How to Check Your NCOER Status in the EES Workflow

A reliable NCOER status check means locating the evaluation in the correct Army system, reading its workflow label and identifying who must act next. The older Evaluation Entry System (EES) and the current IPPS-A evaluation screens use related language, although menus and status names can differ by record.

This process applies to U.S. Army personnel. An Australian Defence Force member normally uses a separate performance system, while a US Army soldier assigned in Australia still uses Army evaluation channels rather than Services Australia. A posting at Joint Base Darwin, for example, does not transfer the NCOER to an Australian civilian personnel office.

Australian time zones can make a pending review seem unusually slow. Adelaide and Perth can be roughly 12 to 14½ hours behind US Eastern Time, depending on daylight-saving dates. Australian colleagues may describe a quick administrative submission as “chucking a snag in”, but the Army workflow terminology still determines the required action.

Have your evaluation period, rank and component ready, and keep any returned forms unchanged. Follow the unit’s published evaluation and HR contacts for local direction; this guide explains the workflow without replacing official policy or a commander’s instructions.

Identify the active evaluation system

Begin by confirming whether you are seeing a legacy EES record or an IPPS-A record. IPPS-A replaced the legacy system, but historical guides and screen labels remain in circulation. Use the current official evaluation view rather than judging progress from an old PDF or a screenshot sent by a colleague.

Check the document type as well. A NCOER covers noncommissioned officer evaluations, while an OER belongs to a commissioned officer’s record. If your role calls for an OER, the EES Army OER guide explains the relevant distinctions and terminology.

Find the record in the official portal

Sign in through the official Army portal using your authorised CAC credentials, then open the evaluation area. Look for the NCOER by period, duty position and document type rather than searching only by a nickname, since duplicates and older versions can cause confusion.

If the record is absent, confirm your IPPS-A access with the appropriate administrator before changing personal data. Dependent records are maintained separately in iPERMS; the update dependents in iPERMS guide explains why an iPERMS update will not itself move an NCOER forward.

Read the status labels

Common labels include draft, pending action, pending senior review, returned and finalized, although exact wording varies. A draft is still being prepared, while pending action means another authorised person must complete the next step rather than the soldier simply waiting.

A returned record needs correction and resubmission, while a finalized record should show the completed evaluation and signatures. If nothing appears, note whether the NCOER is missing, assigned to the wrong rater or evaluator, or still outside your visible history.

Follow up when action stops

Contact the named evaluator first, then the sponsor, rater or unit HR office in the order used by your unit. Give the evaluation period, document type, exact status and date last updated. A focused request is easier to action than a large attachment or repeated general enquiries.

An NCOER status does not confirm that promotion points have been calculated. The Army promotion point worksheet is a separate aid for assembling points, while the evaluation workflow controls completion. If a promotion deadline is close, obtain confirmation from both the evaluation contact and unit HR.

Work effectively from Australia

Include a date and time in Zulu when chasing a review so both sides can compare records without guessing. A Friday evening email in Perth may arrive after the US office has closed. Avoid describing the status as “stuck” until you have checked whether a weekend, leave period or scheduled senior review explains the wait.

Use full search terms such as “IPPS-A NCOER status” and restrict navigation to official Army domains. Search engines can mix unrelated material into the results; a page about Chicago housing grants has no connection to an Army evaluation and should not be used as a status source.

Compare common status views

Before interpreting any label, confirm that the browser address belongs to an official government service. Never enter CAC credentials, evaluation forms or personal data into a commercial page, including an unrelated pharmacy listing. Close uncertain results and return through the known Army portal.

The usual labels point to these practical interpretations:

Typical label	What it usually means	Sensible next action
Draft	The evaluation is being created or revised.	Contact the rater or evaluator if the agreed date has passed.
Pending action	Another reviewer has the next required action.	Allow a short processing period, then ask that reviewer to confirm receipt.
Pending senior review	The evaluation has reached a senior rater or approver.	Verify that it was submitted to the senior-review stage.
Returned	A reviewer sent it back for correction.	Read the comments and resubmit only the requested changes.
Finalized	The evaluation is complete and recorded.	Save the official copy and confirm it appears in the archive.
Not visible	No matching record is available to your account.	Check access and contact the unit evaluation administrator.

Treat the wording as guidance because workflow labels can vary. If the screen says finalized but your file archive still lacks the document, report the discrepancy rather than uploading an unofficial replacement.

Actions that prevent a stalled review

A brief audit of access, dates and named contacts catches most avoidable delays. Do this whenever you begin a new evaluation cycle or prepare a promotion packet.

If you need help, keep a single dated record of requests and responses so each reviewer can see what has already been checked. This is particularly useful across Australian and US time zones.

• Open the official IPPS-A evaluation view and record the exact status and last-updated date.
• Confirm the current rater, evaluator and senior-review stage against your duty position.
• Send one concise follow-up naming the period, missing action and response needed.
• Preserve returned forms and official versions, and make corrections only as directed.
• Use Zulu timestamps and include a contact method suitable for your location.
• Escalate through the unit evaluation or HR channel when the agreed response date passes.