Check access and review type
A cycle admin can lock and unlock manager reviews from Configure cycle > Sharing. An assigned manager who is not a cycle admin must ask a cycle admin to unlock a review. This lock applies only to manager reviews. It does not lock self, peer, or upward reviews. Complete lock and unlock actions before the cycle is completed or archived.Lock manager reviews
1
Open the Sharing page
Open the cycle from Review Cycles. Select Configure cycle, then Sharing.
2
Select the reviews
Select the employee rows for the manager reviews you want to lock. Select Lock in the action bar. The number beside the action shows how many selected reviews can be locked.For one review, you can also open the employee row and select Lock in its details panel.
3
Confirm the lock
In Lock reviews, check the employee list. Select Lock 1 review, or the button with the number of reviews you selected.
4
Check the status
The review status changes to Locked. The manager can no longer edit, submit, or reset the review.
What a lock changes
A lock preserves the answers and submission status. It does not submit a draft, share a packet, or remove employee access to a shared packet. You can lock a review before or after submission:- Before submission: The review stays unsubmitted. It cannot be shared. Unlock it so the manager can finish and submit it.
- After submission: The submitted answers remain available. The manager cannot change or resubmit them until a cycle admin unlocks the review.
- After sharing: The employee keeps access to the shared packet. Use Revoke Access if you also need to undo sharing.
Unlock manager reviews
1
Select locked reviews
Open Configure cycle > Sharing. Select the employee rows for the locked manager reviews, then select Unlock.For one review, you can also open the employee row and select Unlock in its details panel.
2
Confirm the unlock
In Unlock reviews, check the employee list. Select Unlock 1 review, or the button with the number of reviews you selected.
3
Ask the manager to make corrections
The manager can edit and submit the review again while the cycle is active. Unlocking does not automatically notify the manager, so tell them when the review is ready.
Lock when sharing results
The sharing dialogs include Also lock reviews to prevent further edits (recommended). Select Enable manager sharing & lock to let managers share the packets and stop further edits. Select Share & Lock to share directly with employees and stop further edits. These actions require submitted manager reviews. See Share review results. If you unlock a shared review, draft edits do not change the employee’s packet. After the manager submits the corrections, the employee sees the updated answers when they open the packet. Windmill does not automatically notify the employee about the update. See Edit or undo shared results.Continue or restart other review work
Review owners can edit and resubmit unlocked reviews while the cycle is active. A missed deadline does not require a separate reopen action for self, peer, upward, or manager reviews. The review owner can also select Review actions on the review page:- Restart Review: Clears your saved answers and returns you to the start screen. Earlier answers stay in answer history.
- Reset: Generates new context and keeps your answers. Select what to generate again: Context report, Observations, or Resend Chat. New context can take up to 30 minutes.