manages the structure, content, and distribution of the worker appraisal process. Before creating an appraisal, users must create at least one appraisal template.

Configuring the Appraisal

You can perform most standard configurations of the appraisal in the appraisal template. For example, to include a Competencies section in the appraisal, you create a competency assessment template and include it in the appraisal template. Otherwise, the appraisal contains no Competencies section.

Organizations that run Oracle Learning Management (formerly Oracle Training Administration) may want to include the Learning Path region in appraisals.

To include the Learning Path region, you can:

  1. Personalize the following pages, enabling both to display the item TraActivitiesRN:

  2. Using the page layout tree in the personalization page for the pages listed in Step 1, personalize the region TraActivitiesRN to enable the item Training Courses and remove the item View Competency Gaps.

  3. Personalize relevant pages to show the Learning Path review region.

For standard and 360-degree appraisals, the Add Courses Based on Competency Gaps button can appear only on the main appraiser Give Final Ratings page.

To personalize the Give Final Ratings page:

  1. Click Save as Draft to save the appraisal.

  2. Click Next, then Click Apply.

  3. Click Give Final Ratings.

  4. In the Final Ratings page, select Personalize Page.

  5. Set Rendered to True for the following items:

If you use the Manage Appraisal Templates function to create appraisal templates, you can select Include Learning Path to include this region.

Changing the Initial Values of the Appraisal Sharing Options

When the main appraiser shares the appraisal with the appraisee, the main appraiser specifies which information the appraisee can view and whether the appraisee can update the appraisal. For example, to share competency ratings and comments, the main appraiser selects the Competency Ratings and Comments check box. By default, all options on the Share Appraisal Details with Appraisee page (except Main Appraiser Retains Ownership) are selected.

To change the initial selection setting of any of the sharing options, you personalize the Appraisal Setup Details page. To personalize any attribute other than the initial setting, you personalize the Share Appraisal Details with Appraisee page. For example, to remove the Participant Details checkbox, you personalize the Share Appraisal Details with Appraisee page. To make Participant Details deselected by default, you personalize the Appraisal Setup Details page.

Note: Within a single appraisal, the application sets the default values once only, when you first access the Appraisal Setup Details page. If you change the default values while an appraisal is in progress, those changes are not apparent in the existing appraisal. The changes become apparent only when you start a new appraisal.

To change the initial values of the sharing options, you select Personalize Page from the Appraisal Setup Details page. Alternatively, you can use the Functional Administrator responsibility, select the Personalization tab, and enter the document path: /oracle/apps/per/selfservice/appraisals/webui/SetupDetailsPG. This approach enables you to change initial values without launching the appraisals process flow.

Note: If you use the Manage Appraisal Templates function, you can configure these sharing options interactively for each appraisal template.

Identifying a Default Appraisal Template

To identify a default appraisal template for an appraisal type (for example, for a standard appraisal), you select Personalize Page from the Appraisal Setup Details page. You personalize the field Message Text Input: (ApprTemplateIdTxtInp) and enter the numeric identifier of the appraisal template.

Menu and Function Names

The following table describes the menu and function names.

Menu and Function Names

User Menu Name Function Name
Employee Self-Service Appraisals (HR_EMP_MY_APPR_SS)
Employee Self-Service Performance Management (HR_EMP_TALMGMT_HMPAGE_SS)
Contingent Worker Self-Service Appraisals (HR_EMP_MY_APPR_SS)
Contingent Worker Self-Service Performance Management (HR_EMP_TALMGMT_HMPAGE_SS)
Manager Self-Service Appraisals (HR_MGR_MN_APPR_SS)
Manager Self-Service Performance Management (HR_MGR_TALMGMT_HMPAGE_SS)
HR Professional View Appraisals Manager - HR Sys Admin (HR_VIEW_SYSAPPR_MGR_SS)

Profile Options

Define the following profile options that affect the Appraisals function:

For information on these profile options, see: Profile Options in Oracle Performance Management

Workflow

Workflow Process Display Name: Appraisal Details Process

Workflow triggers multiple events, usually notifications to participants. Completion of a standard or 360-Degree appraisal automatically updates the appraisee's competency profile (unless the system profile is disabled), creates or updates the appraisee's learning path, and creates a Performance Review event, which in turn can transfer the overall rating and other data to other modules such as Compensation Workbench.

