EPMS Guided Setup & Implementation Checklist

Transform your organization’s performance management with this comprehensive, step-by-step implementation guide. This checklist is designed to take you from EPMS activation to full organizational adoption in a structured, manageable way.

Who this is for: HR Administrators, Managers, and Employees implementing EPMS
Time needed: 2-4 hours total (spread across multiple sessions)
Prerequisites: MangoApps platform access and administrative permissions

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🔐 EPMS Licensing Requirements

IMPORTANT: EPMS is a premium marketplace app that requires a license before full activation.

Licensing Status

• Discovery Mode: Explore EPMS features in read-only mode without a license
• Full License: Required for active configuration, reviews, and organizational use
• Contact: Your MangoApps administrator or customer success team for licensing

Getting Started

1. Check License Status: Navigate to Apps → Employee Performance Management
2. Request License: If in Discovery Mode, contact your administrator
3. Verify Access: Ensure you have full EPMS permissions before proceeding

⚠️ Note: The setup wizard and full configuration require an active EPMS license.

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⚡ Quick Start (For Experienced Admins)

Already familiar with performance management systems? Get up and running quickly:

30-Minute Quick Setup

1. Run Setup Wizard: EPMS → System Administration → Setup Wizard
2. Choose Setup Type: Select Basic (core modules) or Standard (enhanced features)
3. Enable Core Modules: Performance Reviews + Goals Management
4. Use Template Library: Select pre-built templates for instant setup
5. Configure Users: Assign roles and permissions
6. Go Live: Start with basic reviews and goals

Result: Basic EPMS ready for immediate use with performance reviews and goal tracking.

Need comprehensive implementation? Continue with the detailed guide below.

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🧙‍♂️ EPMS Setup Wizard Overview

EPMS includes a guided 8-step setup wizard that automates much of the configuration process:

Setup Wizard Steps

1. Setup Type Selection - Choose Basic, Standard, or Advanced implementation
2. Module Configuration - Select and enable EPMS modules based on your needs
3. Review Templates - Configure templates using library or create custom ones
4. Goals Framework - Set up goal types, categories, and SMART validation
5. User Management - Assign roles, permissions, and organizational structure
6. Integrations - Connect with external systems and data sources
7. Configuration Preview - Review all settings before activation
8. Setup Completion - Finalize configuration and activate EPMS

Wizard Benefits

• Guided Experience: Step-by-step instructions with validation
• Smart Defaults: Pre-configured settings based on best practices
• Dependency Management: Automatic handling of module dependencies
• Time Estimates: Real-time complexity and time estimates (30 min - 6 hours)
• Progress Saving: Resume setup later if interrupted

Access: EPMS → System Administration → Setup Wizard

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🎯 Implementation Overview

The EPMS implementation follows a 4-phase approach:

1. 📋 Foundation Setup (Admin) - Core configuration and templates
2. 👥 Team Preparation (Admin + Managers) - User setup and training
3. 🚀 Pilot Launch (Managers + Employees) - First reviews and goals
4. 📈 Full Adoption (Organization-wide) - Scaling and optimization

Estimated Timeline: 2-4 weeks from start to full adoption

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📊 Progress Tracker

Track your implementation progress across all phases:

• Phase 1: Foundation Setup (□□□□□□□□ 0/8 sections complete)
• Phase 2: Team Preparation (□□□□□□ 0/6 sections complete)
• Phase 3: Pilot Launch (□□□□□ 0/5 sections complete)
• Phase 4: Full Adoption (□□□□ 0/4 sections complete)

Overall Progress: 0% Complete

How to Use This Tracker

• Check off ✅ each section as you complete it
• Visual progress bars show completion at a glance
• Focus on completing one phase before moving to the next
• Return to this tracker regularly to maintain momentum

