This article explains how managers can use Performance management on the Deputy mobile app.
If you're new to Performance management, we recommend reading the Introduction to Performance Management first. It provides an overview of the feature, including how to manage settings and how to use it in the Deputy web app.
Before you read
- Target audience: This article is for users with System Administrator access and other users with permissions to access Performance management.
- Plan restrictions: To access Performance management, you'll need a Deputy HR subscription.
- Device differences: The screenshots in this article are from the iOS version of the app. Visuals and layout may differ slightly on Android devices.
This article covers
- What can I do on the mobile app?
- Where to access Performance management
- Using Performance management
- Note visibility
- How the AI writing assistance tool works
- How do my team members view their performance notes?
- FAQs
What can I do on the mobile app?
Managers can use Performance management to:
- View all performance notes for direct reports, including notes you've created and notes created by other managers
- Add new performance notes for any team member you manage, including adding attachments and tags
Note: If you want to change your organization's Performance management settings, you'll need to use the Deputy web app. For more information, see How to manage settings for Performance management.
Where to access Performance management
On the mobile app, open a team member's profile and select the Performance section to view or create performance notes.
Team member Performance section
1. On the mobile app, tap the People button in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Search for the team member you want to view or create a performance note for. You can scroll the employee list or type their name into the search bar.
Tap the team member's profile.
3. Tap Performance.
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Can't see Performance? See our Before you read section. You should also check that you have the most recent Deputy app update.
Using Performance management
View performance notes
To view a team member's complete performance note history, go to the Performance section of their profile.
Performance notes are displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent note shown first.
Write performance notes
To create new performance notes for a team member, go to the Performance section of their profile.
1. Tap the plus (+) icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
2. A New note screen will open. Select the relevant Note visibility setting for the new performance note, then click Apply.
The note visibility options are:
- Managers only (default setting): The note is visible only to managers/admins. This is best suited for internal notes.
- Share note with [Employee name]: The employee can view that specific note in their Deputy mobile app. Use this for sharing constructive feedback you want acknowledged, positive recognition or documenting agreed actions.
3. Type the performance note for the employee.
To enhance your performance notes, you can also use the icons to:
- Upload file attachments
- Assign relevant tags
- Use the AI writing assistant to refine your note
5. Tap Publish to save the note.
Filter performance notes
When viewing the Performance section of an employee’s profile, use the filters to narrow the notes shown by specific tags or authors.
To filter notes:
- Tap the Tags or Author drop-down filter.
- Select the relevant tags or note contributors.
- Tap Apply.
Archive notes
You can archive published notes at any time. Archived notes no longer appear on the main notes page for other managers or the employee, if the note was shared with them.
To archive a published note, tap the three dot icon (...) next to the relevant note, then select Archive note.
Unarchive notes
You can unarchive an archived note at any time. When you unarchive a note, it will return to it's previous note visibility settings. For example, if the note was originally shared with the team member, the employee will be able to view it again.
To unarchive a note:
1. Open the relevant team member's Performance section screen and tap the the three dot icon (...) at the top of the screen. Tap View archived notes.
2. Find the note you'd like to unarchive, then tap the three dot icon (...) next at the top right corner of the note.
4. Select Unarchive note, then tap Unarchive to confirm.
View AI summaries
If your organization has enabled AI summaries, you can view a summary of a team member’s performance note history at the top of their Performance section.
Tap on the AI summary section to expand it, then use the toggle to switch between a summary of the past 30 days or 90 days.
Note visibility
Managers can choose whether to share performance notes with a team member while creating the note.
By default, all performance notes are set to Managers only. Before publishing, you can change the visibility to share the note with the employee. Once a note has been published, its visibility cannot be changed.
This setting must be selected for each individual note.
To share a performance note written on the mobile app, tap Managers only, then select Share note with [Employee name]. Once published, the team member will be able to view the note in their Deputy mobile app.
The note visibility options are:
- Managers only (default setting): The note is visible only to managers/admins. This is best suited for internal notes.
-
Share note with [Employee name]: The employee can view that specific note in their Deputy mobile app. Use this for sharing constructive feedback you want acknowledged, positive recognition or
documenting agreed actions.
How the AI writing assistance tool works
When writing performance notes, managers can use Deputy's built-in AI writing assistance (Refine tool) to improve clarity, consistency, and tone while keeping the original meaning of their feedback.
You can choose from the following Tone and Polish styles.
Tone options
- Professional – Makes your writing more formal and business-appropriate.
- Supportive – Uses a more encouraging and empathetic tone.
- Direct – Makes your writing more concise and straightforward.
Polish options
- Make actionable – Rewrites your text with clearer next steps or actions.
- Add clear expectations – Clarifies what success or improvement looks like.
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Balance positives & improvements – Creates more balanced feedback by combining strengths with development areas.
How can team members view their performance notes?
See the instructions in our Introduction to Performance management.
FAQs
Why can't I see the Performance tab on my mobile app?
If you can't see the Performance tab on a team member's profile, first make sure Performance management is correctly enabled for your organization (requires a Deputy HR subscription).
After that, update the Deputy mobile app to the latest version from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
If you've confirmed both of these and still can't see the Performance tab, contact your organization's System Administrator to verify you have access to Performance management.
Who can view and manage performance notes?
Check out our detailed guide on the user permissions for Performance management.
Can I edit or delete a note after it's been published?
No. Currently, you can't edit or permanently delete a note after it has been published. You can however archive a published note which removes it from the employee's view (if shared). We recommend checking the message contents and settings carefully before you click Publish.
Note: Archiving notes on the mobile app is currently only available for Android devices. If you have an iOS device, you can use the web app to archive performance notes.