FAQs – OnBase Electronic Performance Evaluation Process
1. What is the workflow for a supervisor completing a performance evaluation on an employee who does not have an email address?
The system has intelligence built in and will prompt the supervisor to print the evaluation of an employee who does not have an email address, and then return the paper evaluation to Human Resources.
2. Why can’t I print a copy of the evaluation?
The OnBase performance evaluation process is a paperless system. The supervisor will only see a Print button if their employee does not have an email address. The employee and supervisor have the ability to pull the evaluation up at any time by using the link in the notification emails.
3. Will the supervisor be able to view the evaluation at any point after it has been forwarded to the 2nd level supervisor or after the performance evaluation process for an employee is completed?
Yes, through the link in the notification email related to an individual employee or through this link:
https://ecm.nebraska.gov/AppNet/Workflow/WFLogin.aspx?LifeCycleID=126&QueueID=239&DocID=123
4. Why does it “timeout” after 20 minutes and my work disappears and I have to start all over? I have several interruptions per hour and 20 minutes is not long enough for me to complete an evaluation.
Due to security outside of the OnBase system, the system times out at 20 minutes. Several save buttons and pop-up reminders were added to the form to remind supervisors and their employees to save their work often, to ensure that information is not lost. No matter which side is working on the evaluation, the system is set to “timeout” after 20 minutes.
5. Does the system have spell check, and copy, cut and paste?
The user is unable to conduct a spell check in OnBase, but as outlined in the Performance Quick Start Supervisor’s guide, the user has the ability to copy, cut and paste into OnBase from another document or within the OnBase form. Use CRTL + C to copy, CRTL + X to cut, and CTRL + V to paste.
6. I have several employees with the same job title that have evaluations due. The essential duties are the same for each employee. Why do I have to create an entire new evaluation for each employee? Why can’t I have a “Master Copy” with the essential duties already completed?
The system automatically generates an employee’s evaluation based on each individual employee’s service date. This is necessary to ensure all notifications are sent out on specific dates, that is, 60/30 days prior to the due date. However, the OnBase form does allow for cutting and pasting from another document, which will aide in creating the essential duties. Use CRTL + C to copy, CRTL + X to cut, and CTRL + V to paste.
7. If a supervisor already completed an evaluation due in January 2012 on the old form do they have to complete another one on the new form?
Yes, all evaluations for 2012 will need to be completed on the OnBase performance evaluation system.
8. Why are some of the evaluation period dates incorrect?
A supervisor should contact the local Human Resources representative if the supervisor feels an evaluation displays incorrect dates. Remember, except for End of (original) Probation evaluations, performance evaluations need to be completed by the last day of the month in which they are due. End of (original) Probation performance evaluations are due on the specific day the original probation is set to expire.
9. Can supervisors choose to waive the 60 day notice and just get the 30 day notice?
No, it is a system setting.
10. What if I want to do a “special” on an employee whose evaluation is not currently due and who I haven’t gotten email notification about?
Call your Payroll/Human Resources representative to create and send out the special evaluation to you.
11. CFS does CDT's on employees but HR stated they should also be doing a normal 6-month evaluation covering values and core competencies as well as the normal annual evaluation. The discussion was that the 6-month evaluation should probably be labeled as special instead of end of probation but they still have to do it in addition to any CDT's.
The website should be updated with this information. Refer to the HR website.
12. It has been our understanding that we have until the end of the month in which the evaluation is due to complete it before it is considered delinquent. Now delinquent notices are being sent on the due date. Has this changed?
Delinquent notices are to go out the day following the actual due date of the evaluation. Notices are not supposed to go out on the due date. End of (original) Probation performance evaluations are due on the specific day the original probation is set to expire. All other performance evaluations must be completed by the last day of the month in which they are due.
13. How can I review the evaluation with the employee when I have to send it to them by email? Should I call them into my office and review it with them on my computer screen?
· You can choose to send the evaluation to the employee by email prior to holding their evaluation meeting, so the employee has a chance to look it over before the evaluation meeting. The employee should not e-sign the evaluation before the evaluation meeting.
· Or you can choose to have the employee go over their evaluation in person with you on your monitor.
· You can also use Office Communicator to share the evaluation form on your monitor screen with the employee at another site.
14. Must a supervisor E-Sign and complete the performance evaluation form in order to approve it and send it on for the employee’s signature?
Yes, the employee cannot sign it or add comments until the supervisor has signed it.
15. An employee was not able to add comments, concur with the evaluation or e-sign the form as all areas were disabled. What should the employee do?
The supervisor needs to E-Sign the form which then sends the evaluation to the employee to add comments and such.
16. I went to e-sign an evaluation and it has now disappeared without me sending it to the employee. Help!
Assuming the “E-Sign and Complete” task button was clicked, the performance evaluation would have moved on (disappeared from view for supervisor) in work flow to the employee (Employee Acknowledgement).
17. The supervisor has completed the evaluation and sent it to the 2nd level supervisor for signature. The supervisor receives a notice that she must create a development plan even though the employee does not need a development plan.
OnBase will only initiate an Employee Development Form if the task button “Create/Edit Development Plan” is clicked by the Supervisor. As a reviewer, 2nd level supervisor cannot click on the “Create/Edit Development Plan task button.
18. A supervisor was editing an evaluation and accidentally hit the Create/Edit Development plan but the employee does not need a Development plan. How can the supervisor delete it?
Currently, once the “Create Employee Development Plan” task is clicked, the performance evaluation indicates “yes” as attached, regardless if any information is put on the development plan. The “yes” is unable to be changed. So, the supervisor could make a comment on the performance evaluation indicating an employee development plan is not attached.
19. The supervisor has sent the evaluation to the employee for review and the employee has not received it in their email.
These notifications are set on timers. It is likely that an email will be generated to the employee in a short period of time. Ask the employee to check their Deleted Items Folder to see if the email is there. If the notification was emptied out of the Deleted Items Folder, use the link in a notification email or
https://ecm.nebraska.gov/AppNet/Workflow/WFLogin.aspx?LifeCycleID=126&QueueID=239&DocID=123
The supervisor or employee can retrieve the evaluation once logged on to OnBase. Click the box with the + next to the performance evaluation acknowledgment. This will show the supervisor where in the process a particular evaluation is, and how many employees they have in the evaluation process.
20. As a supervisor, how do I see the status or progress of the evaluations that I am responsible for?
Using the link above, log into OnBase as you normally would. Once loaded, you click the box with the + next to the performance evaluation acknowledgment. This will show the supervisor where in the process a particular evaluation is, and how many employees they have in the evaluation process.
Scenario: A supervisor finished an evaluation, and then she sent it to 2nd level supervisor. The 2nd level supervisor signed off and it came back to the supervisor. The supervisor accidently sent it to HR before discussing it with the employee. There was nothing showing on her screen that there was an evaluation in progress nor was there any way for her to access the evaluation once she had moved it on.
The supervisor will always have access to the performance evaluation by clicking on the link in the original email: https://ecm.nebraska.gov/AppNet/Workflow/WFLogin.aspx?LifeCycleID=126&QueueID=239&DocID=123
If the evaluation was accidently sent to HR please call HR or wait until HR sends it back to the supervisor.
1 Winter 2012