Thanks for the comments and questions. The best way to do documentation is before, during and after conversations with employees; when performance is going right, wrong, or average; all the time. You need a system that works for you. Some managers keep a notebook in their back pocket. Some use relationship management software and a little database of their employees, in which you can make ongoing notes that are date/time stamped, in which each data record becomes your ongoing tracking system. Whatever you do, if you are in a large company, call someone in hr and ask for some guidance: they'll help you make sure to do it right, to dot your Is and cross your Ts. The key is to keep running notes all the time about expectations set (goals, deadlines, guidelines/parameters) and performance observed (real concrete actions) directly or indirectly. Describe, describe, describe. Don't write a book. Just make good notes on an ongoing basis. This becomes a detailed contemporaneous record. And I think you should let employees know that you are documenting performance every step of the way. Maybe the employee should start writing down some of this stuff too!!! I hope that helps.