Step-by-Step Guide to Launching and Configuring Your Reviewer Program
This guide will walk you through the initial setup of your Reviewer program using the self-launch program wizard. By following these steps, you'll establish the basic framework for your program, which you can then customize further.
Overview
Here's a summary of the steps we'll cover:
Access the Self-Launch Program Wizard: Begin the setup process using the link provided in your welcome email.
Configure Your Program: Tailor your configurations to best meet your program's needs.
Add Users and Reviewers: Add staff members and reviewers to the platform.
Configure the Review Process: Set up groups and assign submissions to reviewers.
Set Up EmailTemplates: Create custom email templates to facilitate communication.
Launch a Program Wizard
Accessing the Self-Launch Program Wizard
Locate the Welcome Email: Find the welcome email or packet you received from Reviewer. This email contains a link to the self-launch program wizard.
Click the Link: Click on the provided link to access the wizard. This will take you to a page where you can begin setting up your program.
Setting Program Information
Sign Up for a New Event: On the page, click the "Sign Up for a New Event" button.
Choose Program Type: Select the type of program you are running (e.g., scholarship, grant, award). Reviewer provides pre-built templates for common use cases.
Tip: Starting with a template is highly recommended, as you can later refine it to fit your specific needs.
Enter Organization Name: Provide the name of your organization. Note that this is not your program name.
Click Continue: Proceed to the next step by clicking the "Continue" button.
Enter Program Name: Give your program a specific name.
Set Time Zone: Choose the appropriate time zone for your program. This is important for automated dates, deadlines, and email templates.
Define Program URL: Create a unique URL for your program. This URL will start with my.reviewer.com/ followed by your chosen slug. For example, my.reviewer.com/EmpowerTomorrow26.
Set Branding Guidelines:
Customize Colors: Use the hex codes or the eyedropper tool to select primary and secondary colors for your program's branding.
Preview Changes: Click the eye icon to open a new tab and see a visual preview of how the colors affect the microsite and forms.
Upload a Banner: You can upload a banner image to further customize your program's branding. The platform provides recommended dimensions for the image.
Configuring Dates and Deadlines
Open Application Date: Select the date when your application process will open and applicants can begin submitting their applications.
Close Application Date: Set the date and time when the application process will close. After this deadline, new submissions and editing of existing applications will be disabled.
Evaluation Start and End Dates (Optional): It’s recommended to leave these blank initially and configure them later when you are ready to test your scorecard and evaluation criteria.
If you set these dates and then try to test your evaluation process before the start date, you will not be able to score submissions.
Create Program: Click the "Create My Program" button to finalize these settings.
Configuring Supplemental Forms (Optional)
Supplemental Forms Page: After creating your program, you will be directed to a page called Supplemental Forms.
Supplemental forms are one of the most powerful tools in Reviewr for building flexible, dynamic event workflows. These are additional events linked to a main (or "parent") event and are used to collect follow-up or related information from different users beyond the initial submission stage.
You can link one or more supplemental (or "child") events to a single main event—and even create grandchild events (a child event linked to another child event). This structure supports multi-stage or multi-party application processes, all within a single, unified system.
Whether you're inviting applicants to complete a new round of information, collecting additional documentation, or involving new users like recommenders or collaborators, supplemental forms make it easy to manage complex workflows and keep everything connected.
Additional resources on supplemental forms:
Configure Your Program
Configure Your Program Dates
To set your Dates and Deadlines, follow these steps:
Go to your Profile Page
Click Edit
Update any of the following fields:
Countdown - Controls the countdown displayed on the microsite of the days left until the deadline.
Signup Deadline – Controls when submitters can register for the event
Submission Deadline – Controls when submissions must be completed
Evaluation Start Date – Determines when evaluations begin
Evaluation Deadline – Determines when evaluations must be completed
Click Save to ensure your changes are saved!
For Full Instructions, open our Knowledge Base Article!
