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A performance review cycle coordinates self reviews, peer feedback, upward reviews, manager assessments, and calibration into a single workflow. In Windmill, you configure each stage independently and launch a complete cycle in minutes.

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Creating a new cycle

1

Go to Performance Reviews

Navigate to Performance Reviews and click Create new cycle.
2

Configure cycle basics

Set up the cycle overview:Name — A descriptive name for this cycle (e.g., “Q4 2024 Performance Reviews”)Description — Optional context about this cycle’s purpose or focusTest cycle — Toggle this on to run a test cycle with a limited group before rolling out org-wideReview period — The start and end dates for the period being reviewed (e.g., Oct 1 - Dec 31)Who participates — Choose which employees are included in this cycle using filters (departments, teams, or specific employees)
3

Select review stages

Choose which review types to include in this cycle:
  • Self Review — Employees reflect on their own performance
  • Peer Feedback — Employees nominate peers and provide feedback
  • Upward Feedback — Direct reports share feedback about their manager
  • Manager Review — Managers draft performance assessments
You can include all stages or just a subset. Each stage runs independently with its own timeline.
4

Configure each stage

For each stage you’ve selected, configure:Name and description — Customize the stage name and add context for participantsDiscussion guide — The topics or questions Windy will guide employees through (for self, peer, and upward reviews)Questions — The specific questions managers will answer (for manager reviews)Schedule — When this stage opens and when it’s dueWho participates — Optionally filter to a subset of employees for this specific stageAs you configure each stage, a preview shows how employees will experience the conversation with Windy in Slack.
5

Review and launch

Review your cycle configuration to confirm:
  • All stages are scheduled in the right order
  • Discussion guides match your company’s review process
  • Deadlines allow time for thoughtful responses
  • Employee filters are applied correctly
Click Launch cycle to start. Windy will automatically notify participants as each stage opens.

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Configuring discussion guides

For self reviews, peer feedback, and upward feedback, you configure discussion guides—the topics Windy will guide employees through in Slack.

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Creating discussion topics

Discussion topics are open-ended prompts that Windy uses to guide the conversation. You configure them directly in the cycle creation wizard when setting up each stage. Example self review topics:
  • Describe the impact or outcomes from the last 6 months you believe have had the greatest impact on your team.
  • What would you consider your clearest areas of improvement or growth opportunities to drive stronger outcomes in the future?
  • How do you want to grow next quarter? Any specific steps or resources you’re thinking about to get there?
Example peer feedback topics:
  • What are this person’s greatest strengths when collaborating on projects?
  • Can you share a specific example of this person’s impact on a recent project or outcome?
  • What’s one area where this person could grow or improve?
Example upward feedback topics:
  • How does your manager support your growth?
  • What could they do more (or less) of?
  • How effectively do they communicate and prioritize?

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Best practices for discussion guides

  • Keep it conversational — Write topics as if you’re asking them in person
  • Focus on specifics — Ask for examples, projects, or outcomes
  • Limit to 3-5 topics — Windy will follow up naturally based on responses
  • Avoid yes/no questions — Open-ended prompts lead to richer feedback
Windy is trained to ask follow-up questions if responses are vague, so you don’t need to include every possible follow-up in your discussion guide.

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Configuring manager review questions

For manager reviews, you configure specific questions managers will answer about each direct report. Questions can be:
  • Text questions — Open-ended written responses
  • Rating questions — Single-select ratings (e.g., 1-5 scale, Exceeds/Meets/Needs Improvement)
  • Yes/No questions — Boolean responses
You configure these questions in the cycle creation wizard when setting up the manager review stage. Common manager review questions include:
  • Overall performance rating
  • Key accomplishments and impact
  • Areas for growth or development
  • Goal progress and alignment with company values
  • Promotion readiness

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Test vs. live cycles

Test cycles let you validate your review process with a small group before rolling out org-wide. When you toggle “Test cycle” on:
  • You manually select which employees participate
  • The cycle is marked as a test for tracking purposes
  • You can iterate on discussion guides and questions based on feedback
Live cycles include all employees matching your filters. Use live cycles for your regular quarterly or annual review processes.

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Review period vs. deadlines

Review period is the time range being assessed (e.g., Q4 2024: Oct 1 - Dec 31). This sets the context for what work Windy will surface. Stage deadlines are when each review type must be completed. For example:
  • Self reviews due: Jan 10
  • Peer feedback due: Jan 15
  • Manager reviews due: Jan 25
Windy automatically sends reminders as deadlines approach.

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Employee filtering

You can filter who participates at two levels: Cycle-level filter — Applies to the entire cycle (e.g., “All employees in Engineering”) Stage-level filter — Optionally narrows participants for specific stages (e.g., “Only senior managers provide upward feedback”) Filters support:
  • Departments
  • Teams
  • Specific employee lists
  • Custom employee tags
The participant count updates in real-time as you adjust filters.

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After launching

Once you launch a cycle:
  • Windy notifies participants in Slack when their stage opens
  • Employees complete self, peer, and upward reviews in Slack threads
  • Managers draft reviews in the Windmill Dashboard
  • HR tracks progress in My Team and All Employees views
You can still adjust stage deadlines after launching if needed.