Your core role in the signing process does not change when calibration is involved. However, some actions — like reading Calibration Notes — are only available after the panel releases the plan. This guide explains what you can access and when.
Your Access at Each Stage
| Stage | What You Can Do |
| Before submission | Normal Reviewing Official access. No calibration-specific actions. |
| During panel review (Finalize Calibration / Ready for Release) | You can view the plan through an authorized route but cannot read or add Calibration Notes — even if you also belong to the panel. |
| After release (Calibration Done) | You can read Calibration Notes. Open the plan and select Calibration Notes beside Part 4. Your signature step follows in the normal order. |
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Notes are unavailable before release Even if you are also an assigned panel Member or Chair, your Reviewing Official relationship on a plan prevents you from reading or adding that plan's notes until after it is released. This restriction applies regardless of how many roles you hold. |
How to Read Calibration Notes After Release
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Open the plan through your normal Reviewing Official access — for example, through your performance management tasks or the employee's plan page.
Note: If you are a secondary Reviewing Official, your eligible signing work — both required and optional — is available through the Dashboard task and the plan list that opens from it. If you are assigned as both primary and secondary Reviewing Official on the same plan, the plan will appear once, not twice. The task disappears once signing is complete
- Select Calibration Notes beside Part 4. This link appears only after the plan has been released.
- Proceed with the normal signature process. Required preceding signatures and any required PAC steps must be complete before your signing step becomes available. Secondary Reviewing Officials can access eligible required or optional signing work from the Dashboard task and its plan list.
Signature Rules After Release
Dashboard signing tasks
If you are a secondary Reviewing Official, eligible required or optional signing work appears through the Dashboard task after Calibration release and completion of required preceding signatures/PAC steps. If you are assigned as both the primary and secondary Reviewing Official, the plan appears only once. The task is removed after signing is complete.
After release, follow the normal signature process, including required preceding signatures. Rating signatures cannot be removed while the plan is Submitted or Finalized. Planning and Progress Review signature removal is blocked from the point of submission onward, including individual removal, administrator removal, and applicable Undo bypass actions. This rule applies to administrators, Rating Officials, and Reviewing Officials — including administrators who are panel Members or Chairs. Entering the Rating phase alone does not trigger this restriction. Released ratings remain locked; Reviewing Officials sign without rejection. For corrections before release, use the exemption and rework sequence described in the Administrator Guide.
If You Are Also a Panel Chair
A Reviewing Official may serve as a Panel Chair when no conflict applies. Being a Reviewing Official alone does not prevent Chair actions. However:
- You cannot perform Chair actions on a plan for which you are a primary or secondary Rating Official — this is the Chair conflict rule.
- If you are both a Reviewing Official and a Chair for the same plan, you still cannot read or add notes before release. Your Reviewing Official relationship applies the restriction.
- After release, your official relationship provides read-only note access.
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Next Steps
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