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Anytime Feedback: Creating Automated Feedback Requests

Automated Feedback Requests let you schedule feedback in advance so it’s sent automatically at the right time.

Updated over 2 weeks ago

Automated Feedback Requests help you check in with employees at the right moments, like during onboarding. Once set up, they run automatically based on your chosen triggers, saving time while keeping feedback consistent and timely.

This guide walks you through what to prepare, how to create an automation, and key details to keep in mind.

Before you create an automation

Taking a few minutes to plan will help you set up meaningful and targeted feedback requests.

1. Clarify your goals

Ask yourself:

  • What questions do you want to ask?
    Automated Feedback Requests use Anytime Feedback Templates, so you’ll need to create those first.

  • Who is the feedback about?
    For example:

    • A manager giving feedback on a new hire

    • A new employee sharing onboarding feedback

  • Whose input do you need?
    Teammates? Direct reports? The manager?

  • Who should see the feedback?
    Decide whether feedback should be visible to the employee, anonymous, or confidential.

2. Check employee profile data

Automations rely on information stored in employee profiles.

Make sure:

  1. Each relevant employee has a Hiring Date set.

  2. Department or Location is filled in if you plan to filter by those fields.

You can update profiles individually or via CSV import (see: Adding and Updating Users).

Note: The hiring date must be entered in the employee’s profile. It is not set to the date they were added to Small Improvements.

Create Your Automation

Open the Automations tab

  1. Go to Anytime Feedback.

  2. Click the Automations tab.

Choose the trigger

Decide when the feedback request should be sent:

  • On a regular schedule

  • Based on the employee’s Hiring Date

  • Send before or after a 1:1 Meeting

If using a regular schedule

Choose the interval:

  • Weekly

  • Every two weeks

  • Monthly

  • Quarterly

If using the hiring date

Choose how long after the hiring date the request should be sent:

  • A set number of days

  • Weeks

  • Years

If using a 1:1 meeting trigger

You can send the request automatically:

  • A set number of hours, days, or weeks before the 1:1 meeting

  • A set number of hours, days, or weeks after the 1:1 meeting

This gives you flexibility to gather reflections in advance or capture feedback while the conversation is still fresh.

Define who is included

You can:

  • Restrict by Department

  • Restrict by Location

  • Exclude specific individuals manually

This is helpful if different teams have different onboarding or feedback processes.

Tip: Start with focused groups (like one department) before expanding company-wide. You can always add more automations later.

Configure request settings

Set the title and introduction

  • Add a clear, descriptive title under What is this feedback about?

    • You can search by title/topic under Anytime Feedback Insights, so make it easy to identify the automation.

  • Write the Introduction that employees will see.

    • Provide context and clear instructions.

Select reviewers

Choose who should provide feedback:

  • Employee – Self-assessment

  • Reports – Direct reports (if the employee is a manager)

  • Team – People reporting to the same manager

  • Manager – Direct manager

  • Management Chain – Indirect managers up the reporting line

Select the questionnaire

Choose a Feedback Request Template.

  • Select a template you created or one of our defaults.

  • Click Done.

Set visibility by role

Choose who can see the feedback:

  • Everything – Feedback and author are visible

  • Anonymous answers – Feedback is visible, author is hidden

  • Nothing – Feedback remains fully confidential

Set timing and reminders

You’ll decide:

  1. When feedback is released:

    • Immediately upon submission

    • After the deadline passes

  2. How long reviewers have to respond

  3. When reminder emails are sent

Tip: Keep deadlines short enough to maintain momentum. Timely feedback is more actionable and relevant.

Final steps

  1. Give your automation a clear, descriptive Name.

  2. Choose whether to:

    • Launch immediately

    • Save as Draft to activate later

Frequently asked questions

How often do automations run?

Automations run every 24 hours at the start of your business day. The system checks for employees who match your criteria and sends requests accordingly.

Are new employees added automatically?

Yes. If new employees match your filters, they are automatically included in the automation.

What happens with a 90-day hiring date trigger?

If you set the trigger to 90 days after hiring and launch the automation today:

Then:

  • An employee hired yesterday will receive the request in 89 days.

  • An employee hired 91 days ago will not receive a request.

This means:

  • Employees hired within the last 90 days (and going forward) are included.

  • Employees hired before that window are not included retroactively.

Should I combine multiple departments into one automation?

You can include multiple departments or locations in a single automation.

However, we recommend creating separate automations when:

  • Different teams use different templates

  • Visibility settings differ

  • Timelines vary

This keeps reporting clearer and makes adjustments easier later.

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