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📋 PHASE 1: Foundation Setup

Target Audience: HR Administrators & Super Admins
Estimated Time: 90 minutes

✅ 1.1 EPMS App Activation & Basic Configuration

⏱️ Time: 15 minutes | 👥 Role: Admin | 🔧 Complexity: Low

Initial Setup

• Verify EPMS License - Confirm EPMS is licensed (not in Discovery Mode)
• Access Setup Wizard - Navigate to EPMS → System Administration → Setup Wizard
• Choose Setup Type - Select Basic, Standard, or Advanced based on your needs
• Verify App Access - Confirm EPMS appears in main navigation menu
• Check User Permissions - Ensure HR admins have full EPMS access
• Review Business Profile - Confirm organization details are accurate for reporting

Core Module Configuration

Core Modules (Always Available):

• Performance Reviews - Core review functionality (Always Enabled)
• Goals Management - SMART goals and tracking (Always Enabled)

Enhanced Modules (Require Enablement):

• Continuous Feedback - Real-time feedback system (Recommended)
• 360 Feedback - Multi-source feedback (Valuable for leadership)
• Merit Matrix - Compensation planning (For HR/Finance)
• Development Plans - Career progression (For talent development)
• Competency Assessment - Skills evaluation (For structured assessment)
• Predictive Analytics - AI insights (For data-driven decisions)

Enable via: EPMS → System Administration → Module Configuration

✨ Success Criteria: EPMS app is licensed and configured with desired modules enabled

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✅ 1.2 Performance Review Templates Setup

⏱️ Time: 30 minutes | 👥 Role: Admin/HR | 🔧 Complexity: Medium

Template Approach Options

Option A: Use Template Library (Recommended - 10 minutes)

• Access Template Library - Setup Wizard → Review Templates → Use Library
• Select Templates - Choose from pre-built Annual, Quarterly, and Probationary templates
• Customize as Needed - Modify templates to match your organization’s needs

Option B: Create Custom Templates (Advanced - 30+ minutes)

• Annual Review Template - Create comprehensive yearly evaluation template
  • Include core competencies (Leadership, Communication, Problem-solving)
  • Add role-specific performance criteria
  • Set up goal-setting and development planning sections
• Quarterly Check-in Template - Create shorter progress review template
  • Focus on goal progress and immediate development needs
  • Include simplified rating scales
• Probationary Review Template - Create new employee evaluation template
  • Emphasize onboarding progress and cultural fit
  • Include training completion tracking

Template Configuration

• Rating Scales - Define consistent 4-5 point rating scales across templates
• Required Fields - Mark essential sections as mandatory completion
• Template Permissions - Set which managers can use which templates
• Default Assignments - Configure auto-template selection by role/department

✨ Success Criteria: 3 review templates created and ready for manager use

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✅ 1.3 Goals Management Configuration

⏱️ Time: 20 minutes | 👥 Role: Admin/HR | 🔧 Complexity: Medium

Goal Templates Setup

• Performance Goal Templates - Create common performance objectives
  • Sales targets, productivity metrics, quality standards
  • Customer satisfaction, project delivery, efficiency goals
• Development Goal Templates - Create skill and career advancement goals
  • Technical skills, leadership development, certification goals
  • Cross-training, mentoring, industry knowledge objectives
• Behavioral Goal Templates - Create soft skill and culture goals
  • Communication, teamwork, innovation, accountability goals

SMART Goals Configuration

• SMART Criteria Setup - Configure automatic SMART validation rules
• Goal Categories - Define goal types and organizational priorities
• Approval Workflows - Set manager approval requirements for goal creation
• Progress Tracking - Configure progress update frequency and requirements

✨ Success Criteria: Goal templates available with SMART validation active

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✅ 1.4 Continuous Feedback System Setup

Feedback Configuration

• Feedback Types - Configure feedback categories (Praise, Constructive, Goal Progress)
• Visibility Settings - Set default privacy levels and override permissions
• Anonymous Feedback - Configure anonymous feedback policies and limitations
• Integration Settings - Connect feedback to performance reviews and goals

Notification Setup

• Email Notifications - Configure feedback notification preferences
• Dashboard Integration - Set up feedback displays on employee dashboards
• Manager Visibility - Configure what feedback managers can see
• Reporting Access - Set up feedback analytics for HR administrators

