When creating or editing an appraisal within the CPL Learning platform, you’ll need to choose a Sign-Off Process. This determines the flow of the appraisal between the employee, manager, and sometimes a senior manager.
Below is a guide to help you understand each option:
🤓 Tip: Choose the flow that best fits the structure and expectations of your organisation. For more complex reviews, involving senior managers or back-and-forths may be useful. For quick check-ins, simpler flows are ideal.
Sign off process | What it means |
Employee – Manager – Meeting | The employee completes the appraisal, the manager reviews it, and a final meeting is held to sign it off. |
Employee – Manager (No return) | The employee completes the appraisal, and the manager reviews and signs it off. There’s no back-and-forth or meeting. |
Employee – Manager – Meeting (No return) | After the employee and manager complete their sections, a meeting is held. No changes can be made once the meeting ends. |
Employee – Manager – Return or Meeting | The manager can either return the appraisal to the employee for changes or schedule a meeting to finalise. |
Employee – Manager – Senior Manager (No return) | After the manager signs it off, a senior manager reviews and completes the process. No returns or edits. |
Employee – Manager – Employee – Manager | A more interactive process where the appraisal goes back and forth between employee and manager before finalising. |
Manager – Employee – Agreed meeting – Manager – Employee | The manager starts the process, then the employee adds input, followed by an agreed meeting and final sign-off. |
Employee only | The employee completes the appraisal independently – no manager or sign-off is involved. |
Employee – Manager – Senior Manager | After the employee and manager complete their parts, the senior manager gives final approval. |
Employee – Manager – Senior Manager – Manager | The appraisal passes through employee, manager, senior manager, then returns to the manager for final confirmation. |
Employee – Manager – Employee | The appraisal begins with the employee, then moves to the manager, and returns to the employee for final input. |
Manager – Employee – Manager | The manager initiates the appraisal, the employee responds, and the manager completes it with a final review. |