If you define or configure new functions, you can enable or disable approvals by adding one of the following values to the parameter "pApprovalReqd":

YD is the default value. You cannot enable approvals for self appraisals.

The table below lists the workflow notifications that are specific to appraisals.

Workflow Notifications

Message Source Message Name Subject Body
SYSADMIN HR_APPRAISAL_COMMAPPLERR_MSG An application error has occurred in your process &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME performed on &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME Your &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME performed on &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME has encountered the following application error: &ERROR_MESSAGE_TEXT Please click the link below to view the changes. The HR Rep/System Administrator has been notified. For further action on this failed transaction, please contact your HR Rep/System Administrator &APPROVAL_HISTORY
SYSADMIN HR_APPRAISAL_COMMIT_APPERR_MSG An application error has occurred in your &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME process Your process &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME has encountered the following application error: &ERROR_MESSAGE_TEXT This process has been cancelled without any changes being made. After correcting the issue, click Retry to complete the transaction.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_APPRAISAL_OTHER_PARTIC_MSG The appraisal of &REVIEWEE needs your attention as other participant &FORWARDER has requested that you participate in the appraisal (dated &APPRAISAL_DATE) of &REVIEWEE Comments: &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_APPRAISAL_REVIEWER_MSG The appraisal of &REVIEWEE needs your attention as reviewer &FORWARDER has requested that you review the appriaisal (dated &APPRAISAL_DATE) of &REVIEWEE Comments: &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_APPRAISER_MSG The appraisal of &REVIEWEE needs your attention as appraiser &FORWARDER has requested that you act as appraiser for the appraisal (dated &APPRAISAL_DATE) of &REVIEWEE Comments: &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_APPRAISAL_COM_APPRAISEE_MSG Your appraisal has been completed &FORWARDER has completed your appraisal. Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the appraisal details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_TRANSFER_TO_APPRAISEE_MSG Your appraisal has been transferred to you &FORWARDER has requested that you modify the details of your appraisal dated &APPRAISAL_DATE Comments : &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the appraisal details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_EMBED_SHARE_LATEST_MSG View latest details of your appraisal Links to appraisal details
SYSADMIN HR_NTFY_MA_COMPLETE_MSG &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME for &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME has been approved Final Approver: &FORWARD_TO_DISPLAY_NAME User Name: &FORWARD_TO_USERNAME Comment: &APPROVAL_COMMENT &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME changes for &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME have been approved and completed. View the status below, and verify the successful completion of the appraisal. This notification requires no action.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_MAIN_APPRAISER_MSG The appraisal of &REVIEWEE needs your attention as main appraiser The appraisal (dated &APPRAISAL_DATE) of &REVIEWEE requires your attention as the main appraiser. Comments : &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_PART_TO_MAIN_APPRAISER_MSG &FORWARDER has completed their appraisal of &REVIEWEE &FORWARDER has completed their appraisal (dated &APPRAISAL_DATE) of &REVIEWEE Comments : &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the details.
Main Appraiser User Name HR_NEW_MAIN_APPRAISER_MSG You have been selected as main appraiser for the appraisal of &REVIEWEE &FORWARDER has requested that you take over for &MAIN_APPRAISER as the main appraiser in the appraisal (dated &APPRAISAL_DATE) of &REVIEWEE Comments : &WF_NOTE Please click &OBJECT_URL to view the details.
SYSTEM HR_NTFY_MA_PENDAPPR_MSG &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME for &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME has been approved and is pending appraisee feedback Final Approver: &FORWARD_TO_DISPLAY_NAME User Name: &FORWARD_TO_USERNAME Comment: &APPROVAL_COMMENT
&PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME changes for &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME have been approved. The appraisal requires appraisee feedback.
View the status below, and verify the successful completion of the appraisal &HR_APPRAISAL_COMMIT_LOG This notification required no action.
Participant HR_EMBED_PART_TO_MA_MSG Appraisee &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME has provided feedback on &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME &CURRENT_PERSON_DISPLAY_NAME has provided feedback on &PROCESS_DISPLAY_NAME This notification requires no action.
SYSTEM HR_EMBED_APPRAISEE_FBCK_MSG Your appraisal has been completed. Please review and provide feedback.  

