Tracking whether managers actually complete their review cycles on time

Microsoft 365 can automate the tracking, but it needs an authoritative status source; it cannot infer that a review is complete from ordinary email. Create a restricted Microsoft List containing only operational metadata: review cycle, employee or review ID, responsible manager, due date, status, completed date, and escalation owner. Keep ratings and written review content in the HR system rather than this tracker. Use a form or controlled list update for managers to mark completion, or have the HR system update the record if it supports integration. Add list rules for important status changes and a scheduled workflow that sends reminders before the deadline, then escalates overdue records to the appropriate owner. Build saved views for due soon, overdue, and completed, and use Excel or Power BI for completion-rate trends by cycle and department. Remember that filtered views are not security boundaries; restrict the site or list permissions appropriately. Pilot one quarterly cycle and reconcile the dashboard against HR’s source records before relying on it.