Who can use this feature?
Available on:
All Culture Amp subscriptions that include Performance.
Customize email notifications for performance review cycles and probation reviews to match your organization's communication style. You can edit email subject lines, body content, and preview how emails will appear to participants before they send.
Note: Only email communications can be customized. Slack and Microsoft Teams notifications cannot be edited.
What You Can Customize
You can customize email communications for both performance review cycles and probation reviews. The customization options and process are the same for both review types.
Email elements
Element | Description | Customizable? |
Subject Line | Email subject that appears in the recipient's inbox | ✓ Yes |
Preview Text | Text that displays after the subject line in the inbox preview | ✓ Yes |
Header Text | Main heading inside the email | ✓ Yes |
Body Content | Main message of the email | ✓ Yes |
Button Text | Text on the action button (for example, "Complete self-reflection") | ✓ Yes |
Variables | Dynamic fields like Manager Name, Employee Name, Due Date, Cycle Name | ✓ Yes |
Formatting | Bold, italic, and hyperlinks | ✓ Yes |
Features available
Feature | Description | Available? |
Preview Email | View how the email will appear before it sends | ✓ Yes |
Revert to Default | Reset email back to Culture Amp's default template. This action will wipe any custom messaging. | ✓ Yes |
Per-Cycle Customization | Different customizations for each cycle or process | ✓ Yes |
What Cannot Be Customized
Limitation | Description | Supported? |
Multiple Languages | Customizations support English (US) only | ✗ No |
Slack Notifications | Slack messages use default templates only | ✗ No |
Microsoft Teams Notifications | Teams messages use default templates only | ✗ No |
Conditional Content | Customizing select communications removes dynamic content variations. | ✗ No |
Already Sent Emails | Cannot edit or resend triggered emails | ✗ No |
Understanding Conditional Content
Some emails include dynamic content that adapts based on cycle configuration. For example, emails may vary depending on whether peer nominations are enabled.
When you customize these emails, the dynamic variations are removed. The email will always send your customized version, regardless of the conditions that would normally trigger different content.
Emails affected by conditional content:
Reminder Communications: 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: If you customize these emails, consider all possible conditions that may affect recipients. The system will display a warning when you edit emails with conditional content. Refer to the Email Examples to better understand how these emails currently look and behave with conditional content.
Customize Email Communications
Access the Communications Section
Navigate to the appropriate section depending on your process type:
For Performance Cycles: Go to Performance > Performance cycles.
For Probation Reviews: Go to Performance > Probation processes.
Locate the cycle you want to customize.
If the cycle is in draft:
Click the cycle name.
Click Next to progress through setup sections until you reach the Review page (the last page).
Scroll to the Communications and Notifications section.
If the cycle is scheduled or live:
Click the ellipsis (...) menu next to the cycle.
Select Review Setup.
Scroll to the Communications and Notifications section.
Preview or Edit an Email
The Communications and Notifications section displays a table showing all email triggers for the cycle or process.
Columns displayed for performance review cycles:
Send date - When the notification will send
Trigger - What action or date triggers the notification
Preview/Edit email - Actions available for that row
Performance unit - Which feedback type the email relates to (Self Reflection, Manager Review, Peer Feedback, Upward Feedback)
Recipients - Who receives the notification
Channel - Shows whether the notification sends via Email, Slack, or MS Teams
Columns displayed for probation review processes:
Send date - When the notification will send
Trigger - What action or date triggers the notification
Preview/Edit email - Actions available for that row
Step name - The name of the probation step the email relates to
Step type - The type of step (Manager Review or Self Reflection)
Recipients - Who receives the notification
Channel - Shows whether the notification sends via Email, Slack, or MS Teams
To preview an email
Find the email trigger in the table.
Click Preview (the eye icon).
A preview modal opens showing how the email will appear to recipients.
To edit an email
Find the email trigger in the table.
Click edit (the pencil icon).
The email template modal opens.
Choose Your Email Template
When you click edit, you'll see two options:
Use Culture Amp Default Message (recommended) - Uses the standard template with dynamic content
Custom Message - Allows you to customize the email content
Select Custom Message to begin customizing.
