Odoo Appraisals Module: Performance Review Guide

What Is Odoo Appraisals?

Odoo Appraisals provides a structured framework for employee performance reviews. It supports scheduled review cycles, self-assessments, manager evaluations, goal setting, and 360-degree feedback. The module helps organizations maintain consistent evaluation processes and document employee growth.

Module Setup

Install the Appraisals module from Apps. It requires the HR (Employees) module. Once installed, access it from the main menu under Appraisals.

Appraisal Plans

Appraisal plans define when and how reviews happen. Go to Settings → Appraisals to configure the default plan.

Schedule Configuration

# Default appraisal schedule:
# - First appraisal: 6 months after hire date
# - Recurring: Every 12 months
# - Reminder: 1 month before due date

# Custom schedules per department:
# Sales: Quarterly reviews
# Engineering: Bi-annual reviews
# All others: Annual reviews

Creating Appraisals

Automatic Generation

Odoo can automatically create appraisals based on the schedule. A cron job checks employee hire dates and generates appraisals when due. Managers and employees receive email notifications.

Manual Creation

1. Appraisals → Create
2. Select employee
3. Set appraisal date
4. Assign manager (auto-filled from HR)
5. Configure assessment form

Assessment Process

Self-Assessment

The employee receives a notification to complete their self-assessment. This typically includes:

• Accomplishments during the review period
• Challenges faced and how they were addressed
• Skills developed and training completed
• Goals for the next period
• Career development aspirations

Manager Assessment

The manager completes their evaluation after reviewing the self-assessment:

• Performance rating (configurable scale)
• Strengths and areas for improvement
• Goal achievement review
• Development recommendations
• Compensation and promotion notes

360-Degree Feedback

Enable 360-degree feedback in Settings → Appraisals. This allows:

• Peer feedback — Colleagues provide input on collaboration
• Subordinate feedback — Direct reports evaluate their manager
• Cross-functional feedback — Stakeholders from other departments

Feedback requests are sent as surveys using the Survey module integration.

Goal Setting and Tracking

Setting Goals

Goal Review

During each appraisal, managers review goal progress. Completed goals are marked, partially completed goals carry over, and new goals are set for the next period.

Rating Scale

Configure the rating scale in Settings → Appraisals:

# Common rating scales:
# 5-point: Exceptional / Exceeds / Meets / Below / Unsatisfactory
# 4-point: Outstanding / Strong / Satisfactory / Needs Improvement
# 3-point: Exceeds / Meets / Below Expectations

# Final assessment options:
# - Numerical score (e.g., 4.2 / 5.0)
# - Descriptive rating (e.g., "Meets Expectations")
# - Both combined

Appraisal Meeting

After both assessments are complete, the manager schedules a review meeting:

1. Click Schedule Meeting on the appraisal record
2. Meeting is created in Calendar with both participants
3. During the meeting, discuss assessments face-to-face
4. After the meeting, finalize the appraisal with agreed ratings and goals

Skills Assessment

Link skills to employee records and track growth over time. During appraisals, managers can update skill levels and identify training needs. This data helps HR plan training programs and succession planning.

Reporting

• Appraisal Analysis — Ratings distribution by department and period
• Goal Completion — Track goal achievement rates across the organization
• Pending Appraisals — Dashboard of overdue and upcoming reviews
• Skills Gap — Identify skill deficiencies across teams

Best Practices

• Set consistent cycles — Use automatic scheduling to ensure no one is missed
• Prepare in advance — Send self-assessment forms 2 weeks before review meetings
• Make goals SMART — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
• Document everything — Written records protect both employee and company
• Follow up on development — Track training and mentoring commitments

DeployMonkey + Appraisals

DeployMonkey's AI agent configures appraisal cycles, assessment forms, and goal templates tailored to your organization's review process and industry standards.