✨ Success Criteria: Feedback system ready with proper privacy and notification settings

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✅ 1.5 User Management & Permissions

⏱️ Time: 20 minutes | 👥 Role: Admin | 🔧 Complexity: Medium

Role Configuration

• HR Administrator Roles - Assign full EPMS access to HR team
• Manager Permissions - Configure manager access to direct reports only
• Employee Access - Set up self-service capabilities for employees
• Executive Visibility - Configure senior leadership access to organizational metrics

Organizational Structure

• Department Mapping - Ensure all departments are properly configured
• Reporting Lines - Verify manager-employee relationships are accurate
• Role Classifications - Set up job roles for targeted template assignment
• Business Hierarchy - Configure multi-location or division structures if needed

✨ Success Criteria: All users have appropriate EPMS access based on their roles

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✅ 1.6 Integration & Data Setup

System Integrations

Available Platform Integrations (226+ via MangoApps Framework):

• Training Connect Integration - Link with Learning Management System data
• Payroll Connect Integration - Connect performance with compensation data
• Succession Hub Integration - Enable career progression and succession planning
• HRIS Integration - Sync employee data (80+ providers via Merge.dev)
• Calendar Integration - Set up review scheduling and reminder systems
• Reporting Tools - Configure data export and analytics integration

Setup via: EPMS → System Administration → Integrations

Historical Data (Optional)

• Previous Review Data - Import historical performance review data (if available)
• Existing Goals - Migrate current employee goals into EPMS system
• Training Records - Import completed training and certification data
• Recognition History - Import past employee recognition and achievements

✨ Success Criteria: Key integrations configured and historical data imported

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✅ 1.7 Communication & Announcement Preparation

Internal Communication Materials

• EPMS Announcement - Draft organization-wide EPMS launch communication
• Benefits Overview - Create employee-facing benefits and value proposition
• Timeline Communication - Share implementation phases and key dates
• Support Resources - Compile help documentation and contact information

Training Material Preparation

• Manager Training Guide - Create step-by-step manager onboarding materials
• Employee Quick Start - Develop simple employee getting-started guide
• FAQ Document - Customize EPMS FAQ for your organization’s specific setup
• Video Resources - Record or identify training videos for key processes

✨ Success Criteria: Communication and training materials ready for organization rollout

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✅ 1.8 Testing & Quality Assurance

System Testing

• Admin Functions - Test all administrative features and configurations
• Manager Workflows - Test review creation, goal setting, and team management
• Employee Experience - Test self-assessment, goal creation, and feedback features
• Integration Testing - Verify all system integrations work correctly

User Acceptance Testing

• Select Test Users - Identify 3-5 managers and 10-15 employees for testing
• Test Scenarios - Run complete review cycles with test users
• Feedback Collection - Gather feedback on user experience and process flow
• Issue Resolution - Address any bugs or usability issues identified

✨ Success Criteria: System tested and validated by real users with issues resolved

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👥 PHASE 2: Team Preparation

Target Audience: HR Administrators & Managers
Estimated Time: 60 minutes

✅ 2.1 Manager Onboarding & Training

Manager Training Sessions

• EPMS Overview Session - Conduct manager training on EPMS purpose and benefits
• Review Process Training - Train managers on creating and conducting performance reviews
• Goals Management Training - Show managers how to create and track employee goals
• Feedback Coaching - Train managers on giving effective continuous feedback

Hands-On Practice

• Practice Reviews - Have managers create test reviews using real templates
• Goal Setting Practice - Practice creating SMART goals for their team members
• Feedback Practice - Practice giving and receiving feedback through the system
• Q&A Sessions - Address manager questions and concerns about the process

✨ Success Criteria: All managers trained and comfortable with EPMS core functions

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✅ 2.2 Employee Communication & Preparation

Employee Education

• EPMS Introduction - Send organization-wide EPMS introduction and benefits
• Process Overview - Explain how performance reviews will work going forward
• Self-Assessment Guidance - Provide tips for effective self-assessment completion
• Goal Setting Education - Teach employees about SMART goals and personal development