Configuring Text

You can configure most text (including tips, instructions, and messages) on the Appraisals pages using the Personalize Page function.

Editing Page Titles

To change an Appraisals page title, you edit both the title message and either the Employee Appraisals menu or the Manager Appraisals menu.

To change the title message, you log in to HRMS using the Application Developer responsibility and navigate to the Messages window.

The title messages you can edit for the Create Appraisal pages are:

Appraisals Page Message Default Message Text
Setup Details HR_INST_APPR_CREATE_SETUP_SS Create &1: Setup Details
Overview HR_INST_APPR_CREATE_OVIEW_SS Create &1: Overview
Review HR_INST_APPR_CREATE_REVIEW_SS Create &1: Review

The title messages you can edit for the Update Appraisal pages are:

Appraisals Page Message Default Message Text
Setup Details HR_INST_APPR_UPDATE_SETUP_SS Update &1: Setup Details
Overview HR_INST_APPR_UPDATE_OVIEW_SS Update &1: Overview
Review HR_INST_APPR_UPDATE_REVIEW_SS Update &1: Review

The "&1" value in the default message text resolves to the appraisal type value (for example, "Standard Appraisal") from the Employee Appraisals menu or the Manager Appraisals menu, as appropriate. The menus and their default prompts are as follows:

User Menu Name Menu Default Prompts
Employee Appraisals HR_EMPLOYEE_APPRAISALS_MENU Self Appraisal
Standard Appraisal
360-Degree Appraisal
Manager Appraisals HR_MANAGER_APPRAISALS_MENU Standard Appraisal
360-Degree Appraisal

To change the appraisal type value, navigate to the Menus window and modify the prompt in the relevant menu.

For example, to change the page title "Update Standard Appraisal: Setup Details" to "Modify Annual Appraisal Setup Information" for an employee, you:

Configurable Flexfields

If the FND: Diagnostic profile option is enabled, you can click About this Page on any appraisal page to display a list of the flexfields on the page.

Viewing and Updating Appraisals of Ex-Employees and Ex-Contingent Workers

Managers and HR Professionals can view and update appraisals of terminated workers.

To enable ex-employee and ex-contingent worker support in the search, you change the value of the pEnableTerms parameter value to Y for the Appraisals functions.

Setting the parameter for the HR Professionals Function

To enable HR Professionals to view and update appraisals of terminated workers, set the pEnableTerms parameter to Y for the function: View Appraisals Manager - HR Sys Admin (HR_VIEW_SYSAPPR_MGR_SS).

Note: If you are using a custom version of the HR_VIEW_SYSAPPR_MGR_SS function, you must set the pIsHRProf parameter to Y.

The following table explains how HR Professionals can view and update appraisals of terminated workers:

Task Performance-Management Plan Appraisals Appraisals created using the Appraisals Function
View appraisals Use the Switch as Manager function. Use Advanced Search available in the Appraisals: People page from the Appraisals function.
Update appraisals Use the Update Appraisals of Terminated Workers option available in the Performance Management Plan Administration Tasks page.
See: Performance-Management Plan Administration Tasks
Use Advanced Search available in the Appraisals: People page from the Appraisals function.

Note: As HR Professionals are super users, they can update appraisals if the parameter value is set to Yes. The appraisal template permissions that apply to main appraisers do not apply to HR Professionals. See: Update Appraisals - Main Appraiser

Setting the parameter for the Manager functions

By default, the pEnableTerms parameter is set to Y for these functions:

The following table explains how managers can view and update appraisals of terminated workers:

Task Performance-Management Plan Appraisals Appraisals created using the Appraisals Function
View appraisals For direct reports, view appraisals in the Performance Management Plan Appraisals In Progress table of the Appraisals as Main Appraiser page.
To view appraisals of indirect reports use the View Appraisals page. This page appears when you click the View Appraisals in People Hierarchy button.
For direct reports, view appraisals in the Appraisals In Progress table of the Appraisals As Main Appraiser page.
To view the appraisals of indirect reports use the View Appraisals page. This page appears when you click the View Appraisals in People Hierarchy button.
Update appraisals

Note: To enable main appraisers to update appraisals of terminated workers , in addition to setting the pEnableTerms parameter to Y for the manager functions, the appropriate options in the appraisal template must be configured. For more information on enabling main appraisers to update appraisals of terminated workers, see: The Appraisal Template

For direct reports, update appraisals from the Performance Management Plan Appraisals In Progress table of the Appraisals as Main Appraiser page.
For indirect reports, use the Switch as Manager feature to update appraisals.
For direct reports, update appraisals from the Appraisals In Progress table of the Appraisals As Main Appraiser page.
To update the appraisals of indirect reports use the View Appraisals page. This page appears when you click the View Appraisals in People Hierarchy button.

