Reviews progress through steps sequentially — feedback, then meeting, then signature. As a review admin, you decide when to move from one step to the next. This gives you control over pacing, but it also requires judgment calls about when to proceed.
This article explains how to move reviews through their workflow, when to wait for completion, and how to handle participants who haven't finished.
💡 Still using our previous review system? See Classic Reviews documentation for help with one-on-one and 360 reviews.
How step progression works
Reviews move through steps in a fixed order. You can't skip steps or change the sequence, but you control the timing.
Sequential progression
The order is always:
Feedback step (if enabled)
Meeting preparation (if enabled, part of the meeting step)
Meeting summary (if meeting step enabled)
Signature step (if enabled)
Once you complete one step, you move to the next. You can't go back to previous steps in the beta version.
You control the transitions
The system doesn't automatically move reviews forward. You decide when to proceed:
Wait until everyone completes their part
Move forward when most people are done
Proceed immediately if deadlines require it
This flexibility lets you adapt to your organization's needs and circumstances.
When to move to the next step
Deciding when to proceed requires balancing completeness against timeline. Here's how to think through it.
The ideal scenario: Everyone is done
When you'll see this:
All participants have completed
What to do:
Move to the next step immediately. There's no reason to wait when everyone has finished.
The common scenario: Most people are done
When you'll see this:
The completion count shows "4 of 5 completed". One or two stragglers haven't finished.
What to do:
Depends on who's missing and why:
Proceed if:
The missing person is non-essential (nice-to-have perspective, not critical)
You've sent multiple reminders and they're not responding
You're approaching your deadline and can't wait longer
The missing feedback won't significantly change the outcome
Wait if:
The missing person is critical (the employee's manager, a key stakeholder)
They've confirmed they'll complete it soon (today or tomorrow)
You have time before your deadline
Their input would materially affect the review
The problem scenario: Low completion
When you'll see this:
The completion count shows "2 of 5 completed" or "1 of 8 completed." Most people haven't finished.
What to do:
Don't move forward yet. Low completion indicates a bigger issue:
Investigate:
Did people receive notifications?
Are instructions unclear?
Is the questionnaire confusing or too long?
Is the deadline unrealistic?
Do participants have system access issues?
Take action:
Send reminders to incomplete participants
Check in personally with a few people to understand blockers
Extend the deadline if needed
Clarify instructions or provide additional support
Fix any technical issues preventing completion
The edge case: Blocked on one person
When you'll see this:
One critical person (usually the manager or note taker) hasn't completed their part, and they're blocking progress.
What to do:
For feedback or preparation steps:
Contact the person directly (not just automated reminders)
Understand why they haven't completed (too busy? unclear expectations? access issues?)
Negotiate a specific completion deadline
Consider if you can replace them (change the note taker, swap in a different manager)
For meeting summary:
This step usually requires just one person (the note taker)
They can't be skipped — someone must write the summary
Work with them to unblock (offer to help, extend deadline, change note taker if necessary)
How to move reviews to the next step
Once you've decided to proceed, here's how to execute the transition.
From the review detail page
Open the specific review you want to move
Look for the Proceed to next step button
Confirm you want to proceed
The review transitions immediately
The next step opens, and participants for that step receive notifications.
What happens to incomplete participants
When you move to the next step before everyone completes, here's what happens to those who didn't finish.
They lose the opportunity to complete
Once you move forward, the previous step closes. Participants who didn't complete:
No longer see action buttons for that step
Can't submit late responses
Don't receive further reminders about that step
Example: If you move from feedback to meeting step, feedback givers who didn't submit can no longer give feedback.
Their incomplete status is recorded
The system tracks that they didn't complete:
The completion count reflects reality ("4 of 5" not "5 of 5")
Their name appears without a green bubble
Review admins can see who didn't participate
This creates an audit trail showing partial completion.
The review continues without their input
The review proceeds with whatever was collected:
Meeting participants see only the feedback that was submitted
The note taker writes the summary based on available information
The review moves forward with gaps acknowledged
Important: You can't go back and add their contribution later. Once the step closes, it's final.
They may still participate in future steps
Being incomplete in one step doesn't remove them from future steps:
A feedback giver who didn't submit can still participate in the meeting
A preparation participant who didn't prepare can still attend the meeting
Someone who missed early steps can still sign at the end
Each step is independent.
Communicating step transitions
Don't assume participants will notice steps changing. Active communication prevents confusion.
Before moving to the next step
Send a heads-up message to participants:
Example message:
"Reminder: The feedback step closes tomorrow at 5 PM. Please complete your feedback before then. After that, we'll move to the review meeting step and you won't be able to submit feedback late."
This sets clear expectations and gives one last push for completion.
When moving to the next step
The system sends automated notifications to participants in the new step, but consider also sending:
To the previous step's incomplete participants:
"The feedback step has closed. Thank you to those who completed their feedback. If you didn't complete yours, please reach out if there were issues — we want to understand what prevented your participation."
To the next step's participants:
"We're moving to the review meeting step. Managers, please write your meeting summaries by Friday. You can see all feedback collected during step 1."
This keeps everyone informed and aligned.
After completing the review
When the final step finishes, acknowledge completion:
Example:
"All annual reviews are now complete! Thank you for your participation. Reviews are now available in read-only mode for your reference. Questions? Contact HR."
Beta limitations
Keep these constraints in mind when managing step transitions:
Cannot reopen closed steps
Once you move to the next step, you can't go back. This means:
Late completions can't be added
You can't correct mistakes from previous steps
Incomplete participants stay incomplete
Coming soon: The ability to reopen and edit closed steps.
Current workaround: Be certain before proceeding. If in doubt, wait another day.
Cannot edit completed content
If someone completed their part and you've moved forward, they can't edit what they submitted. You can't fix typos, correct errors, or update information.
Coming soon: Ability to reopen reviews and edit content.
Current workaround: Review content before moving forward. Ask participants to double-check their submissions.
Limited rollback options
If you move forward by mistake, you can't undo it in the beta.
Current workaround: Be deliberate about transitions. Confirm before clicking "Move to next step."
Frequently asked questions
Can I move just one review to the next step while others stay behind?
Can I move just one review to the next step while others stay behind?
Yes. Each review progresses independently. You can move some reviews forward while others remain at earlier steps based on their individual completion status.
What if I move forward by accident?
What if I move forward by accident?
In the beta, you can't undo this. The review proceeds to the next step. You'll need to work with what you have. This functionality is coming soon.
Can participants complete their part after I've moved to the next step?
Can participants complete their part after I've moved to the next step?
No. Once the step closes, they can no longer submit. The window for completion ends when you proceed.
Do participants get notified when I move to the next step?
Do participants get notified when I move to the next step?
Participants in the new step get notifications. Participants in the previous step who didn't complete don't get a notification that the step closed (unless you manually send one).
Should I move all reviews in a campaign at the same time?
Should I move all reviews in a campaign at the same time?
Not necessarily. Move each review when it's ready. Some reviews might progress faster than others based on participant responsiveness.
What if someone has a legitimate excuse for not completing?
What if someone has a legitimate excuse for not completing?
If they have a good reason (medical leave, family emergency), note it in the review. You can't add their content to a closed step, but you can acknowledge the circumstances in the review summary.
How long should I wait between reminders?
How long should I wait between reminders?
2-3 days is typical. Send a reminder, wait a few days to see if people complete, send another. Don't send daily reminders — that's excessive.