Employee Resources

• Quick Reference Guide - Distribute employee EPMS quick reference materials
• FAQ Access - Ensure all employees can access EPMS FAQ and help resources
• Support Contacts - Provide clear escalation path for EPMS questions and issues
• Timeline Communication - Share when employees can expect their first reviews

✨ Success Criteria: Employees understand EPMS and their role in the process

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✅ 2.3 Review Cycle Planning

Review Schedule Setup

• Annual Review Calendar - Plan annual review cycles by department/role
• Quarterly Check-ins - Schedule regular progress reviews throughout the year
• Review Period Assignment - Assign review periods to different employee groups
• Deadline Management - Set clear deadlines for review completion at each stage

Review Process Documentation

• Manager Review Guidelines - Document step-by-step review creation and completion process
• Employee Self-Assessment Guide - Create clear instructions for employee participation
• Review Discussion Framework - Provide structure for manager-employee review meetings
• Follow-up Process - Define post-review action items and development planning

✨ Success Criteria: Review cycles planned and process documentation completed

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✅ 2.4 Goal Setting Framework

Organizational Goal Alignment

• Company Objectives - Define top-level organizational goals for the year
• Department Goals - Break down company objectives into department-specific goals
• Role-Specific Goals - Create goal templates aligned with different job functions
• Goal Cascading Process - Define how organizational goals flow down to individuals

Goal Management Process

• Goal Creation Guidelines - Document when and how goals should be created
• Progress Update Schedule - Define how often goal progress should be updated
• Goal Adjustment Process - Create process for modifying goals when circumstances change
• Goal Achievement Recognition - Plan how goal completion will be celebrated and recognized

✨ Success Criteria: Goal framework established with clear alignment to business objectives

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✅ 2.5 Feedback Culture Preparation

Feedback Culture Building

• Feedback Training - Train all staff on giving and receiving effective feedback
• Feedback Examples - Provide examples of high-quality constructive and positive feedback
• Psychological Safety - Ensure team culture supports open, honest feedback exchange
• Leadership Modeling - Have executives and senior managers demonstrate feedback practices

Feedback Process Guidelines

• Feedback Frequency - Set expectations for how often feedback should be given
• Feedback Quality Standards - Define what constitutes helpful, actionable feedback
• Anonymous Feedback Guidelines - Set clear policies around anonymous feedback use
• Feedback Follow-up - Create process for acting on feedback received

✨ Success Criteria: Organization prepared for continuous feedback culture

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✅ 2.6 Support System Establishment

Help and Support Structure

• EPMS Champions - Identify and train power users in each department
• Help Desk Integration - Train IT support on common EPMS issues
• HR Support Process - Define how HR will support EPMS-related questions
• Escalation Procedures - Create clear escalation path for complex EPMS issues

Documentation and Resources

• Knowledge Base - Ensure all EPMS help articles are accessible to users
• Video Tutorials - Create or identify video resources for key EPMS processes
• Regular Communication - Plan ongoing communication about EPMS updates and tips
• Success Stories - Plan to share positive EPMS adoption stories and outcomes

✨ Success Criteria: Comprehensive support system ready for organization-wide rollout

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🚀 PHASE 3: Pilot Launch

Target Audience: Pilot Managers & Employees
Estimated Time: Ongoing over 2-3 weeks

✅ 3.1 Pilot Group Selection & Launch

Pilot Group Setup

• Select Pilot Teams - Choose 2-3 teams (20-30 employees) for initial rollout
• Pilot Manager Preparation - Ensure pilot managers are fully trained and confident
• Pilot Employee Briefing - Conduct special orientation for pilot group employees
• Success Metrics Definition - Define what success looks like for the pilot

Pilot Launch Execution

• Kick-off Meeting - Conduct pilot launch meeting with all participants
• First Reviews Creation - Support managers in creating their first performance reviews
• Goal Setting Session - Facilitate initial goal setting for pilot employees
• Feedback System Activation - Encourage continuous feedback within pilot groups