Displaying the Terminated Workers Tab

On the Appraisals as Main Appraiser page (MgrMainAppraiserPG), you can display the Terminated Workers tab using the Personalization function. This tabbed region, which shows completed appraisals of ex-employees and ex-contingent workers is hidden by default.

Downloading and Uploading Appraisals

Using the Download and Upload Appraisals functionality, main appraisers, appraisees, and other participants can complete certain sections of the appraisal offline.

See: Downloading and Uploading Appraisals

If your enterprise does not use the Downloading and Uploading Appraisals functionality, then you can hide this feature for managers, employees, and participants, using the Personalization function. Complete the following steps:

Configuring the Publish to Catalog Feature

When managers or workers create or update objectives or give final appraisal ratings, they can add attachments and make the attachments available globally in Oracle E-Business Suite of applications using the Publish to Catalog feature.

Attachments published to catalog are available to other users if:

If you do not want managers or workers to use the Publish to Catalog feature for attachments, then you can hide the Publish to Catalog column on the following pages using Personalization:

You must personalize the following pages in Employee and Manager Self Service responsibilities:

To render off the Publish to Catalog column, navigate to the respective personalization page and click the Personalize link for Attachment Table: Objective Attachments. In the Personalization Properties page, set the Enable Document Catalog property to False at the required personalization level.

See: Publish to catalog option in Appraisals on My Oracle Support Note ID:730074.1

Displaying the Save Attachments Check box on the Give Final Ratings: Review Page

When main appraisers give final ratings, they can select the Save Attachments check box to save attachments to the self-service transaction and view them in the Oracle HRMS People window. The Save Attachments check box on the Give Final Ratings: Review page is hidden by default. Enterprises can decide whether to display the check box on the Give Final Ratings: Review page using the Personalization feature.

Personalizing Pop-up windows on the Performance Management Pages

To personalize the contents in the popup windows, set the FND: Personalization Region Link Enabled profile option to Yes

Personalizing the Latest Appraisal Information Pop-up Window

On the Appraisals: People in Hierarchy page, when a manager places the mouse over the Details icon, the Latest Appraisal Information pop-up window appears. By default, this window displays the following fields for an appraisal:

If required, you can display the following fields on the pop-up window that are hidden by default:

Personalizing the Quick Update Pop-up Window on the Update Appraisal Page

When creating or updating appraisals, managers and workers can make quick updates to objectives using the pop-up window that appears when they click the Quick Update icon. The Quick Update icon column is available on the following pages, by default:

You can hide the Quick Update column using personalization, if required.

Displaying the Print or Print All Column in the Main Appraiser and My Appraisals Pages

The Appraisals In Progress and Complete Appraisals tables in the Main Appraiser (MgrMainAppraiserPG) and My Appraisals (EmpMyAppraisalsPG) pages display the Print column, by default. When users click the Print icon, the Configure Print Options for Printable Page appears where the user can select either form or table layout and the required appraisal sections to print. See: Printing Appraisals

The application provides a Print All column in both the tables and the column is hidden by default. The Print All column allows managers and workers to print the entire appraisal based on the permissions defined in the appraisal template. This column, which is hidden by default must be displayed, if required, using the Oracle Framework Personalization feature. If the Print All column is displayed, then the Print column that provides the configurable print options must be hidden.

As an example, the following steps explain how to display the Print All column and hide the Print column in the Main Appraiser (MgrMainAppraiserPG) page:

Personalization in the Appraisals In Progress Table

To display the Print All column:

  1. Set the Personalize Self - Service Defn and Disable Self - Service Personal personalization options to Yes.

  2. Navigate to the Manager Self-Service responsibility.

  3. Navigate to the Main Appraiser (MgrMainAppraiserPG) page.

  4. Click the Personalize "Appraisals In Progress" link in the Appraisals In Progress section. The Personalize Region: Appraisals In Progress page appears.

