Who can use this feature?
Available on:
All Culture Amp subscriptions that include Performance.
Customizing your performance review cycle emails gives HR and Performance Administrators the ability to tailor messages for various performance units such as Self Reflections, Manager Reviews, Peer Feedback, and Upward Feedback.
This guide will walk you through customization options, how to make edits, and best practices for crafting effective, clear messages.
Note: Currently, you can only customize email communications. Slack and Microsoft Teams notifications can’t be edited.
What Can Be Customized?
While we recommend using the default Culture Amp messaging for consistency, you have the flexibility to customize email content to better match your organization's style. Here are the key elements you can customize:
Customizable Performance Units
Option | Customizable? |
Self-reflections | ✔ Yes |
Peer feedback | ✔ Yes |
Upward feedback | ✔ Yes |
Manager reviews | ✔ Yes |
Email Functionality
Feature | Description | Available? |
Preview Email Content | View the email before sending. | ✔ Yes |
Sample Data in Preview | Displays variable names (e.g., [Manager Name]) instead of real sample text e.g, John Doe | ✔ Yes |
Customize Email Triggers | Edit when and how emails are sent. | ✔ Yes |
Revert to Default Template | Reset email to the system default. This action is irreversible. | ✔ Yes |
Multiple Cycles Running Simultaneously | Customizations apply only to the cycle being edited. Each cycle can have different email customizations. | ✔ Yes |
Customization Options
Element | Notes | Customizable? |
Subject Line | Example: Your self-reflection is due by [Due Date] | ✔ Yes |
Preview Text (optional) | Displays in the inbox after the subject line. Example: Complete your self-reflection | ✔ Yes |
Header Text | Example: Complete your self-reflection | ✔ Yes |
Body Content | Main message of the email | ✔ Yes |
Button Text | Text for the action button. Example: Complete self-reflection | ✔ Yes |
Variables | Personalize emails with dynamic fields. Options are unique to each communication trigger, but common variables include:
| ✔ Yes |
Formatting Options | Supports bold, italic, and hyperlinks | ✔ Yes |
Limitations & Restrictions
These are areas where customization is not supported.
Limitation | Description | Supported? |
Multiple Languages | Cannot customize for different languages. | ✘ No |
MS Teams and Slack | Slack and Microsoft Teams notifications can’t be edited. | ✘ No |
Localized Experience | Does not support regional variations. | ✘ No |
Conditional Logic | Customizing select communications overrides automatic content variations. | ✘ No |
Calibrations | Customization for calibrations is not supported. | ✘ No |
Anytime Feedback | Customization for Anytime Feedback is not supported. | ✘ No |
Editing Triggered Comms | Once triggered, emails cannot be edited or re-sent. | ✘ No |
Duplicating Cycles | If you duplicate a cycle, customized communications do not carry over. | ✘ No |
Emails With Conditional Content
Some emails include dynamic content that adapts based on specific data. Customizing these emails will remove this dynamic feature, meaning the email will always send the same content, instead of adapting based on the available data for that user.
For example, some communications may vary depending on whether the cycle has been configured with or without peer nominations. If you customize these emails, dynamic variations—like one email for cycles with peer nominations enabled and another for cycles without nominations—will no longer apply. Instead, the email will always send the same content (your edited version), regardless of the conditions.
Check out our Email Examples with Conditional Content to better understand how these emails currently look and behave with conditional content.
Affected Emails with Variations:
Reminder Comms – Request Feedback About Direct Reports
Sharing of Performance Review
Sharing of Performance Review with Acknowledgment
Sharing of Feedback
Declined Feedback Request
Invitation to Collaborate on Manager Review
Request Feedback About Direct Reports
Tip: To maintain the flexibility of the default emails, we recommend not customizing these communications so you can preserve the dynamic content built into the original Culture Amp templates. If you decide to customize, be sure to consider all potential conditions that may affect the email content. Any emails with dynamic data and conditions will display a warning message when you click to customize, so you can make an informed decision before proceeding.
