In the competitive field of performance appraisal software, Trakstar offers a cloud-based solution it has been perfecting since it got its start back in 2001. It streamlines the performance appraisal process with a series of powerful performance management functionalities around feedback, goals, and reviews.

The company notes that more than 800 organizations and businesses use Trakstar to create a goal-oriented culture. As the company’s website notes: “We believe people are happier and healthier when they know their work matters. So we built a product that helps companies align goals, give instant feedback to peers and make sure reviews are done well.” Features of the Trakstar system include employee record management providing rapid views of an individual’s appraisal history; easy adding and editing of positions once they’re in the database, including customizing forms so they look exactly how you want them to look; an appraisal process that includes scheduling and email reminders so everyone’s on the same page (and the appraisal process itself can be edited as desired); managers enter goals, and employees have the option to enter their own goals as well; employee progress can be tracked with numerical measurements to see how they’re doing on goals relative to percentage of completion and deadline dates (and each measurement can its own tasks and email reminders); finally, both employees and managers have the ability to enter notes at any time during the appraisal cycle, and the notes can be made either public or private. There is also an option for 360-degree multi-rater feedback. The system also provides a variety of reports that allow managers to uncover rater bias, make comparisons, pinpoint sources of consistently low or high ratings, and see how performance has changed over time.

Pros

Here are some of the positive things Trakstar users say about the system:

• Nearly all users have only good things to say about the system, finding it very easy to use and a powerful, flexible supplement to regular development conversations.
• Users especially appreciate being able to customize much of the system, such as KPTs and measurements to better fit each role or position.
• A number of users noted that the system is spurring more regular feedback and coaching.
• Other users note that the system has resulted in better alignment of employee behaviors all the way from the executive level right down to the team member level.
• Users who undertook the training offered by the company have given it high praise.
• In general, users find they rarely need to contact support, but the service received has been described as outstanding.

Cons

Here are some of the drawbacks Trakstar’s users have highlighted:

• A few users noted that when they’ve had to contact support, response time was slow, and that they could often get a quicker response if they emailed their Trakstar trainer (if they had used one).
• A few users noted that reversing an action is difficult and may require technical support.

Trakstar’s performance appraisal software has received near-perfect marks from its users. Beyond occasionally slow technical support and difficulty reversing actions, there are no significant drawbacks.