How to use the Army’s self-service portal for EES

The Evaluation Entry System (EES) is the Army’s online workspace for preparing, routing, reviewing, and approving evaluation reports. Soldiers, raters, senior raters, and administrative personnel may use the system at different points in the evaluation cycle, so access and available actions depend on the user’s role.

EES is separate from systems such as iPERMS, IPPS-A, and the Army’s personnel records portals. An evaluation may be completed in EES while supporting documents and the final approved report are handled elsewhere. Knowing how these systems connect helps prevent missing records and delayed submissions.

Because websites, access rules, and system menus can change, use current Army guidance and your unit’s administrative office when instructions conflict. EES Army provides general informational guidance, but it is not an official government portal.

Prepare before signing in

Use a government computer or an approved device with a working Common Access Card (CAC) reader. Insert the CAC before opening the portal, confirm that the required certificates are available, and use a supported browser. A browser that blocks military certificates, pop-ups, or secure content can prevent EES from loading correctly.

Have the key evaluation details available before beginning: the rated Soldier’s full name and identification information, the report type, the evaluation period, duty title, organization, and the names of the rating officials. Reviewing the rating chain in advance is especially important when a report involves a change of rater, temporary duty, or a recently transferred Soldier.

Sign in and locate the evaluation

Open the current EES access point provided by Army Human Resources Command or your unit. Select the CAC certificate intended for authentication, enter the PIN, and allow the portal to complete its security checks. Do not save a CAC PIN in a browser or share your card with another person.

After signing in, the home page generally displays work items associated with your role. A rater may see evaluations awaiting preparation or action, while a senior rater may see reports awaiting review. An administrative user may have broader tracking functions. If an expected evaluation is missing, verify the report status, rating chain, and suspense date with the unit S-1 or designated administrator.

Create and complete a report

Start by selecting the correct evaluation type and confirming the Soldier’s record. Enter duty information exactly as it should appear on the report, including the rated period and assigned organization. Small errors in dates or duty titles can create problems when the report is later filed in the official personnel record.

Work through each required section carefully. Narrative comments should describe performance, character, potential, and specific results using clear, accurate language. Avoid copying vague statements from earlier reports. Before routing the evaluation, compare the entries against official duty records and local administrative instructions.

EES may save a draft, but a saved draft is not the same as a submitted report. Use the system’s review or validation functions to identify incomplete fields. Keep a local, authorized working copy of supporting material, while protecting personally identifiable information and following Army records-handling rules.

Route the evaluation through the rating chain

The evaluation process normally follows the designated rating chain. After the rater completes the report, it may move to the senior rater and then to the rated Soldier for review or acknowledgment, depending on the report type and current procedures. Each participant should act within the unit’s suspense timeline rather than waiting for an automated reminder.

If the report is returned, read the comments carefully and make only the authorized corrections. Do not alter another official’s portion without direction. When a rating official is unavailable, the unit’s S-1 or HR professional can explain whether a reassignment, assumption of command, or other formal action is required.

The following distinctions can help identify where an action belongs:

Task	Usually handled in EES	May require another system or office
Draft evaluation comments	Yes	No
Review rating-chain information	Yes	Unit administrator if incorrect
Route and acknowledge a report	Yes	Local policy may add steps
Store the approved evaluation permanently	Not always	iPERMS or records personnel
Correct a personnel data error	Sometimes	IPPS-A, S-1, or HR office
Track promotion-related documents	No	iPERMS, IPPS-A, or career manager

Understanding this separation is essential. EES is primarily an evaluation workflow tool; it should not be treated as a complete replacement for the Army’s personnel and document-record systems.

Verify approval and personnel filing

Once all required officials have acted, check the report’s status instead of assuming that the final signature completed the process. Look for an approved, completed, or similarly labeled status and retain the transaction details allowed by local policy. If the report remains pending, identify which user or stage is holding it.

The approved evaluation may later need to appear in the Soldier’s official record. Soldiers who want to understand how to review that record can follow this guide on accessing a military personnel file. If the report does not appear after the expected processing period, contact the servicing S-1 or records office with the report details.

A promotion, reassignment, or correction can also expose gaps in the personnel file. Guidance on updating iPERMS after promotion may help identify documents that require attention, although the responsible Army office should provide the final filing instructions.

Resolve common access and workflow problems

A blank page, certificate error, or repeated login request often points to a browser, CAC, middleware, or network issue. Close all browser windows, reconnect the CAC reader, select the correct certificate, and try the approved browser again. Avoid repeatedly entering the PIN if the card may be locked, and seek local technical support when necessary.

For a missing evaluation, confirm that the correct report period and Soldier profile were used. A mismatch in rank, organization, social identification data, or rating chain can prevent the document from appearing in the expected queue. The unit administrator may need to correct the workflow before the evaluation can move forward.

Keep a record of suspense dates, returned actions, and communications with the S-1. When escalating an issue, provide the report type, period, affected role, error message, and steps already attempted. Never send unnecessary personal information through unsecured email or public support channels.

Keep evaluations connected to career records

An evaluation is one part of a broader career record. Soldiers should periodically review their documents, awards, training, duty history, and promotion data rather than waiting until a board is announced. The guide to raising promotion points offers related administrative context, but EES itself does not calculate every promotion factor.

Use this routine to reduce last-minute corrections:

• Check CAC access and approved browser settings before the suspense date.
• Confirm the rating chain, report period, duty title, and organization.
• Review every section before routing the evaluation.
• Track the report until final approval and personnel filing.
• Contact the S-1 or records office when an evaluation or supporting document is missing.

A disciplined workflow makes the EES self-service process easier to manage and gives each participant a clear responsibility. Start with accurate personnel information, follow the rating chain, verify the final status, and then check the appropriate records system to confirm that the completed evaluation is where it belongs.