Observation Checklist Preferences - Ad Hoc Checklist

The second step in creating an observation checklist is the Preferences step. On the Create - Preferences page, the administrator specifies the checklist type, date criteria, and validation settings.

Depending on the type of observation checklist you are creating, there are different options available on the Preferences page. This topic describes the Preferences page when Ad Hoc is selected from the Checklist Type drop-down menu.

To access observation checklists, go to Admin > Tools > Performance Management > Observation Checklists

  • To create a new checklist, select the Create New Checklist link.
  • To edit an observation checklist, in the Options column, select the edit icon for the appropriate checklist.

When editing an observation checklist, some settings cannot be modified. Please review the descriptions for each field to determine whether it can be modified when editing an observation checklist.

Specify the following for the checklist:

Checklist Type

Select whether the checklist is standard, recurring, or learning object.

  • Standard - This indicates that the assigned users only complete the checklist once, therefore the checklist is only assigned once and is only due once. See Observation Checklist Preferences - Standard Checklist .
  • Ad Hoc - This type of observation checklists can be launched at any time by any user who has the appropriate permissions and is within the defined verifier availability for the observation checklist.
  • Recurring - This indicates the assigned users will complete the checklist on a repeating basis, so additional options appear in the Date Criteria section in order to define the recurrence. See Observation Checklist Preferences - Recurring Checklist.
  • Learning Object - This enables the checklist to be added to a curriculum or certification. Note: For learning object checklist types, the competency model selected on the General step is locked. See Observation Checklist Preferences - Learning Object Checklist.
  • Editing: When editing, the checklist type cannot be changed.

When is the due date?

  • None - Select this option to indicate that there is no due date for the checklist, which means the checklist will never have a Past Due status.
  • Relative Date - Select this option to specify a relative due date. Specify the number of days, weeks, or months from when the checklist is launched. The number entered must be between 1-999.
  • Editing: When editing, this can be modified if the checklist status is Not Started. Any changes only impact users that are assigned to the checklist after the changes are made. After a checklist is started, this cannot be edited.

When are previously validated competencies valid in this checklist?

This option determines the validity period for previously validated competencies. The validity period for a checklist is the amount of time a validated competency is considered valid towards the completion of the checklist. This enables administrators to ensure that certain competencies are being validated on a regular basis. Note: This option is not available if the Rating Option is set to "Require the competency target as the minimum rating" on the General page.

  • Always Valid - When this option is selected, any competency in the checklist that has previously been validated for the assessee is automatically validated within this checklist. For example, if the Public Speaking competency was validated for John Smith four years ago and is assigned to John Smith again in an observation checklist that has this option selected, then the Public Speaking competency is automatically validated within this checklist because the competency is always valid for the checklist.
  • When validated on or after XX - When this option is selected, the validity period is relative to a specific date. Any competency in the checklist that has been previously validated for the assessee on or after the selected date is automatically validated within this checklist. If the competency was validated before the selected date, then the competency must be re-validated. For example, if the Public Speaking competency was validated for John Smith on January 1, 2013 and is assigned to John Smith again in an observation checklist with this option selected and set to February 1, 2013, then this competency is not validated within this checklist because the competency was previously validated outside of the validity period.
  • When validated XX days/months/years before XX or after - When this option is selected, the validity period is relative to a specific event, such as Date Assigned or Hire Date. Any competency in the checklist that has been previously validated for the assessee on or after the selected relative date is automatically validated within this checklist. If the competency was validated before the selected relative date, then the competency must be re-validated. For example, an ad hoc checklist is set to allow previously validated competencies "1 year before Date Assigned or after." In this example, the validity period is relative to when the checklist is assigned. If the checklist is assigned on January 1, 2015, then the validity period begins one year before that date (i.e., January 1, 2014). Only items that were validated on or after January 1, 2014 are automatically validated in the checklist.
    • The relative date options drop-down automatically contains Date Assigned and Hire Date. This drop-down also contains any user record custom fields that have a Date Field type.
    • If a relative date value does not exist (e.g., no hire date on record), then there is no validity period, and all competencies must be validated.

Editing: The option to set the validity period for previously validated competencies is not editable after the task is created.

Availability

Select the users who can be assessed using the checklist. Only users that match the availability criteria can be assigned the checklist.

  • The availability selections that the administrator can select are limited based on the constraints the administrator has on the permission to manage observation checklists.
  • Editing: When editing, the administrator cannot modify the availability for an existing checklist if the checklist status is In Progress or Complete.