✨ Success Criteria: Pilot groups actively using EPMS with initial reviews and goals created

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✅ 3.2 First Performance Review Cycle

Review Creation Support

• Manager Coaching - Provide hands-on support for first review creation
• Template Customization - Help managers customize templates for their team needs
• Quality Review - Review first draft reviews for quality and completeness
• Process Refinement - Adjust templates and processes based on initial experience

Employee Self-Assessment Support

• Self-Assessment Guidance - Provide extra support for employees completing first self-assessments
• Quality Examples - Share examples of effective self-assessment responses
• Completion Tracking - Monitor self-assessment completion rates and provide reminders
• Technical Support - Address any technical issues employees encounter

✨ Success Criteria: First complete review cycle successfully completed by pilot groups

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✅ 3.3 Goal Setting & Tracking Implementation

Initial Goal Creation

• SMART Goals Workshop - Conduct hands-on SMART goals creation workshop
• Goal Template Usage - Help employees and managers effectively use goal templates
• Goal Alignment Review - Ensure individual goals align with team and organizational objectives
• Goal Quality Assessment - Review initial goals for SMART criteria compliance

Progress Tracking Setup

• Progress Update Training - Train employees on updating goal progress effectively
• Manager Review Process - Establish manager review and feedback on goal progress
• Progress Reporting - Set up regular goal progress reporting for pilot teams
• Goal Adjustment Practice - Practice adjusting goals based on changing circumstances

✨ Success Criteria: Pilot employees have well-defined SMART goals with active progress tracking

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✅ 3.4 Continuous Feedback Activation

Feedback System Launch

• Feedback Demonstration - Demonstrate effective feedback giving and receiving
• Feedback Frequency Goals - Set targets for feedback frequency within pilot teams
• Feedback Quality Monitoring - Review feedback quality and provide coaching as needed
• Feedback Integration - Show how feedback connects to reviews and goals

Feedback Culture Development

• Daily Feedback Practice - Encourage daily use of continuous feedback features
• Feedback Recognition - Recognize team members who excel at giving helpful feedback
• Feedback Analysis - Analyze feedback patterns and themes for insights
• Feedback Coaching - Provide coaching on improving feedback quality and delivery

✨ Success Criteria: Pilot teams actively exchanging regular, high-quality feedback

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✅ 3.5 Pilot Results Analysis & Optimization

Data Collection & Analysis

• Usage Analytics - Analyze EPMS usage patterns and adoption rates
• User Feedback Collection - Gather feedback from pilot managers and employees
• Process Effectiveness - Assess how well processes are working in practice
• Issue Identification - Identify common problems and areas for improvement

System Optimization

• Template Refinement - Update templates based on pilot experience
• Process Improvements - Refine processes based on user feedback
• Training Updates - Update training materials based on lessons learned
• Communication Adjustments - Improve communication strategies for broader rollout

✨ Success Criteria: Pilot results analyzed with optimizations implemented for full rollout

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📈 PHASE 4: Full Adoption

Target Audience: All Organization Members
Estimated Time: Ongoing over 4-6 weeks

✅ 4.1 Organization-Wide Rollout

Rollout Planning

• Rollout Schedule - Plan phased rollout by department or division
• Communication Campaign - Launch comprehensive communication about EPMS organization-wide
• Training Schedule - Schedule training sessions for all remaining managers and employees
• Support Resources - Ensure adequate support resources for increased user volume

Rollout Execution

• Department-by-Department Launch - Roll out EPMS to remaining departments systematically
• Mass Manager Training - Conduct training sessions for all remaining managers
• Employee Onboarding - Provide EPMS introduction to all remaining employees
• Technical Support Scaling - Scale up technical support for increased user base

✨ Success Criteria: EPMS active across entire organization with all users onboarded

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✅ 4.2 Full-Scale Review Cycle Management

Review Cycle Coordination

• Organization-Wide Review Calendar - Implement comprehensive review calendar for all employees
• Review Load Balancing - Distribute review workload to avoid manager overwhelm
• Quality Consistency - Maintain review quality standards across all departments
• Completion Rate Monitoring - Track and ensure high review completion rates

