Hold Stage Settings in Performance Review and Form Filling

Introduction

Use Hold Stage Settings in Keka to control when a performance review cycle moves from one stage to another, and when the next reviewer gets access to the review form in a sequential form filling process.

These settings help admins decide whether the review process should move forward as soon as an action is completed, or wait until the assigned due date is over. This is useful when organisations want review cycles to follow a fixed timeline and prevent stages or reviewers from moving ahead too early.

This article walks you through configuring hold stage behaviour for performance review stages and sequential review form filling.

Who can do this: Admins with access to Performance and Review Cycle configuration.
Important: This feature is available for the Global Audience (GA). After launching the review cycle at the group level, date-based timeline settings are locked.

Steps to Configure Hold Stage Settings in Keka

Open the Review Cycle Timeline

1. Go to Performance from the left navigation.
2. Select Reviews.
3. Open the Review Cycles tab.
4. Go to the Active/Upcoming section.
5. Find the review cycle you want to update.
6. Click the three-dot menu under Actions.

7. Select Edit.

   

   If your review cycle is new, click + Create Review Cycle, fill out the form, and go to the Timelines section

8. Go to Timelines under Advanced setup.

   

Enable Move to Next Stage Once Due Date Is Over

1. On the Timelines page, locate the checkbox labelled Move to next stage once due date is over.
2. Select this option if the review cycle should move to the next stage after the current stage’s due date is completed.
3. Review the timeline to make sure each stage has the correct date range.

4. Click Save or continue with the setup.

   

When this option is enabled, the review cycle follows the configured due dates. The system does not wait indefinitely for pending actions before moving ahead.

Open Form Filling Order

1. On the Timelines page, find the stage Review form submission by all reviewers.

2. Click Change.

   

3. The Form filling order panel opens.
4. Select the order of form filling:
5.  
   • Parallel
   • Sequential

   • Custom

     

The Hold Stage behavior is particularly useful when the form filling order is configured as Sequential. If the global setting "Move to the next date after the due date" is enabled, the option "Automatically move to the next stage even if the reviewer has not submitted the form" under Review Form Submission will be enabled automatically.

Configure Sequential Form Filling

1. In the Form filling order panel, select Sequential.

   

2. Review the list of reviewers displayed in sequence.
3. Enter the number of days allotted to each reviewer.
4. Review the calculated date range for each reviewer.
5. Reorder reviewers if required using the drag handle.
6. Review the total time allocated for review form filling.

Sequential form filling means only one reviewer can review an employee within their allotted time.

Reviewers may include:

• Self
• Peers
• External
• Subordinates
• Reporting Manager
• Manager of Manager
• Department Head
• Business Unit Head
• Dotted Line Manager
• Project Manager
• Project Admin
• Client Manager
• Team Members

Enable Move to Next Reviewer if Form Is Not Submitted by Due Date

1. In the Form filling order panel, locate Move to next reviewer if form is not submitted by due date.
2. Select this option if the next reviewer should get access after the current reviewer’s due date is over, even if the current reviewer has not submitted the form.
3. Review the helper text below the setting.

4. Save the form filling order.

   

This option prevents the review process from getting blocked if one reviewer misses their submission window.

Enable Wait Until Due Date Before Advancing, Even if Submitted Early

1. In the Form filling order panel, locate Wait until due date before advancing, even if submitted early.
2. Select this option if the next reviewer should get access only after the current reviewer’s due date is completed.
3. Use this when each reviewer must receive a fixed review window.
4. Review the total form filling duration shown at the bottom of the panel.

5. Click Save.

   

When this option is enabled, the form does not move to the next reviewer early, even if the current reviewer submits before the due date.

Review the Total Form Filling Duration

1. After configuring reviewer days and movement settings, check the total duration shown at the bottom of the panel.
2. The total duration shows the full date range required for review form filling.
3. Make sure the form filling duration fits within the overall review cycle timeline.
4. Adjust reviewer days if the form filling period exceeds the planned review schedule.

Review & Confirm

1. Review the selected form filling order.
2. Confirm the number of days assigned to each reviewer.
3. Check whether the hold stage settings match the review process.
4. Review the total form filling duration.
5. Click Save.
6. Continue with the review cycle setup and click Complete setup when ready.

Options & Variants

• Use Move to next stage once due date is over when the review cycle should progress based on stage due dates.
• Use Move to next reviewer if form is not submitted by due date when one reviewer should not block the entire review flow.
• Use Wait until due date before advancing, even if submitted early when each reviewer should receive a fixed review window.
• Choose Parallel when all reviewers can submit at the same time.
• Choose Sequential when reviewers should submit one after another.
• Choose Custom when the organisation needs a customised reviewer order.

Field Reference / Parameters

Move to Next Stage Once Due Date Is Over
Moves the review cycle to the next stage after the current stage due date is completed

Form Filling Order
Defines whether reviewers fill forms in parallel, sequential, or custom order

Parallel
Allows multiple reviewers to fill the review form during the same period

Sequential
Allows reviewers to fill the form one after another within their allotted time

Custom
Allows admins to configure a custom reviewer order

Days
The number of days assigned to each reviewer

Date Range
The calculated review form access period for each reviewer

Move to Next Reviewer if Form Is Not Submitted by Due Date
Moves access to the next reviewer after the current reviewer’s due date, even if the form is not submitted

Wait Until Due Date Before Advancing, Even if Submitted Early
Prevents early movement to the next reviewer until the current reviewer’s due date is completed

Total Time Allocated
The complete duration required for review form filling based on reviewer order and assigned days

Notes, Tips, Important, Warnings

Tip: Enable hold stage settings when your organisation wants review timelines to follow fixed dates instead of moving forward based only on early submissions.  

Important: When sequential form filling is selected, review the total form filling duration carefully. The combined reviewer timelines should fit within the overall review cycle.

Warning: If both reviewer movement settings are disabled, the review flow may depend heavily on manual follow-ups or early completions. Choose the settings based on how strictly the organisation wants to control the review schedule.

Examples & Use Cases

• Example setup: The admin selects Sequential form filling and assigns one day each to Self, Peers, External, Subordinates, Reporting Manager, and other reviewers. Each reviewer gets access only during the assigned date range.
• Use case: If Self submits the review form early, the Peers reviewer still gets access only after Self’s due date if Wait until due date before advancing is enabled.
• Use case: If a reviewer does not submit the form by the due date, the system can still move to the next reviewer if Move to next reviewer if form is not submitted by due date is enabled.
• Use case: An HR team wants calibration to begin on a fixed date. The admin enables Move to next stage once due date is over so the review cycle progresses as scheduled.

FAQs

1. What does Move to next stage once due date is over mean?
   It means the review cycle moves to the next configured stage after the current stage’s due date is completed.
2. What does Wait until due date before advancing mean?
   It means the next reviewer gets access only after the current reviewer’s due date is completed, even if the current reviewer submits the form early.
3. What happens if a reviewer does not submit the form by the due date?
   If Move to next reviewer if form is not submitted by due date is enabled, the system moves to the next reviewer after the due date is over.
4. Can both reviewer movement settings be enabled together?
   Yes. Enabling both settings keeps the review flow date-driven. Early submissions do not move the process ahead early, and missed submissions do not block the next reviewer after the due date.
5. When should I use Sequential form filling?
   Use Sequential form filling when reviewers should complete the review form one after another in a defined order.
6. When should I use Parallel form filling?
   Use Parallel form filling when all reviewers can submit their reviews during the same period.