Validation

Use the following options to select who can act as a verifier for a user's checklist. At least one of the options must be defined. Note: When modifying the validators for an observation checklist, the changes do not take effect until the following day because this is done in a nightly process.

  • Allow User's Manager to validate - Select this option to allow the managers of the end users to act as verifiers for the checklist. The manager is then able to validate items within the competency and the competency itself within the checklist.
    • If this is the only selected option, only managers can act as verifiers to their employees.
    • Editing: When editing, the administrator may change this setting at any time and it impacts a manager's ability to act as a verifier for the associated checklist as soon as the setting is saved.
  • Allow User's Manager to define additional users to validate - This option is independent of the previous option. Select this option to allow managers to add co-planners who can validate competencies when the manager cannot verify themselves.
    • When this option is selected, on the user's checklist page, in the Overview table in the Co-Planner tab, the manager can add co-planners.
    • Users designated as co-planners are delegated access to verify a user's competencies in the associated checklist.
    • If this is the only selected option, there are no verifiers for the checklist until the managers begin adding co-planners for their employee's checklists.
    • Editing: When editing, the administrator may change this setting at any time.
  • Select Verifier Availability - This selection criteria allows you to define which users may act as verifiers for the checklist by OU. You must have the permission to add verifiers in order to view and manage this setting.
    • After making a selection, the Allow user(s) to define additional verifiers option is available for the selection. When this option is selected, the selected verifiers can add co-planners.
    • This selection can be made in addition to selecting the manager as a verifier and allowing the manager to designate co-planners.
    • If the availability OU tool is the only validation preference selected, only users matching the selected criteria are able to validate for the users assigned to the checklist. Therefore, it is possible that a manager could only view a read-only version of the checklist for their employee.
    • Create a group by selecting the plus sign next to Create New Group. See Group - Create/Edit.
    • Editing: When editing, the administrator may change this setting at any time. Administrators may select additional OUs or users and they may also remove selected verifiers. If a verifier has validated some competencies for a user and is then removed as a verifier, the competency validations are not removed, but the removed verifier can no longer access the checklist. Note: To add or remove verifiers for an observation checklist using the Availability control, you must have the permission to add verifiers and the permission to manage observation checklists.

Signature

This section enables the administrator to determine whether an electronic signature is required to complete the observation checklist. If an electronic signature is required, then the administrator can configure how the electronic signature is captured.

The following options are available in this section:

  • Electronic Signature - Select this option to require an electronic signature to complete a checklist. When this option is selected, the validator must provide an electronic signature after validating the final item in the checklist. The checklist cannot be saved or submitted for approval until the electronic signature is provided.
  • Signature Type - Select the method by which the validator provides their electronic signature. The following options are available:
    • Enter Manually - When this option is selected, the validator types their name and selects a Sign button.
    • Pre-populated Read Only - When this option is selected, the validator's name is pre-populated from their Universal Profile Bio page and cannot be edited. The validator must select the Sign button. This prevents the validator from incorrectly entering their name.
  • Signature Font - From the drop-down menu, select the font in which the validator's signature is displayed after the electronic signature is provided.
  • User Authentication - When this option is selected, the validator must re-authenticate their account before they are able to electronically sign the observation checklist.
  • Header - Enter the text that appears at the top of the section in which the validator is prompted to provide their electronic signature. This field is required and the character limit is 100. If multiple languages are enabled for your portal, select the Translate icon to translate the field into other available languages.
  • Message - Enter the message that appears in the section in which the validator is prompted to provide their electronic signature. This message should instruct the validator on how to provide their signature. The field is optional and the character limit is 500. If multiple languages are enabled for your portal, select the Translate icon to translate the field into other available languages.
  • Editing: For Ad Hoc, Recurring, and Learning Object checklists, all fields can be edited when the checklist is in Not Started or In Queue status. For Standard checklists, all fields can be edited when the checklist is in Queued status. When the checklist can be partially edited, the following fields can be edited: Electronic Signature, Signature Type, Signature Font, and User Authentication.

Approval

Select the Require User's Manager Approval option to require manager approval for the successful completion of an observation checklist. When manager approval is required, once a validator has completed a checklist task, the validator submits the checklist to the employee's manager for review. Then, the manager has the option to either approve or deny the checklist completion. If the checklist completion is approved, the checklist is in a status of Completed. If the checklist completion is denied, the checklist is in a status of Denied, which allows the validator to make changes and resubmit the checklist.

This option does not allow for multiple manager approval steps.

Next

After making your selections, click Next to proceed to the Email step. See Observation Checklist - Create/Edit Email.

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