Collecting feedback within a defined timeframe helps keep feedback relevant and ensures review cycles stay on schedule. Teamflect's Lock submissions after due date setting allows administrators to enforce feedback due dates as hard deadlines across the entire organization.
When this setting is enabled, users can no longer submit feedback after the due date has passed. Any feedback that has already been submitted remains unchanged, while incomplete feedback becomes read-only until the setting is disabled again (or, for 360 Feedback, until the due date is extended).
How to enable the setting
To enable submission locking:
Navigate to Admin Center.
Select Feedback Settings.
Turn on Lock submissions after due date.
Review the confirmation message.
Select Turn on locking to apply the change.
Once enabled, the setting takes effect immediately across your organization. Any feedback requests that are already past their due date and have not been submitted will be locked right away.
Note: This is an organization-wide setting. It applies to all users and cannot be configured separately for individual feedback templates, review cycles, or departments.
What happens when the setting is enabled?
After the setting is turned on, any feedback request that meets all of the following conditions will be locked:
The feedback due date has passed.
The feedback has not yet been submitted.
The organization setting is enabled.
This applies to:
Standalone feedback requests
360 Feedback
360 Feedback within Performance Reviews
Completed feedback is never affected.
What end users will experience
When users open a feedback request after its due date has passed, they will notice several changes, like the feedback having the advisory that it has expired.
The feedback form becomes read-only
Users can still open the feedback form to view any responses they previously entered, but they can no longer edit or submit the feedback.
Draft responses are preserved
If a user previously saved a draft before the due date, the draft is not deleted. It remains available in read-only mode until the feedback is unlocked.
Submission options are removed
The Submit and Save as Draft buttons are no longer displayed. Instead, users will see a message indicating that the feedback has expired.
Expired feedback no longer appears as a pending action
Locked feedback requests are automatically removed from users' pending actions on the Home page, preventing users from seeing tasks they can no longer complete.
What happens if the setting is turned off?
Disabling Lock submissions after due date immediately restores the previous behavior.
Users can once again submit feedback after the due date, and any saved drafts become editable again. No responses or drafts are deleted when the setting is turned off.
Important limitations
Keep the following in mind when using this setting:
The setting applies to your entire organization.
There are no exceptions for specific feedback templates or review cycles.
Completed feedback is never locked or modified.
Draft responses are always preserved while feedback is locked.
Standalone feedback due dates cannot be changed after the request is created. If a standalone feedback request becomes locked, extending the due date is not possible.
For 360 Feedback and 360 Feedback within Performance Reviews, extending the feedback due date automatically reopens any previously locked feedback requests within that cycle.
Manual reminder emails cannot be sent for feedback requests that are already locked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this affect feedback that has already been submitted?
No. Submitted feedback is never modified or locked.
Can users still see their saved draft?
Yes. Users can view previously saved draft responses, but they cannot edit or submit them while the feedback is locked.
Can I enable this setting for only one review cycle?
No. This setting is organization-wide and applies to all supported feedback types.
Can locked standalone feedback be reopened?
No. Standalone feedback due dates cannot be extended after the request has been created. To allow late submissions again, an administrator would need to disable the organization-wide setting.
What happens if I extend a 360 Feedback due date?
For 360 Feedback and 360 Feedback within Performance Reviews, extending the due date automatically reopens any previously locked feedback requests in that cycle.
Use Cases
Keep performance review timelines on schedule
Organizations running annual or quarterly review cycles can ensure all feedback is submitted before discussions begin. Once the deadline passes, no additional feedback can be submitted unless the cycle due date is extended (for 360 Feedback).
Maintain fair and consistent deadlines
HR teams can enforce the same submission deadline for everyone in the organization, preventing late feedback from creating inconsistencies across review cycles.
Prevent unnecessary reminders
Since locked feedback can no longer be submitted, administrators won't accidentally send reminder emails directing users to forms they are no longer able to complete.