Request, Add, and Manage External Evaluations for a Case
External evaluations are crucial to the review process. Tools are available for Unit Administrators, Case Managers, and Committee Managers to request evaluations from scholars outside the committee or institution. External evaluations can be added in two ways: uploaded directly into the candidate's case or requested by email through our program. External evaluators receive an email with submission instructions and can upload the document directly to Interfolio without needing an account.
Request/Add an External Evaluation for a Case
- Navigate to the Cases page, click the Name of the candidate, then scroll to the bottom and then click Request Evaluation.
Unit Administrators, Case Managers, and Committee Managers can upload an evaluation file directly to the candidate's case by clicking Add File under Internal Sections.
- Fill out the information on the Request Evaluation page. Check out the table below for more information about each field.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| External Evaluator Information |
Click Add Another Evaluator to add multiple evaluators. The following variables automatically fill in the first and last names of each evaluator receiving the message:
|
| Message to Evaluator |
Click Preview Email to see how the requested email will appear to the external evaluator. The preview will not auto-populate names if mail merge is used, but the names will be included in the sent message. |
| Add Files |
Click Add Files to attach files from the candidate or internal sections to the request. These files will be available for download by the recipient upon accepting the invitation. Files from the external evaluation section cannot be added. If your institution has enabled the integration between RPT and FAR, the candidate's FAR Vita can be uploaded here to share with the external evaluation. The vita will appear as one of the file options to add. |
| Response Settings |
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3. Send Request when finished. Submitted Evaluations will be added to the External Evaluation section by default. This can be changed by selecting Edit > Edit Settings adjacent to the request.
Evaluator Notifications After the Request has been Sent
The external evaluator will immediately receive the request in their email. Once they select the View Request button, they will have the option to Accept or Decline the request. Once they accept, they will be able to view any attached files and see the option to upload their evaluation. They can return to this screen at any time by selecting the link in the email.
Automatic Email Reminders will be sent to External Evaluators 7 days and 1 day before the set deadline. Please note that this is a hard deadline.
Once the deadline passes, the evaluator declines the request, or the evaluation is submitted before a reminder is sent, no additional reminders are sent.
The sender will be notified if a request for an evaluation is unable to be delivered to the email address entered.
Manage Evaluation Request
Navigate to the Cases page and click the Name of the applicable candidate. Check out the table below for details on managing your evaluation requests.
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| View Activity Log |
When a Unit Administrator, Case Manager, or Committee Manager uploads an external evaluation, it is recorded in the Activity Log. The Case Activity Log shows shows who requested and uploaded an evaluation, when it was requested and submitted, and if the request bounced. It does not indicate whether an evaluator accepted or declined the request. Click View Activity Log from the Case Options dropdown at the top of the page. |
| View Request Status |
Click to expand the External Evaluations section to view the status of your request: Requested, Accepted, Declined, or Submitted (with the uploader's name and timestamp). After submission, evaluators cannot delete or replace their files. Only Administrators, Case Managers, or Committee Managers can delete the file. |
| Edit Evaluation Settings and Delete Request |
Click to expand the External Evaluations section, click Edit next to the applicable evaluation, and then select Edit Settings to edit the file name, internal section, resend the request and set committee permissions. You can also add external evaluations on behalf of the evaluator.
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| Resend or Cancel Request, Cancel Request |
Click to expand the External Evaluations section, then click Edit next to the applicable evaluation to Edit & Resent or Cancel Request.
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FAQs
What happens if the evaluation request is unable to be delivered?
If an evaluation request fails to deliver, the requester will be notified if the email address is invalid or blocked, but not if it lands in the spam folder.
Can external evaluations be shared with the candidate?
Documents added via the Add File button or requested through the Request Evaluation button in the External Evaluations section are confidential and cannot be shared with the candidate, regardless of their location in the packet. Non-confidential documents, however, remain non-confidential regardless of where they appear. Unit Administrators, Case Managers, or Committee Managers can use the document-sharing feature for non-confidential materials.
Are reminders sent to evaluators to submit their evaluation?
After the request has been sent, the external evaluator will immediately receive the request in their email. If they accept, Automatic Email Reminders will be sent to External Evaluators 7 days and 1 day before the set deadline.
Please note that this is a hard deadline. Once the deadline passes, the evaluator declines the request, or the evaluation is submitted before a reminder is sent, no additional reminders are sent.
Why is a Case Manager unable to view/edit external evaluation requests once they've been sent?
If the external evaluation setting is set to Administrators Only, you must be a Unit Administrator or higher to view it.