Free Excel Performance Review Template
What's in the free performance review template
The file has two sheets: a Performance Review scoring matrix and a Review Log. The scoring matrix lists six competencies down the side — quality of work, productivity, job knowledge, communication, initiative, and reliability and attendance — with up to five employee columns across the top.
This single file covers what people search for separately as an excel performance review template, an employee evaluation template excel, an employee performance tracker excel, and annual performance review templates — the underlying spreadsheet need is the same weighted scoring matrix, so we built one file instead of four thin ones.
Weighted competency scoring, calculated for you
Score each employee 1-5 on each competency, and the weighted total calculates automatically from the default weights (20%, 20%, 15%, 15%, 15%, 15%). Adjust the weights to match your own role profile or review framework — they should sum to 100%.
Because the weighting is built into the formula, you're not manually multiplying scores by percentages and adding them up by hand for every employee, every review cycle.
Track reviews across your team with the review log
The Review Log sheet is where the annual (or quarterly) side of this template lives: one row per completed review, with employee, review date, reviewer, overall score and a Scheduled/Completed status. As you log reviews, the summary counts how many are completed and averages the overall score across your whole team.
That gives you both views most competitors split into separate templates: the in-the-moment scoring matrix for an individual review, and the team-wide log for tracking who's been reviewed and how the team is trending overall.
Performance review form vs. performance tracker: this file is both
Most free templates online are either a static one-employee review form (a document you fill in once) or a standalone tracker with no actual scoring math. This file does both: the weighted scoring matrix functions as the review form for up to 5 employees per sheet, and the Review Log is the tracker that persists across cycles.
If you manage more than five direct reports, duplicate the scoring matrix sheet for each additional group of five — the Review Log already scales to 60 rows, enough to track a full year of reviews across a sizeable team.
How to use it
- Name up to 5 employees in the scoring matrix and score each competency 1-5.
- Adjust the competency weights to your own role profile — they should sum to 100%.
- Read the weighted total per employee to compare performance objectively.
- Log every completed review in the Review Log, with the reviewer and overall score.
- Check the summary for reviews completed and the team's average overall score.
Download the free Free Excel Performance Review Template
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PTO & Leave Tracker — with Automatic Accrual
Once reviews are done, the paid PTO & Leave Tracker ($19) handles the ongoing HR side: automatic accrual across three policies for up to 30 employees, no macros.
See the full versionFrequently asked questions
Can I use this performance review template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive, then open it and choose File > Save as Google Sheets. The weighted scoring and log formulas keep working.
Is this template really free?
Yes. You give an email address to download it, and then it's yours to use with no further cost.
How many employees can I score at once?
The scoring matrix handles up to 5 employees per sheet. Duplicate the sheet for larger teams. The Review Log tracks up to 60 completed reviews.
Can I change the competencies or their weights?
Yes. Rename any competency row and adjust the weight percentages to match your role profile or review framework — just make sure the weights still add up to 100%.
Is this the same as your employee scorecard template?
No. The Employee Scorecard template tracks ongoing operational metrics over time. This one is built specifically for the review-cycle scoring and logging workflow — competency ratings, weighted totals, and a review history.