Below are our most frequently asked questions regarding the Cornerstone performance management process. If your question is not listed below, feel free to contact your HR Consultant or send an e-mail to askhr@wayne.edu.

• What are the 2023 performance goal dates?

  For non-represented colleagues and Staff Association members, the performance year is from October 1, 2022  September 30, 2023.
  
  For P&A members, the launch date is in discussion. More to come shortly. Please continue to use the manual process. 

  When adding goals in Cornerstone, start and end dates must be adjusted by using the calendar icon.
  
  There is a quick Adding Goals job aid or Inputting Goals video in Accelerate's Cornerstone Conversations Get Started Folder that may be helpful to begin. See the 'quick links' left hand menu on the Accelerate landing page. If you click the link above, then return here and click it a second time, you'll be brought to the video directly.

  Managers might benefit from referencing the Approving Goals job aid or Approving Goals video in Accelerate's Cornerstone Conversations Get Started Folder.

• What if my goal will not be completed by 9/30? Can I put it a later date?

  The system should allow it; it's possible it will appear in your next performance plan. However, it will be important to have agreed upon expectations of what should be done by 9/30 to ensure feedback at the annual review.

• What is the due date?

  Target completion dates were shared and will continue to appear in Cornerstone as:

  • Non-represented staff: goal due 1/31
  • Manager approval for non-represented staff goals: 2/28
  • Staff Association members: July (date to follow)
  • Manager approval for Staff Association members: July (date to follow)

  Plese visit Key Performance Dates for more details.

• How do I delete a goal?

  Choose the scenario that applies to you and follow steps:

  1. If you have created a new goal but have not submitted it for approval yet:
     1. Click on the "More Options" button (small triangle) to the right of your goal title.
     2. Select "Delete")
     3. This goal should be removed from your active plan (you may have to refresh your page)
     4. You can always display or hide cancelled goals by clicking the option, "Display Cancelled" in the "My Goals" tab
  2. If you have a goal from the previous performance year still showing up (indicating this previously approved goal has start/due dates that fall within the current performance year - for example, a 2022 goal with an end date of 12/31/22 will appear in the FY23 Annual Performance Plan because that performance year is from 10/1/22 9/30/23):
     1. Click on the "More Options" button to the right of your goal title
     2. Select "Cancel"
     3. Click "Save and Submit for Approval"
     4. This goal will still be viewable in your plan, but will be shaded and flagged as waiting for manager approval
     5. Your manager will see your request in their Cornerstone landing page under "Your Inbox" to view and approve or deny your request to cancel this goal
     6. Upon approval, this goal will be removed from your Annual Performance Plan
• How do I view & print a submitted annual performance plan?
  1. Click on Navigation Menu (three horizontal lines in top right of green bar menu once you log in to Cornerstone Conversations
  2. Select Home, Scheduled Tasks
  3. Check the box indicating Show Completed and Expired Tasks
  4. Click on the name 2022 Annual Performance Planning
  5. Select Options, Print Review to download a PDF.

  Note: No changes can be made until your manager approves the plan, but it is viewable.

  Note 2: The date when it is printed will say calendar year - that is simply the default

• I submitted my performance plan but want to make a change. Can I get my plan returned to me to edit it?

  Yes, your manager can return your performance plan to you for edits (see manager FAQ below).
  
  Alternatively, your manager could edit your performance goals and discuss the changes with you or approve them as is and add comments. Those comments might inspire you to edit/update your goals once they are approved.
  
  There is a quick Updating Goals video in in Accelerate's Cornerstone Conversations Get Started Folder that may be helpful to begin. See the 'quick links' left hand menu on the Accelerate landing page. If you click the link above, then return here and click it a second time, you'll be brought to the video directly.

• What about second level review? What is the option for those that want to keep it?

  The best option for requesting senior level leader input right now is a feature called "feedback".

  Cornerstone only allows one manager to approve goals or a performance review so we can't easily forward the document to second level leader in the system. But you could print your performance plan and send it along with a request for feedback to anyone at WSU.

  There is a quick video in Accelerate's Cornerstone Conversation Staff Folder for requesting feedback  (see the 'quick links' left hand menu on the Accelerate landing page).

  If you click on the link above, then return here and click it a second time you'll be brought to the video directly.

• What is the difference between professional development and career development?

  Professional development involves taking action to learn and apply new knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes that are needed for success in your current role.

  Career development begins with recognizing your strengths, understanding your values, and identifying activities that energize you, then using this information to build a vision of what your role or occupation might look like in the next 1-2 year, and taking steps that put you on your path.

• Are new non-represented employees in the 2023 Annual Review?

  No, if the new Academic Administrator, Executive, Manager, Researcher, Non-Academic/Non-Represented staff member was hired on/after July 1, 2023 they were not included in the Annual Review. This was done to ensure new employees have time to set goals and make achievements prior to an annual rating. New employees are included in the Annual Performance Planning process, however, at the start of the fiscal year. 

• Why are last year's goals pre-populating my Mid-Year Check In or Annual Review?