Program Configuration
Below are common program settings to review and edit
To access your event’s configuration settings:
Hover over the Configuration gear wheel icon in the admin navigation.
Select Configuration from the dropdown.
Microsite:
Your program microsite is a dedicated landing page that can include a program description, rules, and sponsor logo. The microsite also includes a countdown until deadlines and the buttons to register and submit.
To add or edit content within the microsite tab, click the blue edit button at the top of the page.
Bonus: You can get the link to your microsite by clicking the "Preview Event Microsite"
For Instructions to edit your Microsite Description, open our Knowledge Base Article!
For Instructions to edit your Microsite Rules, open our Knowledge Base Article!
For Instructions to edit your Microsite Attachments, open our Knowledge Base Article!
Submission Settings:
Submitter Submission Limit – Set how many submissions a user can complete. Once the limit is reached, they won’t be able to add new ones.
Thank You Message – The message shown to submitters after submission.
Submitter Portal Instructions – These are the Instructions that are displayed when a submitter logs back in, after Saving/Submitting. Admins can customize/edit these Instructions from the Configuration page. By default, the text starts with the words "To edit your submission, please take the following steps:"
Editable Submission Statuses – Choose which statuses allow submitters to return and edit their submissions. Defaults include: New, Incomplete, Pending, Ready.
In-Progress Submission Reminder Config – Automatically send reminder emails to submitters who have started but not completed a submission. Set the delay (in days) for the first email and the frequency of reminders.
For Instructions on updating the submitters thank you page message, open our Knowledge Base Article!
For Instructions on updating what submissions have editing ability, open our Knowledge Base Article!
For Instructions on updating the incomplete submission reminder email frequency, open our Knowledge Base Article!
Judge Settings:
Submission Statuses Presentable to Reviewers – Define which submission statuses are available for evaluation. Default: Accepted.
Ranking Tool – This is a legacy feature that has been sunsetted, since the system will automatically order submissions from highest average score to lowest average score within your Admin's "View Results" interface.
Notes – Enable if reviewers should see each other’s private notes.
Comments/Questions Shared Between Reviewers – Allow reviewer comments to be visible to submitters.
Comment Notifications – Enable automatic email alerts when a comment is made (linked to templates in Email Templates).
Reviewer Evaluations Shared With Submitters – Control visibility of evaluations for submitters: Always, Never, or After Event Ends.
Reviewer Division Search – Allow reviewers to search submissions by division.
Reviewer Manager Evaluation Report Access – Give manager-level reviewers access to all evaluation reports for groups they manage.
Reviewer Manager Submission Report Access – Let reviewer managers access submission reports across the entire event.
Scoring – Enable evaluation scoring for reviewers.
Reviewers Are Anonymous To Submitters – Keep reviewer identity hidden from submitters.
Evaluation Scores Are Visible To Reviewers – Allow reviewers to see their own scores. NOTE: A Reviewer's scores will only be visible to themselves, their scores will not be visible to other reviewers.
Evaluation Scores Are Visible To Submitters – Allow submitters to view evaluation scores.
Reviewer Editable Submission Statuses – Choose which statuses reviewers are allowed to edit. Defaults: all off.
For Instructions about editing what submission statuses are viewable to reviewers, open our Knowledge Base Article!
For Instructions about reviewer a reviewer manager, open our Knowledge Base Article!
For Instructions about enabling evaluation limits, open our Knowledge Base Article!
Creating And Editing Forms
Access the Forms Page
From the Admin Dashboard, locate the "Forms" dropdown in the top navigation
Click on the "Forms" page from the dropdown menu
You'll be directed to the Forms Page, where you can create, edit, and manage all forms/scorecards including both submission and evaluation.
View and Edit Forms
On the Forms Page, you will see a list of all the forms within your program.
Note* If this is a new event, your event will come with a submission form (signup form), you cannot add a new submission(signup) form.
Do NOT add an "Other" form, you will not be able to use it in your event.