  5. Click Complete View and Expand All in the Personalization Structure section.

  6. Navigate to the Image: Print All row.

  7. Click the Personalize pencil icon. The Personalize Image : Print All page appears.

  8. Scroll to the Rendered row. The default value is false.

  9. Select True at the required level.

  10. Click Apply.

  11. Click Return to Application.

To hide the Print column:

  1. Navigate to the Personalize Region: Appraisals In Progress page.

  2. Click the Personalize icon in the Image: Print row. The Personalize Image : Print appears.

  3. Scroll to the Rendered row. The default value is true.

  4. Select false at the required level.

  5. Click Apply.

  6. Click Return to Application.

Personalization in the Completed Appraisals Table

To display the Print All column:

  1. Navigate to the Main Appraiser (MgrMainAppraiserPG) page.

  2. Click the Personalize "Personalize Appraisal Results" link in the Completed Appraisals section. The Personalize Region: Appraisal Results page appears.

  3. Click Complete View and Expand All in the Personalization Structure section.

  4. Navigate to the Image: Print All row.

  5. Click the Personalize pencil icon. The Personalize Image : Print All page appears.

  6. Scroll to the Rendered row. The default value is false.

  7. Select True at the required level.

  8. Click Apply.

  9. Click Return to Application.

To hide the Print column:

  1. Navigate to the Personalize Region: Appraisal Results page.

  2. Click the Personalize icon in the Image: Print row. The Personalize Image : Print appears.

  3. Scroll to the Rendered row. The default value is true.

  4. Select false at the required level.

  5. Click Apply.

  6. Click Return to Application.

Perform similar steps to display the Print All column and hide the Print column in the My Appraisals (EmpMyAppraisalsPG) page.

Configure the Printable Template, if Required

Using the Configure Print Options for Printable page managers and workers can print appraisals in the Adobe Acrobat PDF format. They have the flexibility to select the required print layout and the appraisal sections that they want to print. See: Printing Appraisals

Oracle Performance Management provides a predefined 'Appraisal Printable Template', which is an Oracle XML Publisher RTF template to print appraisals in the PDF format. Enterprises can use the predefined template or create their own RTF template to meet their business requirements.

The following steps explain how to create and use a custom template:

  1. Create a copy of the predefined 'Appraisal Printable Template'.

  2. Make the required changes in the custom RTF template.

  3. Name the custom RTF template in the 'PERAPPRCUSTPRINT_Appraisal_Template_ID' (Appraisal_ID is a number) format, so that the application identifies and uses the custom RTF template instead of the predefined RTF template.

  4. Deploy the custom template using the XML Publisher Administrator responsibility.

For information how to create XML Publisher templates and deploy them, refer to the Oracle XML Publisher Administration and Developer's Guide and Oracle XML Publisher Report Designer's Guide.

Note for Customers who use the Questionnaire HTML Model (HR_QUEST_ADMIN_SS) and the Configurable Print Functionality

Using the Configure Print Options for Printable Page, if managers or workers try to print an appraisal that includes a questionnaire based on the Questionnaire HTML model (HR_QUEST_ADMIN_SS), only the answers get printed correctly in the PDF report.

In place of questions, the report displays the following placeholder content for questions:

For example:

If you are using the HTML based questionnaire model and the Configurable Print functionality to print PDF of appraisals, then to ensure that the application retrieves questions from the database for the Print PDF report, you must manually enter questions in the print RTF template (predefined or custom).

Steps to manually enter questions in the print RTF template:

  1. Download the print RTF template that is used to print appraisals.

  2. Open the RTF template.

  3. Navigate to the Questionnaire section. You can view the placeholder content for questions.

  4. Replace the placeholder content for questions with the actual questions. For information on how to modify templates refer to: Oracle XML Publisher Administration and Developer's Guide and Oracle XML Publisher Report Designer's Guide.

  5. Save your work.

  6. Deploy the template using the XML Publisher Administrator responsibility.

Questionnaires based on the Questionnaire Administration (HR_QUEST_ADMIN_NEW_SS) can be printed using the Configurable Print feature without making any changes to the print RTF template, unless there is a requirement to customize the template.