Review Process Support

• Manager Support Network - Establish peer support network among managers
• Review Quality Audits - Conduct periodic review quality audits and feedback
• Employee Support - Provide ongoing support for employee self-assessment completion
• Process Refinement - Continuously refine review processes based on experience

✨ Success Criteria: Organization-wide review cycles running smoothly with high quality and completion rates

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✅ 4.3 Advanced Feature Adoption

360 Feedback Implementation (If Enabled)

• 360 Feedback Training - Train users on 360 feedback process and value
• 360 Survey Design - Create effective 360 feedback surveys
• 360 Feedback Cycles - Implement regular 360 feedback cycles
• 360 Results Integration - Integrate 360 feedback results into performance reviews

Advanced Analytics & Reporting

• Performance Analytics Setup - Implement advanced performance analytics and reporting
• Trend Analysis - Begin analyzing performance trends and patterns
• Predictive Insights - Use data for predictive performance insights
• Strategic Planning Integration - Use EPMS data for organizational strategic planning

✨ Success Criteria: Advanced EPMS features fully utilized for organizational insights

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✅ 4.4 Continuous Improvement & Maturation

System Maturation

• Process Standardization - Standardize all EPMS processes across the organization
• Best Practice Documentation - Document best practices discovered during implementation
• Success Metrics Review - Analyze success metrics and ROI of EPMS implementation
• Long-term Planning - Plan for long-term EPMS evolution and enhancement

Culture Integration

• Performance Culture Assessment - Assess how EPMS has impacted organizational culture
• Feedback Culture Maturation - Evaluate and strengthen continuous feedback culture
• Goal Alignment Culture - Ensure goal-setting culture is embedded throughout organization
• Recognition Integration - Integrate EPMS achievements with broader recognition programs

✨ Success Criteria: EPMS fully integrated into organizational culture with demonstrated value

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🎉 Implementation Complete!

Final Success Validation

• Full Adoption Metrics - Validate that all success criteria have been met
• User Satisfaction Survey - Conduct organization-wide satisfaction survey
• ROI Assessment - Assess return on investment from EPMS implementation
• Next Phase Planning - Plan next phase of EPMS evolution and advanced features

Celebration & Recognition

• Implementation Team Recognition - Recognize team members who led successful implementation
• Success Story Sharing - Share implementation success stories across organization
• Best Practice Documentation - Document and share best practices with broader community
• Continuous Improvement Plan - Establish ongoing improvement and optimization plan

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📋 Quick Implementation Checklist Summary

For Busy Administrators - Essential Steps Only:

Week 1: Foundation (2-4 hours)

• Verify EPMS license and run Setup Wizard
• Enable core modules (Performance Reviews + Goals Management)
• Use template library for instant setup (Annual + Quarterly templates)
• Configure user permissions and roles

Week 2: Preparation (2-3 hours)

• Train managers on EPMS basics (1-hour session)
• Communicate EPMS launch to employees
• Select and prepare pilot groups (20-30 employees)
• Create support documentation and FAQ

Week 3-4: Pilot (Ongoing)

• Launch pilot with selected teams
• Complete first review cycle with pilot groups
• Gather feedback and refine processes
• Enable additional modules based on pilot feedback

Week 5-8: Full Rollout (Ongoing)

• Roll out to entire organization by department
• Train all remaining users (manager + employee sessions)
• Monitor adoption metrics and provide support
• Celebrate successful implementation and gather ROI data

Total Setup Time: 4-7 hours of active configuration + ongoing rollout management

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🆘 Need Help?

Implementation Support Resources:

• EPMS Comprehensive Guide - Detailed feature documentation
• EPMS FAQ - Answers to common questions
• EPMS Configuration Guide - Technical setup details

Contact Support:

• Technical Issues: Your IT support team
• Process Questions: HR department
• Implementation Guidance: MangoApps customer success team

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Last updated: January 2025 | Version 1.0
This checklist is designed to be customized based on your organization’s specific needs and structure.