  It's because the due date for the goal is past the current performance year (which ends fiscal year on September 30). This is easy to have happen because the Cornerstone system defaulted end dates to the calendar year (December 31) so if you didn't change this date manually to reflect fiscal year, it will appear on your list of current or "active" goals in Cornerstone.
  
  You can check this by going to the navigation menu on your Cornerstone Conversation landing page (3 horizontal lines in top right), Performance, Goals.  As you see all of your goals listed, check their due dates. If they extend past September 30 for that year you will want to request your manager approve a goal deletion request.
  
  See FAQ "How do I delete a goal" for more.

For Managers

• Someone told me they submitted their plan, but I cannot find it on the landing page. What do I do?
  1. Navigate to the Menu Button (the three horizontal lines on the top right)
  2. Click on Home
  3. Click on Scheduled Tasks
  4. Select the user's name from the list to pick up from wherever you were in the approval process.
• A faculty member is listed as one of my direct reports. I thought faculty weren't included in this process?

  This is because the faculty member has someone reporting to them who is in one of the performance management population groups:

  • Academic Administrators
  • Researchers
  • Non-Academic/Non-Rep Staff
  • Executives/Managers
  • Staff Association members

  Note: P&A members will be added soon. Date TBD. Please continue to use the manual process.

• How do I return a performance plan to the employee for edits and changes?
  1. Click on the "Complete Annual Performance Plan for…." in "Your Tasks" on the Landing Page
  2. On the "Overview" page, click on "Reopen Step" in the bottom right corner
  3. Click on the radio button next to "Employee Goal Planning" to select it on the pop-up screen as shown to the right
  4. Type a message for the employee if you choose.
  5. Click "Save" in bottom right corner.

  Note: The submitted plan does not leave your "Tasks" on your Cornerstone landing page but should be replaced by the new performance plan when employee re-submits. An email will be sent to the employee alerting them of your request (however the vendor is currently changing programming to include your name on this email as the requester of the re-submission).

• How do I approve performance goal additions/changes after an employee has an approved performance plan?

  You've already approved a team member's annual performance plan, but things changed and they needed to add or change a performance goal. These steps enable you to approve that newly added/changed goal:

  1. From the landing page, click on the "1 goals" pending approval in Your Inbox.
  2. View the goal by placing a checkmark in the box next to the team member's name and clicking on the "Approve/Deny" option to the far right. Alternatively, although not recommended, you might immediately approve or deny without viewing the goal at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Here you'll be able to view all details for the newly added goal. You can approve or deny the goal using the buttons on the bottom right of this screen.

  If goal changes aren't approved, the original goals will pre-populate into the employee's Mid-Year Check In and Annual Review.

• What do I do to help my employee delete a goal?

  Choose the scenario that applies to you and follow steps:

  1. My employee has an approved goal appearing in their Annual Performance Plan from last year and wants to delete it:
     1. Have your employee complete the steps in "How do I delete a goal" (see above FAQ)
     2. Approved goals need to be "cancelled" by the employee and submitted to you for approval
     3. After they submit this request, you will see a message in the "Inbox" of your Cornerstone Conversation landing page
     4. Click on this request, review the goal, and when ready, approve or deny the cancellation request
     5. As their supervisor, you will still be able to view cancelled goals, but the goal will be removed from your employee's active plan
     6. Your employee can still view cancelled goals by clicking "Display Cancelled" in the "My Goals" tab
  2. My employee has submitted a goal as part of the current Annual Performance Plan for approval  but now would like to delete prior to my approval of all their current goals.
     1. Refer to the "How do I return a performance plan to the employee for edits and changes" FAQ
  3. I would like to delete a specific goal for one of my employees:
     1. You can always delete a goal from an employee's performance plan
     2. View your employee's plan
     3. Click on the goal you wish to delete
     4. Click on the "More Options" button (small triangle) to the right of the goal title.
     5. Select, "Delete"
     6. The goal will be deleted (page may need to be refreshed)
• How do I schedule and document a one-on-one?

  Click here for a video tutorial 

  1. Click on Navigation Menu
  2. Go to Performance
  3. Click Touch Point
  4. As a manager, you can schedule a Touch Point
  5. Click Getting Started

  • Here, you can invite your direct report to a meeting.
  • There are 3 types of meeting agendas for you to choose:
    1. Coaching Touch Point Agenda
    2. One-on-one Touch Point Agenda
    3. Professional Development Touch Point Agenda

  Tip: Click Details next to each type of meeting agenda to learn more

  1. Click Details next to One-on-one
  2. Select Choose This Template
  3. Select Confirm at the bottom
  4. Select a date

  • You'll have a space to document notes such as shared agreements on agenda items.
  • You can also provide notes to only yourself. The initial icons will notify you who can view/edit.
  • In the right navigation menu, you can also view:
    • Goals
    • Development Plans
    • Follow-Ups
    • Skills
  • Your notes for your One-on-one are stored and organized by date

Back to Performance Resources page