Free Excel Employee Performance Review Template (Customizable & Automated)

Looking for a simple yet powerful tool to assess employee performance? This free Excel performance review template is designed to help HR professionals and managers conduct fair, consistent, and efficient evaluations—without the hassle.

What Is an Excel Employee Performance Review Template?

An Excel employee performance review template is a ready-to-use spreadsheet that helps you evaluate individual employees based on key performance indicators (KPIs). This version is structured for one employee per row, making it ideal for detailed, one-on-one assessments.

With automated scoring, a 5-point rating scale, and customizable evaluation criteria, this template ensures your reviews are both objective and easy to manage.

Who Should Use This Evaluation Template?

This Excel-based performance review sheet is ideal for:

• HR professionals conducting formal performance appraisals
• Team leaders and managers evaluating direct reports
• Small business owners tracking staff performance
• Organizations needing a printable or digital review form

Why Use This Excel Performance Review Template?

• Consistent & Objective: Standardized format ensures fairness across all reviews
• Time-Saving: Built-in formulas and color-coded ratings simplify scoring
• Fully Customizable: Tailor criteria to match your company’s goals
• Versatile: Use it for quarterly, annual, or probationary reviews

Key Features at a Glance

1. Employee Information Section

Capture essential details such as:

• Name
• Job Title
• Department

2. Performance Criteria

Rate employees on customizable categories such as:

• Quality of Work
• Productivity
• Technical Skills
• Reliability
• Others

Tip: You can easily modify or expand these criteria to fit your organization’s needs.

3. 5-Point Rating Scale

The template uses a 5-point rating scale:

• 5 – Outstanding
• 4 – Exceeds Expectations
• 3 – Meets Expectations
• 2 – Needs Improvement
• 1 – Unsatisfactory

4. Automated Scoring System

The template includes built-in calculations to help you evaluate each employee efficiently:

• Total Score: Automatically adds up all the ratings across the performance criteria.
  Example: If an employee receives ratings of 4 (Job Knowledge), 5 (Quality of Work), 3 (Communication), and 4 (Initiative), the total score will be 4 + 5 + 3 + 4 = 16.

• Average Rating: Automatically calculates the average score for each employee.
  Example: Using the same ratings, the average rating would be (4 + 5 + 3 + 4) ÷ 4 = 4.00.

  Additionally, the Average Rating cell is also color-coded to help interpret performance at a glance:

  • 🔴 Red: Low performance (1.00–2.99)
  • 🟡 Yellow: Average performance (3.00–3.99)
  • 🟢 Green: High performance (4.00–5.00)

How to Use & Customize the Evaluation Form

Step 1: Download the Template

Open the file in Microsoft Excel or any compatible spreadsheet software.

Step 2: Enable Editing

Click “Enable Editing” if prompted.

Step 3: Enter Employee Details

Fill in the employee’s name, title, and department.

Step 4: Rate Performance

Use the 1–5 scale to evaluate each performance area. Scores and averages update automatically.

Step 5: Customize Criteria (Optional)

Add, remove, or rename performance categories to align with your company’s standards.

Step 6: Save & Share

Save the completed form and share it with HR or the employee as needed.