Performance Reviews (Document Library)
Overview
- Folder-Based Structure: Top-level folders represent direct managers, with subfolders for each of their direct reports
- Role-Based Access: Manager Folders are accessible by the direct manager, their employees, and HR. Employee subfolders are restricted to the individual employee and HR only
- Document Storage: Employee folders contain self-evaluations, manager reviews, goals, and performance-related documents
- Secure & Centralized: Keeps performance documentation in one structured, permissioned location
- Supports HR Oversight: HR has full access across all folders for auditing, support, and recordkeeping
Benefits
- Simplifies the sharing and submission of performance documents
- Ensures confidentiality while promoting collaboration
- Aligns with organizational hierarchy and review workflows
- Streamlines review cycles with one structured location per review period
- Reduces manual file management for HR and managers
Common Questions About This Performance Reviews Library
What is this Performance Reviews Library built with?
It is built with a standard SharePoint document library and folder-level permissions that control exactly who can see each folder. There is no custom code and there are no third-party tools. It is the kind of clean, maintainable, secure document management Greg Zelfond builds for HR teams and the managers and employees they support.
What’s included in the Performance Reviews Library?
The library uses top-level folders for each direct manager and a private subfolder for each of their direct reports. Inside, employees and managers store self-evaluations, manager reviews, goals, and other performance documents for the review period. Permissions are set so managers see their team, employees see only their own folder, and HR has full access across everything for oversight and recordkeeping.
Does this design use any custom code or third-party tools?
No. Everything is out-of-the-box SharePoint – the document library, folders, permissions, and alert rules are all standard Microsoft 365 capabilities. That keeps the library stable, secure, and easy to maintain, and nothing breaks when Microsoft updates SharePoint. Out-of-the-box is the only way Greg builds, which matters even more for confidential performance records.
Can this library be customized for our organization?
Absolutely. The folder structure, permission model, and review-period organization are all aligned to your reporting lines and HR process – whether reviews are annual, semi-annual, or continuous. Greg adapts the design to your org chart and the documents your teams exchange, and it scales cleanly as managers and employees change.
How does the library keep performance reviews confidential?
Confidentiality is built in through SharePoint’s folder-level permissions. Each manager folder is visible only to that manager, their direct reports, and HR, while each employee subfolder is restricted to that single employee and HR. HR keeps full access across every folder for auditing and support, so sensitive review documents are only ever seen by the people who should see them.
Can Greg build this library for our organization?
Yes – this is exactly the kind of work Greg Zelfond does. As an independent SharePoint and Microsoft 365 consultant and Microsoft MVP, he builds secure document and knowledge management solutions like this one for HR teams, including the folder structure and permission model that keep records confidential. Reach out through the contact page to get started.
