In this guide, we'll walk you through how to set up email notifications at different stages of your review cycle—from inviting contributors to provide feedback, to confirming completion of review steps. These emails are triggered based on actions - for example:
send an email to users who are added to a review
when an employee completes their self-assessment, send them an email with a copy of their comments
when an employee completes their self-assessment, send an email to their reviewer inviting them to start (do not include a copy of comments
You'll learn how to create email templates, customise them with variables, and configure when notifications are sent.
Understanding the email notification timeline
Before you start building emails, it's helpful to understand where notifications can be sent throughout your review cycle. The timeline view shows all possible email touchpoints:
When contributors are invited to provide feedback
When the review is launched (initiation email)
At the end of each review step (e.g., after self-assessment, after manager input)
When supervisors or second supervisors complete their sections
You don't need to configure emails for every stage—only the ones that make sense for your process. As you build out your emails, red crosses on the timeline will turn to green ticks, giving you a clear view of what's been configured.
Accessing email notification settings
To begin setting up your email notifications:
Navigate to your review dashboard
Scroll down to find the section on Managing email notifications
Click into this section to see all possible emails within your review cycle
Click through the different email types on the left to view and edit each one
Building an email template
Each email notification follows a consistent structure, similar to a standard email:
Click on the email you want to configure (e.g., "Initiation email" or "End of step one")
Enter a subject line that clearly indicates the purpose of the email
Compose the email body using the formatting options available (bold, italics, links)
Select a sensitivity setting:
Personal: Only the recipient can access
Private: Proxy access (e.g., PAs) cannot view
Company confidential: Proxy access allowed, but forwarding may be restricted
Use variables to personalise your emails (see next section)
Click Save to store your email as a draft
Using variables to personalise emails
Variables allow you to automatically insert information that Performance Leader knows about the review or individuals. This saves time, improve clarity and adds a personal touch.
To add a variable:
In the email body, click where you want to insert the variable
Click the Variables button to see available options
Select the variable you need from the dropdown list
The variable will appear in your email template and will populate automatically when sent
Attaching review PDFs to emails
For emails sent after step one and beyond, you have the option to attach a PDF of the review to date. This is particularly useful for confirmation emails.
Navigate to the email template for the relevant step (e.g., "End of step one")
Look for the option to Attach review PDF
Enable this option if you want to include the PDF
Consider setting the sensitivity to Private or Company confidential to protect the information in the PDF
Note: This option is not available for contributor invitations or initiation emails, as no review content has been completed yet.
Enabling and saving email notifications
Once you've built your email template, you need to enable it for the notification to be sent:
After saving your email as a draft, locate the Enable toggle
Switch the toggle to On
Click Save again to confirm
The timeline view will update immediately, showing a green tick for that notification. If you need to disable an email later, simply toggle it off and save.
Reviewing and testing your notifications
Before your review goes live, it's good practice to review all configured emails:
Return to the Managing email notifications section
Scroll through the list to see which emails are enabled (indicated by green ticks)
Click into any email to review or make changes
Test the review to see what the emails read like within the process.
The timeline view at the bottom of your review dashboard provides a helpful snapshot of all your email settings, including which notifications are enabled and whether PDFs are attached.
Tips for successful email notifications
Be clear and concise: Keep email content focused on the action required
Use consistent language: Maintain a similar tone across all notifications
Protect sensitive information: Use appropriate sensitivity settings, especially when attaching PDFs
Test before launching: Send test emails to verify formatting and content