To edit an existing form, click the pencil and box icon located on the left side of the form.This will take you to the form editor, where you can modify fields, questions, and other settings.
Name the Form
In the top-left corner of the screen, you'll see a text space that says "New Event Form" by default.
This box contains an edit button (pencil icon) and an exit button (door icon).
To name your submission form, click on the pencil icon.
Enter your desired name for the form in the text space.
After typing in your form name, click the green check mark to confirm and save your changes.
Editing a Page
Naming the Page
On the left-hand side of the screen, you will see a side panel where the form pages are listed.
You can also edit the page name with the pencil icon or on "Page Options" located in the top-right corner of the screen.
By default, the first page in your form will be titled "Untitled Page", and this will be the page that opens initially.
To change the page name, click the pencil icon next to the page name "Untitled Page" in the side panel.
You can also edit the "Next" and "Previous" button labels as needed.
After making your edits, make sure to click "Save" to ensure your progress is saved.
Adding Questions
Choose a Question Type
To add a question, click the green "Add Question" button located at the upper-right corner of the page.
Upon clicking “Add Question,” the message "Select the kind of question you want to add" will appear, followed by a list of question types.
For example, the question type "Prompt Text(HTML)" is used for readable-only text (like descriptions, page headers, instructions) that you'd like to appear above or below answerable questions.
Click on a question type to view:
A description of the question type.
A preview of an example question.
Once you've chosen a question type, click on the desired question and then click “Ok”.
You will be taken to the question editor.
NOTE: The option to Add New questions becomes unavailable once your Form is Live.
Edit the Question
In the question editor, fill out the following fields:
Question prompt: The main text of your question.
Required status: Check the box if the question is required, and customize the required message if necessary.
Customize other aspects of the question, such as:
Start and end dates (for "Date" and/or "Calendar" questions)
Options (for multiple-choice questions)
Text box sizes
Address fields, etc.
After completing the question, click “Save” to ensure your changes are preserved.
If you wish to leave the question editor without saving changes, click “Cancel”. Any progress made will be discarded, and the question will be deleted.
To add additional questions, click the green "Add Question" button located at the upper-right corner of the page.
Using the Hover Feature to Edit Questions
Hovering Over a Question
In the form editor, hover your mouse over any existing question. This will reveal several options for editing and moving the question.
Moving Questions in the Form
If the question is not the first or last in the form, you will see arrows next to the plus sign.
Click the arrows to move the question up or down within the form.
Adding Questions
On the far right side of the question, you will see a plus sign (+) at both the top and bottom of the question.
Click the plus sign to add a new question either above or below the question you are hovering over.
Edit or Delete Questions
In the middle of the question's options, there is a pencil icon to edit the question.
To delete a question, click the trash icon next to the pencil icon.
NOTE: To prevent potential data loss, the option to Delete questions becomes unavailable once your Form is Live.
Testing Your Submission Workflow
Completing a Test Submission:
Step 1: Open the Event Microsite in a Private Window
Open your event’s microsite in an incognito or private browser window. This is crucial to prevent your device from recognizing your admin credentials during testing.
Step 2: Create a Test Account
On the microsite, select the "Create an Account" option. Fill out all required fields in the account creation form. Be sure to use a different email address than the one used for your Admin account. (You are able to test the form by logging in with your Admin email as well, but you won't have the exact same experience as an applicant.)
Optional: Modify Your Email Address for Testing. To prevent the system from recognizing an email address you've used before, modify it by adding a plus sign, followed by capital letters, or numbers. Example: test@reviewr.com → test+Training123@reviewr.com . You can use this modified email as both the username and password for testing purposes.
Note: This trick may not work with all email providers, but it's worth trying to avoid the need for multiple separate email accounts during testing.
Step 3: Submit Your Test Account
Once the account form is complete, click "Submit" to proceed to the submission form.
