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Choose a sharing model

Choose the sharing model when you create the cycle, in the Review packet step. You cannot change it after you create the cycle.
Use HR enables sharing if you plan to calibrate. With Managers share directly, a manager can share a review before calibration changes are final. The employee then sees ratings that can change later.

Share a submitted review

1

Submit the reviews

Reviewers submit the reviews in the employee’s packet. The Packets column in Configure cycle > Sharing shows readiness and which stages it is Waiting on. A cycle admin can release a packet with content even when there is no submitted primary manager review.
2

Enable manager sharing

With HR enables sharing, a cycle admin selects packets with content in Configure cycle > Sharing and chooses Enable manager sharing. With Managers share directly, this happens automatically after submission.
3

Share with the employee

The assigned manager opens the packet from Review packets to share on the cycle’s To Do page. On the Employee packet tab, they select Share with [first name].
A cycle admin can share a pending or enabled packet directly from Configure cycle > Sharing, including when the assigned manager is unavailable. This also works after the cycle is completed, so you can still share packets that weren’t shared in time. After the cycle is completed, a cycle admin can still share packets that were not shared during the cycle. After the cycle is archived, sharing is not available. Windmill sends the employee a Slack notification with a View Review link when the packet is shared. Enabling manager sharing does not send a notification or give the employee access.

Check the packet before sharing

Cycle admins can inspect packets at any sharing status. The assigned manager and managers above the employee, including people with delegated access, can inspect them after manager sharing is enabled. Open the Employee packet tab to see exactly what the employee will receive. Each stage shows how many of its questions are not shared with the employee. The Manager packet tab shows every stage and question. Review comments can record changes that are needed. Unresolved comments trigger a warning but do not block sharing. Only the assigned direct manager can share an enabled packet. Managers above that manager can read it but cannot share it. If a stage in the employee packet isn’t submitted yet, you can still share. That stage appears for the employee after it is submitted.

Lock the review when ready

Locking is optional when enabling or completing sharing. On an active cycle, the sharing dialogs include Also lock reviews to prevent further edits (recommended). When this option is selected, the button changes to Enable manager sharing & lock or Share & Lock. On a completed cycle, the share dialog does not offer this option. Sharing and locking are separate. A lock alone does not give the employee access.

Share when the packet has content

You can share a packet after at least one review in the employee packet is submitted. The employee packet contains the stages and questions that you choose. Learn how to choose what’s in review packets.

Finish calibration before sharing

Calibration submission does not share results with employees. Applied changes become effective immediately. Recommended changes become effective only after the assigned manager accepts them. Complete those actions before sharing final results. Windmill notifies affected managers about applied changes or shared recommendations. It does not send cycle admins a separate notification that packets are ready.

Check what each recipient can see

Employees see only the employee packet: the stages and questions you include. Their packet never includes calibration comments, review comments, or sharing history. The assigned manager and managers above the employee see the manager packet after manager sharing is enabled. It includes every stage and question, with reviewer names. Cycle admins can see both packets at any sharing status. A cycle admin can change the employee packet after packets are shared. The change applies to shared packets right away. See Change the packet after reviews are shared.