Edit Email Content
Once you select Custom Message, you can edit the following fields:
Subject Line:
The email subject that appears in the inbox
Example: "Your self-reflection is due by
[Due Date]"
Preview Text (optional):
Text that displays in the inbox after the subject line
Example: "Complete your self-reflection"
Header Text:
The main heading inside the email
Example: "Complete your self-reflection"
Body Content:
The main message of the email
Use the text editor to write your message
Button Text:
The text on the action button
Example: "Complete self-reflection"
Add Variables
Personalize your email by inserting variables. Variables are dynamic fields that automatically populate with relevant information for each recipient.
To add a variable:
Place your cursor where you want the variable to appear.
Click the variable dropdown.
Select the variable you want to insert.
Common variables include:
Employee Name
Manager Name
Recipient Name
Due Date
Due Time
Cycle Name
Note: Available variables depend on the specific email trigger you're editing.
Format Text and Add Links
To format text
Highlight the text you want to format.
Select bold or italic from the formatting toolbar.
To add a hyperlink
Highlight the text you want to link.
Click the link icon in the toolbar.
Paste the URL.
Click Add to save.
For formatting, select the text and choose bold or italics as needed.
Save Your Customization
After editing the email content:
Click Save Changes.
A confirmation modal appears with the title Confirm customization.
The modal displays: "Confirm to save and apply your customizations to this email. We recommend previewing to verify your modifications."
Click Confirm to proceed.
A preview modal opens showing how the email will appear to participants.
Review the preview.
If the email looks correct, close the preview. If you need to make changes, click Edit email to return to editing.
The system displays a success message: Email updated.
Revert to Default Template
If you want to remove your customization and return to Culture Amp's default template:
Click edit on the email you customized.
Select Use Culture Amp Default Message (recommended).
A confirmation modal appears asking you to confirm reverting to the default.
Click Save to confirm.
Note: Reverting to the default template is irreversible. Your custom content will be permanently lost.
Turn Communications On or Off
You can disable all email communications for a cycle or process. This stops all future emails from sending.
To turn communications off
Navigate to the Communications and Notifications section (following the steps in "Access the Communications Section" above).
Click Turn communications off.
A confirmation modal appears with the message: "No further communications will be sent for this performance cycle."
Confirm the action.
When communications are off, all upcoming emails are disabled. Emails that already sent cannot be unsent.
To turn communications back on:
Click Turn communications on.
A confirmation modal appears with the message: "This will activate all upcoming communications and notifications. Notifications that have already passed their scheduled send date will not be sent."
Confirm the action.
Notifications that were scheduled in the past will not send when you turn communications back on. Only future notifications will activate.
Important Details and Behaviors
Customizations apply per cycle or process:
Each performance review cycle can have different customizations.
Each probation review process can have different customizations.
Customizing one cycle or process does not affect others.
Duplicating cycles does not carry over customizations:
If you duplicate a performance review cycle, the customized emails do not copy to the new cycle.
You must customize the duplicated cycle separately.
Email customizations apply only to email:
Slack and Microsoft Teams notifications continue to send using Culture Amp's default templates.
Customizing an email does not change Slack or Teams notifications.
Customizations use English (US) only:
You cannot customize emails for different languages.
All customized emails send in English (US).
If you need multilingual content, use the default templates instead of customizing.
Changes apply immediately:
After you save a customization, it applies to all future sends of that email.
If the email already sent to some participants, those participants received the previous version. New recipients will receive the customized version.
Variables populate automatically:
Variables insert recipient-specific information when the email sends.
In the preview, variables display as placeholder text (for example,
[Manager Name]).In the actual email, variables show real data (for example, "John Smith").
Best Practices
Preview before saving: Always preview your email after customizing to catch errors or formatting issues.
Keep emails concise: Short, clear messages are easier for participants to act on.
Use bold for emphasis: Highlight important dates, actions, or deadlines with bold text.
Personalize with variables: Use dynamic fields to make emails feel tailored to each recipient.
Limit hyperlinks: Too many links can distract from the main action.
Plan edits in advance: Make customizations before launching the cycle or process. Avoid changing emails after some participants have already received them.
Test conditional content carefully: If customizing emails with conditional content, verify your message works for all scenarios.
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.
💬 Need help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a support conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.