Verification of Competency

Use the Custom Form Builder to create a Verification of Competency form. When the form is set up correctly, completed results are added to the Competency Matrix, so you can track staff competency in one place.

This article is for Managers and Site Admins.

Note: Results only appear on the Competency Matrix if the form is linked to a competency and includes a Staff member being assessed question with the User List answer type.

In this article

  • What is a Verification of Competency form?
  • The old way vs the new way
  • Step 1: Upload the SOP and create the competency
  • Step 2: Create the Verification of Competency form
  • Step 3: Add the staff member being assessed
  • Step 4: Add competency questions and a signature
  • Check results in the Competency Matrix
  • Quick tips

What is a Verification of Competency form?

A Verification of Competency (VOC) form is used to assess whether a staff member can safely and correctly perform a task, usually against an SOP or SWP.

Completed results can be written automatically into the Competency Matrix, instead of being assigned by hand.

This is different from Training, which is used for online courses. See Competency Reporting for how results are reviewed after the form is submitted.

The old way vs the new way

The old way

  1. Print a competency form.
  2. Complete it on paper.
  3. Scan the form and email it.
  4. Upload the scan.
  5. Manually assign the competency result to the user.

The new way

  1. Upload the SOP or SWP to Risk Management - SOP/SWP Category (Workplace Documents).
  2. Turn on the Create Competency toggle when you upload the document. This skips creating the competency separately under the Training menu.
  3. Build a form using the Verification of Competency form type and link it to that competency.
  4. Add a Staff member being assessed question so the result is assigned to the correct user.
  5. Complete the form. The result is added to the Competency Matrix automatically.

Step 1: Upload the SOP and create the competency

Managers and Site Admins can create the competency when they upload the SOP or SWP. This shortcuts creating the competency under the Training menu.

  1. Open Workplace Documents and select Risk Management - SOP/SWP Category.
  2. Click + in the top right corner.
  3. Complete the document fields, including the title and description.
  4. Turn on the Create Competency toggle.

The competency name will be the same as the title of the SOP/SWP you are uploading. That competency then appears in the extra dropdown in the Form Builder in Step 2.

Note: Some users miss the Create Competency toggle. If it is left off, the competency is not created at upload.

You can still create the competency from the Training menu if the document is already in the system. Edit that competency later and assign a document if required. Competencies can use SOPs already stored in Workplace Documents, so you do not need to upload the same file twice.

Note: To use an SOP or SWP with a competency, the document must be in the SOP/SWP Category. Documents from other Workplace Documents categories cannot be selected. If this category is hidden, unhide it first.

You can instead assign a single file that is not managed in Workplace Documents.

Step 2: Create the Verification of Competency form

  1. From the ComplianceTrackr Portal (Desktop Dashboard), select Forms from the left sidebar.
  2. Click Custom Form Builder.
  3. Select Custom Forms → Create New Forms.
  4. Enter the form name and set the form type to Verification of Competency (Competency form type). This may also appear as Competency & Training in some menus.
  5. When you select this form type, an extra dropdown appears.
  6. Select the competency you created in Step 1.

The results of this form will be entered against that competency in the Competency Matrix.

One more step is required before those results can be assigned to a user.

Step 3: Add the staff member being assessed

This step is required. Without it, the form can still be completed, but the result will not be assigned to a user in the Competency Matrix.

  1. In the Form Builder, select + Create Custom Venue Questions (venue profile section).
  2. Add a single question named Staff member being assessed.
  3. Set the answer type to User List.

When the form is completed, the assessor selects the staff member being verified. That person receives the result on the Competency Matrix.

Step 4: Add competency questions and a signature

When you add questions to the main section of a competency form, only two answer types are available.

Competency Question

  • Uses preset answers for verifying competency.
  • Always select List all profiles.

The preset competency scale is:

  • Needs Development
  • Approaching Competence
  • Competent
  • Highly Competent
  • Exceptional

Signature

  • Add this at the end of the form for the assessor to sign off.
  • Add a second signature if the staff member also needs to sign.

You can add more than one Competency Question. Group questions into sections and add instructions so the assessor knows what to observe.

Check results in the Competency Matrix

After the form is submitted:

  1. Open Reporting Dashboard.
  2. Select Single Site Reporting.
  3. Select Verification of Competency.

The Competency Matrix shows assigned people down the left and each competency across the top.

From this page you can also review submitted competency forms and competency issues.

See Competency Reporting for how to read the matrix, submitted forms, and issues.

If a result is missing from the matrix, check that:

  • The form type is Verification of Competency.
  • The extra competency dropdown is set.
  • The form includes Staff member being assessed with the User List answer type.
  • Each Competency Question has List all profiles selected.
  • The form was submitted, not left in progress.

Quick tips

  • Turn on Create Competency when you upload the SOP or SWP. Some users miss this toggle.
  • The competency name will match the SOP/SWP title.
  • The document must be in the SOP/SWP Category to be used with a competency.
  • If that category is hidden, unhide it first.
  • You can assign a single file instead, but that file is not managed in Workplace Documents.
  • The extra dropdown only appears after you choose the Verification of Competency form type.
  • Use one Staff member being assessed question only, with the User List answer type.
  • Always choose List all profiles on Competency Questions.
  • Add a Signature question so the assessment can be signed off.
  • If results are missing from the matrix, check the form type, the competency dropdown, and the User List question.

Need help?

If you need help setting up a Verification of Competency form, contact support@sm8a.com.au.

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