Employee Annual Review Template in Excel Spreadsheet

Annual performance reviews are more than a formality—they're a strategic opportunity to recognize achievements, clarify expectations, and guide employee development. This Excel Employee Annual Review Template is built to help HR teams and managers conduct meaningful, data-informed evaluations with ease and consistency.

Designed exclusively for Excel, this free template combines structured performance metrics with customizable evaluation criteria, goal tracking, and automatic score calculations. Whether you're reviewing individual contributions, setting new objectives, or making decisions about promotions and training, this tool ensures your annual reviews are thorough, fair, and aligned with organizational goals.

Ideal for HR professionals, department managers, and team leaders, this template supports both qualitative feedback and quantitative scoring—making it a versatile solution for any performance management strategy.

Purpose

This staff performance review template is created to:

• Provide a customizable format for yearly employee performance reviews.
• Evaluate employee competencies and contributions over the past year.
• Document progress on goals and set new objectives.
• Facilitate transparent communication between employees and supervisors.
• Support decisions related to promotions, bonuses, and professional development.

Fillable Fields and Definitions

Employee Information

• Employee Name – Full name of the employee being reviewed.
• Employee ID – Unique identifier assigned to the employee.
• Job Title – The employee’s current position.
• Department – The department the employee belongs to.
• Supervisor/Manager Name – The person conducting the review.
• Date of Evaluation – When the review is conducted.
• Evaluation Period (From - To) – The timeframe being evaluated.

Core Competencies Table

This table is used to evaluate the employee's performance across key areas of their role. Each row represents a specific competency, and each column captures a different aspect of the evaluation.

The core competencies table contains the following columns:

• Performance Criteria – The specific skill or behavior being evaluated (e.g., Job Knowledge, Teamwork).
• Description – A brief explanation of what the criterion measures.
• Rating (1–5) – A numeric score based on the rating scale provided.
• Comments – Optional notes to provide context or examples related to the rating.

Rating Scale:

• 1 – Unsatisfactory
• 2 – Needs Improvement
• 3 – Satisfactory
• 4 – Very Good
• 5 – Excellent

Note: The rating scale labels and numeric values can be customized to match your organization's performance evaluation standards or preferences.

Additional Fields

• Performance Summary – A brief narrative summarizing the employee's overall performance during the evaluation period.
• Total Rating Score (Auto-Calculated) – The sum of all individual ratings from the core competencies section.
  • Formula: Total Rating Score = Sum of all competency ratings
  • Example: If the ratings are 4, 5, 3, 4, and 5, the total is 4 + 5 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 21.
  • Purpose: Provides a raw performance score that reflects the employee’s overall contribution.
• Overall Performance Rating (Auto-Calculated) – The average of the individual competency ratings.
  • Formula: Overall Performance Rating = Total Rating Score ÷ Number of Competencies
  • Example: With a total score of 21 and 5 competencies, the average is 21 ÷ 5 = 4.2.
  • Purpose: Offers a normalized score (typically on a 1–5 scale) for easier comparison across employees.
  • Color Coding: The rating cell is color-coded for quick interpretation:
    • 🔴 Red for low performance (1.00–2.99)
    • 🟡 Yellow for average performance (3.00–3.99)
    • 🟢 Green for high performance (4.00–5.00)
• Eligibility for Bonus/Promotion – Indicates whether the employee qualifies for a bonus or promotion based on performance.
• Goal Achievements – A section to list goals from the previous review and evaluate progress.
• Training and Development – Recommendations for training programs or development opportunities.
• Manager Comments – Supervisor’s observations, feedback, and recommendations.
• Progress on Previous Goals – A review of how well the employee met previously set goals.
• Career Development – Suggestions for future roles, responsibilities, or growth paths.
• Employee Comments – A space for the employee to share feedback or reflections.
• Goals for Next Review – A table to define objectives for the upcoming review period, featuring the following columns:
  • Future Goal – A specific, measurable objective the employee is expected to work toward.
  • Target Completion Date – The deadline or timeframe for achieving the goal.
  • Notes – Additional context, resources, or support needed to accomplish the goal.
• Signatures – Signature lines for both the employee and manager, including dates.

How to Use This Work Evaluation Template

1. Download and Open the Template

Download the Excel employee annual review template and open it in your preferred spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets).

2. Enable Editing

After opening the Excel file, click “Enable Editing” at the top of the window if prompted. This allows you to make changes and use the built-in formulas.

3. Fill in Employee Details

Enter the employee's name, ID, job title, department, supervisor's name, and the evaluation period at the top of the form.

4. Set Up and Rate Core Competencies

If you're using the blank version of the template, begin by entering the performance criteria (e.g., Job Knowledge, Teamwork) and their corresponding descriptions in the table.

If you're using the sample-filled version, review the pre-filled criteria and descriptions to ensure they align with your evaluation needs.

Then, use the 1–5 rating scale to evaluate each competency. Add comments to provide context or examples for each rating, if applicable.

5. Let the Template Auto-Calculate Scores

The template will automatically calculate:

• Total Rating Score: The sum of all competency ratings.
• Overall Performance Rating: The average of the ratings.

These fields are formula-driven and update as you enter ratings.

Note: The Overall Performance Rating cell is color-coded to help you quickly interpret the result—red for low, yellow for average, and green for high performance.

6. Summarize Performance

Write a brief summary of the employee's overall performance during the evaluation period in the designated section.

7. Review Past Goals

Look at the goals set in the previous review and document the employee's progress toward each one.

8. Set New Goals

Define new goals for the upcoming review period, including target completion dates and any relevant notes.

9. Add Training and Career Development Notes

Include suggestions for training programs, skill development, or career advancement opportunities, if applicable.

10. Add Manager and Employee Comments

Add your comments as the manager to reflect on the employee's performance, provide feedback, or outline expectations. Then, ask the employee to include their own comments to share reflections or respond to the review.

11. Sign and Date the Form

Complete the review by signing and dating the form. Ensure the employee also signs and dates it to acknowledge the evaluation.

Benefits of Using This Evaluation Form

• Consistency: Ensures all employees are evaluated using the same criteria.
• Clarity: Provides clear definitions and structured sections.
• Efficiency: Saves time with pre-built formulas and fillable fields.
• Documentation: Keeps a formal record of performance and development.
• Growth-Oriented: Encourages goal setting and continuous improvement.
• Data-Driven: Auto-calculated scores support fair and objective evaluations.

By using this Excel employee performance review template, HR teams and managers can conduct more effective, fair, and growth-focused evaluations that support both employee development and organizational success.