Step 4: Begin Testing the Submission Form
Use the form as if you were a real applicant. Focus on the following areas:
Ensure all required fields must be completed before continuing.
Confirm that the form’s flow and page logic function as expected.
Test visibility conditions to ensure pages and questions appear correctly.
Step 5: Test Specific Field Types
Text Boxes: Check that character limits are enforced and required fields are correctly marked.
File Uploads: Ensure the required setting is active, correct file types are accepted, and the correct number of files can be uploaded.
Multiple Choice Questions: Attempt to submit the form without selecting an answer to verify that the required setting prevents submission when unanswered.
Step 6: Submit and Review Your Test Submission
After testing, click "Submit" to finalize your test. Review the completed submission for accuracy and functionality.
Step 7: Verify Email Notifications (if enabled)
Check that the submission confirmation email is received.
If the form is not completed, ensure the incomplete submission reminder email is sent as expected.
Note: Both emails depend on settings configured in the Email Notifications section.
For a visual walkthrough, check out our guided content here.
Managing Users
Adding users as Admins to your Event:
Use the Navigation Panel on the left to select: Data Management -> Users
Under the "Admin" tab, select the Add User button
Input the first name, last name, email address, and organization of the new Admin
Click the Save button
If they already have an account, they will be able to access the Event dashboard next time they login.
If they are a brand new User, you can trigger an Invite email by following these steps:
In the same Manage Users page, check the checkbox next to the new Admin
Then, use the Bulk Actions drop down below to select "Send Reset Password Email"
This will trigger the "Admin Credential Email" and prompt them to set their account password.
Their username will be the email address you input when adding them.
For Full Instructions, open our Knowledge Base Article!
Create Your Review Workflows
Build Your Evaluation Form
Build out your evaluation form using the Form Editor. Add your scoring criteria and define point values for each question and response.
Create a Test Submission
Create a test submission to use during setup and testing.
Make sure the test account is not tied to your admin login
Complete and submit the application through your microsite
Confirm the submission appears in Manage Submissions
Create a Test Reviewer
Go to Manage Users → Reviewers
Click Add Reviewer
Enter required details and save
Create Groups (If Needed)
Decide whether you will use:
The default General Group
Multiple custom groups
To create additional groups:
Go to Manage Groups and Divisions
Click Add Group
Name the group and save
Assign Submissions to Groups
Go to Manage Submissions
Select submissions using the checkboxes
Use Bulk Actions → Assign Group
Choose the appropriate group and confirm
Move Submissions to Accepted
Submissions must be in Accepted status to be evaluated.
Filter by Ready
Select all Ready submissions
Use Bulk Actions → Mark as Accepted
Add Reviewers
To add reviewers:
Go to Manage Users → Reviewers
Click Add Reviewer
Enter details and save
Wait to Invite reviewers until all evaluation assignments are made to avoid confusion.
Assign Reviewers to Groups
Go to Manage Reviewers
Select reviewer(s)
Choose Assign Group
Select the appropriate group(s) and confirm
Assign Submissions to Reviewers
Go to Manage Groups and Divisions
Click Manage Assignments for a group
Select submissions
Choose an assignment option:
Auto-Assign
Manual Assign
Assign All
Clear Assignments
Click Go
Invite Reviewers
Go to Manage Reviewers
Select reviewer(s)
Use Invite from the dropdown
Click Go
Testing The Review Experience
To Test the Evaluation Setup:
Log in as your test reviewer
Open assigned submissions
Complete the evaluation form to confirm scoring works as expected
For Full Instructions, open our Knowledge Base Article!
Set Up Email Templates
How to Create/Edit Email Templates:
To access your Email Templates page, go to: Email → Email Templates
To make changes:
Click the Edit pencil icon next to the template
Keep all links and variable tokens in place
After editing, click Save to apply changes
To Create/Add a New Email Template:
Click the Add button
Name your Email Template
Enter a Subject and Body
Click Save
For Full instructions, open our Knowledge Base article!