Don't worry—if you ever need to revert back to the default templates, you can easily do so.
Managing Communications for Cycles with Peer & Upward Feedback and Nominations
For unified performance review cycles that include Peer & Upward Feedback with nominations, two separate communication rows will appear for the Start nominations trigger:
Start nominations – For employees who aren’t managers, with the intent to nominate peers.
Start nominations (for managers with direct reports) – For employees who are managers with direct reports, allowing them to nominate both peers and direct reports.
Note: These separate communications are specific to cycles with this particular configuration.
How to Customize Email Communications
1. Access Your Performance Review Cycle
Log in to your platform and go to Performance > Performance Cycles under the Admin menu.
Locate the performance review cycle you want to customize.
2. Edit the Cycle
For draft cycles, click into the cycle and go to the Review Setup page (the last page of your cycle setup).
For scheduled or live cycles, select the ellipsis (...) icon and choose the Review Setup option.
3. Manage Communication Triggers
On the Review page, scroll to the Communications and Notifications section to view all email triggers associated with the cycle.
4. Preview and Edit Emails
Click the eye icon to preview an email.
To edit, select the pencil icon. The pop-up will show the trigger name (e.g., "Direct report comments on self reflection") so you know which communication you're editing.
5. Choose Your Email Template
You’ll be prompted to choose between:
Culture Amp Default Messaging (recommended) or
Custom Message where you can customized things such as the subject line, preview text, header, body, and button text.
By selecting Custom Message, an editing page will appear for you to make changes.
6. Personalize with Variables
Add personalized details by inserting variables. These options will vary based on the communication, some common examples include:
Employee Name
Recipient Name
Due Date
Due Time
7. Add Links and Formatting
To add links:
Highlight the text you want to link.
Click the link icon, paste the URL, and click Add to save.
For formatting, select the text and choose bold or italics as needed.
8. Save Changes
After editing, click Save Changes. A pop-up will confirm your customization, and you’ll be prompted to preview the email. Click Confirm to proceed.
9. Preview
After clicking Confirm, you’ll be able to see a preview of how the email will appear to participants. If everything looks good, you can close the preview. Otherwise, click Edit email to make further changes.
Reverting to the Default Template
If you ever need to revert to the Culture Amp default communication template, you can easily do so. Follow these steps:
Edit the Email: Click on Edit Email.
Select Default Message: Choose Use Culture Amp Default Message (recommended).
Save Changes: A pop-up will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to revert back to the default template. Click Save to confirm.
Best Practices for Effective Email Communication
Be Concise: Keep emails short, clear, and easy to act on.
Highlight Key Information: Use bold to emphasize dates, actions, or deadlines.
Personalize Emails: Use dynamic fields to make emails feel more tailored.
Limit Links: Focus on the essentials; too many links can distract from the key message.
Use the Preview Feature: Always preview before sending to catch any issues.
Stick to English (US): Currently, email customization is only supported in English (US). Localized content is not available.
Avoid Last-Minute Edits: After launching a cycle, avoid changes to prevent inconsistency in emails sent to different recipients.
Plan Edits in Advance: If changes are necessary, make them before emails are triggered to ensure consistency.
Be Mindful of Localized Needs: Customized emails do not support multiple languages. Stick to the default template if multilingual content is required.
FAQs
Is this feature available for apps like Slack and MS Teams?
No. Currently, customizable email communications are supported only. Stay tuned for future updates!
What happens to the Slack or MS Teams notifications if I edit email communications?
Slack and MS Teams notifications will still be sent as expected, but they will reflect the language of Culture Amp's default performance review templates.
Do customizable communications support multiple languages
This feature is currently only available in English (US). Localization is not available for customizable email communications.
If I duplicate a cycle, will my customized communications carry over?
No, customized communications do not carry over when you duplicate a cycle. Each cycle's communications need to be customized separately, even if the cycle is duplicated.
Can you delete performance communications you don’t want sent or add new ones?
No, you won't be able to toggle communications off/